Overview
The jumbo squid represents the second largest fishery in Peru and the most important for artisanal fishers. More than 11,000 fishers and over 3,000 fishing boats participate in the fishery, which lands around 500,000 tons of squid each year. It is a very selective fishery as all the squid are captured one by one using jigs. A critical issue that the fishery needs to improve on is national regulations related to the formalization of fishing, and given its highly migratory characteristics, an international approach must also be sought. It is expected that with the collaboration of all FIP participants, the fishery can progress towards a more sustainable state.
The jumbo squid (Dosidicus gigas) is one of the largest (up to 2.5 meters in length and 50 kg in maximum weight) and most abundant cephalopod species in the world. Three intraspecific groups of the giant or jumbo squid (Dosidicus gigas) have been identified in the Southeast Pacific based on maturity size (Nigmatullin et al. 2001). However, as no genetic differences have been found among the three proposed population subunits, they are still considered to constitute a single stock (Xu et al. 2017). Their abundance and distribution patterns are very sensitive to changes in environmental conditions and the abundance of their prey. In Peru, the resource is exploited almost exclusively by the artisanal fleet, which must have a fishing permit to operate in Peruvian waters. The fleet operates with jigs, a special type of vertical lines used mainly in squid fishing. Special hooks for squid fishing (ripped hooks) are mounted one after another at a certain distance with a monofilament line. The line, weighted by sinkers, can be placed up to 200 m deep and is pulled with abrupt movements (http://www.fao.org/fishery/geartype/231/en). Evaluation, monitoring, and management measures are not well defined and do not provide precise data to address sustainability issues.
The first 3-year audit for the Peruvian squid FIP was completed in June 2022. As a result of that audit, 10 scores of the MSC performance indicators were increased, and the FIP work plan was revised to reflect the updated actions and tasks that must be undertaken for the fishery to meet the MSC standard. With these revised actions, the projected completion date for the FIP was subsequently updated to December 2024.
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The jumbo squid represents the second largest fishery in Peru and the most important for artisanal fishers. More than 11,000 fishers and over 3,000 fishing boats participate in the fishery, which lands around 500,000 tons of squid each year.
Comprehensive FIP Objective:
The objective of the FIP for the Peruvian jumbo squid is to gradually advance the fishery to meet the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) standard by the end of 2024 and then enter the full MSC assessment process. The FIP transitioned from a basic FIP to a comprehensive FIP in 2018, and all original goals and actions of the basic FIP have been incorporated into the revised comprehensive FIP work plan.
FIP at a Glance
57% | 11% | 32% |
This pie chart represents completed environmental actions. Non-completed environmental actions may contain completed sub-tasks that are not illustrated here. For more information on environmental action progress visit the Actions Progress tab.
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Roundtable