The temporary ban imposed by the Brazilian government on Vietnamese pangasius (Pangasius spp.) imports because of sanitary reasons and lack of phyto-sanitary controls, represents a great opportunity to increase Argentine hake (Merluccius hubbsi) shipments to the leading Mercosur partner.
Argentina's Federal Fisheries Council (CFP) has reassigned hake (Merluccius hubbsi) catches for the remainder of the year. According to Resolution 8/14, published in the Official Gazette, the vessel owners that considered themselves unable to capture the entire allocated hake quota, can partially return it to a reserve fund for future reallocation.
Uruguay fisheries exports during the first half of the year reached 33.921 tons, which represent a 13.2% increase over the same period a year ago, while in money terms sales totaled 76.6 million dollars, up 17.7%, according to the latest release from Aquatic Resources National Office, DINARA, published in the official government portal.
Argentina fisheries exports reached 441,255 tons in 2013, up 19.6% over the previous year when 368,915 tons were shipped abroad. Among the items with outstanding performance figures squid with over 100.000 tons and 84% higher than in 2012, according to the official stats from Argentina's Senasa, National Health and Food Quality Service.
Uruguay fisheries exports last year totaled 79.768 tons valued at 189 million dollars which is a considerable drop from 2011 with 102.500 tons and 236 million dollars. White croaker and hake were the main export items and Nigeria displaced the European Union as the main market.
The auditing firm KPMG found out that the Galician multinational firm Pescanova ‘blew up’ up to 1,264% the price of seafood products sold to the 14 instrumental (straw) companies with which it operated through fake invoices.
Argentina's National Fisheries Coordination Agency reported that the Federal Fisheries Council (CFP) established fishing quotas for hake (Merluccius hubbsi) for the current year: 277,000 tons for the south area (south of parallel 41°SL) and 35,000 tons for the north area (north of parallel 41°SL).
Argentina reported exports of 48.418 tons of seafood in the first two months of the year equivalent to 140.8 million dollars, which is 8.2% less than the same period a year ago, mainly because of lower prices.
The Argentine non government organization CeDePesca, Development and Sustainable Fisheries Centre have requested Argentine fisheries authorities to take action against the sustained over-fishing experienced by the hake (Merluccius hubbsi) in the South Atlantic.
A delegation from the Argentine Patagonian province of Chubut fishing industry is on a business round of Brazil and the first city to visit was Florianópolis. The group led by Chubut governor Martin Buzzi is also scheduled to visit Sao Paulo and Brasilia.