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You can help create a sanctuary in the Tasman Sea

 

Bottom trawling is destroying our ocean

Help stop the industrial fishing industry from plundering the treasures of the Tasman Sea.

 

Fishing Trawler-3

 

Where a licence to fish means a licence to kill

Deep beneath the waves lies a hidden paradise – the Lord Howe Rise and the South Tasman Sea, where underwater mountain ranges and ancient coral gardens burst with life. This rich ecosystem boasts an astonishing array of species, including vibrant fish, unique invertebrates, stunning megafauna and majestic seabirds, making it one of the most biodiverse regions on earth.

But destructive bottom trawling is devastating these deep sea ecosystems. A staggering amount of marine life – including sharks and dolphins – is hauled up as bycatch, and then discarded overboard, dead or injured. This brutal fishing method causes irreparable damage. It leaves the ocean floor scarred, and threatens the survival of endangered species like the South Pacific humpback whale and rare Antipodean albatross, which rely on this fragile ocean habitat for feeding and breeding. We need your help to save them. 

You can help us protect the ocean’s hidden treasures and champion an ocean sanctuary in the Tasman Sea.

South Tasman Sea Map

Which of these marine treasures are at risk? All of them

  • South Pacific Humpback Whale
    Seamounts are critical breeding, resting, and feeding grounds for these majestic whales on their long migration from the Great Barrier Reef to the Southern Ocean. Habitat loss and fishing gear entanglement threaten their survival – protected waters could be their last refuge.
  • Antipodean albatross
    The Tasman Sea is a key feeding area for these endangered seabirds, which can fly vast distances and live over 40 years. Their numbers have plunged two-thirds in a decade, susceptible to being hooked by industrial longliners as they dive for bait.
  • Sharks
    For over 400 million years, sharks have helped shape ocean ecosystems, keeping marine populations balanced and supporting ocean health. But overfishing and the threat of bycatch by bottom trawlers are decimating their populations, putting these vital ecosystems at risk.
  • Cold-water coral
    Lush cold-water coral gardens thrive along seamounts, supporting diverse marine life, from fish to whales. But bottom trawling crushes these delicate habitats with each pass. Protecting seamounts would safeguard these centuries-old ecosystems.
  • Green Sea Turtle
    Crucial to marine ecosystems, they migrate long distances through the open ocean between feeding grounds and hatching beaches. But as they travel vast distances to nest, they’re often ensnared by industrial longliners, as accidental by catch.
  • Orange Roughy
    Pushed to the brink by overfishing, the orange roughy is a slow-growing fish that can live up to 200 years. These endangered fish gather around the rich waters of seamounts, where destructive bottom trawlers directly target them.
 

Stop the destruction. help create an ocean sanctuary now

Every day we wait, brutal industrial fishing like bottom trawling is tearing apart the Tasman Sea’s fragile ecosystems. Ancient coral gardens are reduced to rubble, marine life like dolphins and sharks are dying and rare and declining species like humpback whales are under threat – all in the relentless pursuit of profit.

The Global Ocean Treaty is a lifeline, but only if we act now. Together we can call on the Australian Government to use this treaty to help create an ocean sanctuary in the Tasman Sea before it’s too late.

This sanctuary will stop the destruction, save irreplaceable habitats, and shield endangered species from extinction.

Donate now to stop bottom trawling and protect these hidden treasures before they’re lost forever.

Greenpeace activists holding a 'protect the oceans' placcard
 
Violette Snow, Senior Oceans Campaigner

"I'm looking forward to creating a thriving ocean sanctuary between Australia and New Zealand, and knowing that we protected it for future generations"

Violette Snow, Senior Oceans Campaigner