MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Falkland Councillors philosophical over argentine rejection.

Falklands Councillors have reacted in a typical British philosophical manner following the Argentine Government's rejection of their ?let's conserve the fish stocks' letter, which was sent to LA NACION and CLARIN.
While Councillor Mike Summers outspokingly called the Buenos Aires Government, ?predictably pathetic', Councillor Richard Cockwell adopted a more restrained approach and called the Argentine response ?negative'.

Councillor Summers said that it seemed that at long last the Argentine press was beginning to understand that the problem was not about ?illegal fishing' but the need for a multi-lateral agreement to control fishing on the high seas, which would be to the benefit of both Argentina and the Falklands. This view was confirmed by Councillor Cockwell, who has responsibility for Fisheries in his portfolio, and who signed the letter which was sent to La Nación and Clarín. He recalled that previously Britain, Argentina and the European Union (E.U.) had been engaged in talks to try and control over-fishing in the waters which are outside Argentine and Falklands jurisdiction in the South-West Atlantic, but he had been told by E.U. representatives that ?nothing had been heard from Argentina for the last two years'. ?The ball is very much in their court and if they wish to ignore it then they too will have to accept the consequences', maintained Councillor Cockwell.

Councillor Summers said that the Argentine Government was acting, ?like little children after someone had stolen their toys ? they are incredibly childish'. ?Before Argentina began issuing Illex fishing licenses in 1992 we had a Voluntary Restraint system in operation with the Korean and Japanese companies which restricted their fishing on the high seas. However it disappeared once Argentina became involved so now there is no regulation with respect to the amount of effort on the high seas', said the Councillor. ?The 300 or so vessels which are reported to be fishing on the high seas are not acting illegally as the Argentine press seem to think, but if the Buenos Aires Government could only see sense and talk to us then we could at least aim to regulate the amount of ships and quantities of fish which they are catching'.

Asked why Falklands Councillors had decided to address their letter to La Nación and Clarín, Councillor Summers said, ?we thought this the best way to get some publicity about the over-fishing problem. If we had sent it directly to the Buenos Aires Government then it would have been ignored. If the Argentine Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) had received the letter, then given the attitude of the present Argentine Government