MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Mar del Plata to host scientific-technological symposium.

A major scientific fisheries symposium is to be held in Mar del Plata from 22-24 November.

The XV Scientific-Technical Symposium will be held in the headquarters of the National Institute of Fisheries Research and Development (INIDEP). The event is being organised by the Mixed Technical Commission of the Maritime Front.

Scientists and researchers belonging to INIDEP and INAPE (National Fisheries Institute of Uruguay), and of universities of both countries will take part in the meeting, as well as several foreign specialists.

The programme of activities includes lectures and a poster exhibition.

Prime topics at the meeting will include:

·the age and sex structure of hake (Merluccius hubbsi) stocks in the area north 41 degrees south; ·hake reproduction and hatchery areas; ·analysis of 27 hake assessment campaigns in the Argentine-Uruguay Common Fishing Zone; ·study of the relationship between the dynamics of the waters and the densities of hake populations in the Common Fishing Zone during 1991-1999 and ·evaluation of the stock liable to fishing exploitation and the biomass-stock of hake north and south of 41º S.

Other main subjects include coastal fisheries, such as white croaker (Micropogonias furnieri) and sea trout (Macrodon ancylodon and Cynoscion guatucupa); aspects concerning the fishery in the area adjacent to the Argentine EEZ during 1997-1999; demersal fish in the Common Fishing Zone (CFZ); red tide; reproductive aspects of some shark and ray species in the CFZ and responsible fishing.

Posters will focus on hake; coastal and austral species, such as Southern blue whiting (Micromesistius australis) ; selectivity; crustacean and molluscs; environment and contamination; elasmobranch fisheries; responsible fishery and fisheries technology.

Source: Fisheries International Services