MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Argentina establishes new hake fisheries quota.

Argentina's Secretary of Agriculture, Livestock, Fisheries and Foods (SAGPyA) finally issued a Resolution 484/2004 regulating hake (Merluccius hubbsi) fishery between April 1 and July 31. The maximum catch authorised for this period has now been established at 159,554 tonnes to be distributed among all vessels operating north and south of parallel 41º S.

Published in the Boletín Oficial May 5, the resolution includes three clauses detailing the assigned quota for each of the fleets authorised to operate as follows: 117,887 tons for the deep-sea, fresh fish fleet; 28,000 tons for the freezer fleet; and 4,000 tons for the yellow fleet from Chubut.

The resolution also assigns catch quotas to the coastal provinces, to be distributed between the fresh fish fleet of each province's port "in order to balance the socio-economic effects which could arise". Buenos Aires province has been awarded 5,333 tons; Rio Negro 1,000 tons; Chubut 667 tonnes, and Santa Cruz 2,667 tonnes.

The resolution signed by the head of SAGPyA, Miguel Campos also provides for quota transfers for all vessels authorised to fish. The National Directorate of Fisheries and Aquaculture is empowered to analyse and assess catch volume transfers assigned.

The new hake norm allows the freezer fleet to operate south of parallel 41º S during one fishing trip, as of the signing of the resolution. However it bans efforts within the five-nautical mile strip of the north, east and south boundaries of the exclusion area for juveniles established in 2000 and modified by Resolution 74, on 9 January 2004.

Tighter controls are also established making it compulsory for all vessels "without exception" to rely on a Global Positioning System for Fishery Vessels, and an onboard presence of an inspector, the cost of which is to be covered by the vessel owner.

Further on the Resolution 484/2004 states that an Inter-Jurisdictional Area of Restricted Fishery Effort where only those vessels detailed in its third clause may operate. A Management Commission for the Restricted Fishery Effort Area will be designed "to recommend dynamic management measures which allow for improved operations of the fleet and greater conservation of affected resources."

Should the Federal Fisheries Council (CFP) implement the Individual Transferable Quota Regulation before the expiration of the new resolution, catch volumes awarded by current resolutions will expire automatically. (FIS/MP).-