Argentina's Continued Decline in Squid Catches Has Forced A Nationwide Fishing Moratorium Ahead Of Schedule

The 2026 Argentine squid (Illex argentinus) fishing season is drawing to a close. The Argentine fisheries authorities have decided to close all squid fishing operations within Argentina's exclusive economic zone, effective from 8:00 AM on April 22nd. This decision is based on technical advice from the Argentine National Institute for Fisheries Research and Development (INIDEP), against the backdrop of a continued decline in catches in recent days, weakening commercial-sized squid, and a significant deterioration in resource biological signals.

This cessation of fishing primarily points to a rapid decline in resource availability. Fishing conditions north of 44°S latitude have continued to weaken in recent days, with the average daily catch per squid fishing vessel dropping to approximately one ton, a low level. More importantly, the size of the catch is now consistent with juvenile stages, indicating that the current resource structure is no longer suitable for maintaining normal fishing intensity. While declining catches are not uncommon in the squid fisheries, when low yields and juvenile signals occur simultaneously, regulatory tightening of operations tends to be more swift.

Scientific survey results further reinforced the decision to cease fishing. INIDEP, conducting resource surveys aboard the research vessel "Víctor Angelescu," voyage VA-2026/03, revealed low squid density in the area, with a low expected replenishment rate for 2026. These two indicators directly relate to the sustainability of the resource and are crucial for determining whether to tighten fishing operations. The situation in the southern waters is similarly unfavorable. The report indicates that no fishing fleets have been operating in the southern waters since April 15th, again due to insufficient replenishment.

The fishing operations at sea had already signaled the end of the season. For a period after the opening of fishing grounds north of 44°S, some vessels reported difficulties maintaining previous catch levels, reduced resource populations, increased difficulty in locating fish, and persistently low catches. Fleet operations adjusted accordingly, with some vessels gradually withdrawing from the fishing grounds. The final announcement of a complete fishing moratorium across the entire area by management is, in effect, a formal confirmation of these changes at sea.

This harvest season does not signify a weak overall performance for Argentine squid in 2026. On the contrary, the initial supply was quite abundant. As of April 15th, the cumulative unloading volume had reached 174,296.6 tons, approaching the total unloading volume of 203,956 tons for the entire 2025 season in just over three months. This indicates that the arrival of resources and the fishing performance were relatively strong in the first half of the season, but declined significantly in the second half, with both marine resource availability and catch efficiency weakening simultaneously.

This is a typical pattern in the Argentine squid fishery: a concentrated release of resources in the early stages drives a rapid surge in unloading; later in the season, resource distribution, size structure, and replenishment change rapidly, requiring adjustments to management measures. This year's decision to cease fishing is primarily focused on resource sustainability, aiming to allow space for the population's reproductive cycle.

With the nationwide fishing moratorium taking effect on April 22nd, the 2026 Argentine squid fishing season officially came to a close. As of April 15, the cumulative unloading volume for this quarter was 174,296.6 tons, and the total unloading volume for the entire quarter of 2025 is 203,956 tons.