Strong Start To The 2026 Squid Season in Argentina

   After a nine-day voyage, the deep-sea refrigerated fishing vessel "BP Anita" unloaded a batch of high-quality squid in Mar del Plata, highlighting the strong market demand and favorable international prices for this species. Strong market demand, a significant increase in the total value of the vessel's hold, and the availability of squid resources, primarily S-sized with some M-sized individuals, have prompted many fishing vessels to shift their focus to the waters east of the No-Fishing Zone (ZVPJM) between 44° and 46° south latitude.

   This is not a sudden phenomenon. Signs had already emerged several days prior: large fishing vessels-mostly refrigerated, but also including some deep-sea refrigerated vessels-had been precisely deployed in specific areas of the South Atlantic east of the No-Fishing Zone and outside the 200-nautical-mile Exclusive Economic Zone. This has created an "operational gap": between the domestic squid fishing fleet and foreign fleets operating beyond 200 nautical miles. Experienced captains know that this corridor becomes an excellent fishing window whenever squid populations migrate northeast and "overflow" the no-fishing zone boundary. This time, the "Anita" successfully seized this opportunity.