Jumbo squid invade local waters

Noaki Schwartz

Local fishermen must have been a little leery when they saw

thousands of glowing objects floating off the coast of Newport Beach this

week.

Especially considering what’s been washing up on Southern California

beaches lately.

But instead, they packed up their gear and went fishing.

“Our boat on Sunday night went out on a twilight trip and got 2,800

squid!” said Norris Tapp of Davies Locker.

About every two to three years, jumbo squid swim up the coast from

Central America to Southern California, following currents that are a

particular temperature and salinity level. The bobbing visitors travel in

large groups and only stay for a few days -- just long enough for local

fisherman to bring in boats filled with the catch.

The Humboldt or Flying Squid are usually 2- to 3-feet long and weigh

between 2 to 5 pounds. This contrasts sharply with the more typically

found “market squid” which tend to be only 9 inches long, said Dennis

Kelly, a marine biologist at OCC.

In very rare cases, the Humboldt squid can get as large as 12 feet,

Kelly said. This type of squid is a cousin of the infamous giant squid

that can get as long as a 60-foot-long whale.

The animals range in color from bright orange to pale gray and, when

provoked, they and their ink will glow.

“You can see them in the water,” said Tapp. “They change colors.”

However, it is best not to anger the gently glowing creatures. There

is some truth behind old maritime tales of “killer squid.”

Squid have parrotlike beaks that can bite and suckers with little

hooks on them that can attach themselves to swimmers, Kelly said. If

enough of the little critters get involved, they can pull a diver down

with them.

Years ago, in a similar wave of invading squid, a boat left San Pedro

Harbor and after the fishermen got their net around thousands of the

creatures, they began swimming toward the bottom of the boat in unison,

Kelly said. In doing so they tipped the boat and killed two of the

fishermen.

But for the moment, the fishermen around Newport are rejoicing their

recent catch. They’ve been catching about 500 squid each hour per boat

since they turned up last week.

And to be sure, the little creatures soon will turn up at local

restaurants served as calamari delicacies.