“Chilean Sea Bass” is a term created by marketers in the fishing industry. It is a name they chose to give to the Antarctic toothfish which is found in the Southern Ocean surrounding Antarctica. As a large predator, the Antarctic toothfish is at the top of the food chain, along with Orcas. It feeds on smaller fish which in turn feed on krill. Very little is known about the Antarctic Toothfish: where it spawns, where the juvenile fish grow, how long it lives. The fish is large and its flesh is firm; it makes excellent tasty meals. A single specimen, weighing 30kg will sell for over $600 wholesale.

The Ross Sea in Antarctica is an unparalled ecosystem that so far has not been spoiled by humans. However, as fishing resources in other parts of the world have diminished, there has been pressure to move southward to tap into previously untapped regions of the ocean. Now there is pressure to move into the Ross Sea as well, sometimes referred to as the “Last Ocean” on Earth. If commercial fishing becomes established here, it will inevitably result in degradation of this unique marine environment.

The Ross Sea has the largest population of toothfish in the world. Fishing vessels from New Zealand, China, South Korea, Spain and the USA have begun to ply the waters in search for this premium gourmet fish. The number of vessels coming to fish in the Ross Sea has increased dramatically over the past two decades. Thousands of tons of toothfish are harvested each year. Already the average size of fish being caught is rapidly diminishing, evidence of excessive exploitation. No one knows how long before the population will be no longer able to sustain itself.

Each fishing vessel that comes to the Ross Sea brings with it the potential for environmental damage. An oil spill could be devastating to the pristine ocean waters. The water here is crystal clear and the wildlife is abundant, but it wouldn’t take much to destroy it forever.

n organization known by the acronym CCAMLR (Commission for Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources) is comprised of representatives from 23 countries who are trying to establish regulations for fisheries around Antarctica.  Based in Hobart, Tasmania (Australia), it is responsible for defining the fishing policies for the Ross Sea and the Southern Ocean. By emphasizing the interdependence of species rather than just the specific interests of commercial fisheries, CCAMLR hopes to establish policies that conserve entire ecosystems.

In September, 2011 CCAMLR submitted The Case for a Ross Sea Marine Reserve, a proposal to ban fishing and designate the Ross Sea as a marine protected area (MPA). The proposal argues that the Ross Sea possesses a high level of biodiversity due to its habitat diversity and that its least impacted status relative to other marine regions makes it unmatched as a refuge of plants and animals and as a site for scientific research.

The most important reason to ban fishing and exploitation of the sea for economic gain is that it represents one of the last places on Earth where a complex, healthy marine ecosystem remains intact. Once the Ross Sea is disturbed, we will never again see an ocean that has been free of human exploitation.

You can help to preserve this special place by avoiding “Chilean Sea Bass,” another name for Antarctic toothfish.