The hake catch in recent decades has fallen significantly in the Argentine-Uruguayan Common Fishing Zone, which is shared by the fleets of both countries. In the cooler waters of Argentina’s exclusive fishing grounds further south, however, catch volumes are greater. (Map courtesy of Dinara/MGAP)
For the first time in seven years, Uruguay has sent researchers to sea to gauge the state of the common hake (Merluccius hubbsi), this country’s primary fishery resource. Aboard the Atlantic Jane—a fishing vessel chartered by the National Directorate of Aquatic Resources (Dinara)—seven Uruguayan scientists and one Argentine scientist aim to gather “solid, scientific data, including genetic samples for laboratory analysis,” Dinara Director Yamilia Olivera said Oct. 22, as the vessel motored out of the port of Montevideo to begin an 18-day expedition. Olivera said the findings will “inform decisions regarding the management and sustainability” of hake, which according to earlier research has declined significantly in recent decades in the Argentine-Uruguayan Common Fishing Zone (ZCPAU). The bilateral fishing zone covers 216,000 square kilometers of South Atlantic waters between 34 degrees 30 minutes and 39 degrees 30 minutes south latitude. It forms a rough arc extending up... [Log in to read more]
