Patagonian shrimp capture. (Photo: Asociación Argentina de Capitanes de Pesca)
ARGENTINA
Monday, April 21, 2014, 23:50 (GMT + 9)
The Government of Chubut has banned shrimp (Illex argentinus) capture in San Jorge Gulf since last week, after finding the results of the survey and monitoring reports of the fishery.
The measure was adopted by the Minister of Territorial Development and Productive Sectors, Gabriela Dufour; and accompanied by the Undersecretary of Fisheries from Chubut, Hector Rojas, by Resolution No. 077/14 on 11 April.
The local authority made this decision in conjunction with the application for closure of the shrimp fishing in the waters of the jurisdictions of Chubut and Santa Cruz made by the Federal Fisheries Council (CFP).
According to Dufour, "the province has enough studies and reports to determine the closure of the fishery for shrimp in waters under its jurisdiction. The decision making takes place on the basis that the province is completely sovereign to perform fishing activities within its jurisdiction," reported El Patagónico.
Besides, the minister also said she had contacts with the Undersecretary of Fisheries of the Nation, Miguel Bustamante, "and is sure that no one is more interested in preserving the shrimp resource than the Chubut population."
Fishing for shrimp in San Jorge Gulf began on 25 February, and since then monitoring, control and surveillance tasks have been carried out, primarily with observers onboard and information from the satellite monitoring activities.
The minister explained that five reports were made, two on the fishing survey and three on the fishery monitoring activities, and considering the analysis performed, "the closure of the shrimp fishery in San Jorge Gulf was proposed in the jurisdiction of Chubut."
Both Chubut and Santa Cruz have tracking systems of the industrial fishery, which is essential in the shrimp fishery in the waters of the Gulf.
In addition, under the joint management agreement of the gulf, the current season began with the joint work between the two jurisdictions, where databases and monitoring reports were exchanged, Diario Crónica reported.
The governments of the two Patagonian provinces are developing a scientific-technical report to be presented to the CFP in order to defend the position taken by both provinces in relation to fishing for shrimp in San Jorge Gulf area.