MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Fisheries News.

Headlines:
Fisheries port for northern Brazil; Brazil opens to foreign vessels; Chilean salmon prices rocket.

Fisheries port for northern Brazil

The Río Grande do Norte Government in northern Brazil is keen to support a private initiative to build a fishing terminal in the region, which handles most of the country's fishery exports. Earlier this week, Walter de Carvalho, president of Companhia Docas do Rio Grande do Norte (Codern), approached State Governor Wilma de Faria seeking support for the construction of a new fishing port. Codern proposes building modern port on the left bank of the Potengi river, opposite the port of Natal. It will offer a fishing vessel dock, refrigerated storage, fish processing facilities and a small shipyard for carrying out vessel repairs. The total construction costs are estimated to be around BRL 50 million (approximately USD 17 million). Carvalho's request was well received by the Governor, who not only promised to forward it to Home Affairs Minister José Dirceu but also said she was keen for the project to be approved by federal authorities for inclusion in next year's budget. "The government will fight for the construction of this fishing port in Río Grande do Norte because it is crucial for regional development, not to mention the fact that this state is the country's main fish exporter, " said Wilma de Faria in an official statement. The Governor is under pressure to secure federal government approval because two other states - Paraíba and Maranhão - have also been campaigning for new fishing terminals. Three working parties have been set up to develop the project. Codern will check conditions in the chosen location, the Third Naval District will assess the feasibility of building the shipyard and the Agriculture Department will set up appropriate training for the artisanal fishermen who will be based at the new port. The latest figures show that during the first seven months this year, fishery exports from Río Grande do Norte were up 76.5% over a year ago. Authorities say their goal is to generate USD 100 million in export revenue this year. (FIS/MP).

Brazil opens to foreign vessels

New regulations for operations of domestic and foreign vessels have been introduced by the Brazilian government. A decree, signed by President Luis Ignacio Lula da Silva Tuesday 19 August, states that fishing in inshore and coastal waters will be reserved for domestic boats while fishing on the continental shelf and within the EEZ will be open to both domestic and foreign vessels. According to the decree, foreign vessels will have to observe the same fisheries regulations as domestic vessels. But fishing permits for species that are subject to limited fishing effort will only be granted to domestic vessels. Regulations also cover vessels which process their catch on board and all such vessels must meet food safety and other standards set by the Ministry of Agriculture. The decree also sets out the areas of responsibility according to which: ? Ministry for the Environment will be responsible for allocating fishing area, catch levels, fishing methods, permitted fishing gear and minimum sizes for commercial species; ? Special Secretariat for Aquaculture and Fisheries, which answers directly to the President, will be responsible for ensuring fishery resources are exploited appropriately. This will include monitoring highly migratory species and species that are currently underexploited; and ? Environmental agency Ibama will be responsible for monitoring the sustainable exploitation of fishery resources. The fisheries development policy, which aims to increase supply to the domestic market and generate more sales revenue, allows companies or cooperatives to charter foreign vessels for up to two years. But there is an option to extend the arrangement for a further two years, in accordance with Fisheries Secretariat regulations. These vessels will be subject to the same rules as domestic vessels as well as some additional ones. The new decree also aims to improve training for workers and generate more jobs in the industry as well as helping to create a domestic deep-sea fleet equipped with the latest technology. Chartered vessels will have to be equipped with satellite monitoring systems and will be authorised to transfer their catches only at domestic fishing ports and terminals or in their respective port areas. And, in accordance with current laws, a percentage of the chartered vessels' crew should be Brazilian, although the Ministry of Employment may allow exceptions if it can be proved that there are not enough Brazilian crewmembers qualified for the job Special Secretariat for Fisheries, under José Fritsch, and the Ministry of Environment have 90 days to establish the necessary regulations to implement the decree, which comprises a total of 22 articles. (FIS/MP).

Chilean salmon prices rocket

Chilean salmon and trout export earnings were up 30% to USD 594 million during the first six months, although the volume was down 21% to 152,200 tonnes. Atlantic salmon accounted for 50% of the volume, followed by trout and coho salmon. The increase in value is attributed to the recovery in international market prices and an increase in sales of value added products. During January - June the price of salmon on the international market was USD 3.9/kg, compared with last year's USD 2.4/kg during the same period. The price of trout also increased considerably, from USD 2.1 to USD 3.3/kg, reports the Salmon Industry Association (SalmonChile). If prices remain stable, the Association estimates a 23% increase in exports this year with earnings of almost USD 1,200 million - a record figure for the Chilean industry. SalmonChile highlighted the sector's efforts to increase the manufacture of higher added value products, such as salmon in dill, smoked or cooked which during the nineties accounted for around five% of exports and now represent 64% of the total. Japan continued to be the main market for Chilean exports, with 45% of the total. US were second with 37% of volume and 43% of total value. The European Union and Latin America absorbed six per cent and four per cent of exports. (FIS/MP).-