The success of the Argentinian red shrimp continues to draw attention, and the industry appears to be on track to exceed 200,000 MT in landings for the second time in its history this year. But the growth has some on edge and concerned for the future of the resource.
The growth of the industry has had widespread economic impacts, including beyond Argentina's borders. Spanish newspaper Faro de Vigo recently pointed out the opportunities it has opened for Spanish companies working with the species.
According to government figures, as of 13 September, 2018, a total of 163,338 metric tons (MT) of landings have been logged – 13.2 percent below the figures for the end of September 2017. While the 2018 fishing season has been dogged by labor and weather issues, it still appears on track to surpass 200,000 MT for just the second time in history (the first time was in 2017).
Argentina’s national newspaper, La Nacion, recently published a feature looking at the new order in the country’s seafood industry. While red shrimp has historically represented only 25 percent of the country’s exports, last year it accounted for 60 percent. Just a decade ago, the report said, landings for red shrimp did not exceed 47,000 MT.
Moreover, it is a leading species helping to grow the seafood industry in general to exports, with red shrimp alone accounting for USD 1.2 billion (EUR 1 billion) in exports and helping the seafood industry surpass its more visible and iconic beef exports. The feature called red shrimp “the Messi” of Argentina’s seafood industry, referencing the country’s world-famous soccer player Lionel Messi.
But this has also led to more questions on what sort of limits this species might have, the report said. The report claimed that the surge in activity has led to new boats that exceed current regulations and could accelerate overfishing of the resource. As an example, Argentinian fishing firm Moscuzza unveiled its “Jose Americo” earlier this year and fisherman unions and press have alleged it exceeds allowed size for capturing Argentine red shrimp and that its permit does not allow it to capture red shrimp.
Meanwhile, according to a report in Info Cielo, the movement of boats from Mar del Plata to Chubut in Patagonia to get in on the red shrimp catch has local unions calling for new limits on permits to protect the resource and guarantee their share of the industry.
Pablo Novello, president of the Yellow Fleet of Chubut Chamber, which represents fisherman in this part of Patagonia, told the publication that “we are not against Mar del Plata boats coming to fish but at some moment a limit must be placed … we don’t want to repeat what happened with resources in the province of Buenos Aires, where the anchovy and southern hake catch was destroyed.”
Photo courtesy of Pesca Chubut
