Argentines catch poachers.

Monday, May 14th 2001 - 21:00 UTC

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A Chinese jigger poaching in the Argentine Exclusive Economic Zone, EEZ, was arrested by the Argentine Coast Guard after firing two intimidatory shots. According to the official Argentine report, the 64 meters long "Zhou Don Yuan" with a crew of 38, was surprised fishing in an area known as "El Rincón", close to the San Matías Gulf, in Chubut, at least two miles inside Argentine EEZ. The Chinese vessel first reaction was to flee, forcing the Argentine Coast Guard unit "Azopardo" to fire twice. Comodoro Rivadavia Federal Judge Ricardo Napolitani ordered the arrested jigger to be escorted to Mar del Plata. The incident apparently occurred in the night of Sunday May 13th and early morning Monday.

Toothfish conservation

Argentina's Agriculture, Livestock, Fisheries and Food Secretary, (SAGPA) established conservation restrictions aimed at preserving Patagonian toothfish, Dissostichus eleginoides. Ordinance 68/2001 states that Argentine flagged vessels catching toothfish must operate with trawl nets at depths of more that 800 meters. North of parallel 54 South, minimum depth is taken to a thousand meters. Besides longline vessels targeting Patagonian toothfish are required to operate with circular hooks of at least four centimeters. This does not apply to vessels when Patagonian toothfish is a by catch. Argentine Naval Engineers Professional Council will extend a certificate to all those toothfish vessels that comply with the new rules.

Fisheries agreement with Japan

Argentina proposed Japan a bilateral long term fisheries agreement to help conservation in the South Atlantic. Foreign Secretary Rodríguez Giavarini included the proposal during a meeting with Japanese Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry Tsutomu Tanabe who visited Argentina for three days. "A long term agreement instead of the annual ones, should improve fisheries efficiency, conservation and gives us greater transparency", indicated Mr. Rodríguez Giavarini. Argentina's fisheries proposal was part of a greater package including beef sales and Japanese information technology investments to help jointly develop a software industry in Argentina.

Seagulls attack whales

Categories: Falkland Islands.

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