Australia To Ban Super Trawlers
Auckland, 11 September 2012 - Greenpeace congratulated the Australian Government today for showing the courage to
prevent the Abel Tasman super trawler fishing in Australian waters.
Super trawlers use an indiscriminate fishing method which can decimate fish stocks and kill turtles, dolphins, seals and
other marine animals.
The first super trawler arrived in South Australia at the end of August. At that time it was named the Margiris (1). New
Zealanders Peter and Donna Simunovich are major shareholders in the joint venture which was about to start operating the
ship in South Australian waters.(2)
Greenpeace hailed it as a victory for the Australian community which has united to reject this monster ship. The
decision also sends a message to the global super-sized fishing fleets that world community opposition is growing to
their unsustainable business model.
“This is what happens when we all stand together,” said Greenpeace Head of Campaigns Ben Pearson.
“Thousands of people across Australia turned out to rallies, sent letters to editors, and pressured their local MPs.
More than one person signed the Greenpeace petition ‘No super trawlers’ every minute.”
“The two year ban is welcome and we always support more scientific investigations into how we manage our oceans more
sustainably,” said Pearson.
Greenpeace will continue its global campaign against overfishing.
“The decision today by the Gillard Government will give heart to communities and campaigners across the globe who
continue to oppose super trawlers like the Abel Tasman and the devastating business model it represents.”
“The global overfishing problem has not gone away”, said Ben Pearson.
“There is 2.5 times more fishing capacity in the world than there are fish. This decision will put pressure on the
European Union to withdraw their subsidies from the super trawler fleet and is a step towards more sustainable fishing.”
said Pearson.
Greenpeace New Zealand Oceans Campaigner Karli Thomas added; “This monster ship must not continue prowling the world's
oceans in search of new fishing grounds to plunder. She must return to Europe where the problems of massive government
subsidies to unsustainable fishing and excessive fishing fleets need to be tackled head-on through the reform of the
European Common Fisheries Policy."
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Notes to Editor
1) Just over a month ago Greenpeace activists prevented the Margiris from leaving port for five days in the Netherlands
before it departed for Australia. Earlier in the year Greenpeace activists painted her side with the word PLUNDER in
Mauritania.
2) The Margiris is being operated by a joint venture between Seafish Tasmania and Seafish Tasmania Pelagic, a fully
owned subsidiary of Parlevliet & Van der Plas BV. Seafish Tasmania Pty Ltd company information sourced from company extract purchased from ASIC and
current on 23rd of August 2012. The Suminovich stake in Seafish Tasmania should be included here as well, shouldn’t it?
ENDS