For the first time in 63 years, the guitar fish was excluded from one of the most important fishing tournaments in South America, all thanks to a documentary.
The achievement came from an Argentine audiovisual production that highlighted the critical situation of this species: Pescadores y guitarras.
A historic tournament and an unprecedented decision
On February 7, a new edition of the 24 Hours of the Black Corvina was held in the Buenos Aires town of Claromecó.
The contest brings together around 6000 fishermen and is considered the most relevant rod fishing competition on the continent.
In this edition, for the first time in its history, the guitar fish —classified as Critically Endangered— was not part of the competition.
The decision was made by the tournament organizers following the impact of the documentary Pescadores & Guitarras, produced by Jumara Films.
The species, also known as Large Guitar, Melgacho, or Violin Fish, was practically unknown to the general public.
Its presence on the Buenos Aires coasts is limited to the months when it comes to give birth, between four and seven offspring per cycle.
The documentary that raised the alarm around the guitar fish
A year before the 2025 tournament, the team of Pescadores & Guitarras participated in the contest and documented the capture of more than seven specimens. All were gestating offspring, which raised a concrete alert about the future of the species.
As shown in the documentary, the guitar fish has a slow reproductive cycle and a low population renewal rate. These characteristics place it in an especially vulnerable situation against fishing pressure.
The documentary followed two marine biologists who delved into the world of recreational and artisanal fishing in Buenos Aires.
Their work combined academic science and local knowledge, and promoted a citizen science network to measure, photograph, and tag specimens.
“We wanted to tell a conservation story with a fresh and approachable style, with touches of humor, to reach more people,” explained Mariano Fernández, director of the documentary.
In particular, among the concrete results of the project are:
- The exclusion of the guitar fish from the 24 Hours of the Black Corvina contest thanks to the documentary
- The building of connections between fishermen, biologists, and tournament organizers
- The development of a citizen science network on the southern coast of Buenos Aires
- The introduction of responsible fishing practices in massive competitions
“We are very proud of the impact this documentary has generated. Achieving the exclusion of the guitar fish from the tournament is a concrete step for the conservation of a critically endangered species,” said Juan María Raggio, producer of the documentary.
Science, fishing, and joint commitment
Pescadores & Guitarras is approximately 28 minutes long and combines the genres of conservation, science, wildlife, and comedy. It was supported by On the Edge Fund and Mar Azul Uruguayo.
The decision by the tournament organizers set a precedent in the environmental management of massive sporting events in Argentina.
This demonstrated that the dialogue between documentarians, scientists, organizers, and fishermen can generate real and measurable changes, such as the exclusion of the guitar fish from the contest.
The documentary trailer is available at: https://youtu.be/Zw0bd_0z1xs
