Falkland Islands representatives met with port of Vigo authorities to assess the infrastructure, services, development plans and competitiveness of the Galician fisheries terminal, one of the busiest and most efficient in the European Union, reports the Galicia media.
The Falkland Islands has decided to hold fee levels across all fishing licenses for 2017 as part of a long term policy focus and in view of certain circumstances emerging from the volatility of annual catches. The Executive Council (ExCo) agreed on the decision by a majority at its last meeting extensive to all license types, including Illex, the Islands main catch.
The Falkland Islands Natural Resources Department reported this week that high hake catches continue along with relatively low rock cod catches. Director of Natural Resources John Barton told the Fisheries Committee that hake currently represents the main finfish catch which is unusual.
Falkland Islands' Illex squid catches are still very sparse, now standing at 2,373 tons, “which is obviously very low and does not go far when spread across the 105 vessels in the fishery,” said Director of Natural Resources John Barton, interviewed by Penguin News.
Falkland Islands authorities have confirmed that Illex squid capture has been particularly low this fishing season, a situation that could lead the Islands government to reimburse part of the license fees paid to catch cephalopods.
A statement released earlier this afternoon from the Falkland Islands Government regarding the UN announcement of the extension of the Argentine continental shelf states that the announcement makes “no adjudication on the sovereignty of the Falkland Island and has no implications for the sovereignty of the Falkland Islands”.
The Falkland Islands Government, FIG, reacted to the Tuesday official Argentine announcement of its extension of the continental shelf saying it was waiting clarification from the UK government on the implications, if any for the Islands. What is certain is that it does not affect fisheries or squid catches, one of the Islands main source of income.
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.
Measures that will sometimes exceed flag state requirements, in order to improve the safety of fisherman working on ships in the Illex fishery in Falklands waters have been agreed by the Falkland Islands Government.
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.