Containers at Mar del Plata port. (Photo: puertomardelplata.net)

'Boycott' to fish export plants reported

The Argentinean Fisheries Business Council (CECA), the Chamber of Argentinean Fishing Industry (Caipa), the Union of Argentinean Fishing Interests (Udipa) and the Association of Coastal Fishing Vessels report that fishing companies intending to export their goods from the port in Buenos Aires are still prevented from doing so.

According to a statement issued by these organizations, they are stopped from loading containers on ships, which is considered unconstitutional.

The signatories claim that the boycott by the Maritime Workers Union (SOMU) to the fishing industry is still taking place.

"Since 26 April, the Argentinean fishing industry can not export because of a boycott the union is performing," the text reads.

Currently, the impediment to load ships only occurs at the port terminal of Buenos Aires, since, for example, in Puerto Deseado entrepreneurs were able to load fish and shellfish some days ago, Pescare reported.

"There is no real conflict, which has been declared or made explicit by the union. That is why as in previous situations we say that this is a boycott," emphasized the associations.

"Blocking actions and, particularly the export impediment, can not be taken as a coercive measure to achieve something that even today, if there is something, we do not know what it is," they added.

"Unless we export, we receive payment. And the industry can not survive," asserted the four entities in the fishing industry

"If we can work and are not affected by strikes or wild boycotts and if we have the authorities’ support, we will be able to get out of this crisis, we have expressed our commitment," it is stressed in the statement.

In late April, SOMU said in a statement that the chambers are "reluctant" to engage in joint negotiations.

According to the Secretary of SOMU, Omar Suárez, due to "those debts from pensions and wages" that companies owe to workers, "fish remain in Argentina because workers are not going to subsidize with their work the export businesses."

"Fish can not be shipped from Uruguay either," Suárez assured to La Nación newspaper.

At present, 70 per cent of the national fishery resources is caught and processed in Mar del Plata and  97 per cent of what is produced in the country is exported.

The total sales abroad from the sector generate between USD 1,400 million and USD 1,500 million, and this Argentinean port directly employs some 20,000 workers.

Related article:

- Dock workers call off strike in Mar del Plata

By Analia Murias
[email protected]
www.seafood.media

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