MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

BBC team authorized to film wildlife in Tierra del Fuego under certain conditions

The BBC team also includes a Tierra del Fuego observer, and must mention that the filming was done in a national park in Argentine territory

A BBC crew is currently filming in Tierra del Fuego a documentary on the wildlife of the Beagle Channel Islands. The crew is escorted by an observer from the provincial government and according to local officials it had to sign a document by which when the material is edited it must clearly establish that it was filmed in Argentine territory, with support from local authorities.

 This comes two months after the incidents and ongoing controversy with the BBC Top Gear team, regarding the plates of the cars involved in the Patagonia tour, which allegedly referred to the Falklands conflict of 1982, H982-FLK and triggered the situation. Since then the Argentine embassy in London and the BBC officials are involved in an epistolary exchange regarding the “provocative, bias and insulting” coverage done by Jeremy Clarkson.

“The production crew agreed by writing to give a copy to the provincial government and specifically mention that the filming was done on Argentine territory” said Tierra del Fuego Sustainable Development and Environment secretary, Fabian Boyeras.

The team left for the Estado islands in a sailing vessel on a 16 day cruise together with the provincial government observer, which nevertheless generated some resistance and questioning from local Malvinas veterans' organizations and members of the local council.

“We understand the sensitivity of the issue but in this case the authorization was requested three months ago and was approved by the committee that monitors wild life in the Estados Island, which considered the project feasible”, pointed out Boyeras.

He added that the committee that decided is an inter-disciplinary organization which includes the Argentine navy and coast guard, the national parks administration, Tierra Del Fuego University, the Austral center for scientific research as well as the tourism office.

“It's the same team that filmed at Peninsula Valdes and San Martin de los Andes and now wanted to film the sea lions, marine mammals and penguins in the Estados islands. And in the midst of this crashed in Top Gear and complicated the whole matter”, pointed out Boyeras, who added that as a consequence of Mr. Clarkson's conduct the authorization and conditions were re-drafted.

“Basically there is an observer with the team, who is a biologist and wildlife expert. By writing the BBC team is committed to clearly mention that the filming was done in Argentine territory and in a Tierra del Fuego provincial park”, said the official.

Besides the team will film 120 minutes of high quality on the wildlife that will be used by the province to promote the area and underline the fact that it is protected territory.

The BBC people will also be meeting a team of Argentine scientists which happens to be doing research in the island

“We are sure nothing of the unfortunate events that happened with the Top Gear team will be repeated” said Boyeras recalling that Clarkson and this crew had to abandon the cars and cross over to Chile, because of the protests from Malvinas veterans in several Tierra del Fuego towns provoked by the plates.