The main squid production areas are coastal waters and distant-water fishing grounds

Squid is a common cephalopod seafood, and worldwide it is still mainly caught in the ocean, with only a very small scale of artificial farming. So when talking about squid production areas, it mainly refers to its fishing grounds and the ports where the catch is landed, not farming bases. Squid on the domestic market includes both inshore-caught squid and squid brought back from offshore waters by distant-water fleets, so the sources are fairly diverse.

Within China, squid production areas are concentrated along the southeast coast. The Zhoushan fishing ground in Zhejiang, in the East China Sea, is rich in resources and has long been an important squid distribution center; the southern coastal areas of Fujian, Guangdong and Guangxi produce squid of the loliginid type, called xiaoguan in some places, whose flesh is tender and very suitable for blanching or quick stir-frying. Northern coastal areas such as Shandong also produce squid, but the species and fishing seasons differ from those in the south.

As for distant waters, the Northwest Pacific, Southeast Pacific and Southwest Atlantic are globally recognized as the main squid fishing grounds. The common Argentine squid on the market comes from the Southwest Atlantic, while Peruvian squid comes from the Southeast Pacific; this type of squid is larger and is often processed into shredded squid, frozen squid rings and other products. After being caught by distant-water fleets, it is shipped back to domestic ports and then enters markets around the country.

When selecting squid, both the place of origin and freshness are worth noting. Inshore squid is mostly sold chilled, suitable for quick home stir-frying; distant-water squid is mostly frozen, and after thawing is better for grilling or stewing. When buying, you can check the fishing area marked on the packaging and judge the variety and taste along with the place of origin, making it easier to pick squid that suits your preference.