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Squid are cephalopod (armed) molluscs. There are many different types of cephalopods with new species still being identified. Squid have complex skin colourations that can be changed to fit their surroundings.
The Victorian squid fishery is based on Gould's squid
( Nototodarus gouldi ) previously known as arrow squid. Bycatch of other species is rare although it may include other oceanic squids such as red ocean squid ( Ommastrephes bartrami ) and southern ocean squid ( Todarodes filippovae ) or closer inshore as southern calamari ( Sepioteuthis australias ). |
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Gould's squid live in marine waters over the continental shelf and upper slope and are commonly found at depths from 50 to 200m. They form schools or aggregations near the seabed during the day and disperse at night.
Gould's squid are short-lived with most reaching a maximum age of 12 to 18 months. They grow very fast, up to 4cm each month. Females grow faster and reach a maximum size of 40cm measured as mantle length (this does not include the head or tentacles) and can weigh up to 1.6kg. Males are smaller reaching a size of 35cm. To keep up this rapid growth squid have voracious appetites. Squid feed mainly at night on small surface fish (pilchards) and crustaceans. Cannibalism occurs. Sharks, seals and other fish eat squid.
It is thought that there are three breeding times in a year. Few studies have been done on the breeding cycle of squid. 
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Foreign fishing vessels from Taiwan, Korea and Japan developed fishing for squid from 1977 to 1988. The best results were in western Bass Strait. An Australian commercial fishing fleet started in 1987 with one boat actively targeting squid. By 1990 this number had grown to 14 boats. Currently there are 84 permits issued with only 25 boats actively fishing.
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Gould's squid are targeted in western Bass Strait using jigs. Fishing is seasonal with the season starting in February and ending in June. The season starts off the Port Phillip Bay heads and slowly moves westwards to Portland as the season progresses, following the natural migration of the squid. Squid are also targeted off the eastern coast of Victoria from Lakes Entrance to the NSW border and in Tasmanian waters. |
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Jigging uses the squid's natural behavioural characteristics to make catching easier. The boats have bright lamps strung above the deck that attract small fish. The squid group in the boat's shadow and then dart into the light to feed on the fish. The boats use automatic jigging machines that wind a line with barbless hooks attached up and down over an oval spool creating a jigging motion. The squid are held on the hook by the pressure of the line and when this pressure is released the squid are flicked onto a wire mesh tray and land on the deck of the boat.
Demersal trawls and Danish seines also catch Gould's squid as bycatch in the Commonwealth fishery, the South East Fishery .
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Management of the fishery is now the responsibility of the Australian Fisheries Management Authority, the Commonwealth fisheries agency. The Jig sector is managed by limiting entry.
In April 1998 the Southern Squid Fisheries Management Advisory Committee (SquidMAC) was established. This committee is the peak advisory body for the fishery and consists of fishers, managers and scientists.
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The volume of catch has changed over the years as more vessels have started to target the species. In 1999-2000, 390 tonnes of squid was landed in Victorian ports from State and Commonwealth waters. The wholesale value of the landed catch is AU$809,000. About 2,200 tonnes of squid is caught in Australian waters each year.
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Squid are sold directly to processing facilities as a freshly chilled product. These are located in Melbourne, Geelong and Portland.
Processing squid involves the removal of tentacles, head and internal organs. The outer fins are also removed along with the coloured skin. This leaves a white tube that is cut to make single rings. Processing plants make squid tubes that are then sold to restaurants, supermarkets, and fish shops. Squid tentacles are also marketed along with crumbed squid rings.
Local catches do not met the demand of local markets and a further 11,000 tonnes of squid, calamari and octopus are imported into Australia.
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The squid fishery is one fishery that has the potential to grow although further research about the life cycle of squid is needed. Fishers are now working on connecting sea surface temperatures, tides, currents and moon phases to help them better target and predict catches.
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