Overview
By volume, China is the largest squid fishing and processing country in the world. The East China Sea and Yellow Sea, fished by Korean, Japanese, and Chinese fishing vessels, are significant squid fishing grounds. It’s there that Chinese trawl, purse seine, and gillnet vessels target Todarodes pacificus, or Japanese flying squid (JFS) together with other finfish species. JFS are highly migratory, having a broad geographic distribution and inhabiting both the open ocean and coastal regions of Northeast Asia. While there are great diversity and scope of JFS fisheries across Northeast Asia, the East China Sea and Yellow Sea Squid FIP will initially focus on improving Chinese JFS trawl fisheries operating within Chinese jurisdictions in East China and Yellow Seas. The primary markets for this product are the European Union, United States, Japan, and South Korea, although better supply chain analysis is needed to fully understand product flow and to elucidate any other squid species product mixing which might occur.
By volume, China is the largest squid fishing and processing country in the world. The East China Sea and Yellow Sea, fished by Korean, Japanese, and Chinese fishing vessels, are significant squid fishing grounds.
Objectives to be achieved by December 2023 include:
- Develop a first empirical assessment of stock status. Where acceptable stock status is verified or, if not, a formal rebuilding plan is developed.
- A comprehensive harvest strategy (HS) with harvest control rules (HCRs) is implemented.
- Sufficient relevant information is collected from the fishery, including regular stock abundance monitoring and fishery removals, adequate to support a robust harvest strategy.
- Regular stock assessments are being conducted & evaluated as appropriate to evaluate the stock status and harvest strategy.
- An effective partial management strategy for secondary species is in place.
- ETP management measures identified for subsequent implementation.
- If needed, an additional mgmt. and compliance actions are developed to ensure acceptable habitat outcome.
- If needed, a plan to avoid impacts on key elements of the ecosystem structure and function is in place.
- A comprehensive process plan has been developed that will lead to the adoption of fishery-specific management. objectives/plans, precautionary decision-making processes, research plans, and effective compliance during the FIP's Phase 2.