Argentina’s squid fishery to the south of parallel 44º was closed last Friday. The measure adopted by the Federal Fisheries Council (CFP) follows scientific information furnished by the National Institute for Fisheries Research and Development (INIDEP).
United States Commerce Secretary Gary Locke on Monday declared a fishery disaster in the Gulf of Mexico because of the economic impact of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill on fisheries in the region.
Argentina’s province of Buenos Aires re-confirmed on Friday the total ban of commercial, artisan and/or visitors’ extraction of bi-valve molluscs along the South Atlantic coast of the province.
UN's top environment official has echoed warnings that commercial fishing could be destroyed within 50 years. It is not a science fiction scenario. It is within the lifetime of a child born today, said Achim Steiner, head of the UN Environment Program (Unep).
Global measures to regulate the fishing industry lack the capability to tackle illegal catches, warn researchers. Writing in the journal Science, they say that up to 26 million tons of fish, worth an estimated 23 billion USD are landed illegally each year.
Argentina is reassessing measures for the conservation of common hake resources and could extend the so called “biological shutdowns” which force the fleet to remain in port for a determined period of time, according to Norberto Yauhar, head of the Argentine fisheries and aquaculture Sub-secretariat.
Spanish fishing companies, mostly from Galicia, operating in Argentina Patagonia are seriously considering leaving the country because of standing labour unrest, lack of national and provincial fisheries policies, the end to export reimbursements and above all a dramatic drop in common hake and squid catches.
The European Commission published Monday its report launching discussions on fishing opportunities in EU waters in 2011. The document sets out how the Commission intends to act on the scientific advice it receives on the state of fish stocks when proposing catch limits and quotas for next year.
Chilean authorities in the extreme south of the country have decided to deny port access in Punta Arenas to a Korean flagged jigger which arrived from the Falkland Islands having suffered extensive damage following a fire in the engine room. Her fate seems to be breaking her up.
Chilean Foreign Minister, Alfredo Moreno, said that Chile will maintain a position “in favour of conservation and against whaling,” and that Chilean Ambassador Cristián Maquieira, though he now chairs the International Whaling Commission, “is not the person who represents Chile” in this forum.