Análisis histórico de la composición por especie de los desembarcos de la pesquería de arrastre demersal del Golfo San Matías: identificación y caracterización de ciclos productivos.

ROMERO, MARÍA ALEJANDRA; GONZÁLEZ, RAÚL; OCAMPO REINALDO, MATÍAS

IBMP Serie Publicaciones

IBMP Alte. Storni / Universidad Nacional del Comahue

Lugar: San Antonio Oeste / Río Negro; Año: 2008 p. 27 - 37

1666-4019

The cycles of production in the history of a fishery may be assessed by means the analysis of the species composition in the landed catches. The objective of this study was to assess the percentage variation of the species composition in the landings of the San Matías Gulf bottom-trawler fishery and its causal factors, since the inception of the activity to the present. Using a hierarchical clustering analysis, based on landings composition, five periods or productive cycles were identified. The first one, since 1971 to 1981, was coincident with the initiation of the fishery, and characterized by the dominance of common hake Merluccius hubbsi in the landings. The second period (1982-1989), happened in the same time that the tehuelche scallop Aequipecten tehuelchus fishery gather its second maximum. The common hake continued being the most important species in the landings although a group of other demersal fishes (i.e.: grouper Acanthistius brasilianus, kingclip Genypterus blacodes, sandperch Pseudopercis semifasciata and flounders Paralichthys spp. and Xistreuris rasile) became significant in the landings. The former years of the 1990 decade were characterized by a reordering on the bottom-trawler fishery after de depletion of the tehuelche scallopstock, and a most diversified species composition of landings was also observed since the beginning of this period. The fourth period (1997-2000) was strongly influenced by the introduction of a new fishing gear, mainly directed to catch common hake in the fishery: the mid-water longliner. The common hake constituted the 50% of the total landings in this period following the trend observed in previous years. The last period (2001-2006) was characterized by the emerging of the silver warehou Seriolella porosa as the second target species in the San Matías Gulf bottom-trawler fishery. The analysis of the causal factors that contributed to the occurrence of the five described periods or productive cycles in the San Matías Gulf fishery, appeared associated to the macroeconomic cycles of the country, the demand and market prices of the products and the scarce capacity of the fishing companies to deal with adverse circumstances. The conservation and availability of the demersal fishing resources never would induce the occurrence of these cycles.