MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

“Good Ilex season” reports Argentine press

Jiggers operating in Argentina's EEZ are currently reporting significant Illex squid catches, with Puerto Deseado in Santa Cruz province, the main unloading port reports Diario de Madryn.

However given the intense traffic some jiggers have been diverted to other Patagonian ports such as Caleta Paula and Puerto Madryn.

Apparently Puerto Deseado is the privileged port this season because it's the closest to the Illex squid fishery which can be reached in six hours of sailing. From Puerto Madryn it takes 18 hours, reports the daily.

An estimated thirteen jiggers regularly called in Puerto Deseado for unloading during February.

The average daily catch per jigger is in the range of 20 to 25 tons of Illex and the size is mostly "S", between 100 and 180 grams per squid, and the rest "M", medium, 180 to 280 grams.

Another positive sign of this year's season is that jiggers to fill their hauls remain in high seas an average 22 days, a considerable drop from the 35 of previous poor seasons.

In related news Santa Cruz province priced the 2006 fishing year commercial, unrestricted licence in the equivalent of 100.000 US dollars, according to provincial Resolution 179.

The restricted licence which excludes prawns and other species costs the equivalent of 30.000 US dollars. Payment can be done at the beginning of the season in March or in four installments: 20% March 1; 30% June 1; 30% July 1 and 20% September 1, plus a 2% monthly interest rate beginning March.