Firefly Squid Fishing Begins, Fetching Record Price of ¥50,500 Per Kg; 2nd Lowest Haul Since 2008 (UPDATE 1)　

The Yomiuri Shimbun

10:59 JST, March 2, 2026 (updated at 12:26 JST)

Fishermen land the year’s first catch of firefly squid off Namerikawa, Toyama Prefecture, on Sunday. The catch heralds the arrival of spring in Toyama Bay. Six fishing boats with about 50 fishermen departed from a port at about 3 a.m. and caught the squid about 1.5 kilometers offshore. At seven fishing grounds, firefly squid were found caught in fixed nets, along with large quantities of sardines. In total, 1.32 kilograms of squid were caught — the second lowest first-day haul since 2008 — but at auction, one kilogram of squid fetched the record price of ¥50,500. Firefly squid fishing will continue until around June.