7 th International Fisheries Observer and Monitoring Conference (IFOMC). Viña del Mar, Chile, 8 al 12 de Abril de 2013. Website: http://www.ifomc.com Session 2: Can industry data be used for monitoring rights-based fisheries, seafood traceability and/or fisheries certification? ID: 123 - Poster Sustainable financing of fisheries observers programs: the case of Chubut province, in the Argentinean Patagonia. Financiamiento sostenible de programas de observadores a bordo: el caso de la provincia del Chubut, en la Patagonia argentina. Guillermo Caille (1, 3) María Eva Góngora (2), Matías Soutric (2), Nelson Bovcon (1), Pablo Cochia (1), Luis Mendía (1) and César Arias (1). (1) Faculty of Natural Sciences of the Universidad Nacional de la Patagonia (UNPSJB). (2) Secretariat of Fisheries of the province of Chubut (3) Project ISCMPA (ARG/10/G47 GEF - UNDP), Fundación Patagonia Natural. gcaille2003@yahoo.com.ar 1
Resumen: A partir del Convenio marco entre la Provincia del Chubut y la Universidad Nacional de la Patagonia San Juan Bosco (UNPSJB), aprobado por Ley VII Nº 12 en 1984; y de sucesivos Acuerdos de Trabajo, entre la Secretaría de Pesca provincial y la Facultad de Ciencias Naturales de la UNPSJB, desde el año 2000 se realiza una asistencia técnica al Programa de Observadores a Bordo de la Provincia del Chubut (POBCh). El financiamiento es aportado por el Gobierno provincial a partir del Fondo Nacional Pesquero (FONAPE creado por Ley en 1988), y ha permitido dar continuidad a las actividades del POBCh por más de diez años. Los objetivos abarcaron: i) el diseño de un programa de observadores a bordo provincial, a implementar en el marco de la Ley Nacional Nº 24.922 (Ley Federal de Pesca) de 1998; ii) la capacitación y entrenamiento de los observadores; y iii) la supervisión de la calidad de su desempeño. En este marco se han capacitado 200 observadores, de los cuales unos 40 están en actividad (20% de retención), asegurando una cobertura del 10% de la actividad de las principales flotas que operan en los caladeros provinciales. El POBCh es un programa consolidado en su financiamiento; que necesita aún ser valorado por el sector pesquero, para asegurar su contribución a los objetivos de manejo de las autoridades provinciales. Key words: Fisheries observers Programs, funding, Patagonia, Argentina. Palabras clave: Programas de observadores a bordo, financiamiento, Patagonia, Argentina. 2
Extended abstract In the framework of the agreement between the Government of the province of Chubut and the National University of the Patagonia San Juan Bosco (UNPSJB), approved by Act VII No. 12 (formerly Law No. 2447) in 1984; and through successive " Work Agreements ", signed between provincial Fisheries Secretary and the Faculty of Natural Sciences of the UNPSJB, since the year 2000, a technical assistance to the "Program of Observers to Board of the Chubut province" (POBCh) is being provided. Figure 1: Chubut provincial fisheries areas off central Patagonian coast. Figura 1: Áreas de pesca de jurisdicción de la Provincia de Chubut. 3
Funding is provided entirely by the provincial government from its participation in the National Fund of Fishing (FONAPE, created by law in 1988), and has allowed providing operational and technical continuity to the activities of the POBCh for more than ten years. Objectives ranged from the creation of a "provincial fishery observer program", to be implemented within the framework of the national law No. 24.922 (Federal Fisheries law) enacted in 1998, which granted jurisdiction and domain on fishery resources to provinces with coastline in inland waters and the Argentine Territorial Sea adjacent to its coasts, up to 12 nm measured from baselines given by the law No. 23.968 (1991) (see Figure 1); training and on going training of observers, work on board of the main fleets operating on provincial jurisdiction (see Figure 2); up to the oversight of the technical quality of their performance. Figure 2: Double ring trawler vessels in Comodoro Rivadavia port in San Jorge gulf. Figura 2: Buques tangoneros en el puerto de Comodoro Rivadavia en el golfo San Jorge. The observers of the POBCh takes direct information on fishing operations and gears; on catches and environmental characteristics; on targets species and on selected biological aspects (species composition, by-catch of marine fauna and discards) (see Figure 3). Samples are also taken and it collaborates with academic and scientific organizations. 4
Figure 3: Sampling red shrimp on board. Figura 3: Muestreo a bordo de langostino. In the framework of funded agreements more than 200 observers have been trained, about 40 (20% retention) are currently in activity, and they have been incorporated into the stable staff of the POBCh, ensuring resources to cover near to 10% of the activity of the main fleets in the provincial fisheries. The POBCh conceives fishing from an ecosystem approach which includes the fishermen and allowed to contribute to the knowledge of the region's coastal-marine biodiversity. With more than ten years of work, the POBCh is a provincial program consolidated in its funding; however, need be re-valued by the fishing sector, to analyze the viability of their contributions, and improve the technical quality of their performance in particular subjects, to ensure an effective contribution to the management objectives of provincial fisheries enforcement authorities. 5