OECD Round Table on Sustainable Development chairman Simon Upton told the opening of the Deep Sea 2003 conference that the taskforce had been set up through frustration within the fishing industry.

"The rape and pillage of the high seas needs practicable solutions by experts and that's what we hope to achieve," he told delegates from 30 countries meeting to discuss the problems of trying to manage deep sea fisheries.

The top-level taskforce will be led by British Environment Minister of State Elliot Morley and will include fisheries ministers from New Zealand, Australia, Chile and Namibia.

Scientists, legal experts and representatives of environmental groups and business would be asked to contribute and other ministers could join the taskforce as it evolved, Upton said.

Over the past 10 years the fishing industry had become fragmented and it was time to lay the jigsaw on the table and try to pull it all together, he told the conference.

Conclusions were expected within two years.

"World fish stocks are becoming seriously depleted due to a knock-on effect. As one fishing ground collapses, fishers are moving on to the next one creating a strong domino effect," Upton said.

"It's on a global level -- this ongoing rape of the high seas is serious."

Morley, speaking via a live video link from London, said there were pressing security issues to be investigated.

"We shouldn't forget that illegal, unregulated and unreported fishing is part of much wider web of illicit activities that happen at sea including piracy and trade in everything from drugs to human beings," he said.

TERRA.WIRE