The CONICET signed the agreement for the creation of the CIMAS
The agreement also received the support of the Universidad Nacional del Comahue, the Ministry for Agriculture, Livestock and Fishing, the Environment and Sustainable Development Secretariat and the Tourism Ministry for Río Negro. The CIMAS will be funded by the Ministry of Science and Technology (MINCyT).
In San Antonio Oeste, in the province of Río Negro, an agreement was signed for the creation of the Centro de Investigación Aplicada y Transferencia Tecnológica en Recursos Marinos Almirante Storni (CIMAS) [Centre for Applied Research and Technology Transference in Marine Resources¨Almirante Storni.” This organization is under the scope of the Instituto de Biología Marina y Pesquera ¨Almirante Storni¨ [Institute for Marine and Fishing Biology ¨Almirante Storni¨], which is already jointly administered with the Universidad Nacional del Comahue (UNCOMA), and the Ministry for Agriculture, Livestock and Fishing of Río Negro.
The president of the National Scientific and Technical Research Council (CONICET), Dr. Roberto Salvarezza, stated “This inter-institutional centre represents a superior phase for the Council as it adds other institutions to generate a more integral action in the north Patagonian region.” He also highlighted the intention of promoting San Antonio Oeste as a “polo científico” [centre for science] with more infrastructure and young researchers.”
The main goal of the CIMAS is to contribute to the development of the region with local human resources; natural, tourist and cultural heritage. For this reason different organizations boost the creation of a new Centre. Strictly speaking, the CIMAS aims to foster research projects on San Matías Gulf fisheries.
The secretary of Scientific-Technological Coordination of the MINCyT, Dr. Alejandro Ceccatto, affirmed “from our Secretariat, our main objective is to create interinstitutional centres that include new actores in places with regional themes. The CIMAS is a good example of those actions.”
Through the CIMAS, there will be interdisciplinary plans that involve research based on a perspective that includes species conservation and marine environments, the use of renewable sources and technologies applied to the sea.
Regarding that, the deputy governor of the province of Río Negro, Pedro Pesatti, hightlighted the initiative of the National Governmet and added “Our challenge as provincial officials is to train human resources to make good use of the huge potential of the Argentine sea.”
The event was atended by the coordinator of the Scientific and Technological Cabinet of the MINCyT, Dr. Alejandro Mentaberry; the Minister of Agriculture, Livestock and Fishing of Río Negro, Marcel Martín; the vice chancellor of the UNCOMA, Gustavo Crisafulli; the Secretary of Environment and Sustainable Development of Río Negro, Eng. Dina Migan; and the Executive Director of the Institute for Marine and Fishing Biology, Oscar Padin.