Squid jigging survey in English Channel

[scifly]

[quote name='glen' post='7995' date='Jan 18 2007, 07:56 AM']Hi Jon, I was just wondering where exactly are the female squid then?



Cheers, Glen[/quote]



Hi Jon



I knew Greg Christy quite well while I was in SA, bloody tall bugger to work on chokka boats! He started life as a school teacher, who would have thought. Glen, the squid tend to travel in single sex schools and then meet up on the spawning grounds. Also, simply because only males are being caught doesnt mean that females are not there. Catches of L reynaudii in South Africa have been shown to be biased towards males who attack the jigs more frequently than females. Using smaller jigs or different colour jigs may catch females although this has not been proven. Jon, dont get disheartened about the lights you are using - I have it on good authority that some of the first lights on boats in SA were "borrowed" from the St Francis tennis club!



Cheers

Len

[glen]

thanks for the info len <img src='http://www.squidfish.net/forums/public/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/xyxthumbs.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt='' />

[zeusfaber]

[quote name='glen' post='7995' date='Jan 17 2007, 09:56 PM']Hi Jon, I was just wondering where exactly are the female squid then?



Cheers, Glen[/quote]

Mornin Glen,

my earlier blog was a little misleading. We have definitely caught female L.Vulgaris on open ground and isolated deeper water reefs (in fact nearly all are females in these areas) but seem to catch predominantly large males on the inshore pinnacles and sea mounts. In fact all of the females caught before Christmas were at a very mature stage of sexual development. Also sexing the squid at any other stage of development can be very difficult.

[glen]

hi jon, is this article related to your surveys?

cheers, glen

NEUK FLEET COULD BE SQUIDS IN

EAST Neuk fishermen could be boosted by a new project aimed at developing a sustainable squid fishery. EAST Neuk fishermen could be boosted by a new project aimed at developing a sustainable squid fishery.



Seafish has set up the UK Squid Fisheries Development Project investigation into whether the unpredictable fish can become the basis of a new fisheries industry.



Squid will prove particularly attractive because they are not subject to quotas and have a high market value.

Billy Hughes, of the Pittenweem-based Fishermen's Mutual Association, believes there could be benefits locally.

"Over the last couple of years we have had a few boats try for squid," he explained. "This move might be very interesting for fishermen here."



But one problem East Neuk fishermen would face is the lack of any viable market nearby.

Mr Hughes said: "Whenever we have caught squid we have had to do a special run up to Fraserburgh market to make sure they get there fresh. There are no local buyers interested in squid."



Working with other organisations such as the University of Aberdeen, Seafish will need to find out more about the biology of squid which can be abundant some years and scarce in others.



The project will carry out a stock assessment, look at which fishing gear will prove the most effective with a series of trials and study the best way to handle squid once caught.



The scheme, funded by the EU, Defra and Seafish, will be completed by the end of 2008.



17 January 2007

Fife Today

[url="http://www.fifenow.co.uk/ViewArticle2.aspx?SectionID=1023&ArticleID=1976343"]http://www.fifenow.co.uk/ViewArticle2.aspx...ticleID=1976343[/url]

[zeusfaber]

Yeah Glen,

nice one you are often more informed about whats goin on in this country than i am and you is 12000miles away (I think).



Although not actually the same initiative (i.e funded and managed seperately and with slightly different objectives) the SEAFISH investigation into viable squid fishing is born upon a similar ground swell of interest in a fishery that is seemingly increasing (certainly in value and also possibly in distribution) and that is not subject to Total Allowable Catches (TAC) otherwise known as quotas.

My colleague and I were accompanied to South Africa by a representative of SEAFISH and we are collaborating quite closely on the survey, albeit on an informal level. As identified in the news article you have highlighted, often one of the big problems, when developing a potential commercial fishery is processing the catch and access/develpment of markets I believe it is here where our two projects differ.

I am mainly concerned in identifying the practicalities and possibilities of a commercial jig fishery on a greater scale than the small inshore one that already exists here in the SW of the UK, an area where there already exists a vibrant market for squid. Whereas the SEAFISH study is as much about developing fisheries and markets in areas where potential exists but has not been capitolised upon.



Rergards Jon



Ps havin some problems posting up photographs on the site, any ideas?