Argentina's Federal Fisheries Council allocates transferable crab fishing quotas to six vessels through 2041

Argentina's Federal Fisheries Council (CFP) adopted Resolution No. CFP 16/2026 on Thursday, November 5, approving the allocation of individual transferable fishing quotas (CITC) for southern king crab (Lithodes santolla) to six vessels operating in the Central and Southern zones. The system is valid for fifteen fishing seasons, from 2026/2027 to 2040/2041, with participation percentages determined according to the corresponding maximum allowable catch (CMP) for each zone.

The resolution was adopted by majority vote, with Buenos Aires Province voting against and Santa Cruz Province abstaining. The objections were recorded in CFP Meeting Minutes No. 30/2026 and concern the scope of national jurisdiction, provincial resource management, and the duration of the rights granted.

Six vessels received initial quotas. The allocations cover BP Atlantic Express of Wanchese Argentina; BP Chiyo Maru N° 3, BP Dukat and BP Talismán, associated with the Centomar group; and BP Tango I and BP Tango II of Bentónicos de Argentina. Quotas are determined individually per vessel and per zone, based on operating records recognized by the fisheries authority.

The technical report counted legal catches over eight fishing seasons, from 2018/2019 to 2025/2026, totaling 17,121.41 tonnes. Entry into the system requires a historical catch record exceeding 2% of that total, i.e., 342.43 tonnes. Seven vessels met this requirement, but the final allocation was limited to six. Records show that BP Pioneros, which caught 848.62 tonnes during the period under review, was replaced by Chiyo Maru N° 3, with its historical record merged into the latter under an administrative procedure.

The approved allocation formula assigns 80% weight to historical catch, 10% to labor employed, 5% to domestic production, and another 5% to domestic investment. Economic and labor indicators use records from 2022, 2023 and 2024. In addition, a penalty deduction of 0.001% is listed for each regulation in force.

The initial allocation accounts for approximately 90% of the catch that may be authorized in each zone, with differences arising from penalties. The system also establishes a 5% management reserve and a 5% redistribution fund. The former is used for operational needs, bycatch and possible allocations; the latter incorporates the deducted portion and the percentage returned to the system.

Resolution No. 16/2026 also sets a corporate concentration cap of 45% of the maximum allowable catch per zone. The technical report annexed to the meeting minutes verified this cap by calculating all participation shares in the species. Its tables record that certain groups exceed 45% in certain zones, while the overall average is below that figure. Both criteria are set out in the official documents of the procedure.

Annex I to CFP Meeting Minutes No. 30/2026 contains the technical report supporting the initial allocation of southern king crab quotas. The 22-page document lists the information sources used, the catch records for each vessel, labor registrations and investments declared by companies, and also includes the calculation procedure and allocation tables by vessel, corporate group and fishing zone, which show how the final percentages granted were determined.

The fifteen-year allocation imposes specific obligations on holders. Article 10 provides that if a vessel does not catch southern king crab for two consecutive or alternating years, the individual transferable fishing quota is extinguished in full. If exploitation falls below 70% of the quota within two years, partial extinction is calculated based on the average of the shortfall percentage until that level is reached.

The system provides equivalent conditions where quotas are transferred in whole or in part to holders outside the same corporate group for two consecutive years. Use is calculated separately by zone, and the actual volume of each quota is determined annually based on the approved maximum allowable catch.

On the economic side, a transfer fee of 496,500 per tonne is set, which also serves as a reference for allocation costs from the redistribution fund and management reserve. For the funds, the calculation also takes into account the remaining years of validity of the quota.

Buenos Aires Province representative Carla Estefanía Seain raised an objection under Articles 3 and 4 of Federal Fisheries Law No. 24,922 and Article 124 of the National Constitution. Her position is that the CFP lacks authority to set individual quotas for fishery resources under provincial jurisdiction. Buenos Aires Province also questioned that the item was added to the agenda on the day of the vote without prior review proceedings. In addition, the province noted the discrepancy between the fifteen-year validity of the individual transferable fishing quotas and the duration of certain provincial permits (some of which are annual), whose continuity governs the exercise of fishing rights.

Santa Cruz Province representative Sergio Klimenko recorded technical, legal and institutional objections. He argued that the proposal affects the 345 tonnes of southern king crab currently managed by the province, because the distinction between jurisdictions is insufficient. His statement also emphasized the importance of provincial coastal waters for the species' reproduction and larval development, as well as Santa Cruz Province's authority to determine employment, landing and processing conditions. The abstention was accompanied by explicit reservations regarding the basis and scope of the system.

The National Institute for Fisheries Research and Development (INIDEP) reviewed the biological compatibility of the individual transferable fishing quotas through Official Technical Report No. 22/2026. The assessment concluded that the characteristics of southern king crab and current conservation measures allow implementation of the quota system within the scientific monitoring framework for the Central and Southern zones.

The fishery has selective mechanisms designed to protect females and juveniles, including allowing commercial catch of males only above the specified size, escape rings on traps, and the mandatory live release of protected individuals. Temporary closures and resource monitoring complement these measures. The scientific opinion addresses the biological feasibility of the quota system. Disagreements over resource ownership and administrative authority are institutional positions expressed at the Council meeting.

Holders must apply for registration in the initial allocation by December 30, 2026, and explicitly accept the conditions of the system. Applications may cover all or part of each quota, and shares may be reallocated among their own authorized vessels.