Activists Fear Return of Spanish Fishing Vessels

Environmental activists in Argentina warn about the negative impacts of potential international fishing agreements that would affect the South Atlantic fisheries.

BUENOS AIRES - Argentine environmental groups fighting for sustainable fishing are denouncing the pressure from Spain for a new cooperation agreement with Argentina, which they say could have lethal impacts on the South Atlantic fish stocks, over-exploited by the Spanish fishing fleet in the 1990s.

The warning signal came in May during the visit to Argentina by Spain's Fisheries Minister Elena Espinosa, who tried to intercede in an ongoing conflict between Spanish fishing companies and their workers, who are demanding better work conditions.

Espinosa also met with Argentina's Economy Minister Roberto Lavagna, and with Deputy Secretary for Fisheries Gerardo Nieto. She told a press conference that they spoke about ''future collaboration agreements between the two countries on research issues'' related to fishing.

The mere mention of the word ''agreement'' sounded the alarm among the non-governmental organizations (NGOs), still rattled by the negative impacts on the Argentine hake, or merluza (Merluccius hubbsi) stocks of a cooperation agreement signed in 1994 by Argentina and the European Union, utilized mostly by Spain.

Nieto had to step up and state that there was ''no kind of agreement or new proposal of aid between the two countries,'' but his concise explanations did not allay the doubts of the NGOs and some government officials.

Ernesto Godelman, director of Cedepesca, an NGO specializing in protecting the fisheries in Argentine waters, told Tierramérica that Spain has had a very aggressive policy on fishing for more than 40 years.

''The problem begins when you find countries vulnerable to its siren song, as was the case of Argentina. As a result, we have to give the warning shout,'' he said.

Cedepesca expressed in a statement its ''fear'' in regards to Espinosa's declarations. ''Wasn't the disaster caused by the agreement signed in the 1990s enough? Do we have to keep pursuing self-destructive experiences until there is nothing left in the Argentine sea?''

In the 1990s, to reduce the pressure of fishing on its own stocks, the EU subsidized the destruction of Spanish fishing boats, or their permits to operate in other parts of the world. It was in that context that the agreement was reached with Argentina, and denounced by Buenos Aires in 1998 due to the rapid acceleration of fish resource destruction in the South Atlantic.

Numerous mixed partnerships were formed in Argentina to fish for merluza in the South Atlantic, taking in huge catches -- multiplying the volume 10-fold during the years of the accord. The merluza population fell below the level considered critical.

When the agreement expired in 1998, Argentina's National Institute of Fisheries Research and Development allowed annual merluza catches of 400,000 tons, and in 2002 it allowed just 280,000 tons. The limits imposed to help the species recover took its toll on the local fishing industry.

The limit has returned to 400,000 tons of merluza a year.

The Argentine case is an unfortunate mirror, and those who have been tempted to sign accords to transfer their fishing capacity should take a look at themselves, said the Worldwide Fund for Nature in a 2003 report.

According to that text, developing countries are particularly affected in that they face the over-capacity for fishing that richer countries export from their own reduced fisheries.

According to Godelman, Madrid would never accept fishing restriction, and even expresses doubts about the reports from scientific institutions that at the beginning of each season calculate the volumes of the catches that should be authorized for each species.

In any case, he believes it unlikely there will be progress on a new fishing accord because ''it would be scandalous.''

Guillermo Cañete, coordinator of the Argentine NGO Fundación Vida Silvestre's sustainable fishing program, also told Tierramérica that although there is pressure from Spain, the political conditions and the status of the fisheries ''have changed a great deal'' since the 1990s, and that stands in the way of history repeating itself.

A year ago, in the negotiations for a free trade agreement between the EU and Mercosur (Southern Common Market, comprising Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay), Buenos Aires refused outright to sign a new fishing accord with the European bloc, because of the over-exploitation caused by the 1994 deal.

Besides merluza, two other local species of great economic value are in an even worse situation: squid (Illex argentinus) and shrimp (Penaeus kerathurus).

''This year could see heavy pressure on the merluza population because of the great number of boats that are not going to catch any of those two other species,'' and that is why the NGOs have to remain alert, said activist Cañete.

* Marcela Valente is an IPS correspondent.