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waterfront business Timaru spill points to vulnerable pipes in brief… Australian toothfish – a sustainable choice Australian-caught Patagonian toothfish has been labelled as "best choice" by Monterey Bay Aquarium's Seafood Watch programme. The Seafood Watch programme advises global consumers on seafood sustainability using independent peer reviewed science. Australia has two fisheries for Patagonian toothfish (also known as Chilean Seabass); the Macquarie Island Toothfish Fishery and the Heard Island and McDonald Islands Fishery. Both fisheries are already accredited as sustainable by the Marine Stewardship Council. All Australian vessels fishing for Patagonian toothfish are required to carry two AFMA observers to ensure all fishing operations are monitored around the clock and all unloads of fish are monitored by fishing inspectors. Patagonian toothfish has been subject to significant levels of illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing by foreign fishing vessels. A collaborative effort by industry, government and conservation groups has seen illegal fishing of toothfish decline and no illegal fishing vessels have been detected in the Australian Fishing Zone since January 2004. AFTER LAST YEAR'S spill of light fuel oil into Timaru Harbour Judge Paul Kellar has called for a fishing industry re-think. In Christchurch District Court penalties including fines of nearly $70,000 were imposed on Sanford Limited for the May 2012 spill. Most of the fine of $30,000 and expenses of $38,728 will be paid to Environment Canterbury, with the expenses mainly covering clean-up costs. Sanford identified the source of the leak from the stern of the trawler San Enterprise; a seamed pipe had been affected by corrosion. The pipe has since been replaced and inspected, and the pipes in two of its other vessels have also been replaced. Judge Kellar commented that the fishing industry should re-think systems with grey water pipelines that pass through fuel tanks because they are difficult to inspect. He identified the piping as being a vulnerability in need of careful checking and maintenance. Grey water pipelines carry wastewater from deck drains, showers and basins. In the Sandford case, the corrosion went unnoticed on San Enterprise because the pipe passed through an enclosed fuel tank and after bunkering fuel leaked into the grey water system. A mix of fuel oil and wastewater was automatically discharged into the sea from the grey water tank. An estimated 2,500 litres of light fuel oil was spilled into the harbour. Wildlife was affected, in particular the local shag colony, with a number of dead birds covered in oil being recovered. Sanford was committed to the cleanup effort and told Kellar of its intention to provide information about the vulnerability to engineering management representatives in other New Zealand companies with the same type of vessels. Chinese ship burns on Antarctic waters Study reveals hope for some depleted stocks Recent results of a Rutgers University study published in Science magazine shows that some overfished species can be brought back to strength through the placing of fishing limits. According to the study many species have adapted to being overfished and are maturing at a younger age, which allows the species to recover relatively quickly – if limits are put on fishing to give the stock time to rebuild. The study looked at 153 fish and invertebrate stocks that had decreased to less than 50 percent of their maximum sustainable yield and used available data from fisheries managers around the world. Unfortunately, the study also found that species which have been overfished intensely for a short time have a significantly more difficult time rebounding and this may also be the problem for fish that reproduce slowly. 44 Professional Skipper July/August 2013 IN APRIL THE 97 crewmembers of Chinese fishing ship Kai Xin were rescued by Norwegian ship Juvel, 55 kilometres from Chile's Bernardo O'Higgins research base in Antarctica. The 104m Kai Xin burned for hours and later sank, despite initial hopes of the Chilean navy that the ship could be towed back to shore. An oil spill was feared, however maritime governor for Chile's Antarctic region, Captain Juan Villegas, said that due to the fire on board environmental disaster was unlikely. "Experts say that if there was any fuel on board it would have burned out." Confirmation that the Kai Xin had sunk was made when Chinese fishing ship Fu Rong Hai reported that Kai Xin was no longer on the radar and Chilean navy tugboat Lautaro was subsequently tasked with the search for the sunken ship. Operated by Shanghai Kaichuang Marine International, the Kai Xin was capable of sailing in loose pack ice and used pelagic trawling to fish. Environmental group Greenpeace says Kai Xin had authorization to fish for Antarctic krill. In China, the market for krill is growing as it is used not only in fishmeal but also in dietary and medical products. Greenpeace is against Antarctic krill fishing as it could affect the ecosystem – krill is a pillar of the entire ocean's food chain. There are about 50 international vessels authorized to fish the Antarctic coast by the Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources. www.skipper.co.nz