Patagonian toothfish

Patagonian toothfish ranked as worst choice seafood and should be avoided. A better alternative is

Patagonian toothfish is found throughout the Southern Ocean between latitudes 40-60⁰S, including around sub-Antarctic Islands of the Atlantic and Indian Oceans and southern South America. It is an important predator of the Southern Ocean. It is mainly caught by longline fishing but there are trawl fisheries around several sub-Antarctic Islands in the Indian Ocean and Macquarie Island. The New Zealand EEZ catch is small and is a straddling stock with Australia’s Macquarie Island. While many Patagonian toothfish fisheries are considered overfished and heavily depleted, several are certified as sustainable under the international Marine Stewardship Council scheme. However, they still have significant ecological impacts.

Patagonian toothfish is caught by bottom longline gear. The concerns about this fishery include absence of a stock assessment, research plan, updated management and operational plan. In addition there is a bycatch of albatrosses and petrels each year, plus bycatch of deepwater sharks and rays. Also of concern is the high level of illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing that has occurred in waters controlled by CCAMLR and adjacent seas. The fish caught in the New Zealand EEZ are likely to be a straddling stock which is shared with Australia, CCAMLR and SPRFMO management. The fish are likely to spawn in Australian waters around Macquarie Island. When catch limits are set, New Zealand and Australia do not consider fish caught outside their respective EEZ.

The New Zealand and SPRFMO fisheries are not certified under any scheme. The Australia Macquarie Island fishery, which is likely part of the same stock, has MSC certification.

Exported primarily to USA (40%), China (25%), Vietnam and Hong Kong with total export value of $14.17m in 2015. This likely includes fish caught by New Zealand vessels outside the New Zealand EEZ.