How China’s squid fishing programme is squeezing its neighbours and creating global sea change
A government estimate of China’s share of the market underlines its ability to set the agenda, through numerical advantage and demand for its data
China has been accused of using its dominance of the world’s supply of squid to provide low-quality seafood to other countries and virtually monopolising the fishing in neutral waters.
Critics have said China keeps high-quality squid for domestic consumption, exports lower-quality products at higher prices, overwhelms vessels from other countries in major squid breeding grounds, and is in a position to influence international negotiations about conservation and distribution of global squid resources for its own interest.
Fishing ships from China have accounted for 50 to 70 per cent of the squid caught in international waters in recent years, effectively controlling the supply of the popular seafood, according to an estimate by the Chinese government.
An official document detailing the figure earlier this year – which was not intended to be seen by overseas readers, according to researchers involved in the drafting – appeared to confirm the fears that have been growing in the global seafood industry about China’s dominance.
A price hike for squid bought by the United States from China has been accompanied by a decline in quality, while Taiwanese fishing boats have lost out to mainland Chinese boats arriving in larger numbers, it is claimed.
Watch: the industrial fishing of squid by Chinese boats