Regulaciones pesqueras en área de reproducción de merluza (Merluccius hubbsi) en el sector Norpatagónico del Mar Argentino

FONDACARO RICARDO; RUIZ ANA ESTHER; GÓNGORA MARÍA EVA

Congreso; X Congreso Latinoamericano Sobre Ciencias del Mar; 2003

Hake (Merluccius hubbsi) is the demersal fishing resource of great economic importance in Argentine Sea waters. During the 70´s and the 80´s, the existence of only one stock with a main spawning area in Isla Escondida was proposed. Nowadays three stocks are recognized, each one with its own spawning area as well as with a different management. Isla Escondida is the spawning area of the North and Central Patagonian stock. Since 1975 season lengths were established to protect the species. An exception to these bans included approximately 20 fishing ships from the Rawson Port Fleet. The fishing bans which were declared between 1975 and 2002 were studied to analyze the relationship between the fishing policy, the legal status of the study area and the status of hake fishing. Argentina has had an erratic policy during the last thirty years. In the 70?s this country established a reasonable use of this resource, forbidding fresh fish consumption for flour production. Nevertheless, during the 90´s it allowed the over exploitation of hake. This ended up in the drastic reduction of the Total Allowable Catch to recover the stock. The concept of banning has also changed throughout these years. At the beginning it only protected the spawning season but later it reduced the fishing mortality before, during and after spawning to guarantee the existence of spawners. This ban also resulted in the protection of the nursery ground.