Humboldt squid

The stock of jumbo flying squid is likely within safe biological limits. Available assessments have produced different results, but generally indicate sufficient biomass and recruitment. Fishing pressure is likely close to the upper limit for a sustainable stock.

Fishing with mechanised lines and jigs is likely to have little impact on other species and the ecosystem. Bycatch and discards are limited, and the catch consists mainly of jumbo flying squid. Fishing takes place in the water column and therefore has no impact on the seabed. Emissions are low, although lighting may require additional fuel. Lost fishing gear poses a moderate risk to the ecosystem.

Management is still developing. The stock is monitored sufficiently, but assessments contain uncertainties. New regulations introduced in 2025 are intended to improve management, although their effectiveness remains unclear. Measures to combat illegal fishing and enforcement are partially effective. The fishery is part of a FIP and the MSC programme In-Transition to MSC certification.

The stock is difficult to assess. According to one assessment, the population has increased in recent years, although total biomass declined between 2015 and 2018. An assessment of the entire stock concluded that it is not overfished and that overfishing is not occurring. However, another assessment found that biomass had declined in 2019 and that the stock was overexploited.

For fisheries using demersal otter trawls, little information is available on the impact on vulnerable and protected species. However, rays, demersal sharks and seabirds are likely to be caught, and the fishery may affect the ecosystem and seabed. Information on the ecological effects of fisheries using entangling nets is limited. Bycatch and discards are assessed as moderate, and the impact on habitats appears to be moderate.

Catch limits have been established and have not been reached in recent years. Management of the stock is partially effective, while management of the artisanal fishery is considered marginally effective.