On Tuesday May 29, Governor Nigel Phillips CBE addressed the elected Legislative Assembly of the Falkland Islands with a message on the State of the Nation.
Moving the Illex fishery into the ITQ system and improved catch verification requirements are among the recommendations made by an independent review of the Individual Transferable Quota (ITQ) system published by the Falkland Islands government, FIG, this week.
The Falkland Islands has been positive about the outcome of the first round of fishery talks (May 14/15) referred to the South Atlantic, between Argentina and the United Kingdom. The talks in Buenos Aires, with Falklands representatives included in the UK delegation, emphasized on the exchange of scientific information and conservation of shared fishery resources in the South West Atlantic.
Following a two-day meeting in Buenos Aires of the Fisheries South West Atlantic Commission Scientific Sub-Committee, Argentina and the UK agreed to hold a new round of talks in London next November, according to a release from the Argentine foreign ministry.
Falkland Islands fishing companies may have attended the Brussels Seafood Show intermittently for over a decade, but the looming specter of Brexit lent this year’s attendance unprecedented significance. For James Bates, Falkland Islands Fishing Companies Association (FIFCA) Executive Secretary, Brexit gave the industry’s stand at the show a clear mandate this year, “it was about being visible at a time when we need to be.”
Earlier this week Mercopress announced that a delegation from the Falkland Islands will be joining the UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office in Argentina next week to discuss fisheries data exchange. This announcement comes shortly after a successful visit to the Brussels Seafood Show, where the important access of continued market access post-Brexit was discussed with partners by Falkland Islands fishing companies.
Illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing and overfishing deplete fish stocks and cause billions of dollars in losses a year, experts say. But new technologies offer opportunities to combat IUU, particularly for countries with limited means to patrol their waters or enforce legislation, said the London-based think-tank the Overseas Development Institute (ODI). The report was published by Reuters.
Next Monday, 14 May 2018 four representatives from the Falkland Islands Government’s Natural Resources Department will be part of a UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office lead delegation meeting with the Government of Argentina, in Buenos Aires, to begin two days of discussions on fish and squid stocks in the South Atlantic, and the possibility of resuming the exchange of scientific fisheries data for the benefit of the region.
A British fishing firm has won the right to appeal against a controversial decision to hand lucrative fishing licenses to foreign rivals in the South Atlantic, according to a report from Daniel Martin in the Daily Mail.
Under the heading of 'Betrayal' Fury as UK's bid for application to fish near the Falklands is Snubbed', Cyril Dixon from the Express reports that the head of South Georgia Fisheries company, Rupert Street will be going to the High Court in London to seek a judicial review on the decision which denied his company fishing licenses in South Georgia Islands.