Photo: Parte de Pesca/FIS

One Month into the Shrimp Season: Promising Catches, Stagnant Prices

ARGENTINA
Wednesday, December 04, 2024, 00:10 (GMT + 9)

The shrimp fishing season in Chubut's jurisdictional waters has completed its first month, with over 18,000 tons caught in the authorized area between parallels 43°00′ S and 44°00′ S, reports Nelson Saldivia from Parte de Pesca.

The catches are notable for their high quality and the prevalence of key commercial sizes such as L1, L2, and L3, depending on the area. However, international prices for Pleoticus muelleri have yet to recover, posing challenges to the profitability of the industry.

(L to R) F/V Bagual and  F/V /Rayo de Sol

Strong Catches and Resource Distribution

The outlook for catches is encouraging. According to Juan Carlos Ottulich, captain of the F/V Bagual, the resource is abundant:

North: large sizes, such as L1 and L2, predominate.

“There are days when concentrations allow for hauls of up to 600 or 800 crates, although on other days, more effort is needed to complete the load,”, Ottulich explained.

Veteran Rawson fisherman Daniel Jurado confirmed the abundance of resources in various areas, though he noted that concentrations are not yet fully stable. “It depends on the day, but generally, it's possible to fully load the boat quickly with very high-quality shrimp, with a hard shell,” he stated.

Depressed Prices and Economic Challenges

Despite promising catches, the sector is grappling with significant economic hurdles. Prices paid to boats are even lower than last year, severely impacting profitability. Ottulich highlighted that a stagnant exchange rate and rising operational costs have created financial challenges for the industry.

“Processing plants are paying very low prices. Under these conditions, there’s hardly any profit left for the boats,” said Ottulich, noting that crate prices remain depressed due to the lack of recovery in international markets.

Jurado echoed this sentiment, adding that some processing plants are overwhelmed with shrimp, limiting boat departures on weekends. “The factories can’t process everything that’s being landed, and that’s affecting the flow of the season,” he explained.

Season Outlook and Structural Concerns

Ottulich emphasized the importance of starting the season in November, which has allowed for strong catch results. “The Bagual signed an agreement with the crew outside of the union, which expedited the start of the season and got the activity moving,” he noted, suggesting that these opening dates should be maintained for future seasons.

However, he expressed concern about the continuous expansion of the fishing fleet. “In recent years, all governments have been issuing more permits, and sooner or later, this will have serious consequences for the sustainability of the resource,” he warned.

Shrimp L1-2-3-4 are the sizes measured by weight, whole round ==>

Conclusion

The first month of the shrimp season in Chubut has been successful in terms of catches, with abundant resources of good quality. However, the lack of recovery in international prices poses major challenges for the sector's profitability, while the saturation of processing plants adds operational pressures. In the long term, the increasing number of fishing permits raises concerns about the sustainability of the resource, according to industry leaders.

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