MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Fisheries News.

Headlines:
Hake quotas protest in Argentina; EU: no financial aid for new fishing vessels.

Hake quotas protest in Argentina

Members of the Argentine Chamber of Deep Sea Fishing Vessel Ship owners took to the streets of Mar del Plata to protest the recently announced 2005 hake quotas.

The protest march involved fishery industry leaders drove along the city's main streets in 150 trucks finally reaching the City Hall where they submitted a list of requests to Mayor Daniel Katz.

"This is not only an alert for the national fishing authorities but for the Mayor of Mar del Plata and the governor of the province of Buenos Aires (Felipe Solá)", said José Ramaci, president of the chamber.

Mar del Plata fish industry claims hake quotas distribution, established in Resolution 1388/04 by the federal government only benefits the freezer fleet since it allows those vessels to fish north of parallel 48° South while reducing the volume allotted to the fresh fish fleet in comparison to last year.

Actually freezer vessels were allotted around 70,000 tonnes of hake, and the fresh fish fleet almost 270,000 tonnes. Government sources argue the fresh fish fleet's catch volumes were only reduced 5% compared to last year. However Mr. Ramaci warned that "the level of unrest will increase in direct relation to the decrease in fishing activity."

Moreover, the fishery leader did not rule out the possibility of "further protest measures during the coming weeks."

Mar del Plata fresh fish fleet is not the only one unsatisfied with Resolution 1388/04. Chubut province authorities and local industry are trying to convince Buenos Aires to revert what they describe as "unfair treatment of the Patagonian province fisheries interests". (FIS/MP).-

EU: no financial aid for new fishing vessels

After a four-day visit to Spain European Union Fisheries and Maritime Affairs Commissioner, Joe Borg, insisted on the need to protect the future of the fishing industries through dialogue with the industry and rejected the possibility of granting aid for the new vessels.

During his visit, Mr. Borg met with national and regional authorities and with representatives of the fishery and aquaculture sector from Madrid, Andalusia and Galicia, to be briefed on the main issues of interest for Spain, in terms of fishery.

When asked about the European Social Fund, valid between 2007 and 2013, the European commissioner said there will be economic aid to modernize the fishing fleets and thus, guarantee safety, hygiene, and environmental conditions onboard ships, but he ruled out the possibility of granting subsidies for the construction of new vessels.

Moreover, Mr. Borg acknowledge the joint ventures' role in the current circumstances, though he pointed out that creation of these companies should not depend on the public aids.

He also reasserted the European Commission (EC) commitment to renovate the present fishery agreements and try to reach new accords with third countries. Regarding ties with Morocco, Mr. Borg said the EC would soon contact government authorities to negotiate a new fishing agreement.

Meanwhile he explained it is up to Morocco to decide whether they are willing to study that possibility or not. (FIS/MP).-