MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

New Uruguayan administration committed to combat IUU fishing.

A union leader from the Uruguayan fishing industry Daniel Montiel took office last March 2 as the new Director of the country's National Directorate of Aquatic Resources (DINARA).

He replaces controversial Captain Yamandu Flangini who was summoned several times to Uruguay's Congress to report on alleged poaching incidents involving Uruguayan flagged longliners.

The newly appointed head of DINARA has a long experience in the industry both in high seas and coastal fisheries and since 1980 belongs to a fishing cooperative. He is a close advisor to Uruguay's new Minister of Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries, José Mujica, leader of the strongest group in the ruling coalition.

On taking office Mr. Montiel announced that one of his first tasks will be to participate in the FAO Fisheries Committee meeting in Rome where he expects to express Uruguay's new administration full commitment to the Code of Conduct for Responsible Fisheries and to combat illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing (IUU).

In Rome Mr. Montiel has meetings scheduled with FAO officials and with the Australian Fisheries Minister Ian Macdonald.

Locally Mr. Montiel's priorities include the integration of several bilateral commissions (with Argentina) particularly the Joint Technical Commission for the Maritime Front and the Administrative Commission of the River Plate, which operate as part of the Ministry of Foreign Relations of Uruguay.

The fishing industry was not surprised with the nomination of Mr. Montiel but is insistent about the importance of the bilateral commissions for the future development of Uruguay's fisheries which demand "a maximum professionalism from their representatives. (FIS/MP).