MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Falklands second loligo season closes to preserve stocks

Marine Officer, Jon Clark, used the Falkland Islands Broadcasting Service (FIRS) mid-day News Direct programme to announce that the Falkland Islands second loligo season will close at one minute to midnight today, Tuesday.

According to the FIRS report, the closure is for conservation reasons and due to the fact that the Fisheries Department's loligo stock depletion model indicates that by this time the required escapement target of 10,000 tonnes will have been reached.

The closure of the season this year was phased and actually began on 29th August, when the Southern part of what Mr.Clark describes as "the loligo box", namely that section south of 52º , 30' South, was closed to fishing to preserve stocks in that area. Meantime, fishing continued for a further week in the central and northern parts of the area.

According to FIG spokesperson, Councillor, Dr. Andrea Clausen, the early closure of the fishery is "nothing unusual" and results from a direct application of the Falklands Fishery's Conservation and Management Plan.

John Fowler (Mercopress) Stanley