Global Squid Supply Chain Roundtable
Last Update: January 2018
The Global Squid Supply Chain Roundtable is a combination of two former SRs, one covering Asia-Pacific and the other covering South American squid fisheries. The combination took effect in March 2017 following a joint SR meeting at Seafood Expo North America in Boston.
Both SRs were initiated by European squid importers and buyers—along with North American importers and buyers for the Asia-Pacific region—who recognize that addressing many of the sustainability challenges found in the world’s squid fisheries will require a collaborative, precompetitive approach from industry stakeholders.
Early efforts focused on the Chinese mitre squid, Japanese flying squid, and Peruvian jumbo flying squid fisheries, as these were important fisheries to many of the initial SR members. Participating importers and buyers were able to engage and communicate to their Chinese and Peruvian domestic suppliers and national fishing authorities in both countries regarding the importance of sustainability to the global market.
While initial SR efforts were focused on promoting fishery improvement projects in these specific squid fisheries, some companies participated in SR meetings despite having no association with the fisheries. These companies hope to take lessons learned from this experience and apply them to other squid fisheries in the region once the SR has developed a first assessment of these fisheries (through FishSource profiles) and the SR’s efforts expand.
Supply Chain Roundtable Participants:
Albion Fisheries
Alimar/Eurofresh
Aquastar
Fortune International
Icelandic Seachill
Lund’s Fisheries
Pacific Blue Seafood
Fisheries and/or FIPs Covered:
At present, the roundtable focuses on a number of squid fisheries found worldwide. An overview of related FishSource profiles can be found here.
The following FIPs are supported and monitored:
Shantou-Taiwan Chinese common squid - jigging/single trawl FIP
Peruvian Jumbo Flying Squid (pre-FIP status)
Japanese Flying Squid Project (Ocean Outcomes, SeaFresh, PanaPesca in FIP Initiation)
Improvement Needs:
Asia-Pacific
- Address data deficiency in areas of recruitment, landings data, fishing effort, bycatch, gear impacts, identifying spawning zones, and PET species interactions.
- Based on data collection, implement and enforce the regulation of fishing effort, as well as seasonal and fishing zone closures to protect spawning stocks.
- Strengthen enforcement of existing squid fishery regulations, including closed fishing areas and seasons in order to address IUU fishing.
South America
- Develop fishery assessments on Argentine shortfin (Illex argentinus) and Patagonian squid (Loligo gahi) fisheries.
- Update fishery assessments on the jumbo flying squid (Dosidcus gigas) fisheries.
- Strengthen enforcement of existing national squid fishery regulations and EEZ waters control in order to minimize impacts at stock level of the fishing activity happening in international waters.
Action Recommendations for Suppliers:
- Work with supply chains to initiate FIPs in fisheries where improvements are needed.
- When sourcing from squid fisheries that are managed under seasonal closures, SR participants should ensure suppliers implement no-purchase policies during fishing moratoriums.
- Exported squid products from the region are often sourced from a mix of various squid fisheries, so importers and buyers should ensure that their suppliers can identify the individual source fisheries.
- Reach out to other supply chain companies to encourage their participation and engagement on the SR.
- Publically support the setting up of a FIP on the Peruvian jumbo flying squid fishery and work with Peruvian national industry to encourage the formation of the FIP.
- Promote and sponsor the update and development of squid fisheries assessments.
Current Objectives:
In general, the Global Squid Supply Chain Roundtable objectives focus on monitoring sustainability status and issues relating to the region’s squid fisheries, engaging supply chains and local producers in fishery improvement efforts, and monitoring the progress of current squid FIP efforts toward long-term sustainability of squid in domestic and international markets.
In South America, the SR has the following two additional overall goals:
- Support the efforts of the Sociedad Nacional de Industrias (SNI) to set up a FIP for the Peruvian jumbo flying squid fishery.
- Develop and update squid fisheries assessments as a first step to identify areas in need of improvement in South American squid fisheries.
In particular, objectives through the end of 2017 are as follows:
- Establish a fully operational SR with formal participants, develop an SR workplan, and schedule future SR meetings.
- Ensure the Chinese (Shantou) Mitre Squid FIP confirms additional participants and is fully funded.
- Ensure all squid FIPs under the SR are maintaining a minimum “B” (Good) SFP FIP Progress Rating.
- Formalize a new FIP in the Japanese flying squid fisheries.
- Ensure the Peruvian jumbo flying squid fishery publically announces the initiation of the FIP.
- Fully develop FishSource profiles for Argentine shortfin (Illex argentinus) and Patagonian squid (Loligo gahi) fisheries and evaluate improvement needs for those fisheries.
Progress Update: Click here to view a document summarizing SR progress reporting for 2014 to 2016.
2017
January – March
- In March 2017, the Asia-Pacific Squid Supply Chain Roundtable (SR) and the South American Squid Supply Chain Roundtable (SR) conducted a joint meeting in Boston. Given the overlaps in squid sourcing and supply chains, it was agreed by participants that the two SRs would merge efforts to form a more efficient Global Squid Supply Chain Roundtable.
- At the meeting, updates from existing and emerging improvement efforts in squid fisheries around the world were presented (see presentation):
- Chinese Squid FIP by China Blue Sustainability Institute
- Japanese Flying Squid by Ocean Outcomes and Seafarms/Seafresh Group
- Peruvian Jumbo Flying Squid by PeruPez and WWF
- Chilean Jumbo Flying Squid by Pacific Blue
- US East Coast Squid by Lund’s Fisheries
- This SR meeting was attended by more than 60 people from industry and NGOs, with the majority of attendees representing industry. Funding for the Chinese Squid FIP was secured, and additional participants have expressed interested in joining or supporting the Japanese, Peruvian, and Chilean squid FIPs (further details provided in the meeting report).
April – June
- A Peruvian Jumbo Flying Squid FIP MOU was signed during the Brussels Seafood Show at the Peruvian stand by SR members (Fesba, Cabomar, Congalsa, Panapesca, and Davigel), PRODUCE (Peruvian Ministry of Production), and SNI (Peruvian industry).
- SR participants also expressed to Chilean producers an interest in developing a jumbo flying squid FIP.
- SFP gave a promotional SR presentation, in conjunction with the SFP EU Fisheries Forum in Cangas, Spain, to introduce the concept of SRs to new companies and provide an update on the status of work and improvement projects.
July – September
- SR participants have generated sufficient funding to re-activate the Chinese Squid FIP and commissioned the China Blue Sustainability Institute with development of the FIP work plan, including research on the fishery needed to identify appropriate improvement measures. The effort is published in fisheryprogress.org as Prospective FIP.
- The Peruvian Jumbo Flying Squid Pre-FIP is working to establish a budget and work plan to prepare its public reporting. SR participants have requested SFP attendance and technical support in the Squid Workshop in Lima in September to improve the respective stock assessment methodology.
- SR participants supported the full development of a FS profile for Argentine shortfin Squid (Illex argentinus).
Project Contact:
If you would like more information about the Supply Chain Roundtable or wish to support it, please contact SFP.