MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Penguin News Update.

Headlines:
Fisheries meeting is non-starter; Battle of the Falkland Islands remembered; De-mining meeting; Mobile Stanley; Search continues; This week's cruisers.

Battle of the Falkland Islands remembered

THE 1914 Battle of the Falkland Islands has been commemorated with a public holiday and Acts of Remembrance. Wet conditions meant a smaller turn out than usual at a Battle Day parade held yesterday at the 1914 monument on Ross Road West. Pictured (from l-r) are wreath-bearers from the Sea and Marine Cadets: Dion Betts, Murray Middleton, Tansy Bonner, Terri-Sue Clifford and Governor's Cadet Dion Robertson. (Turn to page five for more pictures.)

Fisheries meeting is non-starter

THE Governor is dismayed that the latest meeting of the South Atlantic Fisheries Committee, held in Buenos Aires this week, progressed no further than discussion of the agenda. The Committee exists to address issues of conservation of fish stocks in the South West Atlantic, a subject in which both the Falkland Islands and Argentina share a strong interest. According to a statement from the Argentine Foreign Affairs Ministry released after the meeting, "there was no agreement with the British delegation on adopting the agenda proposed by Argentina with the purpose of analysing the South Atlantic Fisheries Committee (SAFC) mandate and how it has been affected by a prolonged list of unilateral British decisions." Argentina argues that the Falklands' fisheries legislation constitutes "an illicit and unilateral long term disposal of fishing resources" in disputed waters. His Excellency the Governor, Howard Pearce, told Penguin Newsthe position of the British and Falkland Islands governments is clear: "We have no doubt about our sovereignty over the Falkland Islands and about our right to introduce legislation to manage the fisheries in the waters [in the Interim Conservation and Management Zone and the Outer Conservation Zone] around the Falkland Islands as we see fit. "That is not an issue on which the Argentine Government are entitled to express their views whatsoever." He added, "That being said, since we share an interest in conservation of fisheries stocks in the waters around the Falkland Islands, neither the Falkland Islands nor the UK Government has difficulty in explaining to the Argentine authorities the nature of the changes in fisheries management around the Falklands, and in particular the impact they will have on improving conservation of those fish stocks. "Indeed we have in the past explained the nature of this legislation and the positive impact that we believe it will have on the conservation of fish stocks in Falklands waters." Mr Pearce is "very disappointed" that the Argentine government has not been prepared to hold the SAFC in the way that these meetings have normally been held in the past, at least until the middle of this year when Argentina raised its objections to the new Falklands fishery policy. In the past, scientific meetings have preceded the SAFC meeting, something which did not happen this time. He commented, "I think it's extremely regrettable that the Argentine government has decided that it is not prepared to engage in serious discussion of these issues. "I hope that in future it will be possible to get round the table again to address these issues because there is very clearly a mutual interest in working together to ensure that the fisheries stocks in this region are properly managed." Regular joint research cruises are held under the Commission's umbrella and Mr Pearce said the UK and Falklands governments hope that will continue to be the case. "Certainly, the Falkland Islands Government is ready to participate, as it has done in the past, in these research cruises because they are in the interests of conservation. "We hope that the Argentine authorities will take a positive view of that."

De-mining meeting

The Governor had happier news to report from a meeting of the joint working party established to carry out a feasibility study of the clearance of land mines in the Falkland Islands, which took place in London late last month. According to His Excellency, the meeting of British and Argentine officials and experts focused on "outstanding legal, financial and technical issues" in connection with the preparations for holding the study. He said, "I understand that the meeting took place in a good atmosphere and some good practical progress was achieved. "A lot of the discussion is very technical, about the way in which the feasibility study should be taken forward." The working party plans to meet again in March 2006 in Buenos Aires. PN/MP

Mobile Stanley

THE Falkland Islands enters a new era next week, when Cable and Wireless launches its Touch mobile telephone service on December 12. The sale of connection packages will begin that day at 9am. The mobile network will grow with time. At present limited coverage is available outside Stanley but no precise launch date for the service at Mount Pleasant is yet available. Cable and Wireless Customer Services Manager Jo Ellick commented, "As people drive along the MPA Road, they will find they get quite good signals outside Stanley due to the Sapper Hill site; we can't guarantee coverage in certain places but one staff member got a clear signal from Mt Kent..." She added that the mobile phone mast site at Pleasant Peak should be finished "quite soon" which will further help with coverage on the road. As for the introduction of a broadband service, Mrs. Ellick commented, "The switch replacement is going ahead as planned and testing of broadband will follow shortly, after which will be a commercial launch."

Search continues

THE search continues for Antony McClelland, a crew member of MV Indomitablewho went missing in the area of Mare Harbour on November 25. Inspector Len McGill said police are keeping an open mind in the investigation: "We're simply carrying out the search of an area we believe he may be in." When asked if he believed Mr McClelland to be dead or alive, Inspector McGill commented, "Until we find a body he's always a missing person." Of the level of search being carried out, Inspector McGill said, "They are ongoing, including daily water born searches. The Royal Falkland Islands Police are in daily contact with Mr McClelland's immediate family in Liverpool.

This week's cruisers

TWO cruise ships are visiting Stanley today. Minerva II is carrying 574 passengers and Norwegian Crownis carrying approximately 1,100. On Saturday Endeavour (105 passengers) will visit West Point and New Island and on Sunday she will head to Carcass and Saunders. Christopher Columbus(230) will be in Stanley on Sunday. On Monday, Endeavour will visit Stanley, while it is the turn of Rotterdam (1316) on Wednesday.

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