MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Spain anticipates a new South Atlantic scientific commission sometime this year

“Before, they had a scientific commission shared by Argentina and the Falklands, responsible for the resources in the fisheries”, pointed out Alberto Lopez Asenjo

Spain's Fisheries authorities believe that in the near future there will be an understanding between Argentina and the Falkland Islands regarding the South Atlantic fisheries since it makes sense to share conservation responsibilities.

 “Before, some years ago, they had a scientific commission shared by Argentina and the Falklands, responsible for the resources in the fisheries”, pointed out Alberto Lopez Asenjo, head of Spain´s fisheries secretary.

“It does not make sense not to have one, when you have a shared fishery”, he added revealing that “they will try to recover this sometime this year, with no need to talk about sovereignty”.

Lopez-Asenjo also referred to Brexit and current negotiations. “Fisheries will not be a bargaining chip in Brexit, that is out of the question, and I support my statement on my FAO negotiator experience”.

The Spanish official added “we have outlined a very ambitious calendar, for 2020, when under normal conditions such a negotiation would take anywhere between 7 and 9 years to reach an agreement”.

Finally, “it is understandable that the UK wants to recover sovereignty over its waters, the soonest possible”.