
The new Legislative Assembly of the Falkland Islands has been announced, following the General Election which concluded on Thursday 9th November.

The Falkland Islands toothfish longline fishery this week will be undergoing reassessment against the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) Principles and Criteria for Sustainable Fishing.

Spanish fishing company, Profesionales Pesqueros SA and Mr. Remigio Leyenda Cedeira, the master of its trawler, Loitador, were fined £15,500 and £1,300 respectively after pleading guilty on the Summary Court in Stanley to a charge of allowing oil to escape into the territorial waters of the Falkland Islands.

Recent reports in trade journals that abundant catches during 2017 were depressing Falkland Islands loligo prices were challenged this week by local sources concerned with the fishing industry.

Carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions are making oceans more acidic and threatening all sea life, a new scientific report claims. The eight-year study, called the “Biological Impacts of Ocean Acidification” and part of the German-led Bioacid program, finds that juvenile sea creatures will be especially harmed.

Over recent months the Falkland Islands Government have undertaken a review and refresh of the Economic Development Strategy for the Islands.

By John Fowler - At the time of going to press, so far sixteen brave or foolhardy souls have declared their candidature for the General Election. This is one more than in 2013 and may be the most ever. With an average age of less than fifty years this group is almost certainly the youngest. Gone, it would seem, are the days when only the wealthy, retired, unemployed, or possibly unemployable old were available to stand.

The Falkland Islands Executive Council this week welcomed the registration of the new Falklands fishing vessel freezer trawler Monteferro belonging to Kalamar Ltd. MLA Mike Summers said: “This is the second major private sector investment in fishing vessels this year, and represents good progress in the industry.”

The Galician fishing industry is undergoing a boom as Spain recovers from the economic crisis that had caused a halt in the construction of new vessels and investments on new processing plants in recent years, Javier Fraga Diaz, director with Spanish bank Abanca's maritime unit (Banca Mar), revealed.

All countries should join the Port State Measures Agreement (PSMA) to make sure the landmark treaty aimed at cracking down on illegal fishing succeeds in its aims of ridding the world of a multibillion-dollar scourge that damages human nutrition and environmental sustainability, FAO Director-General José Graziano da Silva said.