Fishing landings in the first half of 2012. (Graph: Subpesca)

Seafood landings fall 18pc

CHILE
Monday, August 06, 2012, 03:00 (GMT + 9)

Seafood landings accumulated up to June 2012 totalled 2.1 million tonnes, representing 18.4 per cent less than in the first six months of 2011, when 2.5 million tonnes were landed.

According to the latest Fishing and Aquaculture Sector Report of the Undersecretariat of Fisheries (Subpesca), the catching sector contributed 1.7 million tonnes between January and June 2012 while yields of the aquaculture sector reached 412,400 tonnes.

About 59.5 per cent of landings in the catching sector was composed of pelagic resources, a smaller percentage than a year earlier, which was 66.7 per cent.

Landings of sardine, anchovy and horse mackerel respectively accounted for 33.2 per cent, 18.9 per cent and 12.6 per cent of total landings of the catching sector until June 2012.

These landings were concentrated in regions V and X, which together received 839,900 tonnes or 68.4 per cent of the total.

Further back were ranked Regions XV to II, where landings totalled 279,500 tonnes (22.7 per cent), and regions III and IV, which accounted for 3.1 per cent of landings, represented by 38,000 tonnes.

As to catches of demersal fisheries, up to June 2012 about 7,900 tonnes of southern hake had been landed, representing 16.2 per cent less than in the same period of 2011 (9,400 tonnes).

The main contribution came from the artisanal fleet, with 4,200 tonnes while the industrial vessels landed 3,700 tonnes.

Subpesca also reported that the landing of hake cumulative up to June this year totalled 19,200 tonnes, 13.1 per cent less than in 2011 (22,000 tonnes).

The landing of toothfish (Chilean seabass) was 1,100 tonnes up to June 2012 compared to 12.7 per cent less than in the first six months of 2011 (1,260 tonnes).

Between January and June this year 566 tonnes of golden kingklip were landed compared to 560 tonnes in the same period last year (1.1 per cent more).

Meanwhile, the National Fisheries Service (Sernapesca) reported that in the first five months of this year aquaculture harvests totalled 365,500 tonnes, representing a rise of 8.6 per cent over the same period in 2011, when 336,600 tonnes were harvested.

The main resources produced nationally were mussels, Atlantic salmon, rainbow trout and Pacific salmon, which accounted respectively for 33.9 per cent, 32.2 per cent, 20.8 per cent and 10 4 per cent of the total harvests.

Regions X and XI generated most of the harvests: a total of 236,500 tonnes and 112,000 tonnes, respectively.

The harvests of mussels accumulated through May totalled 124,000 tonnes, 27.6 per cent less than in the same period of 2011 (171,240 tonnes). The 100 per cent of the harvests came from the Region X.

The Atlantic salmon harvests totalled 117,700 tonnes, 88.9 per cent more than the cumulative volume between January and May 2011 (62,300 tonnes). Most production was from the Regions XI (71,800 tonnes) and X (35,000 tonnes).

Meanwhile, rainbow trout harvests totalled 76,200 tonnes up to May 2012, 27.3 per cent more than the cumulative volume over the same period of 2011 (59,900 tonnes). Most of the production came from Regions X (49,300 tonnes) and XI (23,800 tonnes).

Pacific salmon harvests totalled 38,150 tonnes until May 2012, representing 23.7 per cent more than the amount accumulated in the same period in 2011 (30,900 tonnes). Most of the production came from Regions X (21,800 tonnes) and XI (16,300 tonnes).

By Analia Murias
editorial@fis.com
www.fis.com

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