Ecobreves – ARGENTINA: Camera-Monitored Fishing Will Have to Wait

By IPS Correspondents and - - Reprint | | Print |

BUENOS AIRES, Feb 7 2011 (IPS) - Environmentalists are criticizing the extension that the Argentine government has granted before the launch of an on-board video monitoring system for fishing in the South Atlantic. “We're not surprised. They were pushing the Jan. 1 implementation without first resolving administrative questions, like registering the suppliers” of the cameras,” Guillermo Cañete, of the Argentine Wildlife Foundation, told Tierramérica.

The Undersecretariat for Fishing had announced that Argentina would be the first country to apply this monitoring system, which is intended to prevent the collapse of the hake population from overfishing.

But faced with complaints from the fishing companies, the government bureau extended the deadline for installing the cameras. Freezer and wet-fish vessels will be required to begin monitoring on Mar. 1, beam trawlers and jiggers on Apr. 1, and other boats Jul. 1.