Squid fishing boats can no longer secretly expand their capacity

US regulators are tightening rules for squid fishing boats. They will now measure the actual hold capacity of vessels and collect more data on how they process their catch. This means fishing companies cannot easily increase their catch without regulators knowing, and the government will get better data to manage squid populations.

For years, some squid fishing boats could increase their capacity without regulators knowing, making it harder to track how much squid was actually being caught. This change closes that loophole. It means the government can get a more accurate picture of squid stocks, which could lead to tighter catch limits or other conservation measures in the future.