Investigations have implicated Chinese squid fleets in international waters for illegal fishing, environmental violations, and poor working conditions, including forced labor and deaths at sea. Abusive conditions have also been identified in Chinese squid-processing factories.
A Mongabay analysis indicates that Western markets have continued to import significant quantities of Chinese squid products. This situation raises concerns about regulatory gaps, lack of transparency, and the difficulty of preventing products linked to abuses from entering markets.
Edelmiro Ulloa, director of the Vigo Shipowners’ Cooperative in Spain, stated that Chinese squid enters the European market and is difficult to distinguish. He also noted that Chinese squid prices can be up to 40% lower than Spanish squid prices due to differences in production standards and labor costs.
Source: Mongabay