Fishing Policies May Be Adjusted, And The Supply-demand Imbalance May Worsen

   In the 17th week of 2026, the price of deep-sea squid at the Zhejiang Agricultural Research Center fluctuated narrowly. While performance varied across different production areas, the overall trend remained stable.

   The price of squid from the Southeast Pacific remained generally stable, with only tail fins and whole squid experiencing narrow fluctuations. No clear trend emerged in the market. Recently, due to rumors circulating in the industry that the Southeast Pacific squid fishing quota might be adjusted, both buyers and sellers have largely adopted a wait-and-see attitude and operated cautiously. Market transactions, aside from fulfilling existing processing orders, showed little active stockpiling or large-scale purchases, mainly focusing on immediate needs. This "expected disturbance" has, to some extent, suppressed further price increases in the short term.

   In Peru: As of April 23, 2026, the cumulative unloading volume of Peruvian giant squid (scientific name: *Dosidicus gigas*) for this year reached 271,389.58 tons, completing 88.86% of the quota for January to June. Rising international energy prices have significantly increased the operating costs of Peruvian squid fishing fleets, leading to a slight increase in the price of Peruvian squid upon landing. However, the market oversupply caused by continuously increasing fishing quotas, coupled with weak demand in the Chinese market, has significantly limited the potential for further price increases.

   In Argentina: Due to a significant decrease in squid fishing efficiency, the Argentine National Fisheries Department decided to officially close the squid (Illex argentinus) fishing grounds starting at 8:00 AM on April 15th. Official statistics show that as of April 15th, Argentina's cumulative squid catch for this season has reached 174,296.6 tons, while the total catch for 2025 is projected at 203,956 tons. This season, lasting just over three months, has already nearly reached last year's total, fully demonstrating the typical cyclical characteristic of squid resources: a concentrated surge in the early stages followed by a rapid decline.

   Overall, the domestic deep-sea squid market in the 17th week exhibited characteristics of "stable prices and structural differentiation." Regionally, the Southeast Pacific market, influenced by expectations of adjustments to fishing quota policies, saw transactions primarily driven by rigid demand, resulting in relatively small price fluctuations. In the Southwest Atlantic market, prices remained high due to the approaching end of the fishing season and a temporary decrease in resources, highlighting the continued structural differences between regions. Meanwhile, global squid resources are showing a temporary downward trend, and the resource cycle is about to enter a period of adjustment.