The common squid $Todarodes$ $pacificus$ is a dominant species in Korean waters, where it is captured preponderantly by the angling fishery. The spawning and nursery grounds of $T.$ $pacificus$ extend from the southern East Sea to the northern East China Sea. Consequently, the environmental conditions in this area during the spawning and nursery seasons might affect the abundance of $T.$ $pacificus$. This study, analyzed the relationship between the distribution of zooplankton and the abundance of $T.$ $pacificus$ and variation in the squid angling fishing grounds in Korean waters. There was a positive relationship between the fluctuations in zooplankton and the catch per unit effort (CPUE; $kg{cdot}day^{-1}{cdot}person^{-1}$) of the angling fishery in the East Sea of Korea. The main fishing season is from July to December and the CPUE was closely related to the zooplankton biomass in April in the East Sea. Recently, the center of the squid jigging ground has moved drastically from the area around Ulleung Island to the northern East Sea. We postulate that the fishing grounds of the squid angling fishery will move farther north with climate change.