Next year's horse mackerel quota will be reduced by around 75 per cent compared to this year. (Photo: YouTube/mauricioescudero)

Industry concerned over sharp decline in horse mackerel quota

CHILE
Friday, November 26, 2010, 01:50 (GMT + 9)

The horse mackerel quota for next year will not exceed 300,000 tonnes, in order to protect the resource, as the Government assesses how best to deal with the consequences that will result in the industry and employment.

The head of the Subsecretariat of Fisheries (Subpesca), Pablo Galilea, confirmed that, given the delicate situation being experienced by the country's main fishing resource, the share will suffer a drastic cut in 2011.

Thus, of the 1,300,000 tonnes allowed for this year, it will be just over 350,000 tonnes for the whole South Pacific area, which means Chile will revieve a quota of just over 200,000 tonnes. The quotas are likely to be recovered within five years time.

As for the impact of this measure on employment, Galilea said the Ministry of Labour, Interior and Economy will form a working group next week, including workers and industry members to take action against the probable layoffs that will occur.

"The adjustment of quotas will mean unemployment for at least 1,000 people, although there is talk of a maximum of 3,000, we're still fine-tuning," acknowledged Galilea.

Shuffle measures such as early retirement for the crew, the possibility that the claims are intended to APV are unrelated and, depending on the worker's age, they can have a better retirement. It also provides for training and retraining, explained Galilea.

For his part, the President of the Association of Industrial Fisheries of the Bío Bío Region A.G. (ASIPES) Roberto Izquierdo, said cutting mackerel quotas will favour those producing for human consumption. The purpose is to generate higher value added production and minimize the impact on employment.

According to the President of ASIPES, the capacity for canning, frozen or breaded, in relation to the resources availability, is "totally over-sized." For this reason, "when the amount of catches decrease, it is inevitable that those factories receive a higher proportion for human consumption than they had before," he said.

Izquierdo said that these units have certificates of their purchasers and also have a technology that allows them to be internationally competitive.

Also, Alberto Romero, general manager of Pesquera El Golfo, said allocating production for human consumption will equal terms with international competitors, as "all the boats that catch 200 miles out do it for this purpose," reports Diario Financiero.

Finally, Jan Stengel, general manager of Pesquera Bio Bio, said the general industry is turning to increased use of fish for human consumption, "because it is the best use for that the resource."

Related articles:

- Senate approves bill to regulate fishing quotas
- Lower mackerel quota to impact on employment

By Silvina Corniola
[email protected]
www.seafood.media

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