MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Vessel owners call for action against illegal fishing

Jigger owners are angry that 50 to 90 foreign vessels are being allowed to continue catching squid illegally within Argentina's Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ).

The Argentine Chamber of Jigger Owners (Capa) says it reported the situation to the authorities at the end of February but there have been no arrests and the poaching continues.

Capa has now put its complaint in writing to Secretary of Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries Haroldo Lebed.

On the night of 3 March "70 foreign jiggers fished near latitude 50º and 25 miles inside Argentine jurisdictional waters," said Capa, which represents most of the domestic fleet's 100 vessels.

"A simple estimate of the economic value of these thefts suggests a considerable sum may be involved - possibly around USD 5 million. But that is not the only effect of the situation on national heritage. There are also matters of sovereignty and dignity at stake," say the jigger owners.

Illex squid is one of the country's main fishery resources, and the Argentine fishing ground is one of the most productive in the world. Therefore, according to legislation, the National Fisheries Fund should assign up to 20 per cent of the funding for surveillance and monitoring, they said.

"In our opinion, the allocation of funds should have the highest priority with a guarantee that funds would reach the relevant authorities promptly."

They recalled a similar situation when a large foreign fleet was seen inside the national EEZ last year, but it was not possible to find it and arrest it.

"These vessels will freely fish where our vessels are, because there is good fishing there. They can be taken for authorised bare boat charters as, from a distance, they look no different," they pointed out.

According to the skippers of domestic vessels, the illegal fleet was detected 60 miles inside the EEZ, in the San Julián latitude. On 23 February, the vessels were 30 miles within the zone (latitude 49º 56', longitude 63º 38' and latitude 50º 04', longitude 63º 32'). On 24 February, in the afternoon, they continued fishing 15 miles from Falklands' FICZ and in the early hours of 25 February, they were all inside the FICZ. These records suggest that the actions of the illegal fishermen are coordinated.

The authorities have finally acknowledged there is a serious problem but say they don't have the resources to overcome it.

Francisco Romano, fisheries advisor at the Agriculture Secretariat, confirmed the illegal activities. The authorities requested the intervention of the Coast Guard and the Navy, "which immediately sent their ships," but this only scared foreigners away into international waters," he told Clarín.

Vessel owners and the authorities agree that the intruders are part of a huge fleet that every year, between February and August, are stationed at "mile 201" to catch the squid that legitimate Argentine or Falklands vessels do not manage to catch.

Estimates suggest there are currently 200 to 300 jiggers there, mostly from Taiwan, China, Japan and other Asian countries.

Source FIS