Chilean seabass

Patagonian toothfish, Chilean seabass, Toothfish, Antarctic cod, Black hake, Antarctic blenny, Patagonian blenny, Icefish

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Two closely related species known as the Patagonian toothfish and the Antarctic toothfish live in the remote Southern Ocean. Both have sharp teeth and both are marketed in the US as “Chilean seabass”. Toothfishes are the largest predatory fishes in the midwaters of the Antarctic Ocean, and are valued for their firm white, oil-rich flesh. Because of their remote habitat, toothfishes were not commerically exploited until the late 1990’s. While both species are marketed as Chilean seabass, about 95% of these are Patagonian toothfish (Dissostichus eleginoides), only 5% being Antarctic toothfish (D. mawsoni).

Toothfish are inherently vulnerable to fishing because of their basic biology and because they reach marketable size before sexual maturity. Toothfish are slow-growing with a reproductive strategy characterized by few, large eggs, approximately the size of peppercorns. In at least the Antarctic toothfish, eggs take two years to mature inside the female before being released and fertilized. Fish require 8-10 years to reach sexual maturity at a length of 90-100cm, and live at least 40 years.

The history of large-scale, deep-sea fsheries has been a “boom-and-bust” pattern of rapid development, resource depletion, and very slow recovery. As such, toothfishes are poor candidates for sustainable, large-scale exploitation. In 2003, data were presented to suggest that toothfish abundance had previously been overestimated, so quotas were reduced 20% – although some models suggested that to produce a truly sustainable harvest the catch limit would need to be reduced by 75%. The status of stocks is difficult to estimate in the face of substantial illegal fishing and a poor understanding of the species’ biology.

Toothfish are mainly taken by bottom longlines which involves bycatch of seabirds, most notably the internationally endangered wandering albatross and gray-headed albatross. Birds approach toothfish longline vessels to eat bait and are caught on hooks, then dragged underwater and drowned. These wide-ranging birds are very slow breeding, and even a small number of fishing caused mortalities each year may harm populations.

One of the main arguments used by Scientists of the Antarctic and Southern Ocean Coalition (ASOC), who have argued against the recent MSC certification of toothfish, is that the ecosystem effects of fishing remain unknown.

The Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (CCAMLR), is an international body created to monitor and regulate exploitation of marine resources in the Antarctic region. However, enforcement on the high seas of the the Antarctic and Southern Oceans is difficult, and >50% of Chilean Seabass on the market is thought to be illegally obtained, or to go unreported. This catch is often taken by ships registered under “flags of convenience”, from many countries, but in particular, Spain and Chile. Scientists of the Antarctic and Soutern Ocean Ocalition (ASOC) assert that even for legal fishing, CCAMLR’s established harvest guidelines are too high, that there is a poor understanding of toothfish age and sex structure that has led to an artificially inflated catch quota, and that the actual catch exceeds this quota, both because of inaccurate estimates of seaonal closure date and because of unknown amounts of illegal fishing. For these reasons, and questions of whether an adequate chain-of-custody system could be delivered, ASOC has also questioned recent MSC certification of one small portion of the total fishery, on South Georgia/South Sandwich Islands.

Is this Chilean seabass MSC certified?

MSC certification does not change the current SeaChoice rank of “Avoid”

Consumption advisory due to mercury. + Adults should eat no more than 2 meals per month + Kids up to age 12 should eat no more than 1 meal per month

Yes. Only a small portion of this fishery was certified by the MSC in 2004. Bottom longline fisheries located around South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands are certified, representing approximately 5% of the global catch. SeaChoice has significant conservation concerns over the inherent vulnerability of the species, stock status, bycatch and management.