MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Warnings of South Atlantic hake fishery “imminent collapse”

Argentina's hake fishery is again on the limelight because of shady activities and fears of a total collapse

An Argentine non government environmental organization has warned of an “imminent fishery collapse” because of the unsustainable current rate of hake (Merluccius hubbsi) catches in the South Atlantic.

The Argentine Wildlife Foundation, last Monday called on the Argentine government for an immediate reduction in the hake quotas to avoid what it described as "irreparable environmental damage". FVSA also stressed the need to implement a violators registry to limit abusive fishing encouraged by insignificant fines. According to FVSA, "current (catching) capacity far outstrips that of the fisheries sustainability". Given this situation, Guillermo Cañete marine biologist and coordinator of FVSA Marine Programme praised recent statements from Federal Judge Alfredo Lopez as "positive". The magistrate is investigating if allegedly "unconstitutional" policies undertaken by different Argentine governments contributed to the critical point of the country's main fishery. Last May magistrate Lopez summoned representatives from the federal government, Fisheries chamber and institutions and NGO to a public hearing at the Federal Tribunal of Mar del Plata, Argentina's main hake landing port. The judge intends to investigate a report from environmentalists arguing that the "common hake adult population, a prime commercial species, has fallen by 70% in the last 20 years." "The State should implement a sustainable and comprehensive plan to protect common hake" Judge Lopez was quoted by La Capital. Leandro Despouy, head of Argentina's General Auditing Office has also been involved in the case and said that "authorized catch levels have been exceeded; a highly permissive system exists and the sanctions regime is not only ineffective but outright conducive to non-compliance due to obvious corruption". FVSA Cañete agrees with Despouy. "The fishing business is ruled by a permissive sanctioning system with light punishment and fines. They are insignificant compared to the market value of the species they catch and sell". Secretary of Agriculture, Livestock, Fisheries and Food (SAGP&A) figures show that 188,296.1 tons of hake were landed between 1 January and 18 September - a similar volume to that of the 191,490 tons registered last year through August. Mar del Plata landed 117,998.2 tons of hake, 63% of the total; Puerto Madryn, 27,967.1 tons and Comodoro Rivadavia 13,301.6 tons. Official data also reports that the fresh fish fleet landed 121,045.5 tons; freezer trawler vessels, 45,470.2 tons and the coastal fleet, 13,290.5 tons. (FIS/MP).-