The San Matías Gulf is a gulf of Argentina located on the coast of the Atlantic Ocean

San Matías Gulf: Biomass of 25,706 Tons of Hake Estimated

ARGENTINA
Thursday, December 12, 2024, 00:10 (GMT + 9)

The recent REDE 2024 fisheries and environmental research campaign, whose preliminary results were presented to the government of Río Negro, has estimated that the available biomass of hake (Merluccius hubbsi) in the San Matías Gulf amounts to 25,706 tons. However, this figure represents only 50% of historical levels, according to Revista Puerto.

Photo: INIDEP

Technical Report No. 35/24, prepared by the Research and Technical Assistance Program for Monitoring and Developing Management Plans for the Fisheries of the San Matías Gulf, outlines the findings of the REDE 2024 campaign, conducted between November 2 and 12 aboard the Mar Argentino research vessel from INIDEP, with the collaboration of various scientific institutions.

Key Findings

The study assessed yield per unit area, estimated stock biomass, and the demographic structure of the fishing population.

Photo: INIDEP

1.  Yield per Unit Area:

   • Hourly hake yields ranged from 0.009 to 2.8 t/h of trawling, with an average of 0.466 t/h across the study area.
   • This average, along with the biomass indicator, was lower than in previous campaigns conducted during the same period, except for 2022, which recorded the lowest historical values.

2. Biomass Estimation:

   • The total biomass was estimated at 25,706 tons, with a confidence interval between 16,260 and 35,152 tons.
   • While this represents a 100% increase compared to the REDE 2022 campaign, current levels remain at just half of the historical average.

3. Size Structure:

   • A significant increase was observed in the numerical abundance of specimens under 35 cm in total length (recruits aged 1 and 2 years) compared to REDE 2022 and even REDE 2018.
   • However, the number of adults (over 35 cm) was lower than recorded in REDE 2018.

Photo: INIDEP

Context and Recommendations

Although the indicators show improvement compared to 2022, they remain far from historical values that would ensure a sustainable conservation status for this fishery resource.

The report emphasizes that the recovery observed in total biomass, as well as in the abundance of recruits and juveniles, reflects an improvement in the conservation status of hake. However, to solidify this positive trend, it recommends:

• Maintaining current management measures, such as restrictions on fishing effort and catches.
• Reducing discards.
• Enforcing existing closed fishing areas.

Photo: INIDEP

Outlook

The San Matías Gulf remains a crucial area for research and sustainable management of fishery resources. The results of this campaign underscore the importance of maintaining a conservation-focused approach to enable stock recovery and ensure the long-term sustainability of the fishing industry.

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