Argentina's Squid (inland) Season Has Started Off Strong, With The First Discovery Of A Large, High-sized Squid School.

On January 11, Argentine media outlet Pescare reported that the first large-scale squid stockpile was discovered in Argentina's 2026 squid fishing season, with ideal size and very positive signals in key indicators such as resource density, quality, and harvesting efficiency.

The squid fishing season in Argentina's Exclusive Economic Zone began on January 2. The initial fishing season was affected by a strong storm, but sea and wind conditions have since improved significantly. Currently, 72 Argentine-registered vessels have arrived at the fishing grounds between 49° and 44° south latitude, with another 8 en route.

Similar to recent seasons, the waters north of San Jorge Bay have once again become a key area for squid fishing operations, located approximately 110 nautical miles east of the town of Camarones. The 2026 season started earlier than usual, and in the initial stages, fishing vessels discovered scattered squid schools approximately 60 nautical miles off the coast of Santa Cruz province, east of San Julian. These resources were primarily SS (super small) squid, with mantle thickness between 2 and 2.7 millimeters.

Against this backdrop, the industry began focusing on when sustainable, concentrated fishing areas would be identified to support stable operational schedules and raw material supplies. Many fishing vessels set sail early, striving to enter the fishing grounds north of 49°S latitude as soon as possible. Before December 30th, a total of 49 squid fishing vessels departed from various Argentine ports.

Once fishing opened in the waters north of 49°S, the Argentine fleet immediately launched intensive search operations. According to fleet feedback, large schools of fish were confirmed on the evening of January 9th, and the discovery expanded further on January 10th, with many vessels significantly increasing their operational efficiency.

On-site information shows that some vessels achieved a daily catch of 12 tons, with BP Lu Qing Yuan Yu 286 reporting a catch of 57 tons. BP Hai Xiang 16, also from the same company, performed even better, with a higher catch. These achievements are attributed to the increased number of crew members and more robust processing and freezing capacity on board, significantly improving raw material processing efficiency. This information comes from a report made by the crew of Lu Qing Yuan Yu 286 to the Southeast Maritime Group, an organization that oversees fleet operations and crew welfare. Waldo Ahumada, Chairman of the Southeast Maritime Group, confirmed the information.

Unlike previous catches, a key change in this round of fishing is the significant improvement in size, with squid schools predominantly small (S) size and mantle thickness ranging from 3.5 to 4.1 mm. This indicator is crucial for processing yield and commercial value, and is seen by the industry as a positive sign for a takeoff in the fishing season.

Monitoring data shows that a large number of Argentine squid fishing vessels are concentrated in the area between 44°40′ and 45°53′ south latitude and 62°30′ and 63°30′ west longitude, approximately 90–110 nautical miles east of Camarónes. Many foreign fleets are also operating outside the Exclusive Economic Zone, but data as of last Friday shows that their catch and size performance are weaker than those inside the zone.

In addition, large refrigerated trawlers were spotted operating in a corridor area 120–160 nautical miles from the coast. These vessels officially declared their target as hake, but there is evidence that they also caught large quantities of squid. As of Saturday night, investigations showed that two vessels had caught a total of 25 tons of hake and 72 tons of squid over two days.

On the trade front, the global market has shown strong interest in Argentine squid. With prices firm and demand stable, some buyers are even looking to lock in supplies before the harvest, betting on concentrated and sustainable resources to create a favorable market environment with ample supply and stable quality.

At a recent industry conference in Mar del Plata, despite a favorable external market environment, some Argentine companies and technology representatives reiterated their concerns about operating costs, taxes, and export deductions.

In summary, the first appearance of a large, high-specification squid colony within Argentina's Exclusive Economic Zone is a significant milestone for the 2026 season. If this trend continues in both space and time, it will provide a strong and optimistic start to the entire season.