Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09BUENOSAIRES841
2009-07-17 17:01:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Embassy Buenos Aires
Cable title:  

ARGENTINE PROPOSAL ON COOPERATION FOR CONSERVATION OF THE

Tags:  SENV EFIS PREL ECON PBTS AR UK 
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RR RUEHWEB

DE RUEHBU #0841/01 1981701
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 171701Z JUL 09 ZDK
FM AMEMBASSY BUENOS AIRES
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 4087
INFO RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON 1338
RUCNMER/MERCOSUR COLLECTIVE
RUCPDOC/DEPT OF COMMERCE WASHINGTON DC
UNCLAS BUENOS AIRES 000841 

SIPDIS
SENSITIVE

OES/OA FOR EVAN BLOOM AND GUSTAVO BISBAL
OES PLEASE PASS TO NOAA

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: SENV EFIS PREL ECON PBTS AR UK
SUBJECT: ARGENTINE PROPOSAL ON COOPERATION FOR CONSERVATION OF THE
PATAGONIAN TOOTHFISH

UNCLAS BUENOS AIRES 000841

SIPDIS
SENSITIVE

OES/OA FOR EVAN BLOOM AND GUSTAVO BISBAL
OES PLEASE PASS TO NOAA

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: SENV EFIS PREL ECON PBTS AR UK
SUBJECT: ARGENTINE PROPOSAL ON COOPERATION FOR CONSERVATION OF THE
PATAGONIAN TOOTHFISH


1. (SBU) Charge received on July 15 a non-paper from Ambassador
Antonio Trombetta, the Argentine MFA's Director of North American
Affairs, and Marcelo Santos, National Director of Fishing
Coordination at the Secretariat of Agriculture. The non-paper is a
proposed MOU between the GoA and the USG intended to comply with the
Convention on the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources
(CCAMLR),so that Argentina may resume exports of Patagonian
toothfish to the U.S. (Note: These exports ceased in 2007, due to
the GoA's refusal at that time to abide by NOAA regulations on
reporting of catch locations. End Note.) Santos noted that the
MFA's Director for Antarctic Affairs Ariel Mansi would lead the GoA
delegation to the October CCAMLR meeting in Hobart, Australia. The
complete text of the non-paper in its original Spanish follows in
para 5, and an informal translation by the GoA follows in para 4.
Both texts were also e-mailed to OES/OA.


2. (SBU) Trombetta cited the importance that the United States and
Argentina place on preserving natural resources and noted that it
was important for Argentina to resume exports of Patagonian
toothfish (known in Spanish as "merluza negra") to the United
States. Santos indicated that Argentine exports of this item to the
United States had reached US$16 million in 2006, the last full year
before Argentina lost market access. "We want this to progress
quickly," Trombetta said, noting GOA interest in finalizing the
matter before the October meeting. Santos added that Argentina "had
no problem complying with the requirement" about satellite
transmission of fishing vessel locations, whether in real-time or in
four-hour periods. He said that the GOA could share this
information directly with the USG (NOAA) or with CCAMLR Secretariat,
though he noted that the CCAMLR had previously declined to accept
such data on the grounds that they were not required.


3. (SBU) Santos also explained that, due to Argentina's sovereignty
dispute with the United Kingdom over the Malvinas/Falklands and
other South Atlantic islands controlled by the U.K., the GoA did not

have access to information on toothfish caught in one area that it
considers to be Argentine territory -- the waters surrounding those
islands. That, he said, is the meaning of Paragraph II of the GOA's
proposed text.


4. (SBU) Informal GoA translation of non-paper:

NON-PAPER

DRAFT MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING BETWEEN THE UNDERSECRETARIAT FOR
FISHERIES AND AQUACULTURE OF THE ARGENTINE REPUBLIC AND THE NATIONAL
OCEANIC AND ATMOSPHERIC ADMINISTRATION OF THE UNITED STATES ON
COOPERATION FOR THE CONSERVATION OF PATAGONIAN TOOTHFISH

Wishing to promote cooperation between both Parties in the field of
conservation of the Patagonian Toothfish species.

Underlining the commitment of both Parties to the measures provided
for in the Convention on the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living
Resources (CCAMLR)) regarding the conservation of such species.

Concerned about the negative impact of Illegal Fishing on the
conservation of Patagonian Toothfish stocks.

Noting that Illegal Fishing undermines the objectives of fisheries
management and may provoke the destruction of a fishery or hamper
the rebuilding of fish stocks, which may cause huge economic and
social losses and have negative effects on food security and the
marine environment.


I. Agree on the following actions:


1. To exchange satellite positions of fishing vessels of both flags
that catch Patagonian Toothfish as target species.


2. To exchange information on the control systems implemented by the
Parties in relation to the catches of the said species by vessels of
their respective flags.


3. To explore cooperation mechanisms in the scientific field in
order to develop joint initiatives regarding Patagonian Toothfish
stocks.

II. The Undersecretariat for Fisheries and Aquaculture of the
Argentine Republic will not be able to exchange information on
control systems implemented with regard to the catches of the said
species in the waters surrounding the Malvinas Islands, due to the
sovereignty dispute related to "the Question of the Malvinas
Islands" derived from the illegitimate occupation of the Malvinas
Islands, South Georgias and South Sandwich Islands and the
surrounding maritime spaces by the United Kingdom of Great Britain

and Northern Ireland. This sovereignty dispute has been recognized
by successive and repeated resolutions of the United Nations and
declarations of the Organization of American States.


5. (SBU) Non-paper in Spanish:

NON-PAPER

MEMORANDUM DE ENTENDIMIENTO ENTRE LA SUBSECRETARIA DE PESCA Y
ACUICULTURA DE LA REPUBLICA ARGENTINA Y ADMINISTRACION NACIONAL
OCEANICA Y ATMOSFERICA DE LOS ESTADOS UNIDOS SOBRE COOPERACION PARA
LA CONSERVACION DE LA MERLUZA NEGRA

Deseando promover la cooperacion entre ambas Partes en materia de
conservacisn de la especie Merluza Negra.

Subrayando el compromiso de ambas Partes con las medidas dispuestas
en la Convencion para la Conservacion de Recursos Marinos Antarticos
(CCRVMA) respecto de la conservacion de la citada especie.

Preocupados por el impacto negativo de la Pesca Ilegal sobre el
estado de conservacion de las poblaciones de Merluza Negra.

Observando que la Pesca Ilegal impide el logro de los objetivos de
la ordenacion pesquera pudiendo provocar la destruccion de una
pesqueria o imposibilitar la reconstruccion de las poblaciones
icticas, lo que puede producir grandes perdidas econsmicas y
sociales y tener efectos negativos sobre la seguridad alimentaria y
el medio ambiente marino.


I. Se acuerdan las siguientes acciones:

1.- Intercambiar las posiciones satelitales de las mareas de los
buques pesqueros de ambas banderas que capturen Merluza Negra como
especie objetivo.

2.- Intercambiar informacion sobre los sistemas de control
implementados por las Partes respecto de las capturas efectuadas por
buques de las respectivas banderas respecto de la citada especie.

3.- Explorar mecanismos de cooperacion en materia cientifica para
desarrollar iniciativas conjuntas de investigacion respecto de las
poblaciones de Merluza Negra.

II. La Subsecretaria de Pesca y Acuicultura de la Republica
Argentina se vera imposibilitada de intercambiar informacion sobre
los sistemas de control implementados respecto de las capturas de la
citada especie efectuadas en aguas circundantes a las Islas
Malvinas, en razon de la existencia de la disputa de soberania
referida a la "Cuestion de las Islas Malvinas" derivada de la
ilegitima ocupacion de las Islas Malvinas, Georgias del Sur y
Sandwich del Sur y los espacios maritimos circundantes por parte del
Reino Unido de Gran Bretana e Irlanda del Norte. Dicha disputa de
soberania se halla reconocida por sucesivas y reiteradas
resoluciones de la Organizacion de las Naciones Unidas y
declaraciones de la Organizacion de Estados Americanos.

KELLY