MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Fisheries News.

Headlines:
Controversy over hake licences
Long term access rights boost industry

Controversy over hake licences

The governor of Chubut is defending his province's "restrictive policy" on fishing permits, arguing it's part of the hake protection plan. Chubut has one of Patagonia's most active fishing sectors and fishermen in Comodoro Rivadavia - one of the province's most important fishing ports - are clamouring for more permits to be issued to local reefers. But so far their requests have been denied.

Mar del Plata based Fisheries Research Institute (Inidep) studies show that hake stocks that were on the verge of collapse in 2000 are beginning to recover. Therefore authorities will only more licences when scientifically possible so as to avoid damaging stocks, Governor José Luis Lizurume told El Patagónico.

But in view of the stated policy, the issue of permits to the Argentine-Spanish company Arbumasa had sparked controversy. However governor Lizurume insisted fishing permits recently issued to companies from Chubut and Santa Cruz, under the San Jorge Gulf agreement, were not new ones, but rather had already been granted and only needed to be activated.

The Municipal Fisheries Council (CMP) in Comodoro Rivadavia - to which fisheries businessmen, officials and workers belong ? have lobbied strongly before the provincial government, but the government and opposition legislators stood firm by conservation policy.

Government MP Mario Pérez Michelena said it was up to the Executive and scientific institutions to determine whether stocks could support more fishing effort. Opposition MP Argentina Martínez said her party would not advocate granting more fishing permits, but she said further investigation into the current status of hake stocks would help to resolve the issue.

CMP members said they were trying to safeguard the jobs created in the processing plants settled in the city, in compliance with the fishing employment emergency law 4738. This law demands that companies hire one person per seven cubic metres of storage capacity on their vessels. (FIS/MP).-

Long term access rights boost industry

The successful establishment of long term access rights in the South African fishing industry will provide a much needed economic boost for the industry, according to observers. The concept allows for long term planning and investment and it is now easier for people to create joint ventures, allowing new entrants into the industry.

It is hoped that the establishment of four year rights will eventually be stretched to access rights for 15 years. Many believe that this will assist the development of a world class fishing industry in South Africa according to a report in the Cape Business News.

Living marine resources in South Africa have been managed conservatively for a long time and the success of this policy shows when comparing fish resources with other fisheries in the world, many on the verge of collapse victim of over catching. Industry strongly supports the government's decision not to allow foreign boats, outside of the South African Development Community (SADC), to fish within the EEZ.

According to scientific reports biomasses of harvested species are in good condition generally. It is estimated that the biomass of pilchard and anchovy are particularly strong, although paradoxically the mixing of shoals, a natural occurrence, presents catching difficulty, especially with juveniles, when the industry is obliged to operate within conservative by-catch limits.

The west coast lobster resource is sound, whilst the south coast lobster resource has reportedly declined somewhat, with the abalone biomass suffering from poaching. The hake biomass has been reported as stable, albeit with a high percentage of juvenile fish, and, although the pilchard biomass has been weak for some time, reports are now encouraging. The high numbers of juvenile fish in pelagic landings mean that certain yields and efficiencies are less than targeted.

It is expected that more fish landings, if allowed, given the availability increase and better conditions will lead to a more positive consideration of licence applications. This should help increase industry capacity, food production (canned fish and fish meal), additional employment, and the alleviation of poverty in South Africa. (FIS/MP).