Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations Fisheries and

for a world without hunger Aquaculture Department

FAO Major Fishing Areas

ATLANTIC, SOUTHWEST (Major Fishing Area 41)

Northern (Subarea 41.1)

{1 , 1.1 , 1.2 , 1.3 , 1.4 }
Central (Subarea 41.2)
{2 , 2.1 , 2.2 , 2.3 , 2.4 }
Southern (Subarea 41.3)
{3 , 3.1 , 3.2 , 3.3 }
FAO Fisheries and Aquaculture Department
Fig. H2.41.0 shows the boundaries of the Southwest Atlantic (Major Fishing Area 41).

A description of the area and its subareas and divisions follows.

The Southwest Atlantic statistical area comprises all the marine waters bounded by a line starting from a point
on the coast of South America at 5°00'N latitude; thence due east to 30°00'W longitude; thence due south to
the Equator; thence due east to 20°00'W longitude; thence due south to 50°00'S latitude, thence due west to
50°00'W longitude; thence due south to 60°00'S latitude; thence due west to 67°16'W longitude; thence due
north to the point at 56°22'S latitude - 67°16'W longitude; thence due east along a line at 56°22'S latitude to
the point at 65°43'W longitude, thence following a line joining the points at 55°22'S - 65°43'W, 55°11'S -
66°04'W, 55°07'S - 66°25'W; thence in a northerly direction along the coast of South America to the starting
point.

Northern (Subarea 41.1)

Amazon (Division 41.1.1)
Natal (Division 41.1.2)
Salvador (Division 41.1.3)
Nothern Oceanic (Division 41.1.4)
The Southwest Atlantic is divided into the following subareas and divisions:

All the marine waters bounded by a line starting from a point on the coast of South America at 5°00'N
latitude; thence due east to 30°00'W longitude; thence due south to the Equator; thence due east to 20°00'W
longitude; thence due south to 20°00'S latitude; thence due west to the coast of Brazil; thence in a northerly
and westerly direction along the coast of South America to the point of departure.
Amazon (Division 41.1.1)

The waters bounded by a line starting from a point on the coast of South America at 5°00'N latitude; thence
running along this parallel to where it meets the meridian at 40°00'W longitude; thence due south to the point
where this meridian intersects the coast of Brazil; thence in a northwesterly direction along the coast of South
America to the starting point.

Natal (Division 41.1.2)

The waters bounded by a line due north from the coast of Brazil along the meridian at 40°00'W longitude to
where it meets the Equator; thence due east along the Equator to the meridian at 32°00'W longitude; thence
due south to the parallel at 10°00'S latitude; thence due west to the coast of South America; thence in a
northerly direction along the coast of South America to the starting point.

Salvador (Division 41.1.3)

The waters bounded by a line due east from the coast of South America at 10°00'S latitude to where it meets
the meridian at 35°00'W longitude; thence due south to the parallel at 20°00'S latitude; thence due west along
this parallel to the coast of South America; thence in a northerly direction along the coast of South America to
the starting point.

Nothern Oceanic (Division 41.1.4)

The waters bounded by a line starting at the Equator and going north along 40°00‘W longitude to 5°00'N
latitude; thence due east to the meridian at 30°00'W longitude; thence due south to the Equator; thence due
east to the meridian at 20°00'W longitude; thence due south to the parallel at 20°00'S latitude; thence due west
FAO Fisheries and Aquaculture Department
to the meridian at 35°00'W longitude; thence due north to the parallel at 10°00'S latitude; thence due east to
the meridian at 32°00'W longitude; thence due north to the Equator; thence due west to the meridian at
40°00'W longitude to the starting point.

Central (Subarea 41.2)

Santos (Division 41.2.1)
Rio Grande (Division 41.2.2)
Platense (Division 41.2.3)
Central Oceanic (Division 41.2.4)
All the marine waters bounded by a line starting from a point on the coast of South America at 20°00'S
latitude; thence due east to 20°00'W longitude; thence due south to 40°00'S latitude; thence due west to the
coast of Argentina; thence in a northeasterly direction along the coast of South America to the point of
departure.
Santos (Division 41.2.1)

The waters bounded by a line due east from the coast of South America at 20°00'S latitude to where it meets
the meridian at 39°00'W longitude; thence due south to the parallel at 29°00'S latitude; thence due west along
this parallel to the coast of South America; thence in a northerly direction along the coast of South America to
the starting point.

Rio Grande (Division 41.2.2)

The waters bounded by a line due east from the coast of South America at 29°00'S latitude to where it meets
the meridian at 45°00'W longitude; thence due south to the parallel at 34°00'S latitude; thence due west along
this parallel to the coast of South America; thence in a northerly direction along the coast of South America to
the starting point.

Platense (Division 41.2.3)

The waters bounded by a line due east from the coast of South America at 34°00'S latitude to where it meets
the meridian at 50°00'W longitude; thence due south to the parallel at 40°00'S latitude; thence due west along
this parallel to the coast of South America; thence in a northerly direction along the coast of South America to
the starting point.

Central Oceanic (Division 41.2.4)

The waters bounded by a line due east from a point at 20°00'S latitude and 39°00'W longitude to the meridian
at 20°00'W longitude; thence due south to the parallel at 40°00'S latitude; thence due west to the meridian at
50°00'W longitude; thence due north to the parallel at 34°00'S latitude; thence due east to the meridian at
45°00'W longitude; thence due north to the parallel at 29°00'S latitude; thence due east to the meridian at
39°00'W longitude; thence due north to the starting point.

Southern (Subarea 41.3)

Northern Patagonian (Division 41.3.1)
Southern Patagonian (Division 41.3.2)
Southern Oceanic (Division 41.3.3)
All the marine waters bounded by a line starting from a point on the coast of Argentina at 40°00'S latitude;
FAO Fisheries and Aquaculture Department
thence due east along this parallel to 20°00'W longitude; thence due south to 50°00'S latitude; thence due west
to 50°00'W longitude; thence due south to 60°00'S latitude; thence due west to 67°16'W longitude; thence due
north to 56°22'S latitude; thence due east to 65°43'W longitude; thence due north to 55°22'S latitude thence
following a loxodromic line joining the points at 56°22'S - 65°43'W; 55°11'S - 66°04'W; 55°07'S - 66°25'W;
thence in a northwesterly direction along the coast of South America; thence across the Strait of Magellan;
thence in a northerly direction along the coast to the point of departure.

Northern Patagonian (Division 41.3.1)

The waters bounded by a line due east from the coast of South America at 40°00'S latitude to where it meets
the meridian at 50°00'W longitude; thence due south to the parallel at 48°00'S latitude; thence due west along
this parallel to the coast of South America; thence in a northerly direction along the coast of South America to
the starting point.

Southern Patagonian (Division 41.3.2)

The waters bounded by a line due east from the coast of South America at 48°00'S latitude to where it meets
the meridian at 50°00'W longitude; thence due south to the paralell at 60°00'S latitude; thence due west along
this parallel to the meridian at 67°16'W longitude; thence due north to the point at 56°22'S - 67°16'W; thence
due east to 65°43‘W longitude; thence due north to 55°22‘S latitude; thence following a loxodromic line
joining the points at 56°22'S - 65°43'W; 55°11'S - 66°04'W; 55°07'S - 66°25'W; thence in a northwesterly
direction along the coast of South America; thence across the Strait of Magellan; thence in a northerly
direction along the coast to the starting point.

Southern Oceanic (Division 41.3.3)

The waters bounded by a line due east from a point at 40°00'S latitude - 50°00'W longitude to the meridian at
20°00'W longitude; thence due south to the parallel at 50°00'S latitude; thence due west to 50°00'W longitude;
thence due north to the starting point.

FAO Fisheries and Aquaculture Department