Patagonian shrimp, Pleoticus muelleri, capture. (Photo: Stock File)

Shrimp catches expected to be similar to previous years’ ones for H1

ARGENTINA
Monday, April 24, 2017, 23:40 (GMT + 9)

The results of the shrimp (Pleoticus muelleri) assessment conducted in March by the National Institute of Fisheries Research and Development (INIDEP) make it possible to expect a good fishing activity of this crustacean at least in the first half of the year, with catch levels that are similar to those from previous years.

The study, carried out between March 9 to 23 in the Gulf of San Jorge and the northern coast of Chubut, onboard a commercial fishing vessel, estimated the relative density of the shrimp biomass fraction accessible and vulnerable to the fishing net from the fishing vessel, based on the density values ​​obtained in the fishing sets.

INIDEP scientists clarified that although estimates of shrimp biomass and abundance that resulted from this season can not be quantitatively comparable with historical information due to the difference in fishing power of the vessel Bogavante Segundo with its scientific research vessel, the results make it possible to obtain a qualitative-quantitative view of the resource status at the beginning of the next season.

The study reveals that shrimp concentrations in the northern and southern sectors of San Jorge Gulf were mostly represented by specimens of commercial sizes corresponding to categories L4, L5 and L6.

The relative abundance values ​​of recruiting prawn found in the gulf correspond to an important part of the fraction of the population that will be potentially responsible for the biomass available for their harvest through fishing in the 2017/2018 season. Therefore, from INIDEP the importance of making a precautionary management of this fraction of the population has been emphasized in order to avoid overfishing of the growing specimens.

"This scenario allows us to consider that the 2017 fishing season, at least in the first half of the year, could have at least a catch level similar to that performed in recent years, taking into account that the information comes from a ship with different fishing power than that regularly used by INIDEP," states the INIDEP report.

The study results were presented last week by INIDEP researchers to members of the Federal Fisheries Council (CFP).

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