The future of the jumbo flying squid fishery in the South East Pacific hangs in the balance, according to a recent investigation released today by the Environmental Justice Foundation (EJF). The report details how unchecked exploitation by vast Chinese fishing fleets, coupled with weak regional governance, is driving the ecologically and economically vital species toward collapse.
The EJF investigation, published February 19th, identifies chronic transparency failures across the fleet, allowing destructive fishing practices, environmental harm, and human rights abuses to flourish. The findings come as data submitted to the South Pacific Regional Fisheries Management Organisation (SPRFMO) display declining catch rates alongside a surge in fishing effort, particularly from distant-water fleets – a key indicator of potential population decline, according to Undercurrent News reporting today.
The squid, a keystone species underpinning marine food webs and regional fisheries, is targeted by China’s distant-water fleet at an “extraordinary scale,” the EJF report states. Squid caught by China National Fisheries Corporation, a company previously implicated in fisheries and labor abuses, are exported to the USA, EU, and the UK.
“China’s industrial squid fishing fleet in the South East Pacific is operating beyond effective scrutiny,” said Steve Trent, CEO and Founder of the Environmental Justice Foundation. “This investigation shows how a lack of transparency and accountability at the regional level is driving environmental damage and putting lives at risk. Transparency in industrial fisheries can no longer be optional. This proves the foundation of a safe, sustainable ocean.”
The EJF report highlights alarming conditions for crew members, with over 50% reporting physical abuse and nearly 60% alleging shark finning occurred on their vessels. These abuses are facilitated by the lack of oversight and accountability within the fishery.
Beyond the human cost, the intensive fishing is disrupting ocean food webs and posing a significant threat to the wider Pacific ecosystem. Jumbo flying squid are highly sensitive to environmental change and play a critical role in regulating marine ecosystems, the EJF warns. Their overexploitation risks cascading impacts throughout the ocean.
The investigation underscores the failures of the SPRFMO, the multinational body responsible for managing the fishery, to effectively govern shared natural resources and protect vulnerable workers. The report points to regulatory loopholes and weak oversight as key factors enabling the unsustainable practices. The situation is described as a “shared garden where some gardeners capture far more than their share, ignoring the rules, and no one is there to stop them, leading to the garden’s ruin and harming those who rely on it.”
The potential consequences extend beyond ecological damage, threatening the economic security of coastal Latin American nations dependent on the fishery. Pew Charitable Trusts reported February 23rd that insufficient management of the jumbo flying squid stock could impact supplies for major markets in the United States and Europe.
The EJF is calling for stricter management, monitoring, and port controls to save the South Pacific jumbo squid, a demand echoed by NGOs urging immediate action. As of today, the SPRFMO has not publicly responded to the EJF’s findings.
