The problems linked to unemployment are serious and becoming worse
worldwide. This applies also to fisheries, and shipowners with
large factory ships often use employment arguments as a support
for their activities. It is an argument which has an air of deja
vu. According to Worldwatch Institute (State of the World 1995),
the distribution of employment in the global fishing fleets in
relation to vessel size is as follows:
0.2-0.3 million are employed on large scale ships
0.9-1.0 million are employed on medium sized ships
14-20 million are working on small scale ships/coastal fisheries.
And, to quote from State of the World: ...even if the contribution
of food (fish) from the various categories is about the same,
the small scale operators have a number of advantages. In order
to catch a given amount of fish such units tend to employ more
people, create less waste, and have need for less capital. In
addition the small-scale operators support a number of people
in the coastal communities.
According to a promotional video by American Seafood Co of South
America, the American Monarch will provide jobs for 500
Chileans. This figure was later modified to 240 by the president
of the company, Michael Nordby. However, the American Monarch
has been designed to accomodate only 138 people. On the other
hand, the Chilean Association for Coastal Fishermen (CONAPACH)
fears that the entry of the American Monarch into the southern
blue whiting fishery outside Chile will put 6,000 people in the
Aysen and Magellan region out of work. This figure will obviously
increase if the vessel's activities lead to a collapse of the
stock altogether.