MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Argentina closes Southern squid fishery: 16 year record low catches

The authorised fishing zone for Illex argentinus.

Argentina’s Federal Fisheries Council (CFP) unanimously voted to close the squid (Illex argentinus) fishery south of parallel 46°, as a precautionary protection measure for the southern Patagonian stock. Adopted last week, the move was spurred by the latest scientific data presented on how the major fishery was evolving and its dangerously low catches.

According to the report drafted by experts at the Mar del Plata National Institute for Fisheries Research and Development (INIDEP), accumulated landings south of parallel 44° through week 12 are the lowest registered in the 1993-2009 year period.

“These volumes are below those of season 2004, which were obtained with lower harvests but a larger fleet” the CFP act indicates. Fisheries Council members also summoned the Squid Fishery Follow-up Commission for a Wednesday 8 April meeting at CFP headquarters.

Argentine ports received 18.704 tons of squid from 1 January to 3 April – 52% below the 39.464 tonnes landed through 7 April 2008, according to the latest Secretariat of Agriculture, Livestock, Fishery, and Food (SAGP&A) statistics.

So far this year the port of Mar del Plata received 9.859 tonnes of squid; Puerto Madryn, 6.305 tons and Comodoro Rivadavia, 1.221 tons. The Argentine jigger fleet landed 15.628 tonnes of squid; trawler vessels, 2.248 tonnes; and 812 tonnes were landed by fresh fish vessels, among others.

In late March, managers of companies participating in the squid fishery were unanimous that fewer volumes of squid were being caught this season compared to last year, an observation which matches SAGP&A statistics. (FIS)