MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Argentine fisheries management at risk by INIDEP's strike

Argentina's Federal Fisheries Council (CFP) called on the National Institute of Fisheries Research and Development (INIDEP) to implement a mechanism that ensures a steady update of scientific information on fisheries particularly common hake (Merluccius hubbsi).

The request follows the suspension of yet another INIDEP comprehensive survey on the species which further hinders the lack of reliable scientific data for an appropriate fisheries management. A labour dispute claiming better working conditions and involving on-board personnel of INIDEP research vessels has paralysed all survey cruises since February leaving the institute with virtually no update information on the South Atlantic fisheries. To make up lost time and info CFP has recommended increasing both the number of observers onboard and landing samples collected as a means of having an overall idea on the current state of the common hake biomass. Despite the current setbacks, the head of INIDEP Research Directorate Otto Wöhler, insists the analytical models employed by the research centre are still valid. "The models refer to both the long-term data and variables that may happen" he explained. Because of the situation since last February, --and as long as it remains stalled--, CFP authorised three foreign vessels to carry out scientific exploratory fishing in Argentine waters. The decision however was not well received by the Argentine Chamber of Fishing Industries and the Chamber of High Seas Fishing Vessel owners, reports Pescare, a publication close to the fishing industry lobby. The vessels are US flagged Laurence M. Gould and Roger Revelle and Russia's Akademik Sergey Vavilov. According to information released from the Secretary of Agriculture, Livestock, Fisheries and Food, 180.051 ton of common hake have been landed at Argentine ports between 1 January and 4 September. Mar del Plata leads with 113.318 ton, followed by Puerto Madryn, 25.560 tons and 12.772 at Comodoro Rivadavia. Fresh fish vessels landed 116.121 ton of common hake; freezer trawlers, 42.346 tons; and the coastal fleet, 13.192 tons. (FIS/MP).