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.
Falkland Islands' catches for calamari squid and hake have risen substantially over five years. Statistics were outlined at Legislative Assembly on Thursday.
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.
Fisheries exports from Mercosur member countries which now face tariffs ranging from 8% to 15% in the European Union will see them gradually disappear during a seven-year period, according to the terms of the wide-ranging strategic trade and cooperation agreement signed this week between the two blocks.
The first season of the two loligo (Falklands calamari) seasons of 2019 closed with total catches of 51,000 tonnes, a 10,000 increase on the first season of 2018 and less than 30,000 tonnes short of the total for both 2018 seasons, 78,913 tonnes.
Exports of canned, semi-preserved and prepared fish and shellfish experienced an increase of 3.85% in volume and 7.41% in value during the first five months of this year compared to the same period of the previous year. Between January and May, Spain exported 86,732 tons valued at more than Euros 406 million, according to the canning association ANFACO-CECOPESCA.
Argentine seafood exports grew by almost 7% in volume and around 16% in dollar value during 2017, according to the final figures published by the Under-secretariat of Fisheries in its latest Report. Data from the Economics Department, based on information from INDEC shows that fisheries exports totaled US$ 1,978bn, a 16.4% higher compared to 2016, while the volume was up 6.9% to 475,591 tons.
The squid fishing season in the South Atlantic, operating with Argentine licenses, has started with good prospects and a moderate optimism of the sector. During the first week jiggers reported daily average catches that oscillated between 28 and 35 tons, according to Pescare, an Argentine fish industry publication. .
Falkland Islands Senior Fisheries Scientist Dr Alexander Arkhipkin explains the habits of fur seals and the efforts undertaken to reduce by-catch in the Loligo fishery. Stocks of Falkland calamari (Loligo) are very prolific this year.