Uruguay croaker exports hit decade high, but operational hurdles remain

Uruguay croaker exports reached their highest January-July level in a decade in 2026, with sales exceeding $30 million and volumes surpassing 16.7 million kilograms, according to data from the National Customs Directorate and the Uruguayan Fisheries Industry Chamber, known as CIPU.

The figures represent an increase of nearly 80% in value and 63% in volume compared with the average for the past 10 years. For the fishing industry, the result shows the growth potential of the sector when fleets can operate with greater continuity and fewer constraints.

Still, CIPU warned that the strong performance of one species does not resolve the broader operational challenges facing Uruguay’s fishing industry.

“These results show how much fishing can contribute when it has the conditions to work. Uruguay has resources, companies, workers and markets to generate more employment, production and exports. The challenge is to build the continuity needed to sustain that growth,” said CIPU President Juan Riva Zucchelli.

Higher activity supports the whole chain

According to CIPU, the increase in croaker exports compared with the historical average is equivalent to roughly 6,500 additional tonnes of product.

For a plant with daily processing capacity of 50 tonnes and around 100 workers, that additional volume would represent about 130 extra days of activity and nearly 13,000 workdays.

The chamber said higher production also generates demand for vessel crews, unloading operations, logistics, road transport, packaging, fuel, energy and other services tied to the fishing industry.

Deep-sea fishing remains under pressure

CIPU said the improvement was not evenly distributed across species and fleets. In deep-sea fishing, squid recorded a sharp decline, which was only partly offset in volume by higher hake catches. Hake, however, has a considerably lower commercial value.

The chamber said there is still not enough evidence to attribute the squid decline to a single cause. However, given the nature of the drop and previous concerns raised by the industry, CIPU said the issue should be analyzed as a possible sign linked to seismic survey activity.

The group called for independent technical monitoring to assess potential impacts on fishery resources and fishing operations.

Crew shortages keep vessels idle

CIPU also stressed that the record for croaker exports does not mean the sector’s operational problems have disappeared.

The chamber said shortages of skippers, engineers and deckhands continue to keep vessels tied up. Companies estimate that the situation has already caused more than 300 vessel-days of lost operations, with an economic impact of more than $2 million, in addition to lost jobs and income across the supply chain.

As an example, CIPU said the freezer vessel Río Solís II was unable to sail on August 3 because of a regulatory requirement enforced by the National Naval Prefecture that the vessel have a Uruguayan fishing skipper. According to the companies, there are currently no available professionals meeting those conditions to complete the crew.

Business chambers said they have submitted proposals to the Ministry of National Defense and the National Naval Prefecture to expand the availability of qualified personnel without changing training requirements or safety standards.

“The growth in croaker is not accidental: when the activity can work without interruptions, it responds quickly. But the record for one species should not hide the difficulties faced by other fleets or the vessels that remain tied up because of crew shortages. We have the capacity to grow much more, and there are concrete solutions to make that possible,” said Carlos Abel Olivera, a CIPU member and director of Novabarca.

For exporters, cold-chain operators and port service providers, the rise in Uruguay croaker exports highlights the potential of the country’s seafood trade. But the sector’s ability to sustain growth will depend on operational continuity, crew availability, regulatory coordination and reliable fleet activity.

Source: Ámbito

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