MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Argentina: Uncertainty ahead of 2011 squid season

Jigger vessels moored in the port of Mar del Plata.

The limited presence of squid (Illex argentinus) at mile 201, outside the exclusive economic zone (EEZ) is of concern to the local squid jigger fleet, which fear that something similar might happen this year in national waters.

Fishing vessels near the eastern limit of the EEZ, caught just two tonnes per day which was dominated by small squids less than 60 or 70 grams in weight.

According to Guillermo de los Santos, president of the Chamber for Jigger Fishing Shipowners of Argentina (CAPA), around 17 Chinese and 15 Korean ships that have fishing licenses from the Falkland Islands, were “catching very little, but more importantly, destroying stocks of the resource,” reports Pescare.

On the one hand, this lack of Illex endangers the possibility that China's fleet will operate in Argentine ports, under a recent agreement between the two countries.

The businessman said that there is information showing that the boats will leave for the Asian Pacific in search of the Peruvian giant squid (Dosidicus gigas), an alternative to the Argentine squid.

On the other hand, this situation creates uncertainty about the 2011 harvest in the national platform that begins in February after two seasons with landings declining.

During 2010, Argentine ports received 84,409 tonnes of squid, while the previous year 71,414 tonnes were landed. Both volumes are very far from the 255,000 tonnes harvested in the 2008 season.

In addition, unions and infrastructure disagreements prevented the National Institute of Fisheries Research and Development (Inidep) to carry out the research campaign for 2010, so the uncertainty is even greater.

In this regard, the representative of the shipowners complained that the fleet has been left to operate “blind”.

However, de los Santos acknowledged that the price of the cephalopod remains stable above the low usually experienced at the beginning of each season.

According to official reports, the value of a tonne of squid reached USD 2236 during November last year, representing an increase of 90.1 per cent over the same period in 2009, a year marked by crisis.

The problem for the Argentine businessmen is that the country “does not have a competitive dollar.” Therefore, the sector finds it difficult to grant wage increases, as requested by the unions.

However, the president of CAPA said they are negotiating with captains and representatives of the Maritime Workers Union (SOMU) to sign an agreement.

The leader also sought support from the national state in order “to be sustainable.”

“They talked about removing retentions, but we do not have anything yet,” he said. (FIS)