MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Penguin News Update.

Headlines:
A Royal birthday salute; Toothfish poacher fined; Albatross crash land; Tanker aground: minor oil leak; Brand will be used.

A Royal birthday salute

PHOTO: His Excellency the Governor, Mr Howard Pearce (right), and Commander of British Forces, Air Commodore Richard Lacey, take the Royal Salute at the Queen's Birthday Parade held on Victory Green yesterday (Thursday). Despite cool temperatures, a large crowd gathered on Ross Road for the parade. Report and photos on page 5

. Toothfish poacher fined

THE owners and master of longline vessel Elquihave been fined for illegally fishing for Patagonian toothfish in South Georgia waters. At the end of a one day trial held on Monday, the Senior Magistrate, Mrs. Clare Faulds, declared Elqui'sowners, Geneagles Corporation, and her master, Christian Henriquez Vargas, guilty of permitting the boat to be used for fishing without a licence. Both parties had earlier pleaded guilty to charges of failing to notify the South Georgia Marine Officer when Guinea-flagged Elqui entered the zone, and of permitting the vessel to carry an unstowed fishing line and gear without a licence. Mrs. Faulds fined Geneagles a total of £250,000 for the three offences and ordered the company to pay approximately £59,000 in prosecution costs. Mr. Vargas was fined a total of £2,000 and will pay £500 prosecution costs. At the start of Monday's trial, lawyer Richard Marlor, who had previously been instructed to act on behalf of Geneagles, withdrew from the case as he had received no further instructions from the company. He said he felt, "...unable to act any further." The trial proceeded without representation. Elqui was arrested in the South Georgia zone on March 2 after reports were made by two cruise ships to Fishery Patrol Vessel Sigma. Sigma caught up with Elquiand she was boarded by a Fishery Patrol Officer. He carried out an inspection of the vessel and discovered 247 boxes of baited longline, "ready to be deployed". Further inspection revealed a number of rice sacks and boxes filled with frozen toothfish. The ship's master, Mr Vargas, confirmed to the officer that there were approximately thirteen tonnes of toothfish aboard the vessel. Elqui was escorted to Stanley by Sigma following her arrest. In court on Monday, Mr. Vargas said Elqui had been fishing north of the South Georgia zone between February 19 and 28. He said he was steaming through the South Georgia zone on March 1 when the vessel began to experience engine problems. He told the court that it was commonplace on fishing vessels that the hooks should have frozen bait put on them. He said the bait could then be used "one, two or three days later". More on page 3

Albatross crash land

YOUNG Black Browed albatross are starting to fledge this week and, so far, two have crash landed in Stanley. Falklands Conservation staff was called to rescue two of the young birds which had landed in and near Nutt Cartmell Close on Monday night. Nic Huin of Falklands Conservation said the two would have come straight from Beauchene Island, at the very south of the Falklands and it probably took them two to three hours to fly up to Stanley, being pushed by strong south-west winds. "These and probably more were blown off course and were attracted by the Stanley lights. I can't understand what they mean to them, but they decided to crash land in Stanley and got confused, found a nice garden and went to sleep." Mr Huin said anyone who spots another albatross in Stanley should, "...just call us in the office and we can deal with them. Either they are fine and we release them, or they are injured and need treatment or termination." Continued on page 5

Tanker aground: minor oil leak

REEFER vessel Nova Scotiagrounded near Cochon Island on Tuesday evening as she attempted to enter Berkeley Sound. The vessel managed to free itself and anchored in the Sound. Around lunch time on Wednesday a report was received that the vessel was leaking oil. The Chief Executive, Mr Chris Simpkins, said, "The leak involves heavy fuel oil from a tank said to contain around 130 tonnes of oil. "The FIG Marine Officer has visited the vessel and describes the leak as a ?small weep". Mr Simpkins said the oil is dispersing quickly and is drifting out to sea. "The situation and weather conditions are being carefully monitored and, at present, there is no risk to wildlife sites."

?Open' shares sale?

A STANLEY businessman is calling on the government to be more open about the sale of shares in Stanley Services Ltd. In an email to Councillors, the Governor, the Attorney General and the press, Mr Stuart Wallace said he believes the entire affair, "...has been handled in an inappropriate way," and that, "...in a matter touching such a crucial service the public have a right to be kept informed." Speaking to the Falklands Islands Broadcasting Station on Wednesday, Councillor Mike Summers spoke about the sale of shares and said he was aware there were certain parties, "...who want to see all the documents to the transaction and all the detailed commercial arrangements between the parties." He said this could not happen: "It is a commercial arrangement and those documents cannot and won't be released. But the basis of the deal...has been well known for a considerable period of time." Mr Wallace said "hiding" behind the "excuse" of ?commercial confidence' is, "just that - an excuse, to avoid proper discussion and scrutiny of what is being done." Mr Wallace described the proceedings as "a sorry state of affairs" and said he does not expect every document to be made available, "...however flawed I may feel has been the process, or questionable the probable result." He said he believes that when the deal is finally agreed, "...at the very least, the full terms of the agreement must be publicly available." Penguin News hopes to publish more on the sale of shares in Stanley Services Ltd next week.

Brand will be used

THE Falklands Finest brand is to come into use as a "mark of origin" for the Islands but will not be used as a "quality mark". It was agreed at a meeting of the Falkland Islands Development Board on Tuesday that the brand which was initiated in 2000 will drop the word ?finest' and just have ?Falkland Islands' beneath the symbol that resembles fronds of tussac grass blowing in the wind. The Board suggested that anyone wishing to use the symbol as a mark of origin should contact the Development Corporation.

Categories: Falkland Islands.

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