Of the many squid species, just three typically account for about 45 percent of the world harvest.
Japanese flying squid (Todarodes pacificus) is mainly harvested in the Korean Strait and near the Pacific outlet of the Tsugaru Strait, running between Honshu and Hokkaido islands. With Hachinohe as its leading squid port, Japan has the largest catch of this species, followed by the Republic of Korea and China.
The Argentine shortfin squid (Illex argentinus) is fished at the edge of the continental shelf, extending to the Falkland Islands, with Taiwanese vessels active both where the fishery enters international waters and in the Falklands.
The jumbo flying squid (Dosidicus gigas), also known as the Humboldt squid, is most prevalent off the coast of Peru.
From January to April, landed volumes of fresh and frozen Japanese common squid were 11,743 metric tons (MT), down 28 percent from last year. The value was JPY 271 per kilogram, down 3 percent from 2011. In the same period, wholesale trading in fresh squid at Tokyo’s Tsukiji market was down by 24 percent in volume and 14 percent in value from the same period in 2011, but the fall was largely offset by an increase in frozen product of 23 percent in volume and 16 percent in value. Dried product was marginally down. Prices were 13 percent up for fresh, 6 percent down for frozen and 4 percent up for dried.
These volumes and prices reflect the low season. Flying squid catches typically increase in late summer, peak in the fall when prices may fall to around JPY 180 and dwindle again into February.
The Illex business is getting wrapped up in the territorial dispute over the Falklands/Malvinas. Early this year, Argentina moved its season forward two months to try to intercept Falklands-bound squid, but the early season was then cancelled early due to poor catches. The regular season was more successful and in the first five months of 2012, Argentina’s National Health Service and Food Quality agency, Senasa, reported squid exports of 35,327 MT valued at USD 83.4 million, an of increase of 2.7 percent in volume and 20.6 percent in value compared to the same period in 2011. The Illex catch near the Falklands was fairly stable as well.
In 2011, imports by Spain and Italy, big calamari consumers, fell by 33 and 7.5 percent respectively. With a fiscal crisis causing budget cuts in these economies, big rebounds should not be expected this year. Illex 23-28 centimeter tubes (uncleaned) are currently selling at around EUR 2.40 in Spain, up from around 2.20 this time last year.
A bright spot in the United Kingdom is the fad of the low-carb, high-protein Dukan diet. Invented by a French doctor, it resembles the Atkins diet popular in the United States, and allows only 72 specific foods, of which calamari is one. UK supermarkets report a tripling of squid sales.
