Fishing for Illex squid in Falkland’s water took off on Sunday, as the 2016 fishing season opens. A total of 105 fishing licenses have been issued. The number of licenses issued has remained consistent for the past three seasons.
The comments by Milko Schvartzman on the Falkland’s fishery in FIS on 2 June 2015, are incorrect and uninformed in many areas. We reject the inference that the Falkland Islands Government promotes a fisheries industry based on modern-day slavery and on piracy. The Falkland Islands have a long history of responsible environmental stewardship, and we pride ourselves on protecting and safeguarding our unique environment and the natural resources therein.
The Falkland Islands government reacted strongly to statements by the Argentine official in charge of Malvinas affairs who claimed that the theft of squid and other valuable fish stocks in the South Atlantic, was the reason behind the success of the Islands' economy, according to a report from the Express.co.uk.
Argentina's financial daily, El Cronista Comercial has published two articles on the Falkland Islands based on data from the 2014 Statistical Yearbook stating that the Islands enjoy a GDP per capita several times higher than Argentina and that the economy has been expanding at 11% annually since 2008.
Falkland Islands are enjoying the benefits of a healthy well managed economy, with excellent present and future prospects in its main industries, but also face challenges such as the need for manpower, closely linked to immigration, planning for a balance between environment and oil industry, a modern government and the continued attempts by Argentina to stifle the Islands economy and block economic development.
The Falkland Islands coming Illex season has been described as encouraging because out of 100 available jigger licenses 51 have been taken up and £5.6 million has been received so far, confirmed Director of Fisheries John Barton.
President Cristina Fernandez announced that Argentina will request the review of the South Atlantic fisheries agreement, because the UK and the Falklands are not abiding by the ‘protocols’ signed in the early nineties.