Humboldt squid are active predators on small fish such as the
lanternfish in the lower left corner of this photograph.
(Credit: Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute)
Posted on 07/23/2007 3:02:28 PM PDT by NormsRevenge
It sounds like something out of a monster movie.
A mysterious sea creature, up to 7 feet long, weighing up to 100 pounds, with 40,000 sharp teeth. It hunts in packs of hundreds, flying through the water at 25 mph, changing color.
With a parrot-like beak and strong arms, it attacks and tries to eat nearly anything it sees, including fish, scuba divers, even its own kind.
But it's not a creature of Hollywood. It's real. And it's reached Monterey Bay. The Humboldt Squid, also known as the Giant Squid or Jumbo Squid, traditionally has lived in warm waters off South America and Mexico, where fishermen call it "diablo rojo," or "red devil."
For reasons that still aren't entirely clear, large numbers of the aggressive cephalopods have been steadily expanding their range north, first off San Diego and Los Angeles, where hundreds have washed up on beaches in recent years.
Now they appear to have taken up residence in Monterey Bay, according to a new study by researchers from Stanford University and the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute (MBARI) that was compiled with more than 16 years of underwater video.
"Relatively speaking, these are aggressive, pugnacious bullies. They are a sight to behold," said Bruce Robison, senior scientist at MBARI, based in Moss Landing.
--snip--
The invasion has sparked the interest of recreational fishermen, who fight to land them like marlins. It has piqued the curiosity of some chefs, who say they can be cooked like calamari. And it has drawn wary attention from fisheries biologists, who are concerned that although no environmental harm appears to be occurring now, the voracious invertebrates could deplete commercial fisheries like hake, known as Pacific whiting, a common ingredient in frozen fish sticks, or rockfish, which are sold in restaurants as "red snapper."
(Excerpt) Read more at mercurynews.com ...
Humboldt squid are active predators on small fish such as the
lanternfish in the lower left corner of this photograph.
(Credit: Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute)
Yeah, but what do they taste like?
(Hmm, actually I suppose that one's going away, isn't it?)
Chicken
Just like chicken.
“Yeah, but what do they taste like?”
IIRC, these are called “red devils” by Mexican fishermen, who catch them
for sale as seafood.
I think Discovery Channel had one show on about the controversy of how
dangerous they are to human swimmers/divers. The had a real diver on
that had been attacked by them and nearly drug down to his death...
and an academic “expert” on squid whose years of lab-work convinced
him that they aren’t that dangerous.
I think I’d play it safe and take the advice of the real-life diver.
More info here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dosidicus_gigas
Global warming! Global warming! It’s all Bush’s fault! It’s all Bush’s fault!
So fish sticks are soon to be an endangered species?
Nice red nose. (I wonder if Harry is wandering from his Mormon faith that stays away from alcohol and caffeine).
Spotted owl. But they have somewhat of a fishy aftertaste.
Nah they taste more like roasted Panda.
The taste is a mixture of Giant Panda and Bald Eagle...yummm
You’re right, those squid would be gonners when ‘he’ showed up, lol.
I ate squid years ago in Puerto Rico but don’t recall the taste. Obviously not great as I don’t remember eating it again!
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