We are now heading for a Latvian trawler and if it is fishing for Greenland halibut we will try to go on board to document what they are doing as it would still be good to get some footage of bycatch from this fishery. We have also sent the note below to the boats that we have visited to explain to them why we have moved to a protest activity. Otherwise it would seem like we had opened the door and then shut it without saying anything, and as the contacts with some of these boats was very good and informative on both sides we decided this made sense... another opportunity to explain the campaign too.

Icelandic fishermen spray water from high pressure hoses in an attempt to get rid of Greenpeace activists © Greenpeace/ Hunter

NOTE TO BOATS WE VISITED:

Dear Skipper,

Thanks for the opportunity to visit with you earlier in the week and to document the shrimp fisheries as part of the bottom trawl fisheries in international waters of the Northwest Atlantic. We appreciated the time to discuss the campaign with you and recognise that we agree on some issues but also have different positions on others.

One point we discussed was NAFO's management of the shrimp fisheries here on the Flemish Cap. You know better than us, that it is not done by setting a catch limit, but rather by allocating a number of days and vessels to member countries fishing in the area. This managment system has resulted in members of NAFO just using bigger boats, often setting up to three nets at a time to catch as much as possible in the time allocated. This is not the response of an industry committed to a sustainable fishing future. This is not the only example where NAFO and its members have demonstrated that they are not able to manage the fisheries under their care in a sustainable way.

Additionally, Iceland has used the objection procedure in the NAFO to opt out of this effort allocation scheme and set its own quota. We are asking: "Why is it legal for member countries to opt out of management decisions made collectively by NAFO? Why is it legal for members of NAFO to set their own quotas and ignore scientific advice?

Unsustainable fishing will lead to fish stocks collapsing and when that happens, there will be no more employment in the fishing industry and no income for people who depend on the sea. Bottom trawling is an unsustainable fishing technique that has destructive impacts on the marine ecosystems and poses serious threats to deep sea fish species. We want to encourage fishing companies and governments to use other low-impact fishing methods available to ensure that we are not causing irreparable damage to the marine environment. Regional organisations like NAFO have been directed by the UN to address the destructive impacts of technologies such as bottom trawling, but nothing has happened.

That's why we are documenting and also protesting. We have today done a non-violent peaceful protest against bottom trawling on the highseas. We did not interfere with the navigation equipment of the vessel and we did not do anything to jeopardise the safety of the crew of the trawler and of ourselves. The protest is not against the fishing vessel workers.

What does Greenpeace want?
We are calling on governments around the world to support a UN General Assembly Resolution imposing an immediate moratorium on high seas bottom trawling. This will provide scientists with the necessary time to assess deep sea biodiversity, and policy makers with the time to agree legally binding measures for effective conservation and management of the highseas.

--Bunny

Pictured: Crew from the Esperanza hold a banner up infront of the Petur Jonsson, an Icelandic bottom trawler, despite the dramatic weather conditions © Greenpeace/ Hunter