The latest report from INIDEP raised an alarm about the status of the Patagonian shrimp. During the sampling carried out between July and August 2025, scientists detected a significant decrease in adult specimens along the northern coast, a key area for the species’ reproduction.
The results are clear: the total biomass decreased by almost 30% compared to the previous year, while the number of individuals dropped by over 17%. In 70% of the hauls conducted in the north, the nets returned empty, an unusual phenomenon in one of the historically most productive areas.
This decline not only means less shrimp available, but also a profound biological imbalance. In 2025, almost 90% of the captured specimens were juveniles, a ratio that compromises the stock’s ability to sustain itself over time.
The INIDEP report warns that the system is producing a large number of young individuals, but losing the adults that ensure reproductive continuity. Without this age group, the fishery becomes more fragile and dependent on immature cohorts.
Fishing Pressure and Environmental Stress
The 2024/25 season reached historical records of catch, with over 103,000 tons landed in Chubut. However, the commercial boom on land contrasts with the resource deterioration at sea. Overfishing of adults leads to a vicious cycle: fewer breeders, fewer eggs per female, and lower ecological resilience.
The study points out that the fishing pressure focused on shallow areas of the northern coast, where adults take refuge. The immediate consequence was an emptying of those areas and an increase in juveniles, reflecting an unbalanced population.
Researchers emphasize the need to adjust fishing effort to the biological cycle, implement dynamic closures, and strengthen the protection of critical areas. Without coordinated and evidence-based management, empty hauls could become the norm.
The Patagonian Shrimp: a Key Piece of the Ecosystem
The Argentine shrimp (Pleoticus muelleri) is a fundamental species for the biodiversity and marine economy of the South Atlantic. It inhabits from the Gulf of San Jorge to the south of Buenos Aires and plays a central ecological role as prey for birds, fish, and marine mammals.
Its life cycle combines coastal and oceanic phases: adults reproduce in deep waters, while juveniles grow near the coast. This alternation makes it a sensitive indicator of the environmental status and the health of benthic ecosystems.
The shrimp also stands out for its high productivity, but its success depends on maintaining a balance between catch and natural regeneration. When the number of adults decreases, the food chain is disrupted, and associated populations —from fish to smaller crustaceans— may suffer collapses.
Towards Sustainable Resource Management
The INIDEP report proposes strengthening scientific monitoring, increasing the frequency of campaigns, and coordinating policies across jurisdictions. This involves protecting breeding habitats, applying greater selectivity in nets, and establishing specific management zones to preserve breeders.
The strengthening of Protected Natural Areas and the control of fishing compliance are essential to ensure the sustainability of shrimp and the entire ecological network that depends on it.
The Argentine sea is a generous yet vulnerable ecosystem. 2025 leaves a clear warning: without adults, there is no fishing future. There is still time to align exploitation with science and ensure that the wealth of the South Atlantic does not fade away with the silence of empty nets.
Source: Without Blue There Is No Green.
