Endangered species or in vulnerable situations, exceeding the permitted fishing halts and checks are not done, that is the situation of the exploitation of coastal species, according to the latest report from the General Audit Office (AGN, for its acronym in Spanish).

The aim was to analyze the environmental management developed by the under secretariat of Fisheries and Aquaculture under the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries, the Ministry of the same name.
The species were under the assessment center called "Varied coast". They are, according to the Federal Fisheries Council; fish that live near the seabed as set forth below.

Varied Coastal Species 

In particular, the narrownose smooth-hound, angelfish and sea rays are "endangered"; while the Brazilian guitarfish is "critically endangered." Species such as the shortnose guitarfish, school shark, snub-nosed, sting and mantarays" are in a vulnerable situation."

The AGN observed that "it is not clear when to govern the limit for the narrownose smooth-hound and the angel fish." While "it should have been working since the beginning of the year, in fact, it began in October." Logically this mismatch "means a risk regarding fishing limits."

Tuned, "the recommendations of the Working Group on catch limits for the corvina to ensure responsible fisheries were not applied."
Declared landings data reflect the values of the CTP were overcome for the white croaker "in 2011 the surplus was 5.48% and the following year of 17%." The angel fish also "exceeded the catch limit in 2011" and rays "have the strongest fishing due by 16% by 2011 and 14% for 2012."

Coastal fishing vessels must be authorized by the Federal Fisheries Council. According to what the AGN stated in its report, "there are 93 vessels of which 66 are listed with unrestricted permission." The drawback is generated when "the law that specifies the type of permissions has not criminalized the unrestricted."

On the other hand, the National Institute for Fisheries Research and Development (INIDEP) is an agency under the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries and aims to "cooperate and advise on research tasks to avoid contamination." For this, the Institute may designate scientific observers to go on board the boats that target the Varied Coast.

According to the Director of INIDEP, "the fleet catching fish lacked in 2011 with observer coverage on board for lack of space and adequate housing conditions" reported. But auditors stressed that "the rules are calling for in order to obtain information for scientific research."

On the Advisory Committee for Monitoring the Coastal Varied, the AGN said that "although it should gather at least once a quarter and produce a report, since 2009 they met only once in 2013". Besides, "it did not have all the representatives" and did not match any documents.

Legal Framework

One of the most important observations that performed the audit is that "in the field of fisheries coexists a legal framework that does not coordinate the actions." It is that both the Ministry of Environment and Sustainable Development as the Undersecretary of Fisheries and Aquaculture "have national action plans but have not articulated together strategic guidelines that integrate the goals of the Federal Fisheries Act."

Neither entity looked "for patterns of responsible fisheries management and the ecosystem approach to FAO (the Food and Agriculture Organization)."

The evaluation of the AGN was developed between 2009 and the first half of 2013 and was approved in March 2015. In it the international issue is also addressed: the Secretariat "did not agree with the measures of Fisheries Management Binational with the Uruguayans".

Both countries have exclusive rights to fish in the coastal area and mutually recognize the freedom of fishing on the river but still "remains to define the fishing quota and reporting mechanisms in both Uruguay and the province of Buenos Aires”.

As for the controls and monitoring, the Secretariat should develop a National Plan of Action for Prevention, Illegalities, Unreported and Unregulated fishing (IUU PAN). For this "examination was envisaged every four years to evaluate results and implement strategies that would increase its outcome."

However, the audit team "found weaknesses as no specific targets were set or conducted the workshop less than four years after its approval." In fact, "no boats were surveyed allegedly conducting unregistered unreported fishing."