GREENPEACE CALLS ON ARGENTINA TO STOP ILLEGAL FISHING

24 September 1999

Patagonia, Argentina -- Greenpeace carried out a protest against the factory fish trawler 'Anabella M' docked in Puerto Madryn, approximately 2000 km south of Buenos Aires. Greenpeace activists attempted to board the ship but were beaten and thrown back into the water by the crew of the Anabella M. Despite the crew’s reaction, Greenpeace activists hung a banner from the ship displaying a fish skeleton signifying the imminent collapse of the hake fishery, the most important in Argentina.

The ‘Anabella M’, a 65 meter factory trawl ship, is among those identified by Greenpeace as having been fishing hake illegally in Argentina’s waters.

"This is yet another vessel that has been systematically violating the Fishing Emergency Act established in June," explained Juan Carlos Villalonga, Greenpeace fisheries campaigner in Argentina. "The crew’s reaction to Greenpeace is unfortunate given that they themselves stand to lose most from the collapse of this fishery", added Villalonga.

Greenpeace activists were beaten by crew members of the Anabella M and sprayed by the ship’s high powered water hoses after being thrown into the water.

The environmental organisation has been demanding the Argentinian government enforce the Act and ultimately close the hake fishery. Greenpeace has brought the illegal fishing to the attention of Argentina’s authorities but so far, the government has failed to act.

The Anabella M is one of a fleet of factory trawlers from Spain fishing in Argentina under a fisheries agreement between the European Union and the government of Argentina. This fleet has primarily been fishing over the past several years for hake and as a result, the hake population in the South Atlantic has been severely depleted. Hake, one of the largest stocks of fish in the south-west Atlantic, plays a major role in the ecosystem, serving as a primary food source for penguins, dolphins, sharks and other species.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT:

- Emiliano Ezscurra +541149620404 or +541145382461

Visit Greenpeace Argentina's website for further information (in Spanish).