MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Jigging fleet finds large squid off Falklands – season not over yet

The squid “was surely there to be caught since January,” said Redini.

As the catching season seemed over for Puerto Deseado's fleet, the new finding brought relief to the squid sector and work now may continue for a while.

The jigging fleet that was heading to parallel 52º in search of squid finally found specimens of the southern Patagonian stock weighing more than 700 grams each, of the Falkland Islands in a sector called “Alambrada,” it was reported.

Argentine Chamber of Jigger-boat Shipowners (CAPA) President Juan Redini confirmed the finding by noting that catches average between 20 to 30 tons per day with larger than usual squid size specimens that had not been seen for many years.

“The truth is that we are very happy, and this is a great incentive, surely in the next few hours some more boats will join, although many have already kissed the season goodbye,” he said.

Redini said that this finding makes them rethink certain changes in the way they fish. “We will have to go south as soon as the season starts and do a more effective search between the 49th to the 52nd parallel because this squid weighs more than 700 grams, it was surely there to be caught since January,” he finally acknowledged.

Meanwhile, United Maritime Workers Union Puerto Deseado Chief Gustavo Barriga was enthusiastic about the sudden discovery: “It is good news because it translates into more work for people at a difficult time if the volumes remain within an acceptable range the boats will continue to fish,” he said.

Although it is not the entire jigging fleet that is operating in the 52nd, the expectations that the unloadings will be carried out through Puerto Deseado give hope to the stevedoring sector; a sector that has seen activity decrease considerably in recent weeks as a result of the fleet's shift to the north. “Since the area was opened in the north, only Deseado's ships and the odd have entered, but if the fish they found now is not cut, the ships will continue to enter here and we will have more work,” he explained.