Image: Revista Puerto / FIS

Squid: stable catches with absence of the South Patagonian stock

ARGENTINA
Friday, March 17, 2023, 01:10 (GMT + 9)

Landings of the mollusk reached 52,000 tons until last week, but the catches of the South Patagonian stock remained erratic. Commission meeting next week. The CFP (Federal Fisheries Council) did not deal with the report presented by INIDEP in its last two sessions.

Photo: Revista Puerto

The squid fishery shows landings at levels similar to those of last year in the first week of March, but the internal climate is far from being placid and pleasant after the INIDEP research campaign was cancelled; the catches on the South Patagonian stock (SSP) are scarce and an early opening of the Northern Management Unit is not authorized, as requested by CAPA.

In recent days, the mood among the owners has improved due to the increase in yields to the north of the South Management Unit, where a group of jiggers achieved good catches. The average was about 28 tons per day of specimens of good commercial size.

This novelty generated movements in the docks of the port of Mar del Plata and the fleet that had unloaded days before and had been stopped, awaiting the opening of the north, hastened the set sail to take advantage of the sudden abundance. FV "Tai Sei Maru", FV "Esperanza 908" and FV "Huyo 907" were some of those who went out to the fishing area.

Source: INIDEP / FIS -->

Until Monday the 13th, according to data provided by the National Directorate for Fisheries Coordination and Inspection, there were only 38 boats in the fishing zone. 90% of the fleet operated between the parallels of 44º and 45º South. No one did it south of the 49th parallel South. Yesterday, Wednesday, there were already 45 jiggers at work.

The numbers mark a harvest similar to that of last year. Up to March 7, 51,815 tons of unloaded squid were declared, 2% less in the year-on-year comparison with 2022. Of this total, 46,265 were contributed by national jigging vessels, 3% less than last year.

A total of 5,235 tons were fished by freezer trawlers, which registered an increase of 15% in their participation. Only 304 tons were unloaded by the deep-sea reefers, 34% less than last year.

It is not possible to be certain of the average yields of the jigging fleet, nor of the tides that had Observer coverage nor measurements and sizes, nor the presence of foreign fleet operating on mile 201 because in the last two sessions of the The Federal Fisheries Council did not take note of the report prepared by the INIDEP Cephalopod Fishery Program and which marks the evolution of the harvest.

“They did not treat it in the session in Tierra del Fuego but neither in the last one last week. We don't know why," said a member of the potera chamber (CAPA) when asked by this medium. Doubts will be cleared up next week: on Tuesday, March 21, the Fishery Monitoring Commission will have a meeting.

Beyond not having the precise data of the report prepared by INIDEP, there may be indications of the reality of the fishery. The summer spawning stock that the jig fleet has been fishing between 45º and 47º South would be exhausted and the boats that went south of 49º South would not have found the South Patagonian.

“There were half a dozen boats last week but they didn't find it. It failed again as in recent years and to make matters worse we are not going to know what happened because the campaign could not be carried out in February ”, they lament in the sector.

Given the impossibility of operating with certain levels of abundance both north and south of the Management Unit south of 44º Sur, the ships that arrive to unload at the port remain moored waiting for the North Management Unit to open and They take advantage of making minor repairs and reconditioning circuits in the engine room.

At the launching on Saturday, in the stands of the Contessi Shipyard, Undersecretary Carlos Liberman revealed that the northern area would be enabled as of next April 1. The Undersecretary of Fisheries would have insisted, without much success, for more vessels to go down to the south of 49º Sur to find the South Patagonian.

Let us remember that at the opening of the harvest there were two jigger boats that on January 2 opened the season early, operating in the same area, with identical results. Almost no presence of specimens from the South Patagonian Stock.

By Roberto Garrone | Revista Puerto 

[email protected]
www.seafood.media

Print