Vamos A Pescar!

4 Comment(s)

1. This season’s rules and regulations for Patagonia is a delightful and informative read. Also, kudos to fishing authorities for recognizing and promoting awareness of exotic/invasive species (exoticas invasoras). My question is this: are bio-security (bioseguridad) measures enforced, say with fines? Are wardens a visible factor in preserving native environments? Are guides adequately training in bio-security?

   I am in the invasive species biz (field biologist) here in New England (Maine), E.E.U.U., and I know first hand is one thing to inform and another to affect behavior.

   I welcome correspondence on this issue.

   con sinceridad, Paul
   eMail: Paul.Gregory@Maine.gov

   Paul Gregory | Nov 2, 2007 | Reply

2. Hi Paul,

   Great questions, but unfortunately, I can only speculate instead of rightfully answer. They list a fine range in the rule book for national parks but for some reason they left out provincial laws. Probably too vast to cover due to various federal, provincial, and local laws I presume.

   “5. Sanctions
   There will be a fine ranging from 50 to
   500.000 pesos (Decret 130/04) for violations
   of the established norms in the
   General Fishing Regulations and in this
   Annex. More than one violation of these
   Fishing Regulations or any other applicable
   regulations will result in the highest one.
   In every case all fish and materials found
   will be confiscated. Fishing gear, stock or
   any mode of transportation used during
   the violation will also be seized until the
   corresponding fine is paid in full. When
   the severity of the violation(s) justifies, the
   gear, stock, or mode of transportation used
   can be confiscated as an additional penalty.”

   Enforcement, at least in Tierra Del Fuego, is taken very seriously. Simply because sport fishing is a major tourism cash cow. The major problem is that most of the authorities are few and far between out in the countryside. However, much of the good fishing spots are on private property. Either you take a private excursion or risk facing a rifle barrel and a radio to the cops.

   The authorities are quite good at catching limit breakers though. Last year they caught quite a few people in the middle of the night, and in the middle of nowhere, with 5-10 fish. But they’re easy to catch because you just have to find out where they are parked and wait.

   How many they bust using forbidden bait/lures or any other methods that may contaminate or pollute the waterways, I’m not sure.

   There is an interesting paragraph on page 11 that states this…

   “On a near future, tackle will be restricted
   to each watershed. In waters of major risks,
   proper tackle will be used, and the use of
   that tackle in other catchments, forbidden.”

   I think that will only be easily enforceable at airports though.

   >>Are wardens a visible factor in preserving native environments?

   For wardens, I think more so in the parks and restricted farming/spawning areas. There is, however, a shared responsibility among various departments and services such as police, park service, national guard, coast guard, and fishing/natural resources departments to keep an eye on fishing activities. I believe they just divide up the responsibilities depending on who has more of a presence where.

   I see that the national parks are creating an honorary ranger program (page 29) that looks interesting.

   7. Honorary rangers
   National Parks has prompted implemented
   a system that allows the private sector
   to suggest candidates to be named as
   Honorary Fishing Caretakers, in order to
   assist Park Rangers with in the control of
   those areas they might choose.

   >Are guides adequately training in bio-security?

   Not sure with this one either. Most of the guides in this area are tied to estancias located in the middle of nowhere. These places usually have their own private fishing grounds so I’m sure they take certain measures of precaution for preservation. I came across an estancia site a while back, can’t remember the name, but I do remember them stating that any gear brought would need to be cleaned first. Then again, there are many others that mention nothing of the sort so who knows.

   There was an article from last year–I’ll try to look it up–that listed how many locals and foreigners registered for licenses. I don’t think the local numbers were “that” high and so many people tell me that if they want fish, which isn’t on the top of their diet, that they’ll just buy them from the market.

   Overall the general attitude, from fishermen that I’ve come across, is to just follow and respect the rules. I don’t think a fish is worth losing your car over, but still, there will always be quite a few bad apples who think they will, and often do, get away with it.

   Asado Arg | Nov 2, 2007 | Reply

3. Argentina has the best trained rangers in all of South America, being trained as midlevel professionals at the national school for park rangers, a 2 year college level training.

   Elsewhere, the quality of rangers is more of a problem. There is a worldwide shortage of park rangers, estimated at over 100,000 in developing countries needs to be addressed. Currently no government or conservation organization in the world addresses this problem.
   This has been elaborated at my blog and http://www.adopt-a-ragner.org/carbon_offset.htm and http://www.birdlist.org/phpbb/viewforum.php?f=4
   Moreover, this would be the only hope of preserving maybe 50% of the species on earth in the course of this century.

   Dr D. Vreugdenhil | Mar 7, 2008 | Reply

4. No it’s not a light read.

   I mean who are really going to go through all that but then get burned at the other side?

   Simon | Mar 9, 2008 | Reply

Post a Comment