MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Federal Fisheries Council orders squid season closure on 28 May

Argentina_The Federal Fisheries Council (CFP) will ask the Enforcement Authority to proceed with the closure of the squid (Illex argentinus) fishery south of parallel 42º 15' S as of next 28 May.

Members with the CFP unanimously decided upon this, after a review of survey results reported on the species in Argentine waters, carried out by staff with the National Institute of Fisheries Research and Development (INIDEP).

The INIDEP report indicates that the effective squid population is chiefly made up of Buenos Aires-North Patagonian specimens (SBNP).

Moreover, it states a low abundance of pre-adults within the spring spawning stock (SDP), whose size range from 14 to 18 centimeters and are not matured.

The same occurred with the presence of juveniles within the summer spawning stock (SDV), whose size ranged between seven and 12 centimeters.

INIDEP scientists estimated that during the seventeenth week (the campaign's mid- point) the total biomass in the surveyed area amounted to 34,554 tonnes and around 110.6 million specimens.

They also indicated that there has been an increase in the SBNP biomass in comparison with last year, when it amounted to 17,343 tonnes.

Taking into account the anticipated opening of the season and the catch volume so far, INIDEP recommended closing the fishery as soon as possible.

By request of CFP members, INIDEP scientists submitted updated information regarding the evolution of catches per effort unit (CPEU) by the squid-jigger fleet operating the SBNP species for the last 10 years.

After analysing all information, the CFP decided unanimously to order the closure of the squid fishery south of parallel 42º 15' S as of zero hour, 28 May.

The evolution of the fishery in the area north of parallel 42º 15' S will continue to be evaluated in future meetings.

For that purpose, the CFP has asked the INIDEP staff to provide daily information on fleet activity in that fishery ground, including performance and catch averages, with their respective dispersion statistics.

Additionally, it requested the Enforcement Authority to provide details on the daily location of each squid-jigger. (FIS)