MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency
Change in fisheries policy for Falkland Islands
The Falkland Islands Government has amended their fisheries policy in a bid to make the industry more stable and sustainable. The biggest change in the new policy is that it is now a rights based policy rather than a licence allocation only policy.
The General Manager of Seafish (Falklands), Hamish Wylie, was interviewed by Sue Gyford of the Falklands Islands Broadcasting Station on his return from a visit to the Korean Ministry of Fisheries, where he went to present the new policy to fishing companies with an interest in the Falkland Islands fisheries.
A rights based policy will mean that companies with an active involvement in the fishery will be able to apply for and be allocated the rights to fish for a period of up to 25 years, he explained. This effectively gives rights holders an asset that they can borrow against for any necessary purchase, such as a new vessel, or anything else needed to keep a business on track. Company owners can be assured that for at least the next 25 years they have access to a resource that earns revenue, enabling them to pay back a loan.
Under the current policy, the Falklands Islands Government (FIG) can allocate fishing rights to various fishing companies that apply for quota for a very limited time only. This, however, has not resulted in any real value being brought to the Islands.
Mr Wylie joined others in the delegation that visited Korea, including Councilor Richard Cockwell. He admitted that the delegation experienced a certain amount of resistance to the policy change in the East.
"Quite often nobody likes change and certainly, as you would expect, foreign fishing companies and vessel owners view any change in the Falkland Islands Fishery as being detrimental to them. One of the big selling points or selling jobs that we have to do is to convince those in the Far East that there are far more benefits than disadvantages to be had. Of course, it's those who see the benefits that will win. Those who see this as a threat will be the losers, I'm afraid," explained Mr Wylie.
Seafish is the Islands own public fishing company with over 280 local shareholders. The company has interests in every sector of the fishery from Illex to Toothfish
Source FIS
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