COLTO
Who are COLTO?
Coalition of Legal Toothfish Operators
A toothfish fishing industry body which was founded in 2003 by a number of industry leaders, including CFL, to combat illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing.
IUU fishing is a real cause for concern, leading to fishing stocks reaching critical levels and price fluctuations that harm both buyers and producers in the market.
The organization devised a scheme whereby fishermen working on illegal vessels could claim a reward if providing information which could lead to a conviction of the vessel owners.
Positive Outcomes
Although the toothfish industry was heavily targeted for IUU fishing in previous years, it has now been virtually eliminated in no small part due to the contributions of COLTO
The members now represent around 80% of the legal toothfish catch worldwide and have been joined by a wide range of operators which participate in the toothfish industry in some way, including seafood buyers and fishing gear suppliers.
In addition, seven of the fisheries that are fished by COLTO members are now independently certified by the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) as sustainable and well-managed fisheries, including ours.
