Japan sharply raises 2026 squid fishing quota

As reported on February 9, 2026, Japan's Fisheries Agency held a review meeting with relevant fisheries stakeholders on February 4 and finalized a proposal that sets the Total Allowable Catch (TAC) for Japanese squid at 68,400 metric tons for the 2026 fishing year (starting in April). The proposal is expected to be officially approved at a review meeting in late February. This represents a substantial increase in the quota, standing at approximately 3.6 times the initially set quota and 2.5 times the final quota for the 2025 fishing year. The move comes against the backdrop of a concentrated surge in squid stocks in waters off Aomori, Iwate and other prefectures in 2025, where fishing quotas for methods such as small-scale squid jigging were quickly exhausted and even exceeded, prompting fisheries authorities to issue fishing moratorium orders that disrupted fishing operations and supply arrangements. The quota hike is primarily aimed at creating more practical management leeway for the upcoming fishing season and reducing the likelihood of unplanned fishing moratoriums.

The quota adjustment has also raised concerns about potential fluctuations in squid stocks. In response, Japan's Fisheries Agency clarified that this is a one-year temporary emergency measure and not a permanent relaxation of fisheries resource constraints. Furthermore, the quota increase does not equate to unrestricted fishing; instead, it is accompanied by more refined management measures. In terms of fishing methods, a preliminary quota of 15,000 metric tons has been allocated for small-vessel fishing, with plans to manage the fishing period in two phases (detailed rules to be formulated later). In terms of regional management, four additional prefectures—Aomori, Iwate, Miyagi and Nagasaki—will be included in the prefecture-specific quantity control system, strengthening targeted regional constraints.

This adjustment sends two key signals to the squid industry chain. On one hand, Japanese fisheries regulators are putting institutional arrangements in place for a potential continuation of high catch volumes, which is expected to reduce annual uncertainty on the supply side. On the other hand, the accompanying refined management measures mean the actual pace of fishing volume expansion may be subject to specific implementation rules. Going forward, the market will need to focus closely on two key points: whether the proposal is approved at the late February review meeting, and the specific implementation guidelines for the phased fishing management as well as the quota allocation method across various prefectures.