MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Squid landings in Argentine ports down 74% to 65.983 tons

Overall the ten months of this year were negative for Argentine fishing industry

Fisheries landings in Argentine ports during the first ten months of the year were down 31% to 576,623.7 tons (from 832.655 tons) mainly because of the significant decline in squid catches.

Of that volume 455,259.3 tons were of fish, 74,533.2 tons of molluscs and 46,831.2 tons crustaceans, according to statistics released by the Secretariat of Agriculture, Livestock, Fisheries and Food (SAGP&A).

The main landings were common hake (Merluccius hubbsi) which tallied 207,172.5 tons, 8.7% less than the 226,905.1 tonnes captured in the same period of 2008. Hoki ( Macruronus magellanicus) held second place with 74,438.3 tons and squid (Illex argentinus) landings totalled 65,983.4 tons.

The squid landings decline, 74.2% compared to the same period last year (254,809.6 tons) was described as “alarming”. Other important contractions correspond to whitemouth croaker (Micropogonias furnieri) with 20,913.5 tons; short-tailed river stingray ( Potamotrygon brachyura), with 15,289.3 tons and golden kingclip (Genypterus blacodes), 14,298.2 tons.

Other landings included 10,492.2 tons of South American striped weakfish ( Cynoscion striatus); 6,864.8 tons of narrow-nose smooth-hound (Mustelus schmitti); 5,178.8 tons of tadpole codling (Salilota australis); 4,660.4 tons of Patagonian flounder (Paralichthys patagonicus) and 4,586.8 tons of common seabream (Pagrus pagrus).

Regarding molluscs’ landings: 8,318.7 tons of scallops ( Zygochlamys patagonica) and 46,543.7 tons of Argentine red shrimp (Pleoticus muelleri) which represents 5.9% increase over the 43,915.2 tons of the first 10 months of 2008.

Mar del Plata in Buenos Aires province was the main landings hub: 316,544.1 tons followed by Port Madryn, Chubut, with 89,482.1 tons. The list continues with Ushuaia, Tierra del Fuego, 66,894.4 tons; Puerto Deseado, Santa Cruz, 32,910.3 tons and Caleta Paula, Santa Cruz, 18,554.6 tons.

The fleet with the largest volumes landed in the ten month period was the fresh fish vessel fleet with 188.483,1 tons, SAGP&A indicated. Next in line was the trawler fleet with 153,547.8 tons; squid jigger fleet with 54,782.4 tons, and shrimp fishing vessels, 41,898.2 tons. ( FIS/MP).-