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Pescador
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Pomp, I find it hard to believe that Humboldts are getting to 12 ft. also, Last year at the Governor's cup tournament in Santa Rosalia, the winning
fisherman got a brand new Panga and 4 stroke Motor so you can imagine how many fishermen were out there trying to find a big squid. The winner was a
67 lb squid that was humoungous but it sure wern't no 12 feet.
So I think I would write this off as journalistic expansion
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Skipjack Joe
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The partyboats out of Bodega Bay are targetting humboldt squid at Cordell Banks. They've become numerous enough to support a sport fishery.
What's going on?
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Skipjack Joe
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The current state of humboldt squid
I got this from national geographic. An interesting overview of what's going on. An amazing fact is that their lifespan is 2 years. They grow to 100
pounds in 2 years!
Jumbo Squid Invading Eastern Pacific
Stefan Lovgren
for National Geographic News
March 30, 2007
Flotillas of jumbo squid are invading the length of the eastern Pacific Ocean, and the voracious predators may be upsetting ocean ecosystems and
threatening fisheries, scientists warn.
At their largest, jumbo, or Humboldt, squid (Dosidicus gigas) can extend to six feet (two meters) in length and weigh more than 100 pounds (45
kilograms) each. The squid have earned the nickname "red devils" for their powerful arms and tentacles, razor-sharp beaks, and insatiable appetites.
(Related: "Researchers Shed Light on Mysterious Jumbo Squid" [July 18, 2003].)
The animals were already known to exist in large concentrations in Mexico's Sea of Cortez, or Gulf of California (see Mexico map). Scientists estimate
that more than ten million squid may be living in a 25-square-mile (65-square-kilometer) area near the town of Santa Rosalia.
But now the squid also seem to have entrenched themselves in the waters along California's coast.
And, perhaps most significantly, the squid's range has expanded both northward and southward to places they haven't ever been seen before—Alaska and
southern Chile.
Scientists say the growing numbers of squid are playing an increasingly significant role in the ocean's ecosystems.
Voracious and opportunistic predators, the squid move in schools of more than a thousand and consume vast quantities of fish. At the same time, the
squid serve as prey for sperm whales, mako sharks, and other top predators. (Related story: "Jumbo Squid, Sperm Whale Study Reveals How the Giant
Creatures Feed, Hunt" [March 12, 2007].)
"Anything that is so abundant and eats so much is bound to have an impact" on its environment, said William Gilly, a biologist at Stanford
University's Hopkins Marine Station in Pacific Grove, California. Gilly has studied the squid for decades.
Mystery Migration
The large number of squid seen today off the California coast isn't unprecedented. The squid were abundant there in the 1930s before mysteriously
vanishing. They reappeared in the 1970s and were seen in great numbers again in the 1990s.
But in the past few years the predators have spread to entirely new areas. Jumbo squid now clog waters off Oregon, Washington State, and Alaska to the
north and have been spotted near the southern tip of South America.
Signs of the squid's newfound fortunes are also increasing on land.
Mysterious mass strandings occurred a couple of years ago along the U.S. West Coast. And in Canada's British Columbia, wolves on outer island beaches
have been seen gnawing on squid carcasses.
"It does seem like it's an expansion of range, rather than a relocation," said John Field, a research fisheries biologist with the National Oceanic
and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) in Santa Cruz, California.
Scientists don't know exactly why this migration is occurring, but they believe the squid are constantly on the prowl for ample supplies of food.
Because the animals are so large, an area must be dense with prey to support a stable population.
"I don't think a large number of squid could survive year-round in one place or the other, because they would deplete it," Gilly, the Stanford
biologist, said.
Scientists also suspect that global warming may play a part in the migrations.
"These high-turnover animals with really high metabolisms are the kinds of animals that you would expect to respond first and respond more to
long-term warming trends," Field, the NOAA scientist, said.
"The fact that this is happening in both hemispheres to me really points to a physical mechanism, a climate-related mechanism."
Voracious Eaters
A fishing industry targeting the jumbo squid has flourished in recent years as the animals' numbers have grown.
Hundreds of skiff fishers depart Santa Rosalia every night during the summer. They use multipronged lures and monofilament lines to haul up squid by
hand.
The fishery there processes a hundred thousand tons of squid annually, most of it going to Asian markets.
A huge squid-fishing industry has also been established in central Chile.
But there the squid invasion has led to a decrease in the population of commercially valuable hake fish.
That worries California fishers, who fear the squid invasion may soon cut into the area's fish stocks.
To find out what the squid are eating, Field has for the past two years examined the stomach contents of about 500 animals.
"We see that the most frequently occurring prey item that they eat is Pacific hake, and that's troubling because that's one of the biggest fisheries
on the West Coast," he said.
The squid are also chowing down on anchovies, sardines, market squid, and smaller rockfish.
"Those are things that humans catch and exploit and eat," Field said.
In addition, fishers complain that jumbo squid harm their catch by attacking or damaging fish caught on lines or in commercial gear.
Winners and Losers
Field, however, points out that the increasing numbers of squid can have positive consequences as well.
"They're eating a lot of things, but they can also be food for a lot of things," he said. "Some animals are winning, others are probably losing. Who's
to say how the final balance will tally out?"
The squid invasion has been a boon to some recreational-fishing businesses, which take clients out for squid fishing in the winter, when there's not
much else to reel in.
"It's a really fun animal to catch," Field said.
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Cypress
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Skipjack Joe, Thanks for sharing your information. 200 lbs in 2 yrs.? That's a
lot of growth. A hog, beef, deer, elk etc. would be able to do the same, of course they're larger than squids at birth. Some brides have exceeded that weight gain, if my information is correct.
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Pescador
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There was a group studying squid from California last winter in Santa Rosalia and it was very interesting to talk with these guys as they are
discovering some pretty amazing things. First, they think that the color flashes are some kind of communication between animals and certain leaders
among the school evolve. They function very well at lower than 600 feet where there is almost no oxygen in the water, but they go through some type
of chemical and organic change where they are able to process and do well on the reduced oxygen. They are really pretty docile animals and will allow
themselves to be petted and are inately curious about different things in the water. They seem to go on a feeding frenzy when the jigging gets very
active and there are a lot of animals hooked at any one time in the water. At those times, it would not be prudent to fall overboard as they would
probably eat anything that smelled like food.
They have been able to put on telemetry antenna which show how deep they dive and how often and some indication of migration.
I had the opportunity to go out one night last season with a local fisherman and his wife for squid and it was a really interesting experience. We
left the dock around 5 o'clock with a basic panga, a battery for the little car bulb, a cut clorox bottle for a lampshade, a plywood board 6 foot long
and 3 ft. wide, three handlines of about 300 lb test, and three squid jigs of flourescent plastic. When you first find the squid about dark, they are
pretty deep and it takes a lot of pulling to get them up to the boat. The jigs have rows of sharp hooks called crowns or tiaras that catch the squid
when they take ahold of the jig. When they come aboard the panga it is a messy operation with the squid spitting massive amounts of water and ink.
The squid are layed like cordwood between the seats in the panga and when one section is filled up then you start on another section. You keep
catching squid until the panga is basically full and then the plywood board goes across midship of the panga and 8 or 10 squid are laid side by side.
One person cuts of the head and tentacles and pulls out the beak and then throws the heads in the front area of the panga. The bodies are stripped of
the arrow shaped swimming fin, the bodies are then split down the middle lengthwise, cleaned of all internal goo, and then washed in the water before
starting to fill an area that has been rinsed of ink and salt water. When an area between the seats is emptied then it is thouroughly scrubbed with a
clorox bottle scoop and bailed out. The cleaned bodies then are stored in the clean area and filled.
When you get to shore the bodies are loaded into fish boxes and weighed by the wholesaler. The tentacles are weighed but pay a little less than the
bodies but the PESCA office insists that they be processed and not just thrown overboard, so they are chopped up and made into squid chips which are
placed in hot oil and they puff up and make a fishy tasting thing similar to chicharones (only they do not taste like pork skin) but are loved by the
oriental market.
The most important thing following the weighing is to go take a long shower to try to scrub the ink, smell, and slime off of your body.
On some nights when the season is really going, you might see 400 to 500 boats squidding at night. If most of those bring in 1 -2 tons every night,
you can imagine that there are a lot of squid there.
One interesting byproduct of this fishery is that we have the healthiest population of spotted bay bass in the world and when things are really
going strong and you catch a batch for dinner, they will spit up squid for a long time when you bring them onboard, but boy are they fat.
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CaboRon
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| Quote: | Originally posted by Pescador
One interesting byproduct of this fishery is that we have the healthiest population of spotted bay bass in the world and when things are really
going strong and you catch a batch for dinner, they will spit up squid for a long time when you bring them onboard, but boy are they fat.
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Now, that's the way I like to eat squid....after they become Bass. CaboRon 
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Pescador
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No, they are not eating the little ones, they are eating the cast away parts from cleaning. If they are catching 700 ton a night, and cleaning that
many squid, you can imagine how much food is in the water. The dorado will follow the squid boats and gorge on the stuff too.
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dean miller
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Pescador,
The jigs used at Newport pier contained a small battery, possibly an AAA or AA size that powered a small light which gave lumensence to the jig,
which was equiped with a number of barbless hooks.
They apparently were very effective as noted by the number caught by this method and of course the number of jigs deposited on the pier pilings.
My dear wife can clean squid with ease--Since she enjoys the task I never mastered the craft. She also has several great recipes that she prepares to
make great Calimari. Very very tender and tastey... Maybe on next visit if the are avaliable locally she will prepare a meal of Calimari.
sdm
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Pescador
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| Quote: | Originally posted by dean miller
Pescador,
The jigs used at Newport pier contained a small battery, possibly an AAA or AA size that powered a small light which gave lumensence to the jig,
which was equiped with a number of barbless hooks.
They apparently were very effective as noted by the number caught by this method and of course the number of jigs deposited on the pier pilings.
My dear wife can clean squid with ease--Since she enjoys the task I never mastered the craft. She also has several great recipes that she prepares to
make great Calimari. Very very tender and tastey... Maybe on next visit if the are avaliable locally she will prepare a meal of Calimari.
sdm |
Oh boy, I can hardly wait and I assume that Betty is committed to this project. Now let's see, If I bring in 1,000 pounds of squid (bodies), I would
assume that we would get at least 900 pounds of calamari, 8 oz. per person, why we should be able to have a calamari feast that would feed at least
1800 people  
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dean miller
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Betty is always committed 110% to every thing she is envolved with; Baja travel, schools, fishing, cooking and cleaning sea food especially
Calimari.....Now if we could only locate a friend who had a deep fryer ?????
SDM
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Skipjack Joe
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The crabbing has also gotten easier at San Lucas Cove. Remember how you used to 'gig' them with that fork people use to get frogs? Well, we've
discovered that there's a blue crab next to almost every dead squid along that shoreline. And they don't like to give up their prize. So Alex just
makes his rounds with the landing net scooping up dinner. This occurs while I'm taking my all important siesta  . Personally, I like blue crab more than squid (except for that brown poop that comes out of the crab, cajun sauce, you
called it). But it's dinner time now and I wouldn't refuse either of the two.
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Osprey
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When the big squid move into our bay almost everybody fishes for them for bait. We're not supposed to by the language on the license. They are
usually schooled up at 100 feet or so. Sadly, where you catch em won't tell you where they've been. When they go real deep they use amonia (like
some fish use air bladders) to gain and maintain a certain buoyancy. If they've been deep you can use all the kitchen magic you can find but you'll
never get the amonia out -- I've tried steam, milk, brandy, hammers, etc, etc.
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