MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Chile tightens control on high seas fishing.

A new decree which regulates foreign flagged factory vessels operating in high seas next to Chile's EEZ that call into Chilean ports was highlighted as “extremely positive” both at regional and national level by Jorge Cofré, president of the Fishing Crews Union in Punta Arenas.

The new legislation drafted by the Fisheries Department and supported by Chile's fisheries industry limits indiscriminate access to Chilean ports of those vessels operating beyond the Chilean waters 200 miles, forcing them to abide by the same regulations that apply to Chilean fishing vessels mainly satellite positioning control, regular observers duties, catch volumes, etc.

"This means foreign vessels will have to cooperate with Chile in the conservation of straddling and highly migrating species in adjacent high seas" indicated Mr. Cofré.

From now on all vessels operating in the plus 200 area of Chile's EEZ that wish to take supplies in Chilean ports will have to abide by Chilean Fisheries legislation as well as those "obligations imposed by international conventions such as CCALMR" (Convention for the Conservation of Antarctic Living Marine Resources).

"When entering Chilean port vessels will have to declare their catches and the country certification for those catches, all of which is a great advance in fisheries resources sustainability", added Mr. Cofré.