Fishing crisis in Río Negro: they request social quota for shrimp from the national platform

The fishing situation in Río Negro continues to deteriorate one year after the declaration of the fishing emergency in the region. With current indicators showing an even more discouraging outlook than the previous year, the Rio Negro representative before the Federal Fisheries Council (CFP), Sergio Paleo, has requested the allocation of a social shrimp quota to alleviate the crisis.

A Year of Emergency Without Results

In May 2023, the province of Río Negro declared a fishing emergency in the hope of stopping the collapse of the sector. However, a year later, the extension of this measure has only served to underline the fragility of fishing resources in the San Matías Gulf. Technical report No. 08/2024 from the Almirante Storni Center for Applied Research and Technology Transfer in Marine Resources (CIMAS) warns that the biological sustainability of common hake is in serious danger due to exploitation practices and high levels of discarding.

Companies on the Verge of Collapse

The shortage of raw materials has brought many companies to the brink of collapse, while artisanal fishermen face bankruptcy. Despite the emergency decree, 2023 was the year with the largest capture of juvenile hake, exacerbating the crisis and putting the survival of the species at risk.

The Prawn Social Quota Request

In response to this critical situation, Sergio Paleo presented a note in the last session of the CFP requesting the allocation of a social shrimp quota. This measure would allow boats to fish in national waters and supply the Río Negro processing plants, maintaining jobs in San Antonio Oeste and its area of ​​influence.

Evaluation and Next Steps

The CFP has become aware of the request and promised to analyze it at its next meetings. The final decision will depend on the technical opinion of the Prawn Monitoring Commission and the National Institute of Fisheries Research and Development (INIDEP).

Meanwhile, the fishing community of Río Negro waits with uncertainty for the CFP resolution, hoping that the allocation of the social shrimp quota can bring respite to an industry struggling to survive.

The development of new policies and measures is urgent to avoid a total collapse of the fishing sector in Río Negro. The allocation of a social shrimp quota could be a peremptory step to sustain employment and revitalize the local economy, but it requires careful evaluation and serious commitment on the part of the authorities.

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