Take action to protect our oceans

Longlining and bottom trawling are both common methods of industrial fishing around the world, and close to home. Vessels from all around the world come to our region, to the Tasman Sea between Australia and New Zealand, and carve a trail of destruction. 

Longlining is a technique that uses thousands of baited hooks on fishing lines up to 100km long. They can be set near the surface, or weighted 50-300m below the surface to target different fish.

Bottom trawling is a method of fishing that involves dragging heavy, weighted nets across the sea floor to catch fish. It’s a method favoured by commercial fishing companies to catch huge quantities of fish in a short time.

Both longlining and bottom trawling are destroying ocean marine life in their relentless pursuit for profit.

Longlining and bottom trawling are hugely devastating for ocean ecosystems. Both are indiscriminate in the fish they catch, leading to enormous amounts of bycatch and a high risk of endangered animals winding up in their hooks and nets. It is estimated that tens of millions of sharks are caught annually as bycatch from longlining, as well as hundreds of thousands of seabirds - pushing many populations to the brink of collapse.

Additionally, when bottom trawling fishing vessels drag vast weighted nets through delicate ecosystems, like over seamounts, they destroy everything in their path, including the slow growing corals and sponges that have provided a habitat for so many diverse ocean creatures.

Industrial fishing companies who are bottom trawling in the Tasman Sea are generally targeting orange roughy, oreo (not the cookies!), alfonsino, and bluenose fish. Longlining vessels in the area are typically targeting tuna, marlin, and swordfish. 

Due to the indiscriminate nature of bottom trawling and how immensely biodiverse the area is, countless other creatures also are impacted by longlining and bottom trawling. The Tasman Sea is home to some of the highest density of seabirds in the world, including globally threatened albatrosses, as well as a high diversity of fish species, dolphins, and sharks. The seamounts in the region also serve roles as important breeding locations, resting areas, and navigational landmarks for migrating endangered South Pacific humpback whales. These are just some of the marine wildlife who are impacted by industrial fishing in their homes.

Out on the high seas the historic Global Ocean Treaty provides the mechanism for creating ocean sanctuaries in international waters. An ocean sanctuary is a tool for protecting parts of the ocean and can look very different depending on how strongly the legislation is written. 

Until the Global Ocean Treaty enters into force, there is no global mechanism for creating ocean sanctuaries in the international waters which cover over 70% of the ocean. This is why Greenpeace is calling on the Australian Government to ratify the treaty, and then push for the creation of an ocean sanctuary in the Tasman Sea.

Greenpeace is campaigning for vulnerable areas of this region to be fully and highly protected as a marine sanctuary. This would ensure that the area is safe from extractive and destructive activities, like longlining and bottom trawling, enabling ocean wildlife to be resilient, recover and thrive into the future.