MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Shrimp fishery authorised in the gulf of San Jorge

The General Directorate of Maritime Interests and Continental Fisheries of the Government of Chubut has authorised the lobster fishing in the gulf San Jorge starting midnight on 21 February.

Resolution Nº 20/2004 authorises fishery activity for all vessel types in the areas lying within the following coordinates:

? 44º56' S and the coastline, ? 44º56' S and the provincial jurisdiction boundary, ? 46°00' S and the provincial jurisdiction boundary, ? 46º00' S and 67º20' W, ? 45º30' S and 66º55' W ? 45º30' and the coastline.

The resolution also ratifies the areas corresponding to the Permanently Restricted Fishing Effort Zones and the Exclusive Zone for artisanal vessels of up to 21 metres in length, established by Resolutions Nº 200/2000 and Nº 013/2000 of the Provincial Fisheries Directorate.

Authorities explain, in addition, that the provisional continuity of the areas established in the new resolution "will be subjected to monitoring of the fleet's activity through the Onboard Observers Programme of the Province of Chubut."

Fishery vessels must comply with norms such as, the use of shrimp nets. The minimum size for the mesh in the codend of the net should be 45 mm between opposite knots (lumen) when the net is at its full-length and wet. The maximum height of the large doors and maximum vertical opening of the net should not exceed 1.5 metres.

The document signed by the head of the Fisheries Department, Omar Rapaport, forbids freezer vessels with provincial permits to land snow crab (Lithodes santilla), and must return all specimens of this species caught during fishery, back to the sea.

Source: FIS