MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Argentine media warns hake fishery heading for a major disaster

Almost 30% of catches are unreported and 50/60.000 tons discarded

The dwindling stock of hubbsi hake in the South Atlantic and the Argentine government’s passive (irresponsible?) attitude anticipates a major fishery disaster points out Buenos Aires La Nación Tuesday edition.

“In spite of scientific reports that in the last twenty years 80% of hake’s adult population has disappeared the Argentine government has allowed a total catch of 300.000 tons” which is far beyond the maximum 210.000 tons recommended by Mar del Plata based Fisheries Development and Research Institute, Inidep, points out La Nación in its main editorial.

Furthermore according to Inidep it is estimated that 30% of hake catches go unreported and anywhere from 50.000 to 60.000 tons are discarded. The two practices, common among the Argentine fishing fleet have had a devastating impact for the hake fishery and have been extensively reported and analyzed by the Vida Silvestre (Wild Life) Foundation says the editorial.

The numbers are alarming: in the last 20 years, 70% of (South Atlantic) hake population has disappeared including 80% of the adult fully developed specimens. This means that out of ten hake only two become adults while the rest is fished still juvenile.

La Nacion recalls that is has been over sixty days since the government announced a new system of individual transferable catch quotas, which was expected to be an extraordinary leap forward if federal and provincial authorities committed themselves to a transparent and efficient management of the fishery resources.

But no system can work without proper implementation and without efficient controls. So, just a few months later the picture is quite desolate. Total catch is far beyond that recommended; controls of under-reporting and discards are non existent endangering any serious effort for a successful management of the fishery and for its long term sustainability.

“With the Hubbsi hake fishery, as has happened with our grains and our beef, the government is also mistaken, quite mistaken”. If faced with such a serious situation “authorities do not responsibly enforce controls, monitoring and scientific evaluation, there’s no destiny for Argentine fisheries other than failure”.