One hundred and five jiggers and one trawler have been offered Falkland Islands Illex squid licenses for the coming season which opens on February 15. The total number of licences offered matches those taken up in 2014, confirmed Director of Natural Resources John Barton at the Islands Fisheries Committee Meeting.
The Chamber of Jigger Owners from Argentina (CAPA) has requested the Federal Fisheries Council (CFP) the anticipated start of the squid (Illex argentinus) season in 2015.
The Argentine jigging fleet captured nearly 150,000 tonnes of squid (Illex argentinus) in South Atlantic waters during the season that took place between 24 January and 31 August this year, according to a technical report issued by the National Institute for Fishing Research and Development (INIDEP).
THIS year will be marked as one of the most successful years in the history of the Falkland Islands fishery with several record catches registered and the total catch of all species in Falkland waters this month reaching a record of 451,000 tonnes.
Falkland Islands catches of Illex squid surpassed this week the previous record annual catch by 2,022 tons. That record was 266,201 tons in 1999 and Director of Natural Resources John Barton reported midmorning on Thursday that the 2014 catch had just has just overtaken that at 268,223 tons.