Presentation by María Onestini Centro de Estudios Ambientales Tradable Quotas in the Argentine Fisheries System: Opportunities, Prospects and Challenges Presentation by María Onestini Centro de Estudios Ambientales

Negative Impacts on Fisheries Resources and Socio-economic Structure Some verifiable impacts are: Degradation of fisheries biomass and near collapse for some species Variations in fishing effort Ecological degradation Increased costs for fisheries regulation and control; (cont’d)

Negative Impacts on Resources and Socio-economic Structure of Fisheries Sector Some verifiable impacts are: Increased operation costs Augmenting fiscal costs and subsidies Corruption practices; and Non diversification of catches

Legal Framework for Individual Transferable Quotas In Argentina National fisheries law of 1997 establishes itqs

National Fisheries Law Law’s objectives are summarized in article 1 and can be divided into three categories Environmental Productive Labor related

Argentina’s National Fisheries Law Previously listed objectives interlinked to itqs

Quota Management System Quotas regulate access Quotas do not regulate ownership

Capture Quotas to Be Established By: Species, Vessels, Fishing zones, and Type of vessel All quotas are temporary Restrictions so that no one company or holding should be granted the total TAC of any one species

Other Criteria in the Allocation of Quotas Employment of argentine nationals, Investments in the country, Previous fishing records, amounts captured as well as sanctions, (catch history)

Transferability Factors Capture quotas would be totally or partially transferable through transference fees payments Transference of quotas will not be allowed between different types of ships

Quota Design Definition of rights, Allocation of these rights, Setting of a market for secondary trading of quotas, Natural resource rent extraction, Management cost recovery, as well as Abatement of negative social impacts possible

Issues and Challenges in Quota Design Concentration of market Resistance by industry and other actors Social compensation measures Monitoring capacity

Quota System’s Negative Impacts Encouraging dumping by-catch or fish of poor quality or size/high grading; Data fouling; Quota busting and poaching

Challenges If establishing quotas derives from different goals (social and economic development as well as environmental sustainable use) Then challenge implies not only change in exploitation mode but also In establishing ancillary policies