FIS has received a letter from the Chubut Fisheries Secretary requesting the publication of the following document/information. We have complied with his request.

Within our "People with Opinions" section, we share below a letter sent by the Secretary of Fisheries of the Province of Chubut, Ab. Andrés Pedro Arbeletche, in response to a publication recently reproduced by our media outlet. In it, the official presents his position on the issues addressed, defends the work carried out by his department, and exercises his right of reply.

Letter from the Secretary of Fisheries of the Province of Chubut, Ab. Andrés Pedro Arbeletche (translated from original in Spanish)

Dear Sirs/Madams:

I am pleased to contact you regarding the article titled "Suggestive Low Profile of Officials Amidst the Worsening Fisheries Crisis," copied from the website partedepesca.com, whose person in charge is Mr. Nelson Saldivia.

Given that your media outlet strikes me as serious, I feel compelled to make some observations. Firstly, the website partedepesca.com, far from being a specialized fishing page, is merely a portal for selling articles. Since I am not going to spend public funds on advertising, Mr. Saldivia will criticize my performance regardless of the reason or the truth, which wouldn't concern me if it weren't for serious media outlets picking up these fallacious articles.

Nothing is said about the fact that, under my leadership in the Secretariat of Fisheries of the Province of Chubut, we have had the longest provincial season, without a single stoppage, and we have obtained the historical record of catches, exceeding 100,000 tons of shrimp despite the unfavorable international context. I took office in 2023 with a season already underway, with fierce strikes by SUPA, SOMU, Skippers, and STIA. In the 2024 season, we managed to avoid any industrial action.

This was no coincidence. I held 27 (twenty-seven) meetings between the chambers and the unions. I acted as mediator and conciliator, persuading them to maintain dialogue and emphasizing the importance of working. The Governor of the Province of Chubut himself, Ignacio Torres, has participated in the negotiation meetings carried out by the Secretariat of Fisheries under my charge and the Secretariat of Labor of the Province. I recall with joy when an agreement was finally reached one Tuesday at 3 am (SOMU-CAFACH-Secretariat of Fisheries). In support of the agreement, with the authorization of the Governor, we reduced the extraction tax. We do not make empty "emergency declarations" with bombastic, demagogic words, but with little practical use. The Province generated a tax relief of more than 400 million pesos for the sector.

After a great deal of work, the aforementioned was achieved: the historical record of fishing in the Province of Chubut.

Now, with great shamelessness and in a malicious manner, I am accused of supposed inactivity in the face of the conflict of the freezer trawler fleet that operates in national waters. The criticism leveled, in addition to being unfounded, demonstrates a serious ignorance of jurisdictional powers. Is it perhaps intended that I convene a meeting of the chambers and unions of Mar del Plata, Bahía Blanca, San Antonio, Puerto Deseado, and Caleta Olivia in the Province of Chubut? Is it intended that I have more authority than the National Secretary of Labor and the various secretaries of fisheries of the provinces of Buenos Aires, Río Negro, Santa Cruz, and Tierra del Fuego? With the majority of the freezer and fresh fish fleet in Mar del Plata, is the Secretary of Fisheries of Chubut the one who has the predominant role in this conflict?

The answer is logical: these negotiations must take place before the National Secretariat of Labor, and neither can the actions of the Undersecretary of Fisheries of the Nation, Med. Vet. López Cazorla, who is constantly trying to bring positions closer, be criticized.

However, beyond my lack of legal powers, as can be seen from the attached note, I have asked the National Secretariat of Labor to convene the Secretariat of Fisheries of Chubut for the purpose of attempting to facilitate a resolution (Note attached File No. EX-2025-44408373- -APN-DGDTEYSS#MCH).

On the other hand, I have held meetings with the leadership of SOMU and conducted negotiations with CAPIP, trying to mediate the situation, always understanding that I must not exceed the powers that I legally hold.

I hope that the right of reply is guaranteed, reproducing this document in your media outlet, and I urge you to proceed with greater diligence when copying articles from dubious portals.

Without further ado, I take this opportunity to extend my cordial greetings,

Ab. Andrés Pedro Arbeletche
Secretary of Fisheries
Secretariat of Fisheries of the Province of Chubut

This article represents the opinion of its signatory. The opinion articles published do not necessarily reflect the editorial position of this media outlet. Fish Info & Services is an independent media outlet, open to the opinions of its readers. If you wish to publish, contact us [email protected]

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