367
19 Enteroctopus megalocyathus
ies are focused on rearing the species from broodstock conditioning to production
of juveniles under controlled cultivation. Once achieved, it would allow the sustainable ongrowing of the octopus. On the other hand, there are projects linked to
artisanal fishermen focused only on the ongrowing of Patagonian octopus in the X
region of Chile (Medrano and Godoy 2011).
19.1.2 Geographic Distribution
E� megalocyathus is geographically distributed around the southern tip of the South
American continent, in both the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans (Ibáñez and Chong
2008). According to Ibáñez et al. (2009), Chilean cephalopods are distributed along
the entire Pacific Coast of Chile in three biogeographic zones that are differentiated
according to average temperature: north of 30°S, south of 42°S and one central zone
between 30°S and 40°S. In Chile, E� megalocyathus is commonly found between
42°S (X region) and 56°S (XII region), and it has even been reported in the VIII
region between 1991 and 1994 (Rocha and Vega 2003). Along the Argentine coast,
E� megalocyathus is distributed from the Golfo San Matías (41°S) to the Strait of
Magellan and Beagle Channel, Malvinas Islands and Burdwood Bank (Ré 1998;
Ibáñez and Chong 2008).
E� megalocyathus is found in the Pacific coast at a depth of 15 to 30 m (Chong
et al. 2001), while on the Atlantic coast it is found at depths of less than 20 m when
the water temperature oscillates between 12 and 13 °C. When the water temperature
rises above 13 °C, the octopus can be found at 170 m depth (Ortiz et al. 2011).
19.1.3 Methods of Capture
In Chile, this species is commercially fished through diving to insert a hook between rock crevices, the main octopus habitat (Chong et al. 2001). The minimum
catch size is 1 kg, but a wide range in body size is displayed by the species, which
greatly affects yields. Therefore, producers, processors and exporters specialized in
Chilean octopuses are interested in the ongrowing process, in order to obtain larger
specimens (≥ 4 kg). The largest species are strongly demanded in Asia and Europe,
and the Network of Artisan Fishermen for Sustainable Development (RECOPADES
2009) even applied for a grant to ongrow octopuses of up to 4 kg from octopuses of
1 kg approximately.
The extraction of E� megalocyathus in the Argentine coast is carried out through
the artisan fishing method of using hooks in the intertidal zone, while scuba diving
using hooks and harpoons are utilized in the subtidal zones up to 25 m. In the Nuevo
Gulf and the San Jose Gulf, the extraction is carried out from March to November–December. In these areas, the fishery operates in the tidal and intertidal strips,
whereas in the Northern Patagonian gulfs, the fishery primarily operates in subtidal
zones (Ré and Ortiz 2007).
19 Enteroctopus megalocyathus
ies are focused on rearing the species from broodstock conditioning to production
of juveniles under controlled cultivation. Once achieved, it would allow the sustainable ongrowing of the octopus. On the other hand, there are projects linked to
artisanal fishermen focused only on the ongrowing of Patagonian octopus in the X
region of Chile (Medrano and Godoy 2011).
19.1.2 Geographic Distribution
E� megalocyathus is geographically distributed around the southern tip of the South
American continent, in both the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans (Ibáñez and Chong
2008). According to Ibáñez et al. (2009), Chilean cephalopods are distributed along
the entire Pacific Coast of Chile in three biogeographic zones that are differentiated
according to average temperature: north of 30°S, south of 42°S and one central zone
between 30°S and 40°S. In Chile, E� megalocyathus is commonly found between
42°S (X region) and 56°S (XII region), and it has even been reported in the VIII
region between 1991 and 1994 (Rocha and Vega 2003). Along the Argentine coast,
E� megalocyathus is distributed from the Golfo San Matías (41°S) to the Strait of
Magellan and Beagle Channel, Malvinas Islands and Burdwood Bank (Ré 1998;
Ibáñez and Chong 2008).
E� megalocyathus is found in the Pacific coast at a depth of 15 to 30 m (Chong
et al. 2001), while on the Atlantic coast it is found at depths of less than 20 m when
the water temperature oscillates between 12 and 13 °C. When the water temperature
rises above 13 °C, the octopus can be found at 170 m depth (Ortiz et al. 2011).
19.1.3 Methods of Capture
In Chile, this species is commercially fished through diving to insert a hook between rock crevices, the main octopus habitat (Chong et al. 2001). The minimum
catch size is 1 kg, but a wide range in body size is displayed by the species, which
greatly affects yields. Therefore, producers, processors and exporters specialized in
Chilean octopuses are interested in the ongrowing process, in order to obtain larger
specimens (≥ 4 kg). The largest species are strongly demanded in Asia and Europe,
and the Network of Artisan Fishermen for Sustainable Development (RECOPADES
2009) even applied for a grant to ongrow octopuses of up to 4 kg from octopuses of
1 kg approximately.
The extraction of E� megalocyathus in the Argentine coast is carried out through
the artisan fishing method of using hooks in the intertidal zone, while scuba diving
using hooks and harpoons are utilized in the subtidal zones up to 25 m. In the Nuevo
Gulf and the San Jose Gulf, the extraction is carried out from March to November–December. In these areas, the fishery operates in the tidal and intertidal strips,
whereas in the Northern Patagonian gulfs, the fishery primarily operates in subtidal
zones (Ré and Ortiz 2007).