Ross Sea Strategy

• Ross Sea Strategy
• Status of the Ross Sea toothfish fishery

Ross Sea Strategy

In 2006 the New Zealand Government approved the New Zealand Strategy for the Future Management of the Marine Living Resources and Biodiversity of the Ross Sea. The Strategy states New Zealand should seek balance between:

• well managed sustainable harvesting in accordance with the Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (CCAMLR) Convention’s conservation principles
• marine protection to safeguard the long-term ecological viability of marine systems and protects Antarctic marine biological diversity and areas potentially vulnerable to human impacts

Intermediate Strategy outcomes include:

• improved protection of the region environment
• better fisheries management within CCAMLR
• successful deterrence and reduction of illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing
• enhancement of New Zealand's influence (supported by an effective New Zealand presence in the Ross Sea)
• improved effectiveness of the Antarctic Treaty System

To achieve these outcomes New Zealand has to:

• increase its contribution to Ross Sea marine research and ecosystem monitoring
• improve CCAMLR's fisheries management through development of a medium term management plan for the Ross Sea fishery, promoting the establishment of a catch allocation mechanism to Members and the codification of non-catch and primarily environmentally focussed Conservation Measures on a permanent basis
• promote the establishment of marine protected areas on the high seas in the CCAMLR Area
• combat IUU fishing in the Southern Ocean and the Ross Sea
• strengthen the Antarctic Treaty System including by reinforcing the Antarctic Treaty Consultative Parties role in providing political direction throughout the Treaty System

Status of the Ross Sea toothfish fishery

As directed in the Strategy, New Zealand will continue to advocate for conservative and precautionary Ross Sea catch levels under the existing ‘exploratory’ toothfish fishery framework until CCAMLR’s Scientific Committee agrees sufficient information is available to recommend the status of the fishery be changed.