On July 24, 2015, in Japan, the “Urban Ugly Day” was ushered in in 2015, and the consumption of squid also peaked. However, in the context of reduced resources, the global squid protection boom is also heating up. International trade in Japanese squid may be limited, and the Fisheries Department and the aquaculture industry are beginning to focus on resource management to avoid restrictions. Many relevant parties regard the international conference held in September 2016 as the most important barrier.

Most of the catfish eaten by consumers are processed products imported from China and Taiwan, or cultured in Japan. The seedlings used in domestic breeding in Japan also depend on imports. If the deal is limited, high commodity prices and a decline in the farming industry will be inevitable.

  The international conference that the relevant parties are wary of is the meeting of the parties to the Treaty of Washington. A proposal for Japanese squid trading restrictions may be proposed and passed at the meeting. European squid was restricted by the treaty in 2009, and the liquidity plummeted.

  The World Conservation Union (IUCN) last year listed Japanese squid along with American carp as a list of endangered species. It is reported that this will become an important reference material for the Washington Treaty.

  In September last year, the Fisheries Agency first reached an agreement on the restriction of Japanese squid with China, Taiwan and South Korea. From November 2014 to May 2015, the upper limit of the amount of farmed fish ponds in Japan was set at 21.6 tons, a decrease of 20% from the previous period. The actual volume was 18.3 tons. The Fisheries Department has also taken measures to prevent the indiscriminate use of seedlings in rivers and to improve the environment.

  However, the countries that eat salmon are a minority, and it is not clear whether to avoid restrictions on international understanding. The Aquatic Products Department, like tuna and whales, is wary of environmental groups who strongly advocate the protection of squid.