Abstract

In this study, the operational characteristics of the industrial hake fishing vessel "Santa Monica II" were characterized for the years 2020 and 2021, focusing on its catch production and fishing effort. A total of 234 trips and 1087 hauls were analyzed, considering a working depth of 100 fathoms on the continental shelf. Fishing effort was assessed based on years, seasonal periods, and months, allowing for a comparison of its productivity with 33 other vessels in the industrial fleet. The results revealed that the vessel caught 18% of the total catch of the industrial fleet in 2020 and 17% in 2021. Subarea A was the most frequented in 2020, with 66 trips, while in 2021, Subarea B led with 78 trips. The Catch per Unit Effort (CPUE) was 6.24 tons per hour and 8.99 tons per haul in 2020, and increased to 8.20 tons per hour and 10.75 tons per haul in 2021, highlighting its performance. Additionally, a significant concentration of hake resources was observed in the upper part of the continental slope during the study years.