Workers unload seafood from a vessel at Huiqun Terminal in Zhoushan. [Photo/www.wifizs.cn]

The deep-sea fishing sector in Zhoushan, East China's Zhejiang province, saw a particularly strong performance from January to June, with 354,000 metric tons of its imported ocean catch recorded at customs, up 42 percent year-on-year, according to local authorities on July 16.

The total value of the imports hit 7.04 billion yuan ($980.39 million), soaring 91 percent year-on-year. Of that, squid accounted for 265,000 tons worth 5.53 billion yuan — up 64 percent and 125 percent, respectively.

Since May, Zhoushan's Huiqun Terminal has been operating at near-full capacity as fishing vessels have returned with large catches. Companies have optimized their operations to speed up unloading and to cut waiting times for ships.

A terminal representative said over 100 vessels unloaded more than 324,000 tons of squid in the first six months of 2025. One example, the Hui Ze Leng Yun 15, delivered 12,000 tons of squid caught by more than 50 jigging boats in the southeastern Pacific.

Despite the usual seasonal slowdown after May, catches in the region remained high through July, with individual vessels averaging 1,500 tons from last November to July this year — double last year's figures.

The southeastern Pacific contributed nearly 70 percent of Zhoushan's total squid output, supplying 235,000 tons — an 88 percent jump from the same period in 2024. The strong performance highlights the region's growing role in China's seafood supply chain.