Revelations that a New Zealand trawler has destroyed kilograms of deep sea corals in a region of the South Pacific earmarked for protection, illustrates exactly why New Zealand must stop bottom trawling these international waters, says Greenpeace Aotearoa.

A New Zealand trawler, The Tasman Viking which is owned by Westfleet, pulled up several species of deep sea coral while trawling in international waters of the Tasman Sea last month.

The coral ‘encounter’ happened on Lord Howe Rise, a region renowned for diverse marine life including corals, sponges, whales and seabirds, triggering an international fishing rule that will see the area temporarily closed to trawling and countries with a fisheries interest in the area notified.

Greenpeace campaigner Ellie Hooper says this latest coral destruction by a New Zealand trawler is an embarrassment, calling it yet another example of how destructive bottom trawling is and why it must be banned.

"It’s reckless environmental vandalism to bulldoze coral, an essential building block for ocean life, especially in the middle of a biodiversity crisis", says Hooper.

"New Zealand trawlers are the last, and only boats still bottom trawling the South Pacific high seas. As a country, we’re an outlier on this issue, flying in the face of the New Zealand public, who want bottom trawling banned from vulnerable areas, and the opinion of our international neighbours.

"If we want a healthy planet, and marine life to thrive, New Zealand must stop bottom trawling seamounts and other vulnerable areas in the South Pacific."

Last year Westfleet, which is partly owned by Sealord, was fined over $52,000 and The Tasman Viking convicted following an incident where rare bamboo coral, pulled up in trawl nets, was illegally released overboard before a fisheries observer had a chance to properly document it.

The incident also happened in the Lord Howe Rise region, and despite the conviction, The Tasman Viking, was given a new high seas trawling permit in June 2024

The waters around Lord Howe Rise are rich and abundant, and include a chain of seamounts or underwater mountains that are home to a variety of marine life from coral to whales and seabirds including the antipodean albatross.

Greenpeace and allies are calling for one of the world’s first global ocean sanctuaries to be created in this region, with the Australian government taking a step forward towards this goal in announcing a science symposium on the site for 2025.

"While other nations are progressing with protecting the high seas from harm, New Zealand is dragging behind, still permitting bottom trawling in these precious areas, despite other countries pushing for them to be closed," says Hooper.

"To give the ocean a chance to recover and thrive, the New Zealand government must end the countries’ bottom trawling operation in the South Pacific high seas, and get with the programme on protection. "Scientists agree that to help stave off the worst of the climate crisis at least 30% of the world’s oceans must be protected from industrial harms by 2030. Creating global ocean sanctuaries in international waters, those areas outside of any one country's jurisdiction, will play a crucial role in achieving this 30x30 goal. A recent report released by Greenpeace International shows that urgent action is needed to create marine protected areas. At the current rate of protection it would take till 2107 to reach the 30x30 goal.

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