MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Fisheries News

Australia on full war against poaching; Conflicting reports about cod; EU must reconsider sardine protectionism; La Coruña prepares for new market; California bans rich squid fisheries; South Brazil shrimp production doubles?

Australia on full war against poaching

The federal minister for fisheries is proclaiming Australia the winner in the war against illegal fishing following the seizure of two Indonesian vessels in recent days. The two vessels were apprehended in a 24-hour period allegedly illegally fishing inside the Australian Fishing Zone (AFZ) off Arnhem Land on Australia's northern coast. Senator Ian Macdonald said the vessels would automatically be forfeited to the Commonwealth. "This is the 13th apprehension since 3 September 2002 and the 74th this year, which is a great result," Mr Macdonald said. A Coastwatch aircraft spotted the first motorised vessel 74 nautical miles inside the fishing zone on the evening of 22 October. "When HMAS Warnnambool intercepted the vessel, seven Indonesian crewmembers were found onboard along with shark fin, a highly sought-after delicacy in Asia," Mr Macdonald said. "This is a terrible tragedy, not only do these fishermen rape and pillage our well-managed fish stocks, their methods are also disgraceful, throwing the shark carcasses overboard after removing the fins." About 24 hours later, Coastwatch spotted another vessel off the same islands 12.5 nautical miles inside the AFZ. Five Indonesian crewmen were allegedly found onboard along with 30 kilograms of fresh red snapper. "These illegal fishermen use the snapper as shark bait," he said. "Yesterday's apprehension is proof of this with fresh blood and baited lines discovered on board the boat." Both vessels were being escorted to Darwin with the captains scheduled to be interviewed. Senator Macdonald issued a stern warning to those considering entering the AFZ to fish illegally. "We, as a Government, will not tolerate incursions in our waters, and we'll do all we can to protect our fish stocks for future generations," he said. "We have, and will continue to prosecute, those involved in illegal fishing, sending a clear message back home that Australia is no soft touch." Australia recently reinforced its fisheries patrolling to combat illegal fishing of tooth-fish in the Southern seas. (FIS/MP).-

Conflicting reports about cod

Galician fishermen do not respect threatened species on the Grand Banks and Flemish Cap, according to Canadian authorities, who met the Spanish officials recently to discuss this sensitive issue. In connection with the Canadian campaign for stricter control in the fishing area regulated by the Northwest Atlantic Fisheries Organization (NAFO), the Canadian ambassador in Spain, Alain Dudoit, met with the head of the Spanish Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (MAPA), Miguel Arias Cañete, on 23 October. "La Voz de Galicia" reports that Ambassador Dudoit insisted in the need to review NAFO's role, particularly controlling and punishing fleets that violate current regulations. Furthermore Mr. Dudoit requested that Spanish vessels - especially Galician vessels - comply with NAFO norms since for Canada, "Galician fishermen do not respect threatened species". In the last NAFO meeting held in Santiago de Compostela Canadian representatives blamed foreign fleets for the dismal conditions of some of the region's species, particularly cod. However Vigo's Marine Research Institute (IIM) in Galicia reported that research in the Grand Banks and Flemish Cap regions indicates that the decline in cod stocks responds to environmental changes and not necessarily the fishing effort. The increase of shrimp and Greenland halibut is linked to this fact. Ambassador Dudoit also suggested to his Spanish counterpart close cooperation in scientific research to better assess resources in the controversial North Atlantic fishery. (FIS/MP).

EU must reconsider sardine protectionism

A World Trade Organization, (WTO) Appeals Body ruling favouring Peru regarding canned sardine exports to the European Union (EU) has forced Brussels to reconsider current regulations.At present, the only species that can be marketed as sardine in the EU is Sardina pilchardus that is caught mainly on the north east coasts of the Atlantic, in the Mediterranean and in the Black Sea. Peruvian canned sardines belong to the Sardinox sagax species and have been sold in Germany as "Pacific sardines". The ruling was preceded by a heated debate during which all countries affected by the EU alleged protectionist policy expressed their views. US representatives supported the resolution underlining that EU regulations were not based on a "relevant international standard (as FAO's Codex Alimentarius, known as the food code) and therefore, were inconsistent with WTO norms". Chile, Mexico and Ecuador also supported the WTO's resolution. Chile stated that the Peruvian case "was an important milestone in the hard struggle that developing countries face to access markets that are governed by protectionist policies built around technical regulations or sanitary measures." Also discussed was the alleged the discrimination against some Colombian products and preference for Moroccan products, writes Lima newspaper La República. Confirmation of the WTO September ruling and its application should not take longer than 90 days, but if it does Peru has said it will seek immediate arbitration. (FIS/MP).

La Coruña prepares for new market

Authorities from the Spanish port of La Coruña, fleet owners, exporters and market dealers are regularly meeting training for the coming opening of the city's new fish market that will operate fishery auctions electronically and with e-market commerce facilities The new fish market is expected to open in mid December complying with European Union requirements regarding cold storage and labelling. Currently 43 gillnet vessels and 41 trawlers from Gran Sol fishing grounds, as well as 33 coastal trawlers, and seven vessels from Muro port land their production in La Coruña, one of the leading ports of Galicia. The fish market covers an area of almost 18,000 square metres and includes such facilities as an exhibition room, fish handling and fish dispatch areas, booths for exporters and ample cold storage. (FIS/MP).-

California bans rich squid fisheries

After years of bitter dispute, a California state commission established a 130-square nautical mile no-fishing zone around the Channel Islands, shutting down some of the most productive grounds in the United States for squid and some other species. Fishing groups have laid plans to challenge the decision in court. They contend a recent speed-up by promoters of the fishing ban effectively cast aside years of work by stakeholders to craft a reserve plan that would protect key species without unduly harming fisheries. Stakeholders who worked on that plan included representatives of fishing industry, environmental groups, state and federal agencies, kelp harvesters, and academia. About 200 angry fishermen attended the meeting where the California Fish and Game Commission approved the designation. It will prohibit fishing in a patchwork of areas around the five islands. The commission's vote was two to one in favour of the measure, with two members absent, and occurred two months earlier than initially planned - just before the November election. That fact raised eyebrows in California's fishing industry, where rumours swirled that strings had been pulled from the governor's office in order to strengthen his appeal to the state's liberal, environmentally minded voters. California Governor Gray Davis praised the commission's action, saying it "will allow Californians to enjoy this diverse wildlife area, while restoring and preserving marine populations for future generations. He added, "I'm delighted that today's vote advances our goal of preserving California's natural resources for our children and our children's children." "The squid industry got whacked pretty good," said Diane Pleshner, who runs the California Wetfish Producers Association, representing most of Southern California's major squid buyers and the San Pedro purse seine fleet. Pleshner noted that press coverage of the Channel Island issue generated strong public support for shutting out fisheries. "It's been so highly publicised, the need for these reserves, and the media has been so sensational, that the man on the street thinks our fish stocks are gone to hell." The ban on fishing was originally intended to help reverse declines in several species, chiefly rockfish. Fishing industry representatives contend that officials who crafted the Channel Islands plan ignored the extensive closures and catch restrictions already imposed by state and federal agencies to protect rockfish. The set-aside marks a victory for environmental groups that have made the creation of no-fishing zones, often called Marine Protected Areas, a major campaign in the last several years. The new no-fishing zone precedes a series of similar closures to be designated along California's coast under the state's Marine Life Protection Act. Those additional fishing bans are to be designated in 2005. The fishing prohibition will affect commercial catches of lobster, sea urchin and other species including kelp; losses to fishermen are estimated at up to USD 3 million per year. (FIS/MP).-

South Brazil shrimp production doubles

Brazilian Santa Catarina State shrimp production will reach 1,200 tonnes this season, a 50% increase over 2001. Shrimp farming in this Southern Brazil state has undergone an important expansion in the last few years boosted by Santa Catarina Marine Shrimp Farming Programme with the support from the Santa Catarina Federal University (SCFU) and the Agricultural Research and Rural Extension Company, (Epagri). The shrimp programme sponsored by SCFU currently produces seasonally 150 million post larvae to be harvested in farms covering 630 hectares of water. The shrimp cycle develops over 65 to 100 days. However the Ecuadorian company Equabrás that has invested heavily in the Santa Catarina intends to install laboratory conditions for the monthly production of 80 million post larvae in the Laguna area. Equabras has begun by providing the Laguna district area with the necessary infrastructure and technical support to acclimatise 50 million post larvae that will be received monthly from the north of Brazil. The University of the South of Santa Catarina is involved in this project. (FIS/MP).

Improved prospects for Peruvian anchovy

The biological ban on Peruvian anchovy catching will end on 2 November and it seems the El Niño will not affect fisheries as much as anticipated. Authorities are also involved in the promotion of human consumption of anchovy with the purpose of improving the average diet of the Peruvian population. Research cruises are currently assessing the resource and the first reports are encouraging. Peruvian Deputy Fisheries Minister Leoncio Alvarez in an interview with local newspaper Gestión, said the ban has been successful and El Niño "will let us catch between 1.5 and 2 million tonnes of anchovy in the coming months of this year's campaign, a more optimistic forecast than earlier predictions". "Last year we had a great season and this year we are also going to have a very good one. We average seven to eight million tonnes in a season and during the first leg of the season we already fished 5.7 million tonnes." Similar catches are expected next year guaranteeing some stability for Peru's fisheries industry. Mr. Leoncio Alvarez said that scientific research in the marine ecosystem of the Humboldt Current anticipates that "we should have ten years of good fishing for Peru". However other sources told FIS.com claim the results of the Eureka scientific research operation were not so encouraging. Actually small sized anchovy were found in the vicinity of Chimbote port. Meanwhile Peru's fisheries authorities are working to boost human consumption of anchovy and other species. Alvarez said that 65,000 cases of anchovy for human consumption were landed in August and 85,000 September. Although Peruvians are not used to consume anchovy, Deputy Minister Alvarez said there was demand from Colombia, South Africa and even Chile. (FIS/MP).-

Seaweed found to have sterilising effects

Extracts from Kurome seaweed have been found to be effective against bacteria such as legionella, staphylococcus, vibrio, salmonella, campylobacter and many more. According to Japanese scientific researchers Kurome could be used in the pharmaceutical industry and to prevent plankton occurrence and its culture could boost the local fishing industry. Kumamoto prefecture Fisheries Research Centre and the Chemistry and Serum Therapy Research Centre at Kumamoto city and Kyushu University at Fukuoka city have found that a member of the konbu seaweed family (laminaria ), kurome (Ecklonia kurome) have strong sterilising effects on disease causing germs such as legionella. The study is scheduled for publication in the English magazine, Journal of Antimicrobial Chemotherapy. Kurome extracts were found to sterilise 32 species of disease-causing germs including legionella bacteria, methicillin resistant Staphylococcus Aureus (MRSA), O-157, vibrio parahaemolyticus, salmonela and campylobacter among others. Kurome seaweed is widely found in the seas near Amakusa region in Kumamoto prefecture where it's commonly used as feed for farmed abalone and the industry has been looking for other ways to use the species. The research centre will begin cultivating kurome in November. Local industry is enthusiastic about the potential of the project. (FIS/MP).-

Scientists call for end to North Sea fishery

British fishermen's leaders, particularly in Scotland were stunned last week on hearing proposals for catch cuts that would close most North Sea fisheries, the most shocking proposals ever to come forward for the Common Fisheries Policy, (CFP) waters. Allegedly recommendations from the Advisory Council on Fisheries Management (ACFM) include a zero cod TAC for the North Sea and a reduction in cod quota to only 830 tonnes in west of Scotland waters. These proposals were also said to include a virtual end to fishing for associated fish stocks in the North Sea such as whiting and haddock. The one ray of light in the scientific advice was also to be stifled: an 11 per cent increase for nephrops is proposed, but where this directed fishery impinges on cod, this too should be axed. Altogether ACFM proposals would wipe several hundred thousand tonnes off North Sea and nearby TACs and mean the cessation of operations for the vast majority of Scottish and other north European trawlers. Scottish Fishermen's Federation executive secretary Ian Duncan said: "Politicians cannot adopt these recommendations wholesale because if they do they will destroy the industry." Traditionally, the council of fisheries ministers waters scientific recommendations down 30 per cent. But next year's recommendations are so extreme, that even such a compromise would be brutal in the extreme for the demersal industry. How well individual Member State fleets weather the cutbacks will depend to a large extend on their governments' attitude to accessing aid for the sector. The UK fleet will be doubly hammered by not only being most affected by the proposed cuts, but also having the most intransigent government when it comes to accessing fisheries aid. (FIS/MP).-

Scottish Fisheries Minister job on the line

The Scottish National Party has called on Fisheries Minister Ross Finnie to make an emergency statement to the Scottish Parliament when it reconvenes next week in light of the scientific proposals to close Scotland's key fishing grounds to save cod stocks. Shadow Fisheries Minister Richard Lochhead is also calling for the Minister to convene an urgent meeting with fishing leaders as soon as possible to discuss how to avert this latest blow that would devastate fishing communities. The SNP MSP's demand follows reports in the media that some fishermen's leaders have been calling for Mr Finnie to resign; such is the lack of confidence in the Minister's ability to successfully defend the industry. Speaking Wednesday (23 Oct) Mr Lochhead said that the Advisory Council for Fisheries Management report had devastated fishing communities across Scotland. "Morale in the whitefish sector was only just beginning to recover following the pain of the recent decommissioning scheme," he claimed. "The industry will have been rocked by even the merest hint that these latest proposals may become reality. Our fishermen and the thousands of onshore jobs in our processing factories and at our ports face losing their livelihoods if any of these draconian proposals get the green light." Mr. Lochhead said that fishermen accepted that the battle to conserve stocks was far from over, but measures had to be workable and have material benefits. "Complete closure of Scottish fishing grounds is a complete non-starter," added Mr Lochhead. "The Scottish Government and Fisheries Minister Ross Finnie must lay down the law in Europe and start fighting for the fishing industry. "There will be unprecedented anxiety in coming days and months for our fishing communities and Ross Finnie must make a statement to Parliament next week expressing his confidence in the future of the industry and promising to fight tooth and nail for Scotland at the negotiating table. "We need to remember that the current reform of the common Fisheries Policy is underway because it has failed. The last thing we need is for our own Minister to swallow the flawed recommendations of a flawed policy process weeks before a new one gets underway!" Mr. Lochhead added that the minister must immediately arrange an "emergency summit" with the fishing sector to discuss alternatives to the proposals and thrash out a "battle-plan" for the industry. The plans have astonished UK fishermen's leaders, who look set to defy them if they are introduced in anything approaching their present form. (FIS/MP).