MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Argentina-New Zealand fishery agreement

Argentina's Fisheries and Aquaculture Undersecretary, Gerardo Nieto, and New Zealand's cabinet minister, Hon Peter Hodgson, signed in Buenos Aires last December 17 a fisheries cooperation agreement.

Among the issues covered are sustainable management of marine resources, deep-sea activities and creating a consensus among southern hemisphere nations with important local fisheries as is the case of NZ and Argentina.

"The agreement is an important step to promote strategies and joint criteria, which should result in the improvement of fishery efforts for both countries" said Nieto. Furthermore it promotes economic ties and cooperation between the Argentine and NZ fishing industries with the purpose of "boosting the exchange of information regarding fishing policies, management, scientific research and technical experience" pointed out the Argentine Agriculture, Livestock, Fisheries and Food Secretariat (SAGPyA) in a press release.

"The agreement includes pledges to share general information on fishery policies and processes, staff exchanges, regular meetings, cooperation in the monitoring and surveillance, as well as in the identification of common interests regarding international fishing affairs," asserted Stan Crothers, interim director for the New Zealand Ministry of Fisheries.

Mr. Crothers highlighted that both countries have a lot in common since both are southern hemispheric coastal nations with significant fishing interests. "This means that many times we have been working side by side with the Argentine authorities and have developed this fishing cooperation agreement for it to guide our joint work in the future."

Both parties also pledged to cooperate in monitoring and surveillance of fisheries at the local level and at deep-sea, to counter the activities of illegal, unregulated and unreported fishing. (FIS/MP).-