MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Fisheries News

Headlines: Booming shrimp sector in Brazil; Poland demands greater quotas; New NZ hoki freezer trawler; Loco fishing ban lifted in May; Brazil targets red crac; Hepatitis outbreak in fishing vessel; Chilean-Peruvian cooperation

Booming shrimp sector in Brazil

Six years of rapid growth has taken the Brazilian shrimp sector from 2.8 million US dollars in export revenue in 1997 to 142 million US dollars in 2002. This represents a 5,000 per cent growth and the consolidation of shrimp production as one of the most promising economic activities in the Northeast of Brazil. According to official statistics in 2002 Brazil exported 40,000 tonnes of shrimp, 70% of total Brazilian production and as a result, Brazil now figures 7th in the world ranking of shrimp exporters. The Brazilian Association of Shrimp Farmers (ABCC), believes there's room for more expansion with exports reaching 500 million US dollars in 2005. To reach this level ABCC estimates an additional 150 million US dollars are needed to expand the existing aquaculture farms, to set up new companies and to incorporate new technology that will lead to a higher added value product. Farms in the Northeast contributed 94% of the 60,000 tonnes of farmed shrimp produced in Brazil during 2002. Santa Catarina is the only state outside the Northeast that has achieved a high production level of 1,800 tonnes, which represents around 2,290 annual tonnes per hectare. During 2002, the state of Ceará became the country's main marine shrimp producer and exporter, with more than 11,000 tonnes and revenue of 31 million US dollars. Apparently Ceará holds the world record in performance with more than 7,000 annual tonnes per hectare, twice the average of other countries such as Thailand, China, Indonesia, Vietnam, India, Bangladesh and Ecuador. (FIS/MP).

Poland demands greater quotas

Negotiations on the renewed European Economic Area (EEA), to coincide with the incorporation of ten countries to the European Union by 2004 are stalled over the issue of fishing quotas. Poland's representatives rejected the quotas offered saying it wants "more beneficial quotas", especially for herring. EU sources revealed that negotiations were running smoothly with agreements in principle over fisheries management and quotas, but broke down when the Polish officials rejected the EU offer. As a result the signing of the Accession Treaty, scheduled to take place in Athens on 16 April, "will be carried out without knowing how agreement will be reached on the new EEA," said an EU source. According to Diario Digital, the European Commission will review the situation in a few weeks time, but will not renegotiate until the treaty is signed to avoid other countries asking for other issues to be reviewed. The incorporation of the new members to the EU has sparked intense debate in countries such as Norway and Iceland that have important investments in the fishing sector and have fears about their market position. The EEA agreement involving the EU, Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein - has already encouraged a number of commercial undertakings in fisheries. (FIS/MP).

New NZ hoki freezer trawler

New Zealand Sealord's new 70 metres freezer trawler, the Paerangi has just arrived in Nelson and it will now join the Sealord fleet. This trawler has been contracted from the Norwegian Shipping Company Volstad Shipping ATS on a long term basis. Its primary purpose is to fish and process hoki for the Sealord global network. Paerangi has been fitted with energy management systems and a processing factory capable of making value added products from hoki. "The factory vessel's layout and fittings enable us to extract the maximum value from each fish and pack and freeze the products more quickly and efficiently," said General Manager Operations Ross Tocker. "Fittings include an IQF freezer, which allows fish portions to be frozen individually, and plate freezers which freeze cartons of fish in a continuous flow." Bridge technology gives the vessel's skipper the flexibility to create and adapt bridge information to suit the conditions and operations. The Paerangi replaces the 68 metre Kiwa, which is 13 years old and has been fishing for Sealord since March 2001. The Kiwa's crew of 84 are transferring to Paerangi. Mr Tocker stated that Sealord's policy was to contract or invest in modern vessels with the latest technology and to keep the average age of its fleet down. "That gives us flexibility, enables us to get the best return from the fish we catch. Also modern vessels are fitted with equipment and technology which improve safety conditions for crews." Mr Tocker told the Nelson Mail that the vessel is to be based in Nelson and Dunedin and will fish in the Southern Oceans and off the West Coast of the South Island. He declined to say how much the vessel cost. The vessel left Norway in March and sailed through the Panama Canal and across the Pacific to New Zealand. (FIS/MP).

Loco fishing ban lifted in May

Chilean authorities are planning to reopen 35 loco - or Chilean abalone - fishing grounds in May to allow harvesting on an experimental basis. According to Fisheries Department estimates, the harvest in the Llanquihue, Chiloé, Osorno and Palena provinces is expected to surpass last year's total of 740,613 pieces. "The opening will definitely be in May, but we are not sure about the exact date, neither about how many areas will be open though I think it will be 35," said National Fisheries Service (Sernapesca) regional director Francisco Fernández. Further details would be released once the loco (Concholepas concholepas) stocks have been assessed and reports completed on the status of the fishery, he said. Viviana Pezo, manager of the Institute for Fisheries Development Ancud base, told El Llanquihue that it was up to the Fisheries Department to set the quota and decide when to lift the ban. She added that some of the areas authorised for reopening were in the towns of Estaquilla, Chaihuaco, Punta Polocué, Puñihuil, Punta Barranco, Maullín, Bahía San Pedro, El Manzano and Pucatrihue, where harvest volumes are very dissimilar. Last year's catches varied from 3,500 to 64,000 pieces, depending on the area. The decision does not affect coastal fishermen that are already authorised for specific periods in designated areas. In these management areas, the Fisheries department has delegated the task of managing the fishery to the fishermen themselves. They have to decide when to impose a temporary ban, to protect the species during the spawning cycle, so that a sustainable fishery can be achieved for the benefit of all participants. Loco fishery is extended all along the Pacific coast, from South Peru to the Magellan strait. In 2000, Chilean authorities set a four year ban on loco catches in Regions I-XI, to help stocks recover from over-fishing, after studies revealed that spawning stocks were becoming dangerously low leaving the species at risk. (FIS/MP).

Brazil targets red crac

Paulista State University (Unesp) in the state of Sao Paulo, Brazil is studying the abundance and distribution of commercially valuable fish and shellfish species on the southern coast of Sao Paulo state. The research is particularly interested in the red crab which is quiet abundant in southern Brazil. The research coordinator, marine biologist Marcelo Pinheiro, says samples will be collected twice each season for two years on board oceanographic vessel Soloncy Moura. The study will cover 188 kilometres of coastline within a 28,000 square kilometre area. Results of the research will be passed on to the fisheries authorities, who will be able to use them to develop a marine resources management plan. Mr. Pinheiro said research results will be used by the Institute for Renewable Natural Resources (Ibama), which currently lacks the scientific data to back up the regulations that it produces. During the study, researchers will be investigating red crab (Chaceon ramosae), a species not currently exploited in Brazil but of considerable commercial value in other countries. This huge crab, which can weigh up to 1.5 kg, is found in the area extending from Florianopolis to Torres, (Santa Catarina state), 100 nautical miles off the coast, and at depths that vary from 500 to 900 metres. The research is a joint scientific cooperation agreement between the university and Ibama's South/Southeast Region Fisheries Research and Development Centre (Cepsul/Ibama). (FIS/MP).-

Hepatitis outbreak in fishing vessel

Argentine authorities have ordered the destruction of 13 tonnes of hake and shrimp following two cases of hepatitis A. The National Food Health and Quality Service (Senasa) said the load of hake and shrimp must be incinerated after a Coast Guard (PNA) doctor discovered an outbreak of hepatitis among the crew of the Argentine-flagged Alver, moored in Comodoro Rivadavia, said inspector César Gentile. Three crew members who presented symptoms were taken to the city's hospital. Analysis results confirmed hepatitis in two of them, while the third one was diagnosed with gastroenteritis, reports La Nación. A Senasa spokesman said the fishing boat has been totally disinfected and its catch, which was confiscated, will be destroyed to avoid the risk of disease spreading. The authorities have yet to decide where this will take place, but Gentile said that if they do not find a suitable place in Comodoro Rivadavia, then the shipment could be taken to an industrial oven in Trelew. The inspector said hake and shrimp are often used to prepare raw meals and this constitutes a serious risk because products must be cooked at a temperature of at least 60 ºC to eliminate the hepatitis A virus. Navy commander Mario Daniel Villorani of the Comodoro Rivadavia Coast Guard told the local press that the other 24 crew members have all been tested and that no new cases of Hepatitis A have been found, so far. Hepatitis A is the most common of the Hepatitis strains. (FIS/MP).

Chilean-Peruvian cooperation

Peru and Chile will cooperate in fisheries issues of common interest such as combating trade restrictions to fish meal imports imposed by the European Union and in marine resources conservation. The announcement was done in Lima by the Peruvian Ministry of Foreign Affairs adding that the decision was drafted by a high level joint committee with the participation of Chilean Fisheries Department Deputy Chief, Felipe Sandoval and officials from the Peruvian Ministries of Production and Foreign Affairs. One of the main conclusions of the meeting is that Chile and Peru will be presenting a common position in the coming round of negotiations next week involving fish meal sales to the European Union. This will be the first time that the bilateral coordination mechanism will be tested. Both delegations also committed themselves to jointly push to make effective the Galapagos Agreement, in the framework for the Conference on the Conservation of Living Marine Resources in the high seas of the South east Pacific. The Peruvian Ministry of Foreign Affairs underlined that the presence of the Chilean delegation helped consolidate cooperation in issues of common interest for both countries, which confirm the implementation of commitments by President Alejandro Toledo and President Ricardo Lagos during their latest meetings. Peru and Chile are the world's main fish meal producers.