4.1 Spain
4.2 Morocco
4.3 Portugal
4.4 USSR
Hakes are caught principally by fishermen in Spain, Morocco, the Soviet Union and Portugal.
The Spanish fleet works principally out of ports in the south of Spain. There are vessels fishing chiefly for hake that land in Cadiz, and about 100 others that take hake by chance and land in other Spanish ports.
Information about the fleet is based on observations made at the port of Cadiz where there are three types of vessels known as BAKAS, TRIOS and BOUS. BAKAS are trawlers that average 210 GRT, 545 HP and 28.9 m length. Hake make up about 50% of the catches, the remainder comprising crustaceans (30%) and other species (20%). These vessels form a uniform group and from the composition of the catch - it appears that fishing is on the continental shelf off Morocco. Trips last for 17-20 days of which 13-14 days are spent fishing.
TRIOS are groups of those vessel working out of Cadiz. At any one time, two of them work together as pair trawlers, while the third transports fish to port. The vessels fish and transport fish in rotation, each vessel taking about seven days to fill the hold. In 1976 there were 11 TRIOS landing at the port of Cadiz, the same number as there were in 1970. These vessels averaged 203 GRT, 367 HP and 29.6 m in length. As for BAKAS, hake made up 50% of the catch, the remainder being made up of Sparidae, Horse mackerel and other species. Fishing takes place mainly between latitudes 25° and 29°N.
BOUS are trawlers that fish mainly south of latitude 23°N. In 1976, there were 58 BOUS working out of Cadiz. Average dimensions were 322 GRT, 1028 HP and 36.7 m length. Fishing is on the slope and the edge of the continental shelf in about 100-800 m and the main species caught is Merluccius senegalensis. Catches of other species are relatively small.
Trips last for 26-27 days which 11-15 days are spent in fishing.
The Moroccan fleet comprises two kinds of trawlers and a large number of very small inshore vessels. The larger trawlers, of which there are 26, have a mean GRT of 289 tons and are equipped with freezing facilities. There are also 195 smaller trawlers, with a mean GRT of 62 tons. These mostly work in depths up to 150 m of water, making trips of 1-3 days and landing their fish fresh in ice.
The Moroccan fleet has increased since 1972, due to the introduction of the larger trawlers, and an increase in the number and size of the smaller trawlers. These increased from 113 in 1972 to 195 in 1976. During the same period their average GRT increased from 49 to 62.
A relatively very small quantity of hake is also taken by about 400 very small vessels that fish close to the coast for demersal fish, using lines and fixed nets. Hakes are also taken by some dual purpose vessels (purse seiners and trawlers), but it is not certain to what extent.
Hakes are principally taken by vessels that land at Agadir, Casablanca and Tangier.
Portuguese trawlers fish for hake mainly in the southern part of the area in divisions 34.1.3 and 34.3.1. The vessels are all side trawlers, that fish demersally, and the majority are between 300 and 500 GRT. Trips are of about 30-35 days duration, and for the most part, the fish are brought back fresh on ice. A small proportion of the fleet consists of freezer trawlers that operate for about two months at a time.
Fishing is mainly conducted in 300-460 m of water and the principal hake species taken is Merluccius senegalensis. Other species taken are Pagellus spp., Dentex macrophthalmus, Dentex canariensis, Dentex spp. Sparus auriga, Pseudotolithus spp. and various species of cephalopods. The principal port of landing is Lisbon, although landings are occasionally made in Aveiro.
In addition to the trawlers, there are numbers of small inshore vessels that operate longlines and gillnets in the north in Division 34.1.1. The quantity of hake taken by these vessels is relatively very small however.
Soviet trawlers fish in Divisions 34.1.1, 34.1.2 and 34.3.1 but, since 1973, mainly in division 34.1.3. In the northern zone of CECAF, fishing is done with both pelagic and demersal trawls. The percentage of hake in the total catch has increased from about one to five percent, and the principal hake species taken is Merluccius senegalensis.
The fishing is done by large trawlers of about 2000 GRT in depths of 200 to 500 m. Fishing takes place throughout the whole year but the principal hake catches are from June to August. Most of the fish are processed on board and landed in the USSR, but a small part of the catch is landed in Mauritania.
