MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Argentine hake catches estimated below 300.000 tons

Hake catches in Argentina are forecasted to be below 300.000 tons since season landings up to the first week of October totaled 210.000 tons. If confirmed this would be the lowest catch since 2003, when landings reached 334.000 tons.

Official catch figures released by the Argentine Fisheries Secretariat show that in 2004 landings reached 416.739 tons; in 2005, 358.868 tons and 353.550 tons in 2006. Fisheries figures indicate that up to last October 4 Argentine hake catches totaled 210.583 tons, of which 121.902 tons were landed in Mar del Plata; 36.953 tons in Puerto Madryn and 20.120 tons in Comodoro Rivadavia. Even when October/December is the strongest quarter for the hake fisheries, Argentine fishing industry experts believe the 300.000 tons benchmark will remain intact. However the Fisheries Secretariat is concerned that some catches may be unreported or undeclared and is considering more strict controls and closer monitoring.