Illex Squid Fishing Sees a Strong Rebound with Daily Output Reaching 30 Tonnes South of 44°S

The 2026 squid fishing season in the South Atlantic off Argentina has been a rollercoaster ride, and a pivotal turning point arrived in mid-March. After a period of struggling to locate squid schools and facing sluggish fishing efficiency, Argentine jigging fleets rediscovered dense squid aggregations in the waters south of 44° south latitude, with the average daily output per vessel rebounding to about 30 tonnes. This marked a significant recovery in fishing efficiency and injected a much-needed boost into the volatile fishing season.

The fishing season officially kicked off on January 2. In the initial phase, fleets failed to catch the Southern Patagonian Stock (SSP) and promptly adjusted their operational strategy, shifting focus to the Summer Spawning Stock (SDV). Following the opening of fishing grounds south of 44°S on January 9, fishing efficiency saw a substantial improvement, with catch levels consistently surpassing those of the previous year, delivering a strong start. By the end of February, the cumulative catch of Argentine squid had reached 123,000 tonnes, doubling the figure from the same period a year earlier. In terms of the catch structure, jigging fleets remained the core production force with a cumulative catch of 105,000 tonnes, while freezer trawlers and ocean-going fresh squid fleets harvested 17,000 tonnes and 1,300 tonnes respectively. The participation of trawlers has become an important contributor to the total output this season.

Port unloading data has also directly confirmed the high-yield momentum in the early stage. In the first two months, the three major ports recorded the following unloading volumes: Puerto Madryn with 60,216 tonnes, Puerto Deseado with 28,217 tonnes, and Mar del Plata with 21,233 tonnes, while Comodoro Rivadavia saw an unloading volume of about 1,500 tonnes. Loading, unloading, cold chain and export operations at southern ports have all been running at full capacity, and squid has undoubtedly become the core pillar of Argentina's regional fisheries economy. Meanwhile, the quality of catches has steadily improved over time, shifting from small and medium-sized individuals in the early stage to premium-grade ones, with the unit output value rising continuously. This has also been a key reason why fishing returns in the early phase of the season outperformed those of last year.

March brought volatility to the fishing season. As the Summer Spawning Stock was gradually exploited, squid schools became more dispersed, leading to a sharp drop in the average daily output of fleets. Some vessels even saw their operational efficiency nearly grind to a halt, and the market once expected the first phase of the fishing season to draw to a close. At this critical moment, the emergence of dense squid schools in the waters south of 44°S pushed fishing efficiency back up to 30 tonnes per day in a short time, and fishing activities quickly returned to normal rhythm.

Alongside the recovery in fishing, adjustments to the management of fishing grounds have also attracted close industry attention. Earlier, due to the decline in fishing efficiency, the industry proposed an early opening of the waters north of 44°S. However, resource assessments by scientific research institutions indicated that the waters are currently dominated by small-sized squid individuals, which do not meet the ideal fishing conditions, and thus the relevant sea areas remain closed. In accordance with the existing management plan, the waters are scheduled to open in early April, and the final decision on whether to open as planned will still depend on a comprehensive analysis of fishing data and resource assessment results in late March. This policy arrangement means fleets will need to concentrate their operations in southern waters in the short term. If the current dense squid schools disperse and the northern waters remain closed, fishing efficiency may fluctuate again, which in turn will affect the subsequent market supply rhythm of squid.

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Overall, the high yields in the early stage of this Argentine squid fishing season have provided a sufficient raw material guarantee for the global market, but the fishing instability has increased significantly since March. Coupled with signs of a decline in fishing efficiency in the squid producing areas of the Southeast Pacific and the persistently high cost of ocean-going fuel, uncertainties on the supply side of Argentine squid are rising. The subsequent trend of the fishing season and market supply will still require continuous attention to resource changes and industry dynamics.