The small-scale squid hand-jig fishery off the northwestern Iberian Peninsula: application of a model based on a short survey of fishery statistics

A small-scale squid hand-jig fishery targeting the squids Loligo vulgaris and Loligo forbesi exists in the northwestern Iberian Peninsula. Its importance is evaluated using a model based on a short survey of fishery statistics. A total of 46 ports in Galicia operate this fishery. These ports were classified into three categories, according to characteristics relevant to the length of season in the fishery. Aguiño, Cedeira and Mugardos were selected as “model ports” for each of the three categories. The catch per unit effort and total catch were estimated for each of these model ports. Total catch for each port was estimated taking into account the catch obtained in each model port multiplied by a suitable correction factor based on the number of boats in each port. The ports of each of the three categories were considered separately. Thus we can obtain the total catch of the 46 Galician ports where this fishing activity takes place. It was calculated that the small-scale hand-jig fishery unloaded 282 t of squid in Galicia in 1992. The accuracy of the model based on a short survey of fishery statistics was tested by comparing estimates of catches with real squid landing data recorded in Aguiño in 1992. It was observed that the difference between the estimates (15.5 and 14.6 t, respectively) was 5.8%. Information on the characteristics of this fishery, seasonality, type and the number of fishing boats is included in this paper, which represents the first step towards assessing the magnitude of the squid resource in the hand-jig Galician fishery.