Illex squid. (Photo: Inidep)
ARGENTINAThursday, February 12, 2015, 21:40 (GMT + 9)
Argentine maritime ports received in January this year 16,464 tonnes of fish, 31.8 per cent less than in the first month of 2014, when landings totalled 24,121.4 tonnes.
Of total discharges, 11,803.8 tonnes were of fish, 4,567.4 tonnes of crustaceans and 92.8 tonnes of shellfish, according to statistics from the Undersecretariat of Fisheries and Aquaculture under the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries (MINAGRI).
In fish, the reduction of landings reached 19.7 per cent, when compared with 14,691.4 tonnes landed in January 2014.
Regarding molluscs, they were down 84.7 per cent, compared to 604 tonnes in the previous year.
As regards crustaceans, the decline was 48.3 per cent, vs. 8,826 tonnes landed in January 2014.
According to data released by MINAGRI, the largest landings until 30 January 2014 corresponded to hake (Merluccius hubbsi), with 5,172.3 tonnes. This volume represents a fall of 38.5 per cent compared to the 8,406.2 tonnes landed the first month of last year.
Until last 30 January, 4,343.2 tonnes of shrimp (Pleoticus muelleri) were landed, that is to say, 47.5 per cent less than in the same period of 2014 (8,265.8 tonnes).
Some 84 tonnes of squid (Illex argentinus), a figure which represents a decrease of 60.5 per cent when compared with 212.6 tonnes unloaded between 1 and 30 January 2014, were landed.
In addition, 85.5 tonnes of hoki (Macruronus magellanicus), 740.8 tonnes of striped weakfish (Cynoscion striatus), 525.4 tonnes of Patagonian flounder (Paralichthys patagonicus), 152.2 tonnes of narrownose smooth-hound (Mustelus schmitti) and 305.6 tonnes of red porgy (Pagrus pagrus) were discharged.
Mar del Plata (Buenos Aires) continued to maintain leadership in national fisheries, as it received in its docks 10,051.5 tonnes of fish.
The port of Rawson (Chubut) ranked second, with 4,323.1 tonnes; followed by Ushuaia (Tierra del Fuego), with 779.3 tonnes; Comodoro Rivadavia (Chubut), with 617.1 tonnes; San Antonio Este (Rio Negro), with 318.9 tonnes; Puerto Deseado (Santa Cruz), with 228.3 tonnes; and Puerto Madryn (Chubut), with 145.3 tonnes, among other port terminals.
The fleet having the highest level of catches in January 2014 was the coastal one, with 7,913.9 tonnes.
Further back stand fresh fish boats, with 6,768.7 tonnes; surimi vessels, with 772.8 tonnes; trawlers, 367.4; and bay/estuary ships, with 363.3 tonnes, among other vessels.