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A row of squid fishing vessels moored in the port of Mar del Plata. (Photo: Stock File)
Worst squid season in 16 years comes to an end
ARGENTINA
Tuesday, September 08, 2009, 00:40 (GMT + 9)
The squid (Illex argentinus) season in national waters closed with one of the worst registries in the sector’s recent history. Official statistics reveal that 61,249.4 tonnes were received from 1 January to 4 September, just 24.3 per cent of the 251,892.7 tonnes landed between the first day of 2008 and 11 September of that year.
The 75.7 per cent fall intensifies the national squid sector crisis, which has also been exacerbated by the downturn in international markets.
According to the Secretariat of Agriculture, Livestock, Fisheries and Food (SAGP&A), the port of Mar del Plata received 42,091 tonnes of squid through 4 September of this year.
Meanwhile, 13,123.8 tonnes were unloaded in Madryn Port; 3,324.9 tonnes in Port Deseado; and 1,228.5 tonnes in Comodoro Rivadavia, among other terminal ports.
The squid jigger fleet landed 50,700.2 tonnes of squid; fresh fish vessels, 5,352.5 tonnes; while 5,080.5 tonnes were unloaded by trawlers, among other vessels.
The harvest figures outside the exclusive economic zone (EEZ) also indicate poor results.
Preliminary estimates disclose that between weeks 1 and 18, approximately 60,000 tonnes of squid were captured; whereas 3,500 tonnes more were landed in the North area, Pescare reports.
The future forecast is also worrisome because scientists lack sufficient data to project the evolution of the resource.
To date, the expeditions for the evaluation of the North-Patagonic Buenos Aires Stock and for the estimation of indices of juvenile abundance of the Spring Spawning Stock were not undertaken.
These investigations were suspended “due to the limited availability of the BIP Dr. Eduardo Holmberg during the first seven days of the month of April,” indicates Technical Report 33/09 of the National Institute for Fisheries Research and Development (INIDEP).
Related article:
- Squid season tally worst ever
By Analia Murias
editorial@fis.com
www.fis.com
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