Peruvian Squid Catch Quota Set at Nearly 500,000 Tons

The Peruvian Ministry of Production has made a big decision by announcing the 2024 catch quota for giant squid (Dosidicus gigas) at 499,683 tons - which is a 14% decrease from last year. This move comes as there are concerns about the recent drop in Peruvian squid production.

Recently, squid catches in Peru have been pretty low, and the current fishing season is going to end on December 31st. According to the Peruvian Marine Research Institute (Imarpe), adjustments to catch quotas are based on factors like biomass, fishing conditions, environmental factors, and resource accessibility. Imarpe mentioned that if the quota is met or if there are changes in environmental and biological conditions, they will recommend stopping fishing activities.

Artisanal fishing boats in Peru (those less than 15 meters long) have to register with the South Pacific Regional Fisheries Management Organization (SPRFMO) and fish within specific areas. These boats need to report their catches to Imarpe experts at approved offloading spots.

During the recent Barcelona exhibition, some suppliers mentioned that Peruvian squid production has been really low for the past 9-10 months. They said that Asian vessels fishing in international waters might be affecting the Peruvian supply. Also, they pointed out that environmental conditions have been a big factor in the low catches, especially with last year's El Niño causing higher water temperatures and disrupting the anchovy and squid seasons. Because of this shortage of raw materials, Peruvian exhibitors couldn't give market pricing at the exhibition.

This quota adjustment really shows the struggles that the Peruvian squid industry is dealing with, and it emphasizes how crucial it is to use sustainable management practices in order to make sure this valuable fishery resource can last for a long time.