MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Argentine Fisheries concerned with provincial “licencing”

The increasing number of fishing licences extended by the Argentine provinces is becoming a growing challenge for federal authorities because of the pressure on marine resources, the last example of which are the dismal catches of shrimp.

La Nacion reports that according to the Argentine Fisheries Under-Secretariat the annual catch of shrimp in Argentina has dropped from 73,000 tons in 1998 to 7,000 this year, which can be traced to the greater number of vessels with provincial licences.

Although under Argentine legislation provinces have jurisdiction over the 12 miles from the coastline, federal authorities believe that many times local policies don't necessarily match federal guidelines, and they also suspect that provincial licenced vessels also poach in the 12 plus area.

"There's a tendency to solve social problems with provincial licences and that is worrying", said Gerardo Nieto, Fisheries Under-Secretary adding that it hinders the overall process of converting the industry. Mr. Nieto fears that with shrimp and other species basically in provincial jurisdiction Argentina could be facing a similar situation to the nineties when overfishing virtually made the hubbsi hake fisheries collapse.

The provinces of Buenos Aires, Chubut, Rio Negro and Santa Cruz have their own fisheries legislation and extend licences on a "provisional" basis. In the last few years, according to Mr. Nieto, Buenos Aires and Chubut have registered a considerable increase in the number of licences awarded, although it's very difficult to have access to the information.

A similar scenario at national level happened in Argentina with hake between 1991 and 1997 when more vessels that the resource could stand were operating. Over fishing, depredation, corruption charges and court actions, plus the collapse of the hake fishery was the natural outcome of the situation.

"I don't have clear figures or a detailed report on the number of provincial licences, which is quiet serious", admitted Mr. Nieto.

However he underlined that off the twelve miles in the Argentine EEZ, vessel and fleet controls have improved significantly although they are "not ideal".

Apparently all fishing vessels 25 metres long and larger each hour must make a satellite report of their position, which is then transferred to the Fisheries Department and Coast Guard Information and Control centres.