Argentine Squid Fishing Season Concludes, Total Landings Near 190,000 Tonnes

The 2026 fishing season for Argentine shortfin squid (Illex argentinus) officially concluded on April 22. The total landing volume this year reached nearly 190,000 tonnes, remaining at the high level seen in recent years, though still below the 17-year record set in 2025.

According to the latest statistics as of May 7, the cumulative landing volume of Argentine shortfin squid in 2026 stood at 186,992.3 tonnes. While it did not surpass the historic high of 203,956 tonnes recorded in 2025, this season still ranks among the stronger performances of recent years.

In terms of production patterns, the 2026 season was characterized by a distinct trend: strong early catches followed by a sharp decline later in the season.

The bulk of the catch was landed in the early months of the year.

Especially between January and February, stock abundance was markedly higher compared with the same period in recent years. Fishing fleets consistently achieved high yields in key fishing grounds, and per-vessel productivity was significantly better than in some previous seasons.

It was this period of high-volume catches that rapidly pushed up the total cumulative output for the entire season.

Production remained robust into March, but signs of resource depletion began to emerge in the market from April onwards. This was particularly evident after the opening of fishing grounds north of the 44th parallel south, where stocks declined at an accelerated rate.

In the latter part of the season, fleets frequently reported difficulties in locating fish concentrations.

Industry sources noted that from late April onwards, stable, high-density squid aggregations became rare in certain areas. Fishing efficiency dropped rapidly, and per-vessel yields decreased substantially.

Ultimately, INIDEP (the National Institute for Fisheries Research and Development of Argentina) recommended the closure of fishing grounds to preserve the biological cycle of the species, and shortly thereafter, the Argentine government officially brought the 2026 season to an end.

This pattern of high productivity early in the season followed by a rapid decline is actually a typical feature of the Argentine shortfin squid fishery. Squid populations are naturally subject to significant fluctuations, and periods of high abundance are usually short-lived. Once schools disperse, yields fall off quickly.

By port region, Patagonia remained the core hub for the industry this year.

Puerto Madryn retained its position as the primary landing port, with a cumulative volume of 81,485.5 tonnes — the largest share of the national total. Mar del Plata ranked second at 50,929.4 tonnes, followed by Puerto Deseado in third place with 47,614.6 tonnes.

The differences in volume between these major ports reflect that the operational focus of Argentina’s squid fishing fleet remains concentrated in the waters off Patagonia.

In recent years, with continuous improvements to local port infrastructure, cold storage facilities, processing capacity, and logistics networks, Patagonia’s role within the Argentine squid industry has grown increasingly significant.

Although this year’s final output did not exceed the 2025 record, there were expectations within the trade that 2026 could see a new all-time high.

During the period of high abundance early in the year, some market forecasts even projected that total production would surpass the previous year’s figure.

However, the 44th parallel south emerged as a key dividing line that shaped the trajectory of the entire season.

Industry analysis points to a clear divergence in stock performance between areas north and south of this latitude in 2026. While waters south of the line maintained high concentrations of squid early on, stocks north of the line depleted much faster in the latter part of the season. This regional difference in resource distribution has become one of the key issues currently being investigated by Argentine scientific institutions.

Moving forward, INIDEP plans to expand research into stock distribution, biological characteristics, and population dynamics, in order to assess the specific factors driving this year’s resource variations.

For the international market, sustained high catches of Argentine shortfin squid mean that global supplies of oceanic squid remain relatively abundant. China, Spain, South Korea, and various Southeast Asian markets continue to be the main destinations for consumption and processing.

That said, the rapid decline in stocks toward the end of the season led to a tightening in the supply of high-quality product during the second half of the fishery, with prices for larger-sized squid beginning to rise as a result.

Market attention has now shifted from total production levels to inventory volumes and future supply availability.

This is especially relevant given the concurrent price increases seen in the Peruvian squid market recently. The rate at which existing Argentine squid inventories are consumed, alongside the rhythm of international purchasing activity, will be key factors influencing global oceanic squid market trends over the coming months.