MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Santa Cruz man, next Fisheries Secretary.

Gerardo Nieto, Santa Cruz's Fisheries Secretary since 1994 will be occupying the same job but at federal level under the new Argentine administration of President Nestor Kirchner.

The nomination of Mr. Nieto was considered encouraging, both in the Patagonian provinces and in Mar del Plata, the two poles that have traditionally disputed predominance over the Argentine fishing industry, particularly since the most southern provinces have long been privileged by incentives repeatedly questioned by the powerful processing plants in the province of Buenos Aires.

Santa Cruz fishery businessmen who now concentrate half of Argentina's landings and has become the second most important industry of the province, behind oil, have pointed out that Mr. Kirchner, "is the first president who undoubtedly is closest to the fishery sector and he knows about the industry", according to Mr. Alejandro Cagliolo, CEO of the Argentine Patagonia Chamber of Fishery Industries, Capip.

Ernesto Azpillaga, manager of Conarpesca with strong interests in Santa Cruz indicated that "this is the most attractive province to invest. The development of fisheries began with Governor Kirchner when he convinced industry that simply extracted, to settle in the province ensuring those stable rules of the game.

Mr. Oscar Fortunato president of the Council of Argentine Fishery Companies, CEPA, that represents the Mar del Plata lobby admitted that there's no object in insisting in the dispute with Santa Cruz, "today antinomy has considerably decreased because I believe we've all learnt the lesson: it's better to develop and grow together".

After praising the achievements of the incoming Fisheries Secretary in Santa Cruz, Mr. Fortunato demanded "continuity in fisheries policies; it's essential to enforce the law and put an end to the abrupt changes of direction", and admitted that actually "the best place" to invest in fisheries is precisely Santa Cruz province.

"I believe the fishing industry will have a clear purpose and position, because President Kirchner is interested in productive activities and is a good manager who lets the private sector develop", said Mr. Nieto who explained he favored licensing quotas in line with the fisheries federal law of 1987.

However Mr. Nieto argued that fisheries have been as conflictive as any other sector of the Argentine economy given the discontinuity of official policy and "because during the nineties it became a bargaining chip of international interests".

During the nineties management of resources was one of the most sensitive issues of the Argentine fishing industry, following the collapse of the hubbsi hake fishery. Other areas of conflict have been the insistent suspicion of the discretional awarding of licences, claims of corruption and even the presence of powerful mafia style groups that apparently dominated the industry during the last thirteen years. In the last three years Argentine Fisheries Secretary changed five times.

But even under these adverse circumstances Argentine fishery exports are more important than beef overseas sales and average 700 million US dollars annually.

During the first four months of 2003 the volume of exports was 105,460 tons, a significant 33% increase over the same period in 2002.