Image: Revista Puerto / FIS

Jigger Fleet Increases Squid Catches by 62.5%

ARGENTINA
Friday, May 17, 2024, 01:00 (GMT + 9)

The data comes from the latest technical report prepared by researchers from the INIDEP Cephalopod Project in comparison with last year. Average catches increased from 16 tons in 2023 to 24 tons this year. Stable fishing effort.

INIDEP Technical Report 12/24 contains a summary of the fishing fleet's activity on squid until April 22, week 16 of the harvest. Until that date, the season shows greater abundance than the 2023 harvest, which is reflected in a 50% increase in the fleet's average daily yields and a 62.5% increase in total catches by a fleet that It remained stable in terms of its composition: 70 ships.

Source: Revista Puerto

The researchers analyzed the available data on catch, effort, biological sampling and area of operations of the Argentine jigging fleet and estimated the number of vessels operating outside the EEZ and within the EEZ in dispute with the United Kingdom.

Until the technical document prepared by the Cephalopodos Project directed by Marcela Ivanovic was cut, the 70 jiggers had developed or completed 222 trips. They totaled 4,478 days of fishing. This information was completed with that of 185 final reports that were provided by the National Directorate of Fisheries Coordination.

Until April 22, a total of 108,861 tons of catch were recorded, with an average of 24 tons per day on average. 96% of the work was carried out in the Management Unit south of the parallel of 44º South.

Last year, INIDEP presented a Technical Report until April 10 that summarized the activity of the harvest until week 15. The current data implies a 10% improvement in the number of trips and fishing days for the same number of boats. Average yields were 16 tons per day and total catches reached 63,553 tons.

North of the parallel of 44º South, the task began on April 5 and until the 22nd of last month, 50 vessels captured 4,535 tons (21 tons per day on average) operating on the external platform south of the parallel of 40º South.

In relation to the trawl fleet, it reported catches of 20,622 tons, of which 96% were made south of 44º South. Last year until April 10, they had recorded catches of 7,685 tons.

The researchers estimated that in the area adjacent to our EEZ in the Southern Management Unit, up to 213 jigger vessels were operating in week 15, mainly concentrated in rectangles 4660 and 4760.

<-- Source: Stockfile FIS

North of 44º South, the presence of 12 foreign vessels was observed in the same week, operating in rectangles 4157 and 4258. Meanwhile, it was estimated at 103 vessels in the same period analyzed, operating in territories in dispute with the United Kingdom and fishing in rectangle 5058.

To analyze the situation of the task in the North Management Unit, the Cephalopod Project researchers processed the information from two trips with Fisheries Research Assistants on board, who took 20 samples that represented a total of 2,995 specimens sampled.

The results showed a squid capture with an average mantle length size of 23.5 centimeters and 250 grams in weight, a better size than those recorded at the beginning of activities in the northern management unit. The researchers found them mostly immature-maturing, corresponding to the northern Patagonian Buenos Aires stock.

The INIDEP Cephalopod Program has already completed the report on the situation of the season until May 6, which will be submitted to be discussed by the members of the Federal Fisheries Council this week.

Source: Revista Puerto  (Translated from the original in Spanish)

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