John R. Bower

World squid fisheries

Abstract Some 290 species of squids comprise the order Teuthida that belongs to the molluscan Class Cephalopoda. Of these, about 30–40 squid species have substantial commercial importance around the world. Squid fisheries make a rather small contribution to world landings from capture fisheries relative to that of fish, but the proportion has increased steadily over the last decade, with some signs of recent leveling off. The present overview describes all substantial squid fisheries around the globe. The main ecological and biological features of exploited stocks, and key aspects of fisheries management are presented for each commercial species of squid worldwide. The history and fishing methods used in squid fisheries are also described. Special attention has been paid to interactions between squid fisheries and marine ecosystems including the effects of fishing gear, the role of squid in ecosystem change induced by overfishing on groundfish, and ecosystem-based fishery management.

Transport of the ommastrephid squid Todarodes pacificus under cold-water anesthesia

Abstract We describe a method for transporting live squid, Todarodes pacificus (Cephalopoda: Ommastrephidae), using cold-water anesthesia. Squid were placed individually in 30-l plastic bags with 5 l of 0–1°C seawater and 10–15 l of oxygen gas. Thirteen of 14 anesthetized squid survived 6.5 h transport by car and airplane with no signs of distress or shock. The longest survival under anesthesia was 10 h.

Brooding in a gonatid squid off northern Japan.

Brooding of egg masses by a squid in Japan is described. Brooding females were photographed in situ, and the females, their eggs, and their hatchlings were collected. The squid had all undergone gelatinous degeneration and swam slowly and continuously by undulating the fins and expelling water sporadically through the funnel. Eggs were held together by a dark, viscous material that formed a single-layer, sheet-like mass, from which hatchlings were seen to emerge. The annual appearance of brooding females in surface waters during spring suggests that they transport their egg masses from deep water to the surface before the eggs hatch. Genetic analyses identified the squid as Gonatus madokai (family Gonatidae), now the second gonatid and third squid known to brood.