MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Vigo scientists evaluate Falklands' fish quality.

A team from Vigo University's School of Sciences is evaluating the quality of a marine species commonly known as 'robalito' - Patagonian blenny (Eleginops maclovinus) - on behalf of a Falkland Islands fishing company.

The purpose of the study is to analyse the possibility of exporting this species as a frozen product from Vigo (Galicia) to several countries in Eastern Europe, reports Faro de Vigo.

Golden Touza United recently launched a new project to market and export Patagonian blenny, a species similar to black snook, which is very popular due to its gastronomic qualities.

The University team, headed by professor Leslies Fernándes, will be in charge of verifying the quality of the product at the Scientific and Technological Research Support Centre's (CACTI) laboratories. They will take samples of each shipment arriving at Vigo, prior to their distribution in Eastern Europe.

The scientists will check for heavy metals, organochloro substances and hydrocarbons through sophisticated spectroscopic analyses.

According to professor Fernándes, so far no traces of these elements have been detected in the samples analysed. He attributed this to the purity of the waters surrounding the Falkland Islands and the species' endogamy.

The reports issued by the research team will be regarded as official European certificates, which will secure the price of the species on the market, said Mr Fernándes.

Six Galician longliners to fish in waters of Peru and Uruguay

Six Ribeira-based longliners, which have been idle during the last few months due to the expiry of the previous EU-Moroccan fishing agreement in November 1999, are to operate on Peruvian and Uruguayan fishing grounds as from this month. The new accords are the result of intense negotiations conducted by the Galicia's Xunta and Orpal (Ribeira Longline Fishermen's Organisation).

Three vessels will set sail on 12 May to Peru, carrying a total crew of 32. These vessels are the Illa de Rua (seven crewmen), Nepomuceno (11 crewmen), and Playa de Villar (14 crewmen), the Galicia's Fisheries, Shellfish and Aquaculture Council has informed.

The other three vessels, Marsai, Nuevo Flecha and Ronsel, will depart a few days later on their way to Uruguay. They will carry a crew of approximately 40 men. The relocation of these three longliners was achieved through direct personal contacts made by the president of the Galician Government, Manuel Fraga Iribarne durin