MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Good squid catch news from Argentina: jiggers managing some 30 tons per day

The 65 jiggers operating this season added to 63.037 tons, 45% higher than in 2023, while trawlers contributed with 9.322 tons, 87% more than last year's season.

The Argentine current squid season, based on catches reports is considered encouraging because the so called sub-Patagonic, 46 degrees South, resource keeps the jigger fleet fully occupied with average catches of 30 tons per day, and with good sized specimens.

Until last 5 March the overall catch has totaled 74.913 tons, a 54% higher than in the same period a year ago, with Illex squid the main catch. The 65 jiggers operating this season added to 63.037 tons, 45% higher than in 2023, while trawlers contributed with 9.322 tons, 87% more than last year's season.

Nevertheless more refined volume numbers remain undisclosed until the Fisheries Federal Council begins functioning and the technical reports elaborated by the Cephalous Fisheries Program begins publishing them every two weeks theoretically. However the subPatagonic area remains the main source of catches according to jigger companies and scientists.

Furthermore last week's adverse climate conditions and strong winds, limited operations of the jiggers fleet, but observers on board some of them continue to send reports of an abundant season.

In related news sometime next week an assessment of the north-Patagonic squid biomass, north of parallel 44 South, is expected to begin, with the INIDEP scientific cruise vessel “Eduardo Holmberg”, which only recently ended a similar operation with the south-Patagonic biomass. However the vessel is in need of several repairs on board, malfunction of compressors, and had to enter Comodoro Rivadavia to discharge a crew member.

But this operation seems to have been frozen following on Argentine president Javier Milei 'official' slogan, “there's no money” reply to all requests of additional or extraordinary funds, while his administration is entirely focused on obtaining a budget surplus to comply with electoral promises of ending inflation, locking down all money printing and complying with international financial institutions suggestions.