MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Argentina Fisheries ordinance ready “before the end of 2004”

Argentina aspires to a “fishing country” instead of a ”country with fisheries, said Under-Secretary of Fishery and Aquaculture, Gerardo Nieto, who also promised a new fisheries ordinance before 2004 is over.

In an interview with Télam, the official news agency, Mr. Nieto that is was time the industry "cleaned its accounts" given the significance of fisheries for Argentina. Fish and sea food exports account for 900 million US dollars annually, almost 50% more than the traditional beef commodity.

"We're going to totally enforce the Federal Fisheries Bill to help put some order into the industry's activities. For this we plan a process of permanent consultations with provincial governments and the private sector". Nonetheless Mr. Nieto admitted the organization process had become wrought with "conflict" because it affects diverse interests within the sector.

One such conflict concerns demarcation of the hake fishery area in the Argentine Sea (South Atlantic), over which for some time freezer-factory and fresh-fish fleets have been wrestling about. Freezer vessels are large offshore processing plants for ocean catches, whereas fresh-fish vessels are smaller and deliver their catch to onshore plants for processing.

At the moment Argentina's fishery is ruled by Emergency Law 24.292 and Decree 189/99 targeted to ensure hake conservation. Unrestrained catching in the nineties almost collapsed the hake fishery in the nineties. Legislation bans freezer-factory hake vessels north of parallel 48°, and off Puerto Deseado, province of Santa Cruz, leaving the area exclusively for fresh catch vessels to operate.

Freezer-factory vessel companies appealed arguing unconstitutional procedure and were allowed to operate under certain circumstances in the banned areas. Last January Under-secretary Nieto introduced a resolution permitting freezer vessels to fish hake north of parallel 48°, with a maximum catch quota. The decision was opposed by fresh-fishery vessels on the grounds that jobs with onshore processing plants were in peril.

Mr. Nieto tried to neutralize the situation saying that the intention was "to legalise the existent situation" and limit the fishing volume for freezer vessels. Mr. Nieto indicated that hake catches authorised by the National Institute for Research and Development (INIDEP) amount to 330,000 tonnes this season. Controversial Resolution No. 73 only "grants a maximum of 95,000 tonnes" for freezer-factory vessels, but fresh-fish vessel companies reacted because they hoped for a larger share. (FIS/MP).-