When we talk about the carbon footprint of squid consumption, it is worth zooming in: it is not only how they are caught that counts, but also where they are caught, what routes they travel and what transport they arrive in to our plates. Spain—with Galicia as its epicenter—is a key player in this global story, both through consumption and through its influence in processing and trade.
The most recent scientific evidence confirms that invertebrate animals such as cephalopods They circulate through a very complex commercial network in which the distance traveled and the means of transport are key components of climate impact. A shipment by boat from the South Atlantic is not the same as a refrigerated flight from the North Atlantic, and that difference translates into CO₂ more or less bulky per kilogram that we eat.
What determines the carbon footprint of squid consumption?
In wild catches, the largest climatic contribution comes from diesel consumed by ships (propulsion and cooling). As fishing effort increases or stock distribution changes, vessels travel more miles and fuel costs rise, increasing emissions per ton landed.
Not all arts have the same impact: trawling is problematic because it can damaging habitats such as seagrass meadows or sensitive seabeds, and also incorporates by-catches. In contrast, squid jigging is highly selective and virtually without accidental catch, although it uses powerful night lights that require a lot of energy on board.
Aquaculture seems like an obvious alternative, but it is not neutral either: operating systems that move water and regulate temperatures demand energy, and poorly managed crops can accumulate waste that emits methane. In addition, raising carnivorous species increases the footprint due to the need for fishmeal and oils which also require fuel to obtain them.
Transportation makes a substantial difference: shipping seafood by plane multiplies the impact on maritime transport. Therefore, even products that come from far away by ship can have a lower total CO₂ than a short but air shipment of fresh product.
A trade that embraces the world: key facts about the cephalopod trade
Researchers from the CSIC and the USC, led by Andrés Ospina-Álvarez and Sebastián Villasante, analyzed twenty years of the UN Comtrade database to track 115.108 records of squid and cuttlefish and 71.659 of octopusThe result draws a network that touches some 250 countries and territories, with dominant nodes in China, India, Korea, Thailand, Vietnam, Spain, the Netherlands, and the United States.
Spain is in the leading group of supply per person per day, and its market illustrates the complexity well: the octopus eaten in Spain It usually arrives frozen from Morocco and Mauritania, while fresh national octopus travel to Portugal and ItalyCuttlefish and squid frequently arrive from India and the Falklands/Malvinas, and Brexit has reorganized dynamics in the squid managed or capitalized by Spanish interests from Vigo (about 200 million euros).
In traceability, Europe channels key flows through the Netherlands: the port of Amsterdam functions as great hinge between Asia and the EU. Although the three major recent flows of frozen cuttlefish and squid were India→Spain, Myanmar→Thailand and India→Vietnam, the trade bridges that most articulate the network in Europe are Netherlands↔Malaysia, Spain↔France and France↔NetherlandsActing on these bridges is vital if we want to audit sensitive routes and improve verification.
Illex argentinus: biology, seasons and fleets
The squid Illex argentinus is a one-year-old sprinter: it grows quickly, matures, spawns once, and dies. This high productivity has given it resilience to international fishing pressure, although since 2010, downward trends probably linked to environmental conditions.
The fishery in the Southwest Atlantic (FAO 41) is concentrated in Argentine waters and around the Falklands. In 2024, Argentina landed 154.565 tons, and at the beginning of 2025 the jigger fleets off Argentina averaged ~28 t per vessel per day. Adding high seas, Falklands and other minor sources, the global catch of Illex in 2024 was probably around 300.000–350.000 t, and in 2020 alone Illex argentinus accounted for the 16,4% of the world's squid catch.
The season is very seasonal: the peak comes from January to May, when the schools concentrate to feed and spawn. From there, the migration towards the north, spawning and the collapse of availability occur. In the Falklands, the first season is usually February 1 to June 15, and in 2024 the second season was canceled for the first time by conservation criteriaThe high seas area at the edge of the Argentine EEZ —the so-called “Blue Hole”— brings together every southern summer more than 300 jigging jigs, especially from China, Korea and Taiwan.
Biologically, cohorts are organized by spawning pulses; squid migrate and alternate background and surface behaviors according to day and night, and their role in the marine food chain partly determines its availability. Due to its similarity, conventional assessments (RMS, biomass) are less applicable: the key is to ensure that enough adults spawn before being captured.
Processing, specifications and quality
Most of the Illex is frozen at sea and shipped to Asia—mainly to China for reprocessing— in commercial forms such as clean tubes, tentacles, rings and blocks. There it is thawed, peeled, gutted, tenderized, graded, refreeze and glaze, under HACCP schemes and plants approved for export.
Specs matter: tubes are classified by length (e.g., 3–5, 5–8, 8–10, 10+ inches) or by weight count (U5, U10, etc.). U10 indicates less than ten pieces per pound and aims at good-sized squid for rings. In tentacles, the size matches that of the tube and is usually sold in pairs.
The glaze protects the product: the usual thing is from 2% to 10%. Retail is around 5% and bulk can rise to 8–10%. It is crucial to distinguish net weight and gross weight on the label and comply with regulations (in the EU, icing does not count toward the net). Excessive undeclared icing is considered deceptive practice.
Known quality risks: the ammonia smell if there is deterioration (mitigable with rapid cooling and freezing, and agile processing), surface dehydration or "whitening" due to freezer burn (prevented with uniform glazing and barrier packaging), and improper chemical bleaching (peroxides), which should not be usedForeign matter control includes feather removal and metal detection, and the cold chain must be maintained at ≤ −18 °C with rotation. FIFO to preserve texture and color.
Markets, prices and cost factors
Between the end of 2024 and the beginning of 2025, the prices of processed Illex (tubes, rings) climbed ~30% year-over-year due to the combination of tight supply and strong demand. The closing of the Loligo (Doryteuthis gahi) In the Malvinas, the low catches of Dosidicus gigas due to El Niño in the Pacific and the recovery of the global food service industry.
The EU (and UK) is a great destination, with Spain and Italy leading the way. Between January and September 2024, Spain imported from Argentina 9.725 t (51% of EU+UK imports and ~6,8% of Argentine exports). The sum of EU+UK represented 13% of exports from Argentina and grew 88% compared to 2023. Italy absorbed around 31% intra-EU, with strong use in frying and retail.
The United States imports squid (of all types), often in processed forms from China For HORECA and retail; the local supply of Illex illecebrosus is smaller and seasonal. China is both a processor and a major domestic consumer, with domestic demand that can push prices up. South Korea is key (around 17% of Argentine exports in 2024), Japan buys quality for specific uses, and in the GCC consumption is growing in hostelry.
Costs are dictated by fuel and operations, the substitute offer (Loligo, Todarodes, Dosidicus), the climate (ENSO), regulations and tariffs, and the result of each season (a bad one can double the price; an excellent one, significantly reduce the price). Logistics and load optimization help cushion costs per unit.
Regulations, traceability and IUU risks
More scrutiny is coming. In the United States, the SIMP program provides include squid, requiring traceability back to the vessel (flag, FAO area, dates, permits). In the EU, all imported wild fish must be accompanied by Catch Certificate of the flag State; if processed in China, Argentine raw material must be linked to the final product through reprocessing statement, in addition to health certificates and the plant being included in authorized lists.
IUU fishing in the South Atlantic is a reputational and legal risk: there are reports of high seas fleets that They turn off the AIS, nighttime incursions into the Argentine EEZ, and under-reporting. A future RFMO in the South Atlantic that would harmonize licenses and reports.
In the social sphere, cases of labor abuses in distant water fleets. Standards such as RFVS seek to certify conditions on board, and some markets may block imports if there is evidence of forced labor. Social and due diligence audited suppliers are already purchase differentials.
Proximity, transportation and labels
The slow food movement and the “zero kilometer” invite us to shorten chains, something that can reduce transportation emissions. But local doesn't always win: sending Galician octopus on a plane to Barcelona may have more CO₂ than bringing frozen octopus by boat from Mauritania. The key is in the mode of transport and the well-consolidated loads.
To make responsible purchases viable, effective traceability is needed: labeling of origin, certifications and systems that allow follow the trail from capture to plate. Specific global standards are still lacking for cephalopods, so route audits and commercial bridges are essential.
As an informative complement to the consumer, the Nutri score It summarizes nutritional quality (from A to E) based on nutrients to promote or limit. It is voluntary and does not measure climate footprint, but it helps interpret information nutritional on the shelf.
Sea versus meat: Why squid often has a smaller footprint
The food system is responsible for a large portion of emissions: various analyses place the agri-food sector at the top up to 40% of GHGs anthropogenic. In this context, evidence suggests that blue foods (fish and seafood) present on average lower emissions than land proteins such as beef or lamb.
A study of 23 marine species found that shellfish emit ≈1/6 of the CO₂ of the calf and ≈1/5 of the protein of lamb, and less than cheese. The simile is illustrative: a hamburger can be equivalent to about 4 kg of sardines in CO₂. Among the lightest in impact are algae and bivalves (clams, mussels, scallops), and among fish, pelagic fish such as anchovy, herring or mackerel, as well as salmon or trout in certain systems.
In cephalopods, their lower land use and selective fishing with jigging help, but the real footprint will depend on distances, arts and cold employee. Choose products caught with low-impact methods and efficient logistics chains Mark the difference.
Aquaculture governance: the case of tilapia in Brazil
The conversation about fisheries and aquaculture sustainability also involves regulating exotic speciesIn Brazil, the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change has clarified that the evaluation of the Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) for the National List of Invasive Alien Species is technical and preventive, without implying immediate prohibitions. IBAMA maintains current authorizations for its cultivation.
The economic context is enormous: tilapia accounted for the 68% of Brazilian aquaculture (662.230 t), Brazil is the 4th world producer, the sector moves in the order of BRL 9.000 billion and millions of direct and indirect jobs, and exports grew by 92% by volume in 2024, with the US as the main destination. Paraná accounts for 25% of national production.
Tilapia is globally recognized as potentially invasive in tropics and subtropics If it escapes, it could compete with native species and reduce catches of commercial interest. The sector counters that modern production operates in cages in reservoirs and dug ponds, under license, minimizing leaks (protected by IBAMA Order 145/1998). The debate in CONABIO reflects the search for balance between biodiversity and economy, highly relevant to any low-carbon aquaculture planning.
How to eat squid with head on
To align gastronomy and climate, it is advisable to apply some simple guidelines that also improve the traceability and management of cephalopod fisheries. on a global scale:
- Avoid buying spices unrecognizable or endangered and require commercial and scientific names whenever possible.
- prioritizing seasonal product and caught with low-impact gear (jig versus trawl when there is a choice).
- Respect minimum sizes and zones authorized; check the country of origin and FAO area on the label.
- Choosing fresh or frozen product (no burns or odors); prefer chains with capture documentation and, if applicable, participation in FIP.
The global trade in cephalopods moves threads from the South Atlantic to our kitchens and, if we look closely, purchasing decisions can significantly reduce the footprint: choosing squid caught with a jig, valuing sea routes versus air routes, review labels and certify origins. With science, traceability and responsible crafts, squid can continue to be a delicious snack with a adjusted climate impact and compatible with healthy seas.
