MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Argentina tightens conservation for polaca, hoki and Patagonian toothfish

Argentina is tightening fisheries conservation in the South Atlantic. The Secretariat of Agriculture, Livestock, Fishery, and Food (SAGP&A) announced it will establish catch limits, intended to last 15 years, for polaca (Micromesistius australis), hoki (Macruronus magellanicus) and Patagonian toothfish (Dissostichus eleginoides).

The decision is in compliance Argentina’s Federal Fisheries Law and was agreed at the last meeting of the Federal Fisheries Council (FFC). Fisheries Under Secretary Norberto Yauhar and Agriculture secretary Carlos Cheppi, highlighted the importance of complying with decisions adopted.

Cheppi and Yauhar underlined the role of CFP in gathering data and in setting policy based on scientific research and data, and the need to comply with the policy.

“This translates into a predictable framework for the fisheries sector and helps companies that target these three species to plan future operations” Yauhar said. He also underlined the significance of such a decision at a time when many fish related businesses are going through critical situations.

Yauhar also advanced that in the next few weeks, a definitive quota will be announced for common hake ( Merluccius hubbsi).

”This is a first crucial step to continue advancing. The policy decision is evidence of the Ministry of Production, the Fisheries Department to strictly comply with regulations which had gone non complied for the last ten years running” Yauhar added.

Between January first and May 8, landings of hoki in Argentine ports totalled 26.081 tons; 5.743 tons of polaca and 514.8 tons of Patagonian toothfish. A year ago (Jan first to April 30) the volumes were as follows: 33.226 tons of hoki; 1,693 tons of polaca and 319 tons of Patagonian toothfish, according to SAGP&A statistics.

The main landing port for the three species was Ushuaia, which received 12.068 tons of hoki; 5.634 tons of polaca and 299.8 tonnes of Patagonian toothfish. Trawlers were responsible for the main catch of hoki, 19.126 tons; Surimi vessels caught most of polaca with 5.578.2 tons; and longliner vessels, almost all the Patagonian toothfish: 445.9 tons. (FIS/MP).-