Authors: L. B. Prenski, M. Morales-Yokobori (OIA) J. Bridi, M.A. Gasalla y C. Minte-Vera (Invited Assessment Team Experts) Argentinean Bonaerense Anchovy (Engraulis anchoita) Industrial Semi-pelagic Mid-water Trawl Net Fishery Assessment against MSC Principles and Criteria FINAL PUBLIC REPORT Certification Body: Client Group (contact): Organización Internacional Agropecuaria (OIA) G.P. Carlos Rodríguez Av. Santa Fe 830 – Acassuso - (B1641ABN) CENTAURO S.A. Buenos Aires – Argentina Diagonal Garibaldi 4825 Tel/Fax: (54-11) 4798-9084 / 4793-4340 (7600) Mar del Plata – Argentina http://www.oia.com.ar Tel/Fax: (54-223) 480-6979 / 489-7220 G.G. Martin Di Scala DELICIAS S.A. San Salvador 3235 Mar del Plata – Argentina Tel: (54-223) 489-2814 Organización Internacional Agropecuaria Bonaerense Anchovy Fishery Acknowledgements To Lic. Carolina Medina Foucher and Miss Ma. Laura Laco for their collaboration with the Public Draft Report 2 File OIA FINAL PUBLIC REPORT 08/07/11 Organización Internacional Agropecuaria Bonaerense Anchovy Fishery Index Acknowledgements ....................................................................................................................... 2 Index ................................................................................................................................................ 3 1 Summary ............................................................................................................................... 6 2 Introduction ........................................................................................................................... 7 2.1 The Fishery Proposed for Assessment .......................................................................... 7 2.2 Certification and Assessment Process Applied .............................................................. 8 3 Glossary of Acronyms Used in the Report ...................................................................... 10 4 Background to the Fishery ................................................................................................ 12 4.1 Introduction ................................................................................................................... 12 4.2 Anchovy Biology ........................................................................................................... 12 4.3 History of the Argentine Anchovy Fishery .................................................................... 16 4.4 Anchovy Landings ........................................................................................................ 17 4.4.1 2008 Annual Catch – Bonaerense Management Unit ................................. 20 4.4.2 2009 Annual Catch – Bonaerense Management Unit ................................. 21 4.5 Fleet Description ........................................................................................................... 22 4.6 Operational Area Description ........................................................................................... 24 4.7 Fishing Gear ................................................................................................................. 27 5 Legal and management framework ................................................................................... 29 5.1 Institutions Dealing with the Fisheries and Ecosystem Management, Control and Enforcement at International Level ........................................................................................ 29 5.1.1 Technical Commission of Rio de la Plata River and it Maritime Front Treaty29 5.2 Institutions Dealing with the Fisheries and Ecosystem Management, Control and Enforcement at Federal Level ................................................................................................ 31 5.2.1 Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries (MINAGRI) ....................... 31 5.2.2 Animal Health and Food Sanitary Service (SENASA) ................................ 39 5.2.3 Federal Fisheries Council (FFC) ................................................................ 40 5.2.4 Secretary of Environment and Sustainable Development (SAyDS) ............ 44 5.3 Fisheries Research Institutions .................................................................................... 44 5.3.1 National Institute for Fisheries Research and Development (INIDEP) ........ 44 5.3.2 Research Centre for Fishing Technology and Regional Foods (CITEP) ..... 47 5.4 Institutions Dealing with Fisheries Monitoring and Enforcement ................................. 47 5.4.1 Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries (MINAGRI) ....................... 47 5.4.2 Coast Guard (PNA) .................................................................................... 48 5.4.3 Argentine Navy (AA) .................................................................................. 48 3 File OIA FINAL PUBLIC REPORT 08/07/11 Organización Internacional Agropecuaria Bonaerense Anchovy Fishery 5.5 Foreign Affairs and Fisheries ....................................................................................... 49 5.5.1 Ministry of Foreign, International Trade and Religious Affairs .................... 49 6 Stock Assessment .............................................................................................................. 51 6.1 Assessment and Stock Status ...................................................................................... 51 6.2 Distribution, Acoustic evaluation and Population Structure of Argentine anchovy. ......... 58 6.3 Management Advice ..................................................................................................... 59 7 Ecosystem characteristics ................................................................................................ 64 7.1 Introduction ................................................................................................................... 64 7.2 Incidental capture. Retained and bycatch species ....................................................... 66 7.2.1 Overview .................................................................................................... 66 7.2.2 Retained and By-Catch species ................................................................. 66 7.3 ETP Species ................................................................................................................. 71 7.3.1 Summary ................................................................................................... 71 7.3.2 Marine Birds .............................................................................................. 71 7.3.3 Marine Mammals ....................................................................................... 72 7.3.4 Chondrichthyes .......................................................................................... 73 7.4 Habitat .......................................................................................................................... 73 7.5 Ecosystem impacts....................................................................................................... 74 7.5.1 Fishing Ecosystem ..................................................................................... 74 7.5.2 Food Chain ................................................................................................ 75 7.5.3 Competition: Inter and Intraspecific ............................................................ 76 7.5.4 Predation ................................................................................................... 78 7.6 Perspectives on sustainable exploitation and captures in Brazil with an ecosystem perspective ............................................................................................................................. 83 8 Legal and Political Frameworks ......................................................................................... 84 8.1 Legal Framework .......................................................................................................... 84 8.1.1 Constitution and Environmental Norms ...................................................... 84 8.1.2 Background to the Federal Fisheries Law .................................................. 85 8.1.3 Specific Regulations of Bonaerense Anchovy Fishery .................................. 88 8.1.4 Monitoring, Control and Surveillance of Fishing and Marketing of Fisheries Products ................................................................................................................ 90 8.1.5 Monitoring Systems, Control and Surveillance of Anchovy Fishery ............ 92 8.1.6 Synthesis of Management Legal Framework for the Argentinean Anchovy Fishery .................................................................................................................. 92 9 Other Fisheries Relevant to this Assessment ................................................................. 98 10 Background to the Evaluation ........................................................................................... 99 10.1 Standard Used ............................................................................................................... 99 4 File OIA FINAL PUBLIC REPORT 08/07/11 Organización Internacional Agropecuaria Bonaerense Anchovy Fishery 10.2 Assessment Team and Peer Reviewers ................................................................ 101 10.3 Previous Certification Evaluations ......................................................................... 103 11 Stakeholder