MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Sheep with scrapie came from USA

Brazilian sanitary officials announced that the "scrapie" outbreak detected this week in southern Brazil was tracked to three ewes recently imported from the United States. "The American ewes and the rest of the flock in the farm have been sacrificed and the whole area has been isolated", said a spokesman for the Brazilian Agriculture Ministry. Authorities also emphasized that is spite of similar symptoms, "scrapie" is not related to BSE, "mad cow" disease, and does not affect human beings. The farm is located Candoi, a small village 200 miles west of Curitiba in the state of Paraná. Brazilians authorities claim they immediately reported the cases to the International Epizooties Organization in Paris and to Mercosur country members.

Spanish poacher in Reunion Island

Just a few weeks after having caught the Spanish longliner "Pedra" poaching last December in Reunion island waters, French naval authorities have surprised a second vessel, "Grand Price" illegally fishing. According to Punta Arenas press, local Chilean officials are concerned since 25 members of the "Grand Prince" crew is originally from Punta Arenas. Apparently the Chileans are anxious to return but since they haven't been able to contact the Spanish company that contracted them, they fear they will loose the money owed to them if they abandon the vessel. Chilean diplomats operating from Kenya have indicated there's not much else they can do besides repatriation, since it's a "private conflict" between employers and employees.

BA fisheries undersecretary says shrimp vessels must be restricted

Francisco Romano, Fisheries Undersecretary of the Province of Buenos Aires, blames the "intermediate levels of the Government" for attacking the provincial fishing sector. During an interview, he told La Capital that the national authorities "do not give the fresh fish vessels priority to fish," in spite of what president De la Rúa said in Mar del Plata. "It looks as though they turn a deaf ear to the President's demands," he added. Mr Romano said that the province of Buenos Aires defended the fresh fish fleet with land-based processing plants. He rejected the proposal to create a corridor between miles 170 a