The squid industry in Argentina is surprised and expectant since the Federal Fisheries Council, CFP, (Act CFP 6/2024) has temporarily ordered all jiggers back to the harbors, given a report from INIDEP, in which the research center in Mar del Plata discovered a notorious lack of small, young squid, SS and S, in the area’s biomass.
Things are so serious that it is very possible that CFP, might consider the Illex Argentinius squid season definitively over for this season, apparently during a meeting scheduled for the next days.
However the squid industry is arguing that during the same season a year ago, the best catches took place during May and June, but this year research is showing a surprising diversity in the size of the cephalopods
In effect during 2023 a difficult start recovered with catches north of parallel 42, and following the end of May with some of the largest catches, some of the best since 2014.
But surprisingly this season research showed a scarcity of small, young squid, S and SS, while catches, abundant of M and L squid vanished at the end of May, despite an initial promising season.
Furthermore as northern fishing areas were opened, catches dropped to a few tons per day, insufficient to justify fuel and other costs.
Thus the temporary suspension of the season with the possibility of a new research cruise to check on possible squid ‘banks’ further out into sea, but Argentine industry believes the most possible outcome is the final closure of the current season.