MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Four provinces kick off Patagonian marine project

Argentina_ The four southernmost provinces of Chubut, Rio Negro, Santa Cruz, and Tierra del Fuego, Antarctica and South Atlantic Islands will venture into a joint marine project in order to preserve biological diversity and prevent coastal pollution.

A USD 8.5 million investment will be provided for the initiative by the Global Environment Facility (GEF) and the International Reconstruction and Promotion Bank (BIRF).

The Patagonian Marine Project is to contribute to conservation of marine biologic diversity; the prevention and mitigation of coastal pollution, so as to improve life quality for the region's inhabitants; and to strengthen institutions.

Under the motto 'Growing towards the sea with one's feet on solid ground,' the project will be carried out along the coastal areas and the national Patagonian continental shelf. It will cover territorial coastlines and waters of the four aforementioned provinces, as well as waters under Argentine national jurisdiction.

Several factors affect the conservation of biologic diversity, including manmade pollution caused by hydrocarbons, urban and industrial effluents, solid waste, heavy metals, and pesticides. Other factors include overfishing, seabird and sea animal by-catch, the indiscriminate growth of tourist and recreational activity, the use of bottom-trawling gear, and the incidental or intentional introduction of exotic species, among others.

Promoters of the initiative believe the project represents a major step forward in environmental protection, while helping to safeguard the interests of the nation's productive sectors in a sustainable manner.

Within the project's framework, Tierra del Fuego has already acquired equipment to determine bacteriologic parametres, aimed at checking whether molluscs are infected with red tide toxin, according to the daily Tiempo Fueguino.(FIS)