Falkland Islands cancels squid fishery for the rest of 2024, marking uncharted and unprecedented times

The Falkland Islands Fisheries Department (FIFD) recently canceled fishing activities in the territory’s Patagonian squid (Doryteuthis gahi) fishery for the rest of 2024.FIFD worked in conjunction with local fishing companies in July 2024 to conduct a preseason survey before deciding whether to launch fishery activities for the second season of the year.The results of that survey came as a surprise: The lower end of the biomass estimate came in below FIFD’s safe stock replenishment threshold of 10,000 metric tons (MT) – the smallest total since 2008. Considering these results, authorities postponed the launch of the fishing season as a precaution, with another survey scheduled for August.The next survey, completed mid-August, conclusively found an average biomass below the 10,000 MT limit, and the season was called off to protect the squid population from long-term damage.This news came one year after authorities brought 2023’s second fishing season to a premature close due to ...