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    REPORT ON THE ABANDONED GILLNET RETRIEVAL OPERATION CONDUCTED BY AUSTRALIA IN CCAMLR STATISTICAL DIVISION 58.4.3B (BANZARE BANK)

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    Document Number:
    CCAMLR-XXVIII/BG/22
    Author(s):
    Delegation of Australia
    Abstract

    Illegal, unregulated and unreported (IUU) fishing vessels are increasingly using gillnets as a fishing method to target toothfish in the Convention area. Estimating the impact of IUU fishing is hampered by a lack of data on the design, deployment, catch and bycatch rates of gill nets. This paper describes a gillnet found abandoned by Australian vessel patrolling BANZARE Bank (Statistical Division 58.4.3b), and the toothfish and bycatch found when a section of the gillnet was retrieved. Based on the amount of toothfish found in the 8 km long section of net retrieved, upwards of 29 tonnes of toothfish may be removed by a single vessel’s deployment of a 130 km long series of gillnets.