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Headlines:
”Trail of destruction': man arrested; Argentine complaint at London meeting; Guilty verdicts in longline fishing cases.

"Trail of destruction': man arrested

A MAN was arrested and later released on bail after a "trail of destruction" was created in Stanley this week. The damage - which is likely to total over £10,000 - is believed by police to be linked to the theft of a vehicle in the early hours of Tuesday morning. Police discovered the Land Rover abandoned in a ditch to the east of Stanley after it was taken from its owner's home on Callaghan Road. Later that morning reports were received of damage to several vehicles and of others which had been entered. Police set up an incident team and several officers were called in from rest periods to provide extra help. A public appeal for assistance generated a considerable response and provided valuable information. Police say the "trail of destruction" which lead into Stanley, was soon identified. Three vehicles and one building in the Falkland Fresh compound had windows smashed, thirteen vehicles in the vicinity of the FIPASS port had windows and windscreens smashed. Several vehicles in the East Stanley housing development were entered and articles removed, stolen and/or transferred from one vehicle to another. Another car on Callaghan Road, close to where the Land Rover was stolen, was also found with its windows smashed. Chief Police Officer, Superintendant Dave Morris says the cost of the damage is in excess of £10,000. At 5.20pm on Tuesday, a man was arrested by police and detained overnight while enquiries continued. He was released on police bail following interview on Wednesday. Superintendant Morris said, "Items seized from this person, along with footprint casts and glass control samples, were prepared for forensic examination in the United Kingdom and are being hand carried to the UK by a returning military police officer..." Superintendant Morris said he was grateful to members of the general public who provided information, and urged anyone who may have further information to come forward. Photo:One of the vandalised vehicles, an excavator belonging to Mike McKay.

Argentine complaint at London meeting

AN ARGENTINE delegation has objected to the Falkland Islands' proposed new fishery policy which is to be put to Legislative Council next month. The objection was lodged at a meeting of the South Atlantic Fisheries Council in London, attended by the Falklands Director of Fisheries, Mr John Barton, on July 15. Mr Barton said this year's meeting was shorter than usual, "as there were no scientific meetings." Despite this, he said, discussions were held on the background and issues surrounding the poor 2005 illex squid season. A commitment to further research on illex and southern blue whiting was agreed. He said the discussion of fishery policy initiatives was a "significant component" of the meeting but gave no further detail. However an informed source told Penguin NewsArgentina objects to the concept of property rights - lasting for some 25 years - contained in the policy: "the Argentine government takes the view that as the Falklands belongs to Argentina, the Falkland Islands Government cannot give away rights which they do not possess." Councillor Richard Cockwell, who holds the fisheries portfolio, said he believed it was "not an easy meeting." He was pleased issues of "common interest" had been addressed, "...although we have yet to see the outcomes from these discussions." Councillor Cockwell said the Argentine objection to the fishery policy was "not unexpected" and added, "we have to maintain our right to put management or conservation measures in place which are to the benefit of the industry and the Falkland Islands in general." Councillor Roger Edwards described the protest as, "... just a continuation of the Argentine Government's objection to us actually having the right to fish here. It's a continuation of their claim on the Islands." Of the proposed new fishery policy, he said he felt some modifications need to be made to the Bill before it is passed: "With a few minor amendments it could be very good for the industry."

Guilty verdicts in longline fishing cases

THE owners of two longline fishing vessels have been found guilty of breaching the conditions of their licences to catch valuable Patagonian toothfish in South Georgia waters. Senior Magistrate Clare Faulds delivered the verdicts in the cases against Quark Fishing Ltd and Freiremar AS on Tuesday afternoon; she then adjourned proceedings without issuing penalties. The verdicts followed a three day trial in late April which was adjourned to allow for legal submissions to be made. The cases against Quark Fishing Ltd, of which Falklands councillor Mike Summers is Managing Director, and Spanish company Freiremar AS, centred around the activities of two longline fishing vessels, Falklands-flagged Jacqueline and Spanish-flagged Ibsa Quinto. Quark Fishing Ltd, as charterer of Ibsa Quinto, and Freiremar AS, as owner of the vessel, were charged with breaching a licence condition granted by the South Georgia Government for last year's toothfish season which limited the vessel's total allowable catch to 300 tonnes. A further charge was made against Quark that, as owner of Jacqueline, they failed to comply with a licence condition relating to the minimisation of incidental seabird mortality in the course of longline fishing. On July 6, 2004 Ibsa Quintoarrived in Stanley for her catch to be weighed, a new licence condition introduced by the Government of South Georgia for the 2004 season. The catch was unloaded and weighed on a pallet weighing system. The total of Patagonian toothfish was calculated to be in excess of 300 tonnes, with the extent of the excess being in dispute between the prosecution and defence. Giving her judgement in court on Tuesday, Senior Magistrate Clare Faulds said she found as a fact that the total allowable catch on Ibsa Quinto,"...exceeded 315 tonnes and was therefore in excess of both the 300 tonnes permitted under the condition of the fishing licence and the amount that would have been allowed after the application of a 5% margin of tolerance." She said it was not necessary for the prosecution to prove the exact amount of fish caught in excess of the quota: "If the Crown can bring evidence sufficient to satisfy the Court beyond all reasonable doubt that the permitted quota has been exceeded it is enough. In this instance the Crown has done so." Jacquelinewas boarded and inspected in South Georgia waters on June 6, 2004 by fishery officer Steven Waugh who reported several breaches of conservation measures required to be met by the vessel's toothfish licence. Continued on page 3

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Categories: Falkland Islands.

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