MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Preliminary squid fishery agreement reached.

The Argentinean Government and a Japanese commercial mission have reportedly reached a preliminary squid fishery agreement for next year's season, following lengthy meetings.

The negotiations were headed by Fisheries Director Horacio Rieznik, accompanied by representatives of the Argentine Chancellery, and were held at the Secretariat of Agriculture, Livestock, Fisheries and Food (SAGPyA).

The accord is the epilogue of previous commercial agreements signed between Argentina and Japan, which involve the opening of the Asian market to Argentine meat and citrus fruit.

The main points agreed include the following:

· each vessel must pay 10,000 Argentine pesos (ARS) (approximately 10,000 USD) to acquire a fishing permit · fishing rights were set at ARS 16.5 per tonne of whole squid caught, up to a maximum of 4000 tonnes per vessel · 6 per cent of each vessel's total catch must be landed in Argentina for free. The catches will be reportedly received by the SAGPyA, which would in turn auction the goods · the creation of a fund of ARS 150,000 per vessel to buy Argentine products, which in principle could be squid. However, the possibility of including the purchase of other fisheries products has not been excluded · Japan will provide technical support for squid processing, in order that products will meet the requirements of the Japanese market

Although the Japanese said some 40 squid jigging vessels could take part in the fishery, it is estimated that no more than 30 boats would operate in Argentine waters.

Up to now, the conditions to be imposed by Argentina on Chinese-Taiwanese and Korean vessels are still unknown. Furthermore, the legal framework to be adopted to allow the operation of foreign vessels in the Argentine EEZ has not been clarified, though some believe that the president of Argentina might issue a Decree of Need and Urgency.

Nothing has yet been said about the detailed implementation of the agreement. It should be regulated through an ordinance issued by Secretary of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, Antonio Berhongaray.

Source: FIS