48
G. J. Pierce and J. Portela
in the late 1970s and climbed relatively steadily until 1999. Catches fell to just more
than 200,000 t in 2004, and although they peaked at around 1 million t in 2007, they
have subsequently crashed again. Although 38 different countries have officially
recorded landings of cephalopods from this area, Argentina and Falkland Islands
remain the main players, and catches are dominated by the Argentine shortfin squid
I� argentinus� The only other significant catch identified to species is the Patagonian
squid Doryteuthis gahi� Two further squid species are identified in catches, albeit in
small amounts: sevenstar flying squid ( Martialia hyadesi) and greater hooked squid
( Onykia ingens).
The third most important fishery region for cephalopods is the Southeast Pacific,
although cephalopod fishing was essentially nonexistent in this area until the 1990s.
Landings peaked at around 820,000 t in 2006. Slightly more than half of all landings from this area go into Peru and a further 20 % are taken by Chile. Almost 95 %
of landings are of the jumbo squid Dosidicus gigas, with Patagonian squid (2.7 %)
coming a distant second.
The fourth most important cephalopod fishery region is the western central Pacific, which has shown a steady increase in landings since the late 1960s, reaching
almost 550,000 t in 2010, with most catches being taken by Thailand and Vietnam.
Although only a small proportion of the landings is identified to species, common
squids, presumably Loliginidae, made up 43 % of total landings since 1950.
Landings from the eastern central Atlantic region increased in the mid-1960s,
subsequently fluctuating between around 150,000 and 250,000 t, with highest landings seen in 1974 and 1999. However, since this latter peak, landings have fallen to
around 100,000 t annually, mainly due to reduction of effort by foreign fleets. In the
1950s, almost all landings were taken by Japan, but Spain became the most important fishing nation during the 1970s, in turn being replaced by Morocco. In terms of
categories of cephalopods landed, octopus is the most important, and fluctuations in
octopus landings essentially drive the overall trend.
In recent years, landings from the Northeast Atlantic have fluctuated between
40,000 and 60,000 t. Between 1950 and 1980, Spain was the main player, but since
then landings by France have increased to reach similar levels, coinciding with the
increased importance of cuttlefish. There was a marked dip in landings between
the mid-1970s and the mid-1980s, a trend which would be even more marked if
the short-lived T� sagittatus fishery in Norway had not substantially boosted total
landings during 1980–1985. A more detailed interpretation of the landings data is
difficult since even now, when some European countries are distinguishing all the
different squid and octopus species landed, a large proportion of landings is reported to the FAO under the general octopus, cuttlefish and squid categories.
Landings from the Mediterranean generally increased up to a peak in 1988
of slightly more than 80,000 t. There were three periods in which landings rose
sharply, the mid-1960s, the late 1980s and the mid-2000s, and all were followed by
marked declines in landings. Italy dominates landings from this area and until the
mid-1990s was taking more than 50 % of all cephalopod landings from the area. Octopuses and cuttlefishes such as Eledone cirrhosa, E� moschata, Octopus vulgaris
and Sepia officinalis have been the main categories landed, with octopus landings
G. J. Pierce and J. Portela
in the late 1970s and climbed relatively steadily until 1999. Catches fell to just more
than 200,000 t in 2004, and although they peaked at around 1 million t in 2007, they
have subsequently crashed again. Although 38 different countries have officially
recorded landings of cephalopods from this area, Argentina and Falkland Islands
remain the main players, and catches are dominated by the Argentine shortfin squid
I� argentinus� The only other significant catch identified to species is the Patagonian
squid Doryteuthis gahi� Two further squid species are identified in catches, albeit in
small amounts: sevenstar flying squid ( Martialia hyadesi) and greater hooked squid
( Onykia ingens).
The third most important fishery region for cephalopods is the Southeast Pacific,
although cephalopod fishing was essentially nonexistent in this area until the 1990s.
Landings peaked at around 820,000 t in 2006. Slightly more than half of all landings from this area go into Peru and a further 20 % are taken by Chile. Almost 95 %
of landings are of the jumbo squid Dosidicus gigas, with Patagonian squid (2.7 %)
coming a distant second.
The fourth most important cephalopod fishery region is the western central Pacific, which has shown a steady increase in landings since the late 1960s, reaching
almost 550,000 t in 2010, with most catches being taken by Thailand and Vietnam.
Although only a small proportion of the landings is identified to species, common
squids, presumably Loliginidae, made up 43 % of total landings since 1950.
Landings from the eastern central Atlantic region increased in the mid-1960s,
subsequently fluctuating between around 150,000 and 250,000 t, with highest landings seen in 1974 and 1999. However, since this latter peak, landings have fallen to
around 100,000 t annually, mainly due to reduction of effort by foreign fleets. In the
1950s, almost all landings were taken by Japan, but Spain became the most important fishing nation during the 1970s, in turn being replaced by Morocco. In terms of
categories of cephalopods landed, octopus is the most important, and fluctuations in
octopus landings essentially drive the overall trend.
In recent years, landings from the Northeast Atlantic have fluctuated between
40,000 and 60,000 t. Between 1950 and 1980, Spain was the main player, but since
then landings by France have increased to reach similar levels, coinciding with the
increased importance of cuttlefish. There was a marked dip in landings between
the mid-1970s and the mid-1980s, a trend which would be even more marked if
the short-lived T� sagittatus fishery in Norway had not substantially boosted total
landings during 1980–1985. A more detailed interpretation of the landings data is
difficult since even now, when some European countries are distinguishing all the
different squid and octopus species landed, a large proportion of landings is reported to the FAO under the general octopus, cuttlefish and squid categories.
Landings from the Mediterranean generally increased up to a peak in 1988
of slightly more than 80,000 t. There were three periods in which landings rose
sharply, the mid-1960s, the late 1980s and the mid-2000s, and all were followed by
marked declines in landings. Italy dominates landings from this area and until the
mid-1990s was taking more than 50 % of all cephalopod landings from the area. Octopuses and cuttlefishes such as Eledone cirrhosa, E� moschata, Octopus vulgaris
and Sepia officinalis have been the main categories landed, with octopus landings