Argentina's Chubut Province Launches Shrimp Resource Survey on October 26; 20 Vessels to Assess Conditions for Opening New Season Over Four Days
The Chubut provincial government has confirmed that, starting October 26, a survey of Argentine red shrimp (Pleoticus muelleri) will be conducted in provincial waters, with 20 licensed fishing vessels operating in two zones, north and south, over four days to assess the resource. The commercial opening date for the 2026/2027 season remains pending technical and administrative decisions.
The government of Chubut Province, Argentina, has officially confirmed that a survey of Argentine red shrimp (Pleoticus muelleri) will begin in provincial waters on October 26 (Monday), a mandatory step before the opening of the 2026/2027 season. The operation, announced by the Chubut Provincial Undersecretariat of Fisheries, involves 20 fishing vessels and will use four operating days to assess the availability, distribution and commercial quality of the resource.
The fleet consists of 16 coastal vessels no more than 21 meters in length and 4 artisanal vessels no more than 10.50 meters in length, all holding valid provincial permits and capable of carrying observers. The schedule provides for two working days per zone.
According to Gustavo González, president of the Chubut Yellow Fleet Chamber (CAFACh), the operating area is divided into two zones, south and north: the south runs from Isla Escondida to Bahía Camarones, and the north extends from near Isla Escondida toward the mouth of Bahía Nueva. The final operating boundaries will be set by the provincial fisheries authority.
The assessment covers catch per hour of trawling, the length composition of the catch and the presence of bycatch species. González proposed that, if an opening is considered, the reference indicators would be a catch rate above 70 kg per hour, an appropriate proportion of individuals of size L3 and above, and a bycatch ratio below 10%. These parameters were put forward by the industry and still need to be compared with the conditions set by the provincial government authority.
The survey results will be used to determine which areas meet the conditions for starting commercial fishing, and the opening may be differentiated by zone. Progress of the operating schedule will depend on weather conditions.
Provincial Fisheries Undersecretary Diego Brandán previously said that the relevant decisions would be made based on the biological information obtained during the survey. The survey start date is now set for October 26, while the commercial opening date remains pending technical assessment and administrative decision.
For reference, the 2025 survey began on October 31, and the commercial season opened on November 15. According to figures reported by the fisheries authority, the previous provincial season recorded a catch of nearly 90,000 tonnes, while the period before that exceeded 106,000 tonnes.
The decision will directly affect Puerto Rawson, the operations of the yellow fleet, processing plants, loading and unloading operations, and employment across the province's fisheries complex. The industry enters this stage with the main crew wage agreement signed through March 2027, while labor negotiations in the onshore processing sector are still ongoing.
As the survey gets under way, the outline of the next season will gradually become clearer. The commercial opening depends on the biological and fisheries results recorded during the four-day survey, and the industry has high expectations for genuine demand for high-quality wild, natural red shrimp from the South Atlantic.