THE GUATEMALAN FISHERY AND AQUACULTURE GENERAL LAW VERSUS

137 Pages·2009·0.89 MB·English

THE GUATEMALAN FISHERY AND AQUACULTURE GENERAL
LAW VERSUS INTERNATIONAL LAWS RELATED TO FISHERY
AND AQUACULTURE

Bryslie Siomara Cifuentes Velasco
The United Nations Nippon Foundation Fellowship Programme 2008 - 2009

DIVISION FOR OCEAN AFFAIRS AND THE LAW OF THE SEA
OFFICE OF LEGAL AFFAIRS
UNITED NATIONS NEW YORK, 2009
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DISCLAIMER

The views expressed herein are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect
the views of the Government of Guatemala, the United Nations, the Nippon
Foundation of Japan, or the University of Melbourne Australia. © 2008 Bryslie
Siomara Cifuentes Velasco. All rights reserved.

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Abstract

It is not a secret to anyone that some marine resources under national or
international jurisdiction, are being taken without regulation. In addition, it is a reality
that some existing fisheries legislation enforced by developing countries may be
inadequate on a number of bases including not taking into account evolving fishing
methods, existing laws that are out of date or a failure to legislate at all for particular
stocks or areas. This situation makes it tremendously difficult for developing States
to sustainably manage their fisheries. Similarly, there is a lack of legislation with
respect to aquaculture, which is a growing alternative for fishing. Both problems
have an explanation and one of the most significant reasons is the lack of
knowledge about this theme in some countries and not giving importance to the
regulation and management of public domain resources.

Just leafing through the Guatemalan Fisheries and Aquaculture General Law, the
reader can clearly observe that there are deficiencies that circumscribe the access
to the different fisheries which exist in Guatemalan waters in a way that makes it
difficult for the commercial, sport, inshore and scientific fisheries to obtain the
support that the State should be able to facilitate the correct use of the marine
resources. For that reason, this research has the objective to make a comparative
analysis of Guatemalan and Australian fisheries legislation, highlighting the
differences between each jurisdiction’s approach to regulating fisheries and
aquaculture. The comparison will uncover the similarities and differences that exist
at a national level, while also considering the international obligations that each of
the States may have to consider.

Finally, this research will indicate a clear vision to improve both, in regulation and
enforcement the Guatemalan Fishery and Aquaculture General Law. It is hoped this
will demonstrate to Guatemalan authorities that there is an urgent need for reform, to
allow the development of Guatemalan fisheries and aquaculture in a competitive and
sustainable manner.
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Summary

SUPERVISORS:
Prof. Stuart Kaye
Dr. Francois Bailet

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Acknowledgements

For the privilege of exploring the subject of this document and for the opportunity to
be awarded with this fellowship I wish to thank the United Nations through the
Division for Ocean Affairs and Law of the Sea (DOALOS), the Nippon Foundation of
Japan and the Melbourne Law School. I am grateful to my supervisors Professor
Stuart Kaye and Dr. Francois Bailet for their extremely competent guidance during
the programme.

I would like to express my gratitude to the Government institutions in Australia and
Guatemala such as the Australian Fisheries Management Authority, Fisheries
Victoria of the Department of Primary Industries in Victoria, the Border Protection
Command, Department of Fisheries in Western Australia, New South Wales
Department of Primary Industries, Division of Fisheries of the Department of Primary
Industries and Resources of South Australia, and the Unidad de Manejo de la Pesca
y Acuicultura / Management of Fishery and Aquaculture Unit, who through their
representatives helped me to understand the complexity of fisheries and aquaculture.
Also I would like to thanks my colleagues back home in Guatemala who supported
me with information to complete my research.

I am also indebted to Shelagh Goodey who patiently assisted me as to edit my
research and most important for her friendship. I also want to thank my friends in
Melbourne, Australia: Elena, Alicia, Peter, Domingo, Angela, Michael, Tatiana, Lily,
Paula, Alejandra, Alberto, Marta, Laura, Alvaro, Ana Belén, Natalí, Jacqy, Sieh,
Sujata, Amber, Narinam, Marjan, Anna, Matt, Jacinta, Andi, Inese and Ron for their
support and kindness during my visit.

I am most thankful to God who aided me through all this process and especially to
my family who encouraged my efforts.

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Acronyms

ACRICON Asociación de Criadores de Camarón / Shrimp Farmers
Association
AECID Agencia Española de Cooperación Internacional para el
Desarrollo / Spanish Agency for International Cooperation
Development
AFMA Australian Fisheries Management Authority
AGEXPRONT Asociación Gremial de Exportadores de Productos No
Tradicionales / The Union Association of Non-traditional
Products Exporters
AFZ Australian Fishing Zone
BPC Border Protection Command
CEMA Centro de Estudios del Mar y Acuicultura / Centre for Ocean
and Aquaculture Studies
DITEPESCA Dirección Técnica de Pesca y Acuicultura / Technical
Department of Fishery and Aquaculture
DPI Department of Primary Industries
EEZ Exclusive Economic Zone
EFZ Exclusive Fisheries Zone
FAO Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations
GDP Gross Domestic Product
ICRW International Convention for the Regulation of Whaling
IFM Integrated Fisheries Management
IATTC Inter-American Tropical Tuna Commission
ICCAT International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas
KM Kilometers
LGPA Ley General de Pesca y Acuicultura / Fishery and Aquaculture
General Law
MAC Management Advisory Committee
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MAGA Ministerio de Agricultura, Ganadería y Alimentación / Ministry of
Agriculture, Live Stock and Food
NRT Net Registered Tonnage
NSW DPI New South Wales Department of Primary Industries
OSPESCA Organización del Sector Pesquero y Acuícola en el Istmo
Centroamericano / Organization for Fisheries and Aquaculture
in the Central American Isthmus
PAPCA Plan de Apoyo a la Pesca en Centroamérica / Plan to Support
Fisheries in Central America
PRADEPESCA Programa Regional de Apoyo al Desarrollo de la Pesca en el
Istmo Centroamericano / Regional Program to Support Fishery
and Aquaculture in the Central American Isthmus
RFMOs Regional fisheries management organizations
RLGPA Reglamento de la Ley General de Pesca y Acuicultura /
Regulation for the Fishery and Aquaculture General Law
SBT Southern Bluefin Tuna
SFR Statutory Fishing Rights
UN United Nations
UNCLOS United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea
UNEPA Unidad Especial de Ejecución para la Pesca y Acuicultura /
Special Unit for the Implementation of Fishery and Aquaculture
UNFSA Agreement for the Implementation of the Provisions of the
United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea of 10
December 1982 Relating to the Conservation and Management
of Straddling Fish Stocks and Highly Migratory Fish Stocks,
1995.
UNIPESCA Unidad de Manejo de la Pesca y Acuicultura / Management of
Fishery and Aquaculture Unit
USPADA Unidad Sectorial de Planificación Agropecuaria y de
Alimentación / Agriculture and Food Sectorial Planning.

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Australian states and territories:

NSW New South Wales
NT Northern Territory
Qld Queensland
SA South Australia
Tas. Tasmania
Vic. Victoria
WA Western Australia

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Table of Contents

Abstract....................................................................................................................... i
Summary ....................................................................................................................ii
Acknowledgements....................................................................................................iii
List of figures..............................................................................................................ix
List of tables............................................................................................................... x
Introduction..............................................................................................................1

1. Guatemala: A country with fishery resources and complex legislation.........9
1.1. Fisheries activities in Guatemala...................................................................10
1.2. Aquaculture activities in Guatemala..............................................................14
1.3. Background to Guatemalan fishery and aquaculture legislation....................17
1.3.1. Decree-law number 1235, Ley que Reglamenta la Piscicultura y la Pesca
(Law which regulates fish farming and fishing).................................................17
1.3.2. Decree 1470 of the Congress of the Republic of Guatemala..................18
1.4 Fishery and aquaculture general law and its bylaw........................................21
1.5 Management of Fishery and Aquaculture Unit –UNIPESCA..........................28

2. Fisheries law in developed countries: case study of Australia.....................31
2.1 Fisheries activities in Australia.......................................................................32
2.1.1 Commonwealth........................................................................................32
2.1.2. Overview of the Australia’s states and territories in regard to fisheries...41
2.2 Aquaculture activities in Australia...................................................................47
2.3 Brief history of Australia’s fishery and aquaculture legislation........................52
2.4 Australian fisheries and aquaculture laws......................................................55
2.4.1 Commonwealth Fisheries Management Act 1991 ...................................57
2.5 The Australian Fisheries Management Authority............................................67

3. International fisheries law.................................................................................73
3.1 International Convention for the Regulation of Whaling .................................74

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3.2 Convention on the High Seas.........................................................................76
3.3 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.........................................76
3.4 Agreement for the Implementation of the Provisions of the United Nations
Convention on the Law of the Sea of 10 December 1982 relating to the
Conservation and Management of Straddling Fish Stocks and Highly Migratory
Fish Stocks...........................................................................................................79
3.5 Code of Conduct for Responsible Fisheries ...................................................83

4. Comparison between Guatemala’s Fishery and Aquaculture General Law
and Australia’s Fisheries Management Act 1991. Including suggestions for
improving the Guatemalan legislation.................................................................85
4.1 Objectives, principles and priorities................................................................85
4.2 Glossary .........................................................................................................86
4.3 Fisheries Management...................................................................................87
4.4 Prohibitions and offences ...............................................................................95
4.5 Penalties and the application of the criminal code..........................................99
4.6 Surveillance and enforcement......................................................................100

5. Presentation and analysis of the interviews...............................................105

Conclusions..........................................................................................................111
References............................................................................................................113
Annex....................................................................................................................124

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