IFOP ecosystem cruise investigates southern sardine stock, common sardine and Anchovy
April 13th, 2018
In Los Lagos and General Carlos Ibáñez del Campo regions interior sea
Southern sardine, common sardine and Anchovy play an important role at inland sea ecosystem of Los Lagos and General Carlos Ibáñez del Campo regions. Its participation as a predator (planktophagous), as prey for other species including some that are fishing resources and, as a support of main pelagic fishery in inland sea of these regions, account for these resources study relevance. IFOP according to its role is conducting an ecosystemic research cruise that aims to estimate stocks size of southern sardine, common sardine and Anchovy at inland sea of Los Lagos and General Carlos Ibáñez del Campo regions. The study also includes estimating its spatial distribution, demographic structure in age, size, diet and oceanographic conditions present in the study area.
To comply with the above, IFOP is developing a survey cruise involving two artisanal vessels in Region de Los Lagos and General Carlos Ibáñez del Campo regions, which was equipped with scientific equipment that allows in a georeferenced manner, to detect schoals, record data on oceanographic variables such as temperature and salinity. In addition, work program considers making fishing sets to obtain biological samples for studies of fish size, sex and age structure, as well as obtaining plankton samples that constitute the food of species under study .
Jorge Castillo, IFOP researcher, referred to the study, stating that “Results obtained together with fishing activity information are relevant inputs to stock assessment models that allow establishing fisheries state and their projection”.