Argentina's INIDEP Proposes Cutting Hake Discards and Protecting Spawning Stock as Northern Population Catch Trends Downward

The Argentine National Institute of Fisheries Research and Development (INIDEP) proposed at a meeting of the Hake (Merluccius hubbsi) Fishery Monitoring Committee that fishery discards need to be reduced and closed areas maintained, with the aim not only of protecting juveniles but also of protecting the species' spawning stock.

According to the Argentine fisheries port weekly Revista Puerto on October 5, 2026, this advisory body responsible for analyzing the hake fishery met in mid-September, where it presented the latest landing data, progress in INIDEP's scientific assessments, and proposed regulatory amendments related to fishery sustainability certification and the development of a management plan.

Argentina's Directorate of Fisheries Planning (DPP) presented changes in landings from 2017 to 2026 at the meeting, tabulating catches separately for areas north and south of 41°S and incorporating records from the Uruguayan fleet. The above content is contained in the minutes of the latest meeting of the Federal Fisheries Council.

Northern population: catch trending downward

One of the key points presented by INIDEP was the status of the species' northern population. Total declared catches between 1986 and 2025 showed a downward trend, while the average declared catch over the most recent five years was 35,780 tons.

The Argentine fleet operating most frequently in this area is the high-seas freezer trawler fleet (fresquera de altura), followed by coastal vessels and harbor and estuary vessels.

Since 1998, the main fishing grounds have been concentrated in waters of the Argentine Exclusive Economic Zone (ZEEA), south of the Argentine-Uruguayan Common Fishing Zone (ZCPAU), which accounts for 70% of the total declared catch for this population.

The scientific information also shows concerning indicators regarding population structure. Two survey cruises conducted in 2025 showed declines in abundance and in the proportions of juvenile and adult individuals. The diagnostic projections carried out by the institute produced results similar to those obtained in 2025.

South: CPUE declining for trawl fleet

Regarding the southern population, INIDEP presented the data used to drive the catch-at-age statistical model, a core tool for assessing its exploitation status, along with information on catches by foreign fleets.

A comparison of total catches in 2024 and 2025 showed similar results, but cumulative landings through August 2026 were already higher than the records for those two years.

However, another indicator raised concern: after an upward trend during the period from 2009 to 2025, catch per unit effort (CPUE) for the trawl fleet has declined.

In contrast, winter survey cruises showed an increase in biomass between 2024 and 2025. Estimates of discard levels in the fishery were also presented during the meeting.

Certification process

In the final part of the meeting, INIDEP stressed the importance of maintaining closed areas, noting that their effectiveness extends beyond protecting juveniles and also helps protect the spawning stock.

The institute proposed that one of the main challenges in fishery management should focus on reducing discards, an issue of significance both from a biological standpoint and within the framework of the sustainability certification process.

In this context, the meeting called for sharing information collected by observers in San Jorge Gulf with Chubut Province and Santa Cruz Province.

Finally, the committee advanced its analysis of proposed regulatory amendments related to fishery sustainability certification and the development of a management plan. The parties agreed to convene a new meeting to review an updated text incorporating the proposed amendments.