Posts Tagged California Market Squid

Jun 6 2023

Seeing green with California market squid

Originally published in Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch

California’s largest fishery is rated Best Choice

Dig into that calamari with confidence. California market squid remains a Best Choice, but managing the state’s biggest fishery sustainably comes with its fair share of complexities. Learn how managers are helping limit by catch and adapting to manage a climate-sensitive species in a changing world.

Picture this: you’re sitting seaside in Monterey, about to order calamari at your favorite restaurant when you notice fishing boats on the water. What are they fishing for? If it’s spring, chances are it’s squid. You wonder, is that fried squid on your plate sustainable? If it’s California market squid, the answer is yes! In June 2023, we released an updated assessment of California market squid (Doryteuthis opalescens, formerly Loligo opalescens). Last assessed in 2019, California market squid remains a Best Choice. Read on to learn more about the complexities of sustainably managing the largest fishery in the state.

The squid basics

Market squid live in coastal waters and rely on highly productive ecosystems, such as the U.S. West Coast. Given their complex biological needs, market squid are only harvested from wild fisheries, not farmed through aquaculture. Like most squids, market squid have short life spans. They live about a year, spawn, and then die.

Market squid can be found from Mexico all the way to Alaska, with the majority of fishery landings coming from southern and central California. Fishers use purse seines to catch market squid, both during the day and at night. Bright lights are used at night to lure squid to the surface.

Market squid can be found from Mexico all the way to Alaska, with the majority of fishery landings coming from southern and central California.

Seeing green — in more ways than one

Market squid is the largest fishery in the state of California — both in terms of catch volume and revenue — and is very important to the state’s economy. This fishery brought in over 57,000 metric tons in 2021, representing 66 percent of all landings across California ports. In 2022, it brought in 141 million pounds (about 64,000 metric tons), worth $84 million. Since 2000, market squid has brought in more revenue than Pacific mackerel, jack mackerel, northern anchovy, and Pacific sardine combined.

A majority of this squid is exported to Asia, with over 80 percent heading to China. Some of that is processed overseas and then re-imported to the U.S., where you can find it in restaurants as popular seafood items like calamari.

“From an economic standpoint, it’s pretty consistently the most important fishery in California,” said Eva May, Seafood Watch fisheries scientist. “It brings in the most revenue and has the highest volume of landings. In terms of the jobs it creates in central and southern California and the revenue it brings into the state, it’s important.”

Bye-bye bycatch

A major component of our standards is the impacts a fishery has on other species, including bycatch levels. Bycatch is when other species are accidentally caught while fishing.

“Bycatch numbers in this fishery are really good and kept to a minimum,” May said.

Where bycatch does occur, it’s usually species that school with market squid, like sardine and mackerel. Data show that bycatch of larger species may occasionally occur, but this happens at low enough levels it doesn’t impact species population numbers.

Lights used to bring squid to the surface during nighttime fishing can sometimes also attract seabirds, but this fishery uses modifications to help protect them. For example, the use of attracting lights is prohibited in the Greater Farallones National Marine Sanctuary to protect seabirds. In other areas where lights are allowed, they are limited to 30 kilowatts and must have shields on them. These modifications make it so the lights are only visible underwater; seabirds can’t see them from above, so they aren’t drawn in.

Sea lions and other marine mammals can also be attracted to the squid caught in nets. The government has approved the use of acoustic devices to help deter marine mammals from the area where fishing is taking place.

Market squid is the largest fishery in the state of California – both in terms of catch volume and revenue.

Collaborating on science-based management

Strong management of fisheries doesn’t happen by accident. It takes effort and a lot of cooperation.

The California Department of Fish and Wildlife is the lead management agency for California market squid and coordinates with federal advisory bodies and other agencies to set management guidelines and regulations. The regulations prevent fishing during spawning periods, set strict catch limits, and require monitoring by scientists to keep the population at healthy levels.

“It’s important for the public to know that there is a lot of collaboration between the government, scientists, and the industry,” May said.

Part of this management includes updating management plans to include the latest science and input from stakeholders.

“The market squid fishery is critical to the livelihoods of our fishermen and processors. The California Department of Fish and Wildlife has developed an effective management structure, and our industry remains committed to continuing our research efforts and working with the State to maintain this sustainable fishery.”

– Mark Fina
Executive director of the California Wetfish Producers Association

“The market squid fishery is critical to the livelihoods of our fishermen and processors. The California Department of Fish and Wildlife has developed an effective management structure, and our industry remains committed to continuing our research efforts and working with the state to maintain this sustainable fishery,” said Mark Fina, executive director of the California Wetfish Producers Association. “We’re thrilled that the Seafood Watch program has recognized these efforts by assigning the fishery its Best Choice green rating.”

The fishery management plan for market squid was originally developed in 2005 and involved input from stakeholders. It is currently undergoing review and will be completed in 2024.

Managing squid in a changing climate

Climate change presents wildlife managers with a whole host of new challenges and questions. Squid is no exception.

Market squid are sensitive to oceanic and climatic conditions, and its populations tend to fluctuate alongside other major oceanic temperature fluctuations, such as El Nino-Southern Oscillation (ENSO), May said. Because we already see market squid population fluctuations due to ENSO, we may see even bigger shifts based on climate impacts, or we may see the fishery moving farther north because of warming waters.

Currently, California fishery managers and federal counterparts are working together to incorporate the latest climate data and position this fishery for sustainability in the future.

A green rating for California’s biggest fishery

We’re not squid-ing: California market squid is rated a green Best Choice. It serves as a prime example of a fishery that is both environmentally sustainable and economically powerful.

So go ahead, dig into that (California) calamari with confidence.

Dig into that calamari with confidence. California market squid is rated a green Best Choice.
May 14 2021

It’s squid season on Monterey Bay

The sight of dozens of squid fishing boats on Monterey Bay is enough to make even longtime locals do a double take. But squid fishing is nothing new — it’s been a part of Monterey’s vibrant history for well over a century. Discover why this slippery — and sustainable — cephalopod is a local legend.

Typically, when you look out across Monterey Bay, you’ll see a few sailboats or fishing vessels. But come springtime, residents of the Monterey area – and some viewers tuning in to our Monterey Bay Live Cam — may see a veritable fleet of fishing boats crisscrossing the bay, their nets dragging behind them. That’s because spring is squid season here on the Central Coast.

Springtime is squid time

The common or California market squid, Doryteuthis opalescens, is one of California’s biggest commercial fisheries. According to the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, landings from California market squid can be worth as much as $70 million per year.

California market squid spawn along the Central Coast each spring.

Each spring, squid show up in large groups along the Central Coast to reproduce. Squid mature quickly and live a short life – soon after spawning, the squid will die. Fishermen take advantage of the squid’s lifestyle. The fishery targets the large aggregations of spawning squid, ideally catching them after they lay their eggs. Squid boats shine bright lights at night – often visible from shore — to attract the squid towards their purse seine nets.

The abundance of squid varies from year to year, often in response to the water temperature and available food supply. El Niño years, when the water temperature is warmer, are notoriously bad for squid fishermen. Other years, upwelling in the Monterey Bay provides the perfect combination of cold water and bountiful krill and other prey items that squid need.

 

Squid fishing gets its start

In the late 1800s, as Monterey’s fishing industry grew, different groups of fishermen began to compete for access to the bay’s prime fishing grounds. Chinese migrant fishermen found themselves being pushed out of the profitable fishing grounds by other families.

In his book, The Death and Life of Monterey Bay, Steve Palumbi recounts how these fishermen changed their strategy — and subsequently changed California’s fishing industry.

Instead of competing with other fishermen for salmon and other finfish, the Chinese fishermen began to fish for squid – a popular dried product in Asia, but as of yet untapped in California. They fished at night, avoiding direct conflict with other fishermen. The bright torches they burned brought the squid to the surface — the likely predecessor of modern-day squid lights visible on the bay at night.

China still plays a large role in the California market squid fishery today. Most of the squid caught locally is shipped to Asia for processing, before being shipped around the world to be sold — even back to Monterey where it was first caught.

A squid fishing boat sailing in Monterey Bay.

Squid fishing boats are visible on Monterey Bay in spring as fishermen target large groups of spawning California market squid (Doryteuthis opalescens).

California squid is a sustainable seafood choice

Dine at one of the many restaurants along Cannery Row or Fisherman’s Wharf, and you’re sure to find calamari or squid steak on the menu. If you’re tempted by one of these squid dishes, ask if it’s California market squid. If so, go ahead and order it – it’s rated a green Best Choice by the Aquarium’s Seafood Watch program.

One reason for the Best Choice rating is the health of the California market squid stock. Squid grow up fast, reproduce and die – all within a year. Fishermen target the mature spawners, ideally catching them after they spawn, but before they would have died naturally. This allows the squid population to maintain healthy levels and support a thriving fishery.

Also, because squid gather close together, fishermen can set their purse seine nets around the group of squid, limiting the number of other species caught as bycatch.

The California Department of Fish and Game manages the squid fishery with a permit system that limits access to fishing, seasonal catch limits and weekend closures to give the squid time to reproduce.

If you happen to see the parade of squid boats on Monterey Bay one day, take a moment to celebrate the success of federal and state agencies in sustainably managing the California market squid fishery. Their work means we’ll be able to preserve our ocean backyard, support California fishermen, and enjoy locally caught calamari for the foreseeable future.

Learn more about sustainable seafood — including what you can do to make good seafood choices.

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Originally posted: https://www.montereybayaquarium.org/stories/squid-fishing-monterey-bay

Apr 28 2021

California Market Squid – What to know, when & where to get it

California Market Squid

(year-round in California – late spring through early fall in Monterey Bay)

If you see boats lighting up Monterey Bay at night, it’s likely squid vessels at work. Market squid is one of the most important fisheries in Monterey Bay. It’s also one of the highest-grossing fisheries in the state, regularly switching positions with Dungeness crab for the most valuable annual catch. These sustainably harvested and versatile cephalopods are great battered and fried, grilled, sautéed, simmered in a marinara sauce, or cooked on top of bomba rice for paella.

Fishermen catch market squid using large seine nets that can scoop up more than 50 tons at a time, with very low bycatch. Squid fishing is typically done at night with light boats partnering with seine boats to find the squid, but you may also see them active in the daylight. Light boats shine up to 30,000 watts of light into the water, attracting spawning squid to the surface. Seine boats (with the help of a small skiff) then set their nets around the light boats in a large circle before hauling the net back. Smaller squid operations use dips nets to harvest squid.

Purse seining at work, with seine skiff, purse seiner and light boat. Photo by David Hills of @FishyPictures

Chinese immigrants established the first market squid fishery on the West Coast right here in Monterey in 1863. They were the first to develop the practice of using light to attract schools of spawning squid. They would hang torches and wire baskets burning wood at night from the sides of their rowboats and would drop nets into the water to bring up squid. Over the years, immigrants continuously enhanced the fishery with new adaptations. In the early twentieth century, Sicilians brought the lampara net to Monterey Bay, followed by the introduction of the purse seine by Yugoslavian and Italian immigrants in southern California.

California market squid is rated as “Best Choice” by the Monterey Bay Aquarium’s Seafood Watch. While most market squid caught in California is exported to overseas markets, ask your local fishmonger about its availability. Whole market squid can be time-intensive to clean but well worth the work. Pre-cleaned market squid takes little effort and cooks in minutes.

• Ask for fresh, local market squid from your fishmonger or Community Supported Fishery (CSF).
• Be adventurous and try cleaning your own market squid when available.
• California market squid won’t be found as calamari steaks, so don’t be deceived.
Seafood Illustration courtesy of “Monterey Bay Aquarium®

More about California Market Squid:

Market Squid: life, habitat, and management

Market squid, Doryteuthis (Loligo) opalescens, are small, reaching lengths of 12-inches, but typically average around 8 inches. Their geographic range is from Baja California, Mexico to Southeast Alaska, but they are most prominent in Monterey Bay and Punta Eugenia, Baja California.

They are iridescent white with some purple but will often change color to blend in with their environment. Market squid have very short life cycles — with an average lifespan of 180 days or 300 days at most — and die shortly after they spawn. They spend most of their short life in deep, offshore waters but come nearshore to spawn.

Market squid typically spawn in the Monterey Bay area from April to November and from October to May in Southern California, which keeps squid fishermen on the move between both regions throughout the year. The California Department of Fish and Wildlife manages the market squid fishery in California.

The fishery is open year-round, with the season lasting from April 1 to March 31, but is limited to 118,000 tons per year, weekend closures (to allow for periods of uninterrupted spawning), and a permit system that limits access to the fishery.

Where & When to Find California Market Squid

California Market Squid are accessible year-round, but as most are for export markets they’re not always easy to find.

You can buy market squid directly from local restaurants, grocery stores, and fish markets —check out our Local Catch page for more information, or check out our recipes page for tips on how to store, prepare, and cook market squid and other seafood.

Want a fun calendar to remind you of what is in season here in Monterey Bay? Download + print our seafood seasonality guide (downloadable pdf).


Original post: https://montereybayfisheriestrust.org/