MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Argentina imposes tough guidelines on fisheries’ permit and quota transfers

Head of Argentina’s Fisheries department Norberto Yahuar

Argentina’s Federal Fisheries Council (CFP) will have the final responsibility in the approval of all new projects regarding the transfer of vessels and fishing quotas that are remitted to the Sub-Secretary of Fisheries and Aquaculture.

Norberto Yauhar, head of Argentina’s Fisheries Sub Secretary added that the system of individual transferable quotas (ITQs) looks to “give companies, but also workers a foreseeable horizon”. He stressed that fishing companies cannot be buying or selling boats and/or permits as if it were a “Persian bazaar”.

Yauhar explained that, until now, the approval of fishing projects was decided on simple majority, but “from now on will need a special majority, with the consensus of 2/3 of total Council members, that is 7 of 10 representatives.”

This modification is intended to offer “an additional guarantee to the different provincial governments, particularly that this type of fishing vessel sale from one province to another, do not take place,” the official indicated.

The sale of any vessel means “a new fishing project”, and therefore must go to the CFP for approval, Yauhar explained.

“Many rumours have arisen lately. I believe that one or two operations of the kind described were carried out. People must also understand that a vessel of the characteristics of which they have been speaking is not worth 100.000 US Dollars, they are valued between 6 and 8 million USD depending on the hake ( Merluccius hubbsi) catches record they have” pointed out Yauhar.

In terms of fixing catch limits, authorities are drafting the organisational chart and the agenda for their discussion, with the idea of resolving the issue “within the next 20 or 25 days,” he indicated. Also, the government is analysing catch averages, he stressed.

“It is worth remembering that each one of the boats has a catch percentage over the resource of our sea, and it must be dealt with much care. We also do not have to lose sight of [the fact] that it is a concession that the State grants so that companies make full use of it. It’s a concession the State grants, and will also accordingly demand the conservation and management responsibility over that very resource”.

According to the latest official data from Argentina’s Secretariat of Agriculture, Livestock, Fisheries and Food (SAGP&A), 178.220 tons of hake were landed in Argentine maritime ports between January first and 15 September 2009. This represents a loss of 3% compared to the 183.551 tons unloaded between January first 2008 and 11 September of that year. (FIS).-