MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency
Argentine efforts won't rain on Falklands fisheries celebration
“We seem to have gone backwards” said John Barton Falkland Islands Legislative Council member Dr. Andrea Clausen does not believe that new amendments to Argentine Fisheries Legislation, which will make it illegal for vessels to be licensed in both the Argentine and Falklands/Malvinas zones should be “too detrimental to the private sector in the Islands.”
Responding to a question from Stacey Bragger of the Falkland Islands Broadcasting Service during Tuesday's News Directprogramme Dr. Clausen added that in her view the action of this legislation would result in local companies involved in joint ventures finding themselves in a stronger position to negotiate new agreements with other potential partners, in the event of their present partners "having to consider their position." Also on the same programme, Director of the Falkland Islands Government's Fisheries Department, John Barton said that while some aspects of the new Argentine legislation would have an impact, what was more regrettable was the loss of the relationship between the fishing authorities in Argentina and those in the Falklands, which had existed some years ago. Because some of the stocks are shared, he said that it was obviously of use to have joint discussions on conservation issues and acceptable catch levels. In regard to these areas, he said, "We seem to have gone backwards". Both Mrs Clausen, who is Chair of the Falkland Islands Government's Fisheries Committee and Mr.Barton were announcing events planned to celebrate the establishment of the Falkland Islands Fishery in February 1987, an event which was to transform the country's economy almost overnight. Included among these events is a planned massed gathering of Falkland Islands fishing vessels in Stanley harbour on the 24th February. John Barton, told listeners that it was hoped that eighteen or nineteen of the twenty-three vessels registered in the Falklands would participate. All being well one example of each of the three types of vessel registered would be moored in Stanley and open for public inspection on the day. The three types of fishing vessel registered in the Falkland Islands are trawlers, long liners and jiggers, the latter specialising in the capture of Illex argentinus, the larger of the two types of squid which are the industry's predominant catch in Falklands waters.John Fowler (MercoPress) Stanley
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