Photo: Revista Puerto/FIS

Shrimp Yields in Argentina Are Falling

ARGENTINA
Wednesday, September 11, 2024, 00:00 (GMT + 9)

Neither the Undersecretariat of Fisheries nor INIDEP (National Institute for Fisheries Research and Development) has mentioned an early closure of the shrimp season. Until the weekend, yields were consistent with what is expected for this time of year, but on Monday, they dropped sharply in the three subareas where the fleet is currently concentrated. Authorities hope to find better yields in the subareas that are temporarily closed, reports Revista Puerto in its latest edition.

Despite rumors of a potential early closure of the shrimp season, there were no signs of this happening as of Monday. While the yields, which had remained very high throughout the season, have decreased, they were still within the expected range for this time of year. In fact, the catch rates per hour and per day were very similar to those of last year. However, early data from this week surprised many closely monitoring the fishery, as most subareas showed a sharp decline in yields. Still, the season has been excellent, with landings surpassing 2023 levels at this time.

Over the weekend, catch data from Subarea 7, where fishing is allowed, showed yields of 1,000 kilos per hour and an average of 10 tons per day—figures typical for this time of year, given that the fleet has been fishing non-stop since the season began, gradually depleting the larger concentrations.

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However, the situation changed on Monday, at least for the moment. Initial reports indicated a drop in yields in Subarea 7, and only small amounts of shrimp were found in Subareas 8 and 14, where the entire fleet is concentrated.

This news was unexpected, as the resource was anticipated to last longer despite the heavy fishing pressure, based on observations from the assessment campaigns. The data is still preliminary, and it is possible that the shrimp have moved to areas where the fleet currently cannot enter, so it will take a few days to confirm.

In four days, the fleet will be able to enter Subareas 11, 15, and the eastern part of Subarea 7, where fishing is currently suspended. Until then, they can only look for higher concentrations in the northern subareas, 4 and 5, which have shown good yields throughout the season.

They may also request exploratory fishing in other closed subareas, such as 9, 12, 13, and 10. However, the latter, being one of the most coastal, is considered by researchers to need greater protection, making it unlikely that the fleet will be allowed there at this stage of the season.

In total, 160,000 tons have been caught this year, of which 112,000 tons were caught during the season in national waters within the protected area. So far in September, more has been caught than last year when landings were at 139,000 tons, bolstered by the Rawson season, which did not contribute this year. Meanwhile, in the 2023 national waters season, around 75,000 tons had been caught by this time.

As of this report, there has been no announcement of closures or suspensions in any subarea; it is likely that authorities are waiting for more data before making a decision.

It should be noted that the spawning season for the Merluza Hubbsi is beginning, and INIDEP has recommended that fishing within the Juvenile Protection Zone be limited to October 1. Regardless of current yields, the end of the successful 2024 season is likely near.

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