By J. Brock (SARTMA)
The Southern Supporter has cornered the pirate Toothfish vessel, Virasa1 near the BouveToya Islands, which are located about 3100 km south-west of Cape Town South Africa at approximately 55S and 5E. Dee Palmer of BBC World Service "Calling the Falklands" has more details.
Suspected poachers are chased across the southern ocean
A Report for BBC World Service "Calling the Falklands" by Dee Palmer (DP) 22 August 2003
The dramatic chase of a vessel, which was allegedly poaching Toothfish in Australian waters, is nearing its climax. Two weeks ago, a Uruguayan fishing boat, the Viarsa, was seen near Hurd Island – a tiny dot of land some 4,000 km south-west of mainland Australia. A fisheries protection vessel tried to arrest the Viarsa on suspicion of illegal fishing. She took off across the Southern Ocean with the Australians in hot pursuit. As the two vessels headed west, Australia asked South Africa for help. Its government authorised an ice-strengthened vessel, equipped with a helicopter, to join the chase. Earlier today, I spoke to the BBC’s Africa Correspondent, Hillary Anderson (HA), who is based in Johannesburg and I asked her for the latest news.
HA: The Australian ship that has been chasing this Uruguayan registered Trawler, the Viarsa, for almost two weeks now, has finally caught up with it in a very remote location about 3,000 km south-west of Cape Town near the Bouvetoya Islands. The Australian Navy wants to board this ship because the people onboard are thought to be carrying this valuable cargo of the rare Patagonian Toothfish. But the crew of the Uruguayan ship don’t want them to board the ship so they have been powering away at high speed whilst the Australians chase from behind. The Australians do have some kind of inflatable vessel they were hoping to use to run up alongside the Viarsa and board the ship. But with the seas being so high (there have been 8 to 10 metre waves out there) and the Uruguayan Trawler being so hostile to attempts to board it, that’s been simply impossible. So, what they are hoping now is that the South Africans will come to the rescue. They have sent another ship down from Cape Town and that is steaming in the direction of these remote islands.
DP: So, what’s the ETA for that South African vessel to reach the site where the Viarsa and the trailing vessel are?
HA: The site is moving all the time because the chase is still going on. The South Africans are told that if they hope to catch up with these other two ships, in about two days. And, the South African vessel is carrying a helicopter onboard and armed men and they say when they get there, they will attempt to board the Viarsa with the helicopter, putting the armed men onboard and they hope to basically arrest the crew and bring them either to Australia or to South Africa (That hasn’t been sorted out yet) and put them on trial for illegal fishing.
DP: So the South Africans are prepared to go to great lengths to collaborate with the Australians if they are prepared to try and take this vessel by force.
HA: Yes. What the Australians have said is that they like the idea that this is a very high profile chase across the bottom of the world. They like the publicity because they are trying to highlight the problems that illegal fishing are causing for the world’s endangered fish supplies. Patagonian Toothfish is a very rare fish. If the illegal fishing continues, Patagonian Toothfish could be wiped across the face of the earth. Apart from being quite a drama to watch, this chase is also really very important for one of the world’s most endangered species.
DP: It’s also important, surely, for the regulated Toothfish fisheries like the ones around South Georgia, where catches are limited as, indeed they are around Heard Island, by Australia, to try and maintain a sustainable long-term fishery.
HA: I think that’s the point. Some fishing of the Patagonian Toothfish is allowed but it would be within strict limits. And, this Uruguayan registered vessel is apparently licensed by the Uruguayans to catch this fish, presumably on that side of the world. But it was found with the equipment for catching Patagonian Toothfish in waters nearer to Australia where it’s not allowed to fish at all. So, that is the evidence basically that they have for the fact that they believe this vessel was involved in pirate fishing. Obviously, this is all part of an effort to keep fishing within the prescribed limits.
(100X Transcription Service)
