Photo: Stockfile/FIS

Illex Squid Landings Surpass 150,000 Tons in Argentina

ARGENTINA
Tuesday, May 20, 2025, 00:10 (GMT + 9)

With a stable season and rising market prices, Illex cements its role amid global shortages of other squid species

The 2025 fishing season for Argentine shortfin squid (Illex argentinus) is showing solid and consistent performance, with landings already exceeding 150,000 tons in Argentine ports, according to official data from May 6 published by the Secretariat of Agriculture, Livestock, and Fisheries. The latest technical report from INIDEP records a cumulative catch of 147,929 tons, reflecting levels similar to previous seasons and a positive trend in profitability driven by global factors.

This growth comes amid a global context marked by reduced availability of Loligo (Doryteuthis gahi) in the Falkland Islands and poor performance of jumbo flying squid or giant (Dosidicus gigas) in Peruvian waters—factors that have pushed market prices higher for the Argentine Illex.

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Scientific Monitoring and Catch Performance by Area

The Federal Fisheries Council recently received INIDEP’s Official Technical Report No. 20/2025, analyzing fishing activity between January 2 and May 8, 2025 (week 19). During this period, 78 jigger vessels caught 143,279 tons, with an average yield of 22 tons per day. 63% of these catches occurred south of 44°S, while 52,609 tons were landed to the north, corresponding to the Buenos Aires–Northern Patagonia Stock (SBNP).

Biological samples show that squid caught north of 44°S measured between 17 and 30 cm mantle length (ML), with males in early maturity and females still immature, confirming their identification as SBNP. In May, an increase in average length and weight was observed, and the weekly yield rose between 17 and 27 t/day, showing an upward trend over the past four weeks.

Source: Report of the Federal Fisheries Council

Historical Comparison and International Presence

The current season’s performance already exceeds the 2020 figures by 18% for the same week—a season that was the most productive in the past 20 years. The INIDEP report also includes an overview of vessel operations outside Argentina's Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) and in the EEZ disputed with the United Kingdom, highlighting the geopolitical and economic significance of the species in the South Atlantic.

Image: Squid unloading at the dock of Puerto Madryn (Squid jiggers)

Outlook for the Rest of the Year

With stable oceanographic conditions, good resource availability, and a strengthening international market, the 2025 Illex squid season is shaping up to be one of the most profitable of the decade for Argentina’s jigger fleet. However, stakeholders remain alert to international dynamics and developments in other key fishing grounds.

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