Conxemar strengthens its international role by supporting measures for the responsible management of the Pacific jumbo squid at the SPRFMO annual meeting in Panama

• Conxemar is present in Panama City at the 14th Annual Meeting of the SPRFMO Commission, a key global forum for fisheries management in the South Pacific.

• One of the main focuses of this edition is the Pacific jumbo squid, a strategic resource for the EU market, with imports from Chile and Peru exceeding 90,000 tonnes and €335 million in 2025.

• Conxemar, together with a dozen sector stakeholders, supports the creation of protection zones and the establishment of catch limits as responsible management measures for the Pacific jumbo squid in international waters.

Conxemar is participating as an observer in the 14th Annual Meeting of the Commission of the South Pacific Regional Fisheries Management Organisation (SPRFMO), being held this week in Panama City. The association is represented by Conxemar’s Director of Data Intelligence and Market Analytics, Pablo Cadarso, as part of the organisation’s commitment to the sustainability of fisheries resources and the stability of international seafood trade.

One of the central topics of this year’s meeting is the management of the Pacific jumbo squid (Dosidicus gigas), a cephalopod resource of major importance in international trade, with direct impact on the economies and livelihoods of coastal countries. According to Eurostat data, in 2025 imports into the European Union from Chile and Peru reached approximately €335.7 million and 93,914 tonnes, highlighting its structural importance in the EU market.

Although Spain does not operate an extractive fleet targeting this fishery, the processing and marketing of Pacific jumbo squid generates significant added value for the national industry, creating jobs and contributing substantially to the sector’s economic activity. Decisions adopted within SPRFMO are therefore crucial for supply stability and industrial planning.

Conxemar’s participation provides a voice for the Spanish processing industry in a key forum for the management of important resources for the EU market, such as the Pacific jumbo squid. These meetings also help clearly distinguish the biological and commercial characteristics of each cephalopod species, providing clarity for consumers and protecting the reputation of fleets that operate legally under rigorous management systems.

Measures for the sustainable management of the Pacific jumbo flying squid

Conxemar is holding bilateral meetings with delegations from the main coastal countries and with the Calamasur delegation, which includes representatives from the artisanal, industrial and processing sectors of Chile, Ecuador, Mexico and Peru, aligning positions to ensure the sustainability of this resource.

In addition, together with around a dozen industry stakeholders, the association has signed a letter proposing measures aimed at strengthening the responsible management of the Pacific jumbo squid in international waters and advancing towards a stronger, coordinated regulatory framework based on scientific evidence.

Among the proposed measures is the establishment of a safety or “buffer” zone adjacent to the outer limit of the Exclusive Economic Zones (EEZs) of coastal states. This zone would apply the precautionary approach, reduce operational conflicts and protect biologically relevant areas for the Pacific jumbo squid. The association also views positively the proposal to introduce an annual Total Allowable Catch (TAC) for distant-water fleets operating in the Convention Area, based on historical averages and subject to periodic scientific review by the Scientific Committee.