Argentine shortfin squid

There is not enough data to indicate whether this stock is a healthy size. It has been subject to overfishing. Therefore, we consider there to be concern for both fishing pressure and biomass.Route 2 scoring has been applied to this rating owing to the uncertainty of the data and the lack of a reference point for biomass. Argentine shortfin squid is considered to have high resilience, as it has a minimum population doubling time of less than 15 months.There are 4 sub-stocks of Argentine shortfin squid:Summer Spawning Stock (SSS)South Patagonian Stock (SPS)Bonaerense-North Patagonian Stock (BNPS)Spring Spawning Stock (SpSS)The first two stocks are considered to be the most important to the fishery. This rating is for the Summer Spawning Stock (SSS).SSS is mainly found in Argentine waters. Assessments are carried out by Argentina's National Institute of Fisheries Research and Development (INIDEP). The most recent report is from 2022, using data from 2021 and early 2022.Surveys were carried out in 2022, but appeared to catch this stock at the end of its life cycle, and therefore were not considered to be indicative of biomass. Therefore, there is no direct estimate of stock size.The squid fishery is split into two management units (MUs): north and south. The total catch of Argentine shortfin squid in 2021 (all stocks combined) was an estimated 530,013t. Of this, 451,033t (85%) were from the southern MU. In 2020 and 2021, most southern MU catches were from SSS. The southern MU therefore appears to represent the bulk of the stock, and may therefore indicate SSS biomass.The biomass of recruits (young squid entering the fishery) for the Southern Management Unit at the beginning of 2022 was estimated at 169,006 t. This far below years of high abundance, such as 2007 (639,329t) or 2014 (407,274t) but above the previous estimate made in 2019 (144,202t). INIDEP concludes that this is a low abundance value, similar to 2019. However, squid populations fluctuate significantly, and are very responsive to changing environmental conditions. Therefore, a low abundance does not necessarily indicate concern for the stock. No reference points, indicators, or proxies have been set by INIDEP to indicate what a healthy stock size would look like. We consider there to be concern for biomass because there is not enough information to determine the health of this stock.Assessing fishing mortality of Argentine shortfin squid is difficult. Catches per unit of effort (CPUE) are available. However, CPUEs will change based on where the squid have migrated to in response to oceanographic conditions. Likewise, catches vary depending on squid stock size and availability, so high catches are not necessarily indicative of high fishing pressure.An escapement target of 40% has been set by INIDEP, indicating that at least 40% of the squid stock should remain after the fishing season to allow for spawning. This requires a pre- and post-season stock survey. Escapement after the 2021 fishing season was estimated at 33-35%. This is below the target, indicating that overfishing had taken place. Therefore, we consider there to be concern for fishing pressure.On average, it is estimated that around 45% of annual catches of this species have been from the high seas (beyond the Argentine and Falklands EEZs) over the last decade, although it is unclear which stocks this would include. The high seas fishery is poorly regulated, and there is very limited information on catch and effort. Illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing takes place here. INIDEP considers this to be a potential threat to the sustainability of this fishery. In 2021, of the total catch of 530,013t, high seas catch was estimated at 220,000t.

A number of management measures are in place for Argentine shortfin squid. However, there is no collaborative management between the main fishing nations, and no catch limits or management plans. There is a significant unregulated fishery from other nations occurring on the high seas. Therefore, management measures are not enough to ensure sustainable exploitation of this stock.The Argentine shortfin squid fishery is the second largest squid fishery in the world, although catches are very variable. It operates in Argentina, the Falkland Islands, and on the High Seas, and is accessed by distant water fishing fleets from Republic of Korea, Taiwan, and China.As it is a straddling stock, management should be joined up to ensure that exploitation levels are sustainable levels across all the fisheries. However, there is no joint management plan. From 1990-2005, the South Atlantic Fisheries Commission (SAFC) was in place. It involved Argentina, the UK, and Falkland Islands. It facilitated the exchange of fisheries data, joint research cruises, joint scientific analysis, and recommended co-ordinated conservation advice to respective governments. Argentina disengaged from the process in 2005 following a Falklands decision to grant fishing licences in its waters over a 25-year period, rather than by an annual renewal.In 2019, a fishery data collaboration was agreed between Argentina and the Falkland Islands, and a complete stock assessment of Argentine shortfin squid was conducted. However, the collaboration has not been maintained and is not expected to occur again in the near future. Recent stock data has been incomplete.In both Argentina and the Falkland Islands, there is a management objective of 40% escapement, indicating that at least 40% of the squid stock should remain after the fishing season to allow for spawning. This is considered to be a good target and is replicated in other squid fisheries. As part of this, surveys should be carried out before the fishing season to establish stock sizes, and catches reported weekly. The fisheries should be closed when escapement is reached. Escapement thresholds were exceeded from 2012-2016.Argentina has implemented closures based on this threshold, but only for the smaller component of the fishery North of 44 degrees, This does not include the bulk of the fishery, which occurs south of this and accounted for 85% of catches in 2021.Pre-season surveys have not been conducted in recent years for the main stocks, so there is no reliable data on which to base the sustainability of the fishery. The escapement threshold for the Summer Spawning Stock was breached in 2021/22.There is no plan for how the fishery should be conducted when the stock is at very low levels, e.g. closing the fishery for the year, or increasing the escapement target.In Argentina, other management measures include:Observers: In 2021, scientific observers were present on 5% of fishing trips to support scientific monitoring of the fishery.A closed season: the fishery operates during winter (February-August) and closes during spawning season. The southern fishery (south of 44 degrees S) is open from February to June, and the northern fishery is open from May to August. The seasons are sometimes started a month earlier if surveys indicate high abundance of some stocks. Some fishing is allowed on parts of the high seas from December-August.Fishing gear restrictions: squid can only be targeted by vessels equipped with jigging systems, or trawlers with a fishing permit for all species.Bycatch limits: bycatch can’t exceed 20% of the total catch by weight.Monitoring and control: All commercial fishing vessels must use Vessel Monitoring Systems, which track vessel positions using satellite data. The navy carries out control and surveillance, and compliance seems to be adequate. However, illegal, unregulated and unreported (IUU) fishing activities in Argentine and surrounding waters by a foreign fleet have been regularly reported. Although some vessels caught in Argentine waters have been sanctioned, the current sanctions do not provide evidence of effective deterrence.In the Falklands, the fishery only takes place when squid migrates into Falkland waters, and so it can be a difficult fishery to control. Management measures include:Licenses: a limited number are available, to control the amount of fishing effort taking place. If no stock assessment is available, the number of licenses is reduced.Closed season: the fishery operates during autumn and winter (January-June).Observers: All fleets and fisheries use observers to collect data including catch, effort, and seabird and mammal interaction & mortality. Observers are sometimes placed on vessels operating on the high seas when possible. In 2020, coverage was just 1.1% in the jig fishery, and 8% in the trawl fishery.Monitoring and control: All vessels must have a satellite Vessel Monitoring System (VMS). Compliance of the fleet is considered to be adequate. To fight IUU fishing, Falklands waters are patrolled by the Falkland Islands Government aircraft and an armed fishery protection vessel.On average, it is estimated that around 45% of annual catches of this species have been from the high seas (beyond the Argentine and Falklands EEZs) over the last decade. The high seas fishery is poorly regulated, and there is very limited information on catch and effort. Illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing takes place here. INIDEP considers this to be a potential threat to the sustainability of this fishery. In 2021, of the total catch of 530,013t, an estimated 220,000t was from the high seas.Two Fishery Improvement Projects have been initiated for parts of this fishery, one in Argentine waters and one in the Falkland Islands. They aim to get the fishery to a point where it could obtain MSC certification. The scoping documents for both highlight that the current lack of harvest control rules and concerns about the stock in Argentina would prevent certification.

A small amount of Argentine shortfin squid is caught by trawling. The main environmental concern by trawling in this area is the bycatch of endangered albatrosses and petrels, although more data is needed to assess these impacts.Fishing for Argentine shortfin squid takes place in Argentina, the Falkland Islands, and on the high seas beyond national waters. Roughly 92% is caught by jigging, and around 8% by trawling. This does not include estimates for the high seas fleet, which is a largely unregulated fishery with poor data. In 2021, of the total catch of 530,000t, an estimated 220,000t (42%) was from the high seas.Trawling is known to have seabed impacts. In this area, there are no closed areas to protect habitats. There has been no assessment of the impacts of trawling in the Falkland Islands. The footprint of the fishery is unknown, but it is thought to mainly operate on muddy habitat, which is less vulnerable to trawling than habitats such as reef. There are some rocky outcrops where more vulnerable seabed species would be found, although these are less likely to be trawled if there is a risk of gear entanglement.As well as being directly targeted, squid can be caught as bycatch by hake trawlers. Other species may also be bycaught, including rock cod and hoki, but they appear to be at sustainable levels. In Argentine waters, up to 20% of the total catch is permitted to be bycatch. In Falkland Island waters, up to 10% can be bycatch and then vessels must move on. However, bycatch levels seem to be higher than this, so the effectiveness of the rule is unclear.There is some concern regarding seabird bycatch in Argentinian trawl fisheries, especially hake (where squid is caught as bycatch) and hoki. Prior to the introduction of mandatory mitigation measures in 2018, it is estimated that the hake and hoki trawl fisheries could have been responsible for the deaths of 13,500 birds annually. The species most affected is the black-browed albatross, but there is also bycatch of other albatross and petrels. In 2020, observer data from Falkland Islands squid trawlers indicated that seabird bycatch continues, with up to 400 black browed albatross being killed. There is some uncertainty in this data, as only 2.3% of the fleet was observed. While this is concerning, black-browed albatross is listed as Least Concern (LC) on the IUCN red list and numbers are increasing. Therefore, the fishery does not appear to be negatively this species.Bycatch data for other seabird species, however, is poor. Several endangered albatross and petrel species overlap with this fishery. Seabird mitigation measures have been legally required on all vessels since 2018. This includes a ban on throwing offal overboard while trawls are in the water, which is the main cause of seabirds approaching the vessels, and bird scaring lines. There are reports of seabirds becoming entangled in the bird-scaring lines, and work is underway to address this. Vessel-specific bycatch mitigation plans are being developed. While the work underway to reduce bycatch is very encouraging, observer reports indicate concern about the level of compliance with these measures, especially on vessels where observers are absent (and observer coverage is low on some fleets). Compliance was at just 49% in 2019, although this is improving. On balance, given the historic level of threat to seabird populations in the area, the lack of data to confirm reductions in bycatch, and the concerns over compliance, it remains likely that the fishery is having negative impacts on seabirds.In 2021, the Falklands trawl fishery for Argentine shortfin squid recorded 6 tonnes of skate bycatch.The role of Argentine shortfin squid in the ecology of the Patagonian Shelf is not fully understood. The fishery has the potential to impact on populations of species that depend on it for prey, including large fish, seabirds and marine mammals.

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