MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Breaking News.

Headlines :
ABBC heads for Argentine week in London;
World blasted over toothfish; Chile: Scientists plan to save the Huemul.

ABBC heads for Argentine week in London.

The Argentine-British Chamber of Commerce is renewing its plan of yearly outward missions for 2005 with an Argentine Week in London from March 13-20. This trade mission aims at bringing together Argentine and British companies on the basis of a tailor-made business agenda with a view to promoting bilateral trade and investment. During the week there will be panel sessions presenting sectors in which Argentina meets European Union standards of quality at competitive prices. The Chamber is also planning a series of institutional activities and networking events in conjunction with the Argentine Embassy, overseas members of the Chamber and strategic allies in Britain. The delegation will consist of businesspersons interested not only in presenting and offering their products and/or services but also keen on finding strategic partners for the transfer of know-how and technology. The two main objectives are: * To create awareness in Argentine companies of the potential of the UK market. * To show Argentina as a country with a wide range of products and services of high quality at competitive prices. Sectors include foods and beverages (including organic), tourism, information technology, the movie and advertising industry, education and design. More info: www.ccab.com.ar

World blasted over toothfish

THE federal government today blasted the international community for turning a blind eye to illegal fishing of the valuable Patagonian toothfish in sub-Antarctic waters. The long-running issue of toothfish poaching, particularly in Australia's territory surrounding Heard and Macdonald islands, surfaced again today with the revelation six flag-of-convenience ships are fishing undeterred in the waters. Federal Justice Minister Chris Ellison and Fisheries Minister Ian Macdonald have revealed the Southern Oceans patrol vessel Oceanic Viking is mid-patrol between Australia's exclusive economic zone and the edge of the Antarctic ice shelf. "Four of the six vessels were fishing on the Banzare Bank which has been closed to fishing by the Convention for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (CCAMLR) Commission since February 14," Senator Macdonald said. The vessels re approached by the Oceanic Vikingand were instructed to leave CCAMLR waters but because the flag states of these vessels are not members of the commission, international law does not allow any additional action to be taken. "Evidence of the vessels' fishing was gathered and will be passed to the CCAMLR Commission and responsible fishing nations." The six vessels are the Togo-flagged Hammer, the Ross and the Condor and the Georgian-flagged Kang Yuan, Jian Wuan and Koko. Senator Macdonald said the inability to take action against the vessels demonstrated the absurdity of international laws. "I am highly critical of the international community for not addressing the problem which has been clearly exposed again this week by the work of the Australian patrol vessel," he said. "Responsible fishing companies have ceased operations in the area in accordance with the CCAMLR rules. "However, fishing vessels flagged to non-CCAMLR nations have continued to fish with impunity. "The absolute stupidity of the situation is that in these flag states the administrative and government arrangements are loose and inadequate and very often corrupt." Senator Macdonald said he had made representations to the government of Togo, but to no avail.

Chile: Scientists plan to save the Huemul

Researchers at the School of Medicine at the University of Chile have - for the last two years - been working on a project to clone the huemul, a rare kind of stag found only in southern Chile and Argentina, the university spokesmen said last Friday. The huemul is in danger of extinction and scientists have taken cells from the animal, grown them and frozen them, so that in the future they might be implanted in a substitute mother, which could be a red stag. A cloned embryo should be implanted in an animal of the same species, but there are very few live huemules left. The cells are extracted from the animal's ear. "Our aim is to preserve this species, which, regrettably, is threatened" with extinction, said veterinary physician Mariana Rojas. Some details: The body of the males reaches a length of 163 cm, height of the withers of 90 cm, and a short tail between 10 and 20 cm. Its weight is between 40 and 100 kg. The females are a little smaller. Has a long ear (20 cm) with large, extended glands, in front of the eyes. Only the males have horns with two points. Its fur is grey and dense. Its skin color varies with the seasons between a dark brown to a lighter brown or yellow with grey stripes. In the anal and inguinal region are white. In the internal ears, outside the eyes and nose are greyish. The project is receiving financial help from France.