Japan's squid fishing quota significantly increased: proposed at 68,400 tons

The reason for the Fisheries Agency's decision to "increase the quota" is due to a significant increase in production in certain sea areas in 2025, with noticeable increases in catches in places like Aomori and Iwate. As the quota set for fishing methods such as "small-scale squid fishing" was quickly exhausted and exceeded, the management side had to issue a temporary halt in fishing (stop order), which impacted the operational pace and supply arrangements. The primary purpose of raising the total amount in advance is to create more realistic management space for the next fishing season, reducing the likelihood of another reactive stop in fishing. However, there were not only welcoming voices at the meeting. Concerns were raised during the review meeting that significantly increasing the annual allowable amount under the premise of "insufficient resources" could bring about risks of subsequent resource fluctuations. In response, the Fisheries Agency emphasized that this is a temporary measure "limited to one year" as an emergency adjustment for abundant fishing years, not a long-term relaxation of resource constraints. From an implementation perspective, the increase in the annual quota does not mean "loosening up"; instead, it is accompanied by more detailed management measures: · By fishing method: For small-boat fishing, which has already exceeded the quota this season, the plan proposes to allocate 15,000 tons first, and the fishing period is planned to be divided into two stages for management, with details to be determined later. · By regional management: In the past, quantity management by prefectures mainly covered Hokkaido and Toyama; the plan proposes to add four prefectures, Aomori, Iwate, Miyagi, and Nagasaki, to strengthen regional-level constraints. For the industrial chain, this change sends out two signals: One is that the Japanese regulatory authorities are preparing for the "possible continuation of high catches," and the supply-side annual uncertainty is expected to decrease; the second is that while the quota is increased, the implementation of phased and regional management means that the actual pace of release may still be affected by the details. In the coming period, the market needs to focus on whether the review meeting in late February approves the plan, as well as the specific execution criteria for the phased management and the quota distribution methods for each region.