Scientific workshop on Illex Squid in Vigo with the participation of Falkland Islands

The International Transport Workers Federation is facing complaints from Argentine unions linked to fishing, maritime and port industries over a workshop on the Shortfin Squid (Illex argentinus) organized by OPPC3 in Vigo. The workshop, part of an international scientific cooperation process, received participation from scientists in Brazil, Uruguay, the Falkland Islands, Spain, China and South Korea.

It aimed to build a regional database and update scientific knowledge to assess the abundance and exploitation status of the species, which supports the largest fishery by landed volume in the South Atlantic Ocean. Despite Argentina's absence from the event, the Falkland Islands were included. The fishery operates across multiple nations and fishing fleets, with no fully operational regional governance framework currently in place for stock assessment and resource management.

Opposed to this lack of coordination, the workshop sought to encourage information exchange among stakeholders, aiming to reduce uncertainty about the stock's status. OPPC3's Managing Director, Edelmiro Ulloa, emphasized the importance of collaboration for the fishery's long-term sustainability, stating that reducing uncertainty benefits all parties involved.

The workshop was scientifically chaired by Rubén Roa-Ureta, who highlighted the species' ecological, economic and social importance and the shared priority of obtaining the best possible scientific assessment of its status and dynamics.