Greenpeace activists targeted a fishing trawler owned by Talley in Port Nelson on Saturday morning and called for an end to bottom trawling on seamounts.
Two activists anchored a raft next to the trawler Amaltal Atlantis. In a statement, Greenpeace said activists in kayaks also attached a large banner to the hull of the ship.
Ellie Hooper, Greenpeace Aotearoa’s oceans campaigner, said action was needed to protect the ocean’s biodiversity.
“We can have a healthy and prosperous ocean again, but we need to stop the worst forms of fishing.”
READ MORE:
* Seabed protection proposal disputed by conservationists
* Officials consider seamount closures as part of bottom trawl assessment
* Trawling in search of the truth – why New Zealand’s main mode of fishing is so controversial
* Greenpeace targets Talley’s light grid vessel in Port Nelson
MARTIN DE RUYTER/Stuff
Fishing is a major industry in Port Nelson.
Hooper described seamounts as the “building blocks of ocean life, providing essential breeding grounds for fish and a home for unique species.”
“There lives fragile and slow-growing coral, often called the ‘kauri of the deep’.”
When large weighted nets were dragged across seabeds, “they don’t just catch fish, they bulldoze themselves through anything in their path, trapping massive amounts of other species,” Hooper said.
However, Talley’s chief executive of deep sea fishing, Ben Holden, said Greenpeace’s views on the fishing industry did not “reflect reality”.
“They are highly exaggerated and designed to misinform and mislead the public about bottom trawling, which is a very tightly controlled and sustainable way to produce healthy, high-quality food,” Holden said.
“Our industry is very concerned about sustainability in everything it does. The livelihoods of our staff, businesses and consumers depend on ensuring a lifelong healthy fish population.”
In response to Greenpeace’s action, Holden said that while Talley’s respects people’s right to express their views and protest, “we do not respect the right to endanger people, operations or property.”
Martin De Ruyter/Stuff
Greenpeace activists make their message clear in Port Nelson.
While the trawler was flying under a tank flag, Greenpeace activists had “disrupted Talley’s fuel protection measures and the safety of the crew and their own people by crossing these barriers”.
“Our employees have no need to confront Greenpeace and are confident that they will not further interfere with our shipping operations or endanger people,” Holden said.
Earlier, aboard the raft, Jessica Desmond said the activists were there “to disrupt Talley’s activities.”
Today we call on [Oceans and Fisheries Minister] David Parker to ban bottom trawling in these biodiversity hotspots,” Desmond said. “To protect ocean health, bottom trawling on seamounts must stop.”
Greenpeace activists targeted another Talley vessel in July 2021 protest against bottom trawling in an early morning.