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Jumbo flying squid invasion threatens hake
Chilean Fisheries Undersecretary Felipe Sandoval warned about the massive presence of jumbo flying squids -one of the most aggressive giant squid predators- in the southern area of the country, between the Regions X and XI, from Port Montt and Guafo Island.
"We deeply regret having to confirm this bit of information” announced the Undersecretary after reviewing the results of the hydro-acoustic surveys carried out by the Southern University of Chile (UACH) on jumbo flying squid concentrations in waters off the Chiloé Isle.
Researchers estimate the presence of this resource surpasses 330,000 tonnes, which is deemed a “clear indicator the magnitude of the grouping in the area and of its predatory potential capacity over the regional species of fishery interest”.
According to sources from the Undersecretariat of Fisheries (SUBPESCA), jumbo flying squid is moving south from the north of the country, thus invading the whole Chilean littoral.
So far local artisanal fishing sector is the most affected by the massive presence of the jumbo flying squid because the only resource they are catching is southern hake on which the giant squid feeds exclusively. The head of SUBPESCAs Management Division Wilma Correa said that giant squid live around one year and a half on average.
"It has been estimated that the 300,000 tonnes of squid in the area can consume between one million tonnes and one and a half million tonnes of southern hake in one year."
Although SUBPESCA authorities have proposed that foreign factory vessels equipped with sophisticated technology come to Chile to selectively catch the squids, the Senate had decided to suspend the discussion of the law including this initiative, indefinitely. "More things could have been done, but the delay of the Fishery Law has legally tied our hands. Jumbo flying squid has to be fought, across the board, and if it is not stopped, our catches will be markedly reduced, as it has occurred in other parts of the world”, said Mr. Sandoval.
However, Marcel Claude executive director of Fundación Océana explanations given by authorities are “politically irresponsible and scientifically incompetent.”
"There is no scientific data to support what has been said, rather political reasons and that is to hide and dilute SUBPESCA and the Ministry of Economy responsibilities, by supporting a fishery law that “clearly prevents fisheries resource conservation and artisanal fishers socio-economic sustainability”, Claude told El Llanquihue newspaper. He also mentioned that two years ago fishermen from Chaitén took advantage of another jumbo flying squid invasion in the area catching them to use as bait to fish for the skate species. (FIS/MP)
From: Merco-Press
http://www.falkland-malvinas.com/Detalle.asp?NUM=5829
Chilean Fisheries Undersecretary Felipe Sandoval warned about the massive presence of jumbo flying squids -one of the most aggressive giant squid predators- in the southern area of the country, between the Regions X and XI, from Port Montt and Guafo Island.
"We deeply regret having to confirm this bit of information” announced the Undersecretary after reviewing the results of the hydro-acoustic surveys carried out by the Southern University of Chile (UACH) on jumbo flying squid concentrations in waters off the Chiloé Isle.
Researchers estimate the presence of this resource surpasses 330,000 tonnes, which is deemed a “clear indicator the magnitude of the grouping in the area and of its predatory potential capacity over the regional species of fishery interest”.
According to sources from the Undersecretariat of Fisheries (SUBPESCA), jumbo flying squid is moving south from the north of the country, thus invading the whole Chilean littoral.
So far local artisanal fishing sector is the most affected by the massive presence of the jumbo flying squid because the only resource they are catching is southern hake on which the giant squid feeds exclusively. The head of SUBPESCAs Management Division Wilma Correa said that giant squid live around one year and a half on average.
"It has been estimated that the 300,000 tonnes of squid in the area can consume between one million tonnes and one and a half million tonnes of southern hake in one year."
Although SUBPESCA authorities have proposed that foreign factory vessels equipped with sophisticated technology come to Chile to selectively catch the squids, the Senate had decided to suspend the discussion of the law including this initiative, indefinitely. "More things could have been done, but the delay of the Fishery Law has legally tied our hands. Jumbo flying squid has to be fought, across the board, and if it is not stopped, our catches will be markedly reduced, as it has occurred in other parts of the world”, said Mr. Sandoval.
However, Marcel Claude executive director of Fundación Océana explanations given by authorities are “politically irresponsible and scientifically incompetent.”
"There is no scientific data to support what has been said, rather political reasons and that is to hide and dilute SUBPESCA and the Ministry of Economy responsibilities, by supporting a fishery law that “clearly prevents fisheries resource conservation and artisanal fishers socio-economic sustainability”, Claude told El Llanquihue newspaper. He also mentioned that two years ago fishermen from Chaitén took advantage of another jumbo flying squid invasion in the area catching them to use as bait to fish for the skate species. (FIS/MP)
From: Merco-Press
http://www.falkland-malvinas.com/Detalle.asp?NUM=5829