SYDNEY, Friday 28 FEB 2025 – Despite the government of New Zealand refusing to release the location where a bottom trawler from New Zealand hauled up deep sea coral in the Tasman Sea late last year, Australia has released the coordinates upon request from Greenpeace, a move the group applauded as “promising ocean protection leadership”.
The Tasman Viking, a bottom trawler from New Zealand, pulled up 37kg of deep sea coral in the Lord Howe Rise area, known for its diverse marine life in October 2024. This action led to a temporary closure of the area under the South Pacific Regional Fisheries Management Organisation (SPRFMO).
According to SPRFMO, detailed information about encounters with coral like this is supposed to be provided, and Greenpeace has offered to document the site as part of their Seamounts Expedition scheduled for March 2025.
Despite the New Zealand Government’s refusal to share the coordinates of the closed area citing ‘commercial sensitivity’, the Australian SPRFMO Commissioner has now disclosed these coordinates responding to Greenpeace’s requests.
Georgia Whitaker, Greenpeace Australia Pacific Senior Campaigner, mentioned:
“It’s encouraging to witness the Australian Government prioritizing ocean protection and scientific research over commercial interests. By revealing the coordinates of bottom-trawling vandalism, the Australian government has demonstrated its commitment to standing up for the ocean.
“What we need now is for the Australian Government to take further steps to safeguard these waters by ratifying the Global Ocean Treaty into Australian law and proposing that biodiverse areas like the Tasman Sea be designated as ocean sanctuaries, free from destructive industrial fishing.”
Recently, both major Australian political parties have shown their commitment to taking ocean protection seriously in the upcoming election. Greenpeace is urging for an increase in the percentage of highly protected waters from industrial fishing and oil and gas, not only in domestic waters but also in adjacent international waters.
“Authentic ocean protection leadership on the global platform involves embracing challenges and solutions. We need robust policies that protect the ocean and the high seas between Australia and New Zealand without exemptions for industry,” Whitaker added.
Greenpeace Aotearoa expedition lead Ellie Hooper criticized the New Zealand government’s decision to withhold the coordinates as “absurd” and “an obvious attempt to shield the fishing industry.”
Hooper commented: “These coordinates have already been shared with all fishing companies and SPRFMO countries, so why is the information being concealed to hinder research and documentation?
“Australia has adopted a more progressive and transparent approach to deep-sea management, providing us with the opportunity to visit this area and attempt to survey it.”
It is estimated that coral brought up to the surface by trawlers represents only a small fraction of what is destroyed on the seafloor.1
New Zealand is the sole country that continues bottom trawling in the high seas of the South Pacific and has faced criticism for obstructing protection measures at SPRFMO this month.
Notes:
Coral in nets to destroyed on seafloor ratios:
1. Geange, S. et al 2017, SC7-DW14, and Stephenson, F. et al 2022, SC10-DW04
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