Estimated total abundance and numbers-at-age of longtail hake (Macruronus magellanicus) in the Southwest Atlantic during the years 1987-2000*

Delta-based estimates of longtail hake biomass off Argentina were derived from the results of summer trawl surveys carried out on an irregular basis since 1987. Annual estimates of biomass within the whole area ranged from 1.2 to 4.5 million tons, consistent with those obtained by sequential population analysis. There was no clear trend throughout the period 1987-1995, but the 1987 estimate was higher than those for the same area during the years 1992-1995, and estimates since 1997 were much higher than the mean for the four-year period 1992-1995. Since 1992 the largest concentrations of fish have been between 50 and 100 m deep. Most of those were adults, small fish being scarce. Analysis of numbers-at-age showed the dominance of 4-8 year old fish in 1987 and from 1992 to 1994 and the existence of two very strong year-classes, those of 1993 and 1995.