Since Saturday, January 15, zero hours, Argentine jiggers have been allowed to operate between parallel 44 and parallel 48 South, following the lack and/or minimum catches at the original specified area of parallels 49 to 52 S.
The Red Ensign trawler Argos Pereira finally left on Saturday evening for the Falkland Islands to begin the squid season after spending 16 days in Montevideo because of an outbreak of Covid 19 on board, as reported by the Uruguayan Chamber of Foreign Fishing Vessels Agents, CAPE.
Red Ensign flagged trawler Argos Pereira which was heading for the Falkland Islands squid season, has been retained in the port of Montevideo after 28 of its 54 crew members tested positive to Covid-19, despite having complied with the expected protocols in the high seas before docking for bunkering in the Uruguayan capital.
The departure of several fishing vessels scheduled to leave from Vigo, Galicia to the Falkland Islands' squid season, has been delayed because a few crew members tested positive for the coronavirus. Companies involved have undertaken the necessary and isolation measures, reports the local media.
Argentina's squid season takes off next Saturday, Jan 16, south of parallel 44, according to the Federal Fisheries Council. The decision follows a technical-scientific report from the country's research institute, Inidep, which emphasized that jiggers can begin operating on the Spring Spawning Stock, (SDV), and avoiding the South Patagonic Stock.
The first report of squid catches from the Argentine season, south of parallel 44, indicate that daily averages were below those of similar seasons in 2018 and 2019. The INIDEP report, ”Argentine Squid, Season 2020, Report to 27 January (four weeks)” shows that the 58-jigger fleet caught some 10.649 tons, with average catches during weeks 2 and 4, of 17 and 27 tons per day, below the 32 to 40 tons per day in 2018 and 2019.
This Friday begins the Argentine squid season to the south of parallel 44, and west of meridian 62. Last year's season was encouraging with daily catches averaging 25/30 tons per jigger, however towards the end of April tonnage dropped dramatically, and the season was cut short.
Argentina's Federal Fishing Council ratified the anticipated start of the 2020 squid season following a request from the fishing organizations and the technical support from Inidep, Argentina's fisheries research and development institute, located in Mar del Plata.
Some 25% of fisheries imports to Vigo, Spain, come from the Falkland Islands revealed Javier Touza, president of the Vigo Cooperative of fishing vessels owners, ARVI, in an interview with local media, while praising the management of the Falklands' fisheries.