Peruvian artisanal fishermen landing jumbo flying squid.
Photo: Produce.
As reported by WeAreAquaculture, Peru's Ministry of Production (Produce) announced last week that the resumption of jumbo flying squid fishing will be brought forward by four days and begin on November 21. The announcement, however, did not specify what the increase in the fishing quota would be. Finally, this increase was set and announced on the same day that the fishery began.
Through a ministerial resolution, Produce officially established a supplementary quota of 38,859 tons of jumbo flying squid (Dosidicus gigas) from now until the end of the year, intended for artisanal fishing vessels with valid permits.
As it had done in its previous announcement, Peru's Ministry of Production reiterated that the measure was adopted under an "adaptive management" approach and based on technical information provided by the Peruvian Sea Institute (Imarpe) following the results obtained from 'Operation Jumbo Flying Squid IV' carried out in the north-central zone, as well as those from the BIC Humboldt cruise ship, which is currently sailing the southern sea of Peru to learn about and ensure the sustainability of this key resource, not only for the Peruvian fishing industry, but also for the country's food security.
Likewise, the Peruvian Viceminister of Fisheries and Aquaculture, Jesús Barrientos, emphasized that the decision to increase the quota complies with the legal and technical framework governing this fishery.
"As we announced in Chiclayo, this resumption of jumbo flying squid fishing is fully supported by scientific evidence from Imarpe. Our priority is to move forward responsibly, ensuring sustainability and order in all extractive activities," he said.
When announcing the quota increase, Produce also emphasized that the conservation and management measures established in March of this year for jumbo flying squid fishing will remain in effect during this new fishing season.
These measures aim to ensure that fishing is carried out within sustainable levels, improve control of fishing effort, strengthen traceability, and prevent overexploitation of the resource.
In other words, these measures regulate how artisanal vessels must operate to ensure not only responsible but also traceable exploitation of the species, which is key for a resource of which Peru exports 90% of its catches.
It should be noted that during the Conxemar 2025 trade fair held in Vigo, Spain, in October, international buyers of jumbo flying squid called for coordination in the fishing of this species in the Pacific, reminding producing countries that they expect greater traceability, compliance, and environmental and social responsibility throughout the supply chain.
The Produce resolution also establishes that, if environmental or biological conditions so require, Imarpe may recommend adjustments to the supplementary quota. It stipulates as well that the artisanal fleet may carry out up to three fishing trips until December 31, 2025, under reinforced supervision and control measures.
"Biological and fisheries monitoring will be essential at this stage," the Peruvian Viceminister of Fisheries and Aquaculture stated, emphasizing the importance of ongoing monitoring of the resource.
"Working together with Imarpe will enable us to make timely decisions and ensure that catches remain within limits that protect the resource," Jesús Barrientos concluded.
