Jumbo Squid Invading Eastern Pacific

[fishingjew]

Stefan Lovgren
for National Geographic News (http://news.nationalgeographic.com/)

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.

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.

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2007/03/070330-giant-squid.html

Yes could just see the state of the boat after a couple of them aboard two meters in length and weigh 45 kilograms each.

[Grand_Marlin]

You could just picture it now ... drag it into the boat and it starts pulling off fuel lines, biting through electrical cables, grabbing rods & reels and chucking them over the side, squirting ink from one end of the boat to the other ... then up ending the beer and food esky before casually climbing out over the side and disappearing ;D :o


Years ago, we found part of a giant squid off the coast of Tassie ... it was a section of tail about 1m long. The tube thickness was at least an inch and it took 2 of us to lift it into the boat with gaffs.

Cheers

Pete

[szopen]

A while ago I have seen the National Geographic film about the fisherman catching them of the South American coast.

They are big and very aggresive. Any dropped one was instantly attacked and eaten by others.

[Brett1907]

Wonder if our fishing exploits have contributed to this. Removing fish from the areas they usually feed, or removing predators from where they are moving to?

Wouldn't one of those on the line in a 4.5m tinnie!!!

Brett

[onerabbit]

You would want to be sure they had inked out before trying to boat one, YUK.

Muzz

[Dirtysanchez]

Well perhaps all this harpooning of whales has had an affect on these creature's ability to breed / survive ? some whales eat squid I believe. Maybe the whales just aren't around anymore to prey on these squid, so the squid are rampant ?

Imagine a calamari ring from one of these beasts ? it would be like a crumbed fan belt :D

[kingtin]

Well perhaps all this harpooning of whales has had an affect on these creature's ability to breed / survive ? some whales eat squid I believe. Maybe the whales just aren't around anymore to prey on these squid, so the squid are rampant ?

Imagine a calamari ring from one of these beasts ? it would be like a crumbed fan belt :D

When my deckie cooks calamari it's like a crumbed fan belt anyway! http://smileys.smileycentral.com/cat/36/36_12_20.gif

kev

[disorderly]

When my deckie cooks calamari it's like a crumbed fan belt anyway! http://smileys.smileycentral.com/cat/36/36_12_20.gif

kev

kev,

Thats hilarious mate http://www.ausfish.com.au/vforum/../yabbfiles/Templates/Forum/default/grin.gif But if you were me you'd be sleeping alone tonite(if she read it).

cheers Scott

[kingtin]

kev,

Thats hilarious mate http://www.ausfish.com.au/vforum/../yabbfiles/Templates/Forum/default/grin.gif But if you were me you'd be sleeping alone tonite(if she read it).

cheers Scott

Mate, I ain't worried, she loves me to death http://smileys.smileycentral.com/cat/36/36_4_18.gif ..............and anyway, she's on night shift http://smileys.smileycentral.com/cat/10/10_7_5.gif

kev

[Grand_Marlin]

There is a Giant Squid on display at Underwater World - Mooloolaba

It is frozen (not fresh ;D )

I wonder when it is on display do they put a sign on it that says "Thawed for your convenience" ;D ;D ;D

Cheers

Pete

[disorderly]

GM,

Cant imagine that a giant squid would retain its awesome size and beauty when it was frozen.

How many of you guys have seen that frozen 6m great white in Vic Hislops Museum of dead sharks at Airlie Beach. The true magnificence of this creature gets a bit lost with the crusty old specimen I saw in the Freezer room display about 10 years ago.

Regards Scott

[Grand_Marlin]

Yeah Scott, I saw the Great White at Airlie ... Still awesome to look at, but it looks nothing like a Great White in the wild ... I was lucky to see one about 6m in Tassie. I was in the boat at the time, not swimming thankfully.

Cheers

Pete

[shaman]

They are big and very aggresive. Any dropped one was instantly attacked and eaten by others.

Cool.............................................. .........8-)

I wonder if they would have a go at someone if they fell overboard............... scary stuff..... if you had on ya fluro undies you might get "squid marks" :-[