MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Squid season north of 44º S begins April 21

The Argentine Federal Fisheries Council (CFP) has requested the Under secretariat of Fisheries and Aquaculture (SSP&A) to authorise squid (Illex argentinus) fishing north of parallel 44º S as of next April 20, 24:00 hours. The request is based on the fact that “conditions that prompted the early opening of the 2004 season north of 44º S remain unchanged”.

Last April 11, the Argentine Government banned squid fishing south of parallel 44, following the review of a survey report carried out by the National Institute of Fisheries Research and Development (INIDEP) and a recommendation from CPF members to suspend fishing efforts.

However the news of the early opening of the squid season north of parallel 44 was received with moderate enthusiasm by the industry who are not optimistic over the abundance of the resource in the area, at least during the first weeks of the season. They consider that environmental conditions remain basically unchanged, with water temperature not adequate for squid fishing.

Meanwhile the squid season in the common fishing area shared with Uruguay (ZOCOPES) begins today, April 15 in compliance with an order by the Marine Front Joint Technical Commission.

INIDEP also confirmed that the research vessel Eduardo Holmberg will set sail this weekend from the Port of Mar del Plata to begin a squid survey cruise north of parallel 44º S.

"Research is aimed at assessing distribution, abundance, and concentration areas of the Buenos Aires-North Patagonian stock. The resource has been limited in these past years" revealed Otto Woller, head of INIDEP's Research Department to Diario de Madryn.The cruise is expected to last 25 days and will cover the area between parallels 43º and 36º S, and isobaths 50 to 400 metres. It will chart characteristics of the specimen's population (sizes, age, and sexual development stage), which will help estimate the biomass available and then determine fishery efforts. (FIS/MP).-