270
MALCOLM R. CLdaKE
sagittatus is becoming economically important (LsvBs-Svendsen, 1964)
and is sometimes important in North Sea catches (Ottolind, 1954).
Various countries bordering the Mediterranean include Todarodes
sagittatus in their catches (e.g. Italy, France, Spain) (Ghirardelli, 1961).
In Australia, Nototodarus gouldi is being taken in increasing numbers
(Anon, 1964). In some regions, an occasional abundance of a particular
species is followed by a temporary development of a fishery; for example
Dosidicus gigas has been used commercially off California at times
(Clark and Phillips, 1936). In all, the deep sea cephalopods, the
oegopsids, contribute about three quarters of the total world catch of
cephalopods and of these nearly all are in the Ommastrephidae.
Constituents of squid have been studied by Japanese workers
(Takahashi, 1960, etc.) and the protein content (20%) compares
favourably with economically important fish. Use of squid for human
food has been extensively studied by the Japanese; from the nutritive
value and digestibility of squid meat (Tanikawa and Suno, 1952) to the
manufacture of particular products such as smoked squid meat
(Tanikawa et al., 1964) and canned squid (Inoue and Tanikawa, 1962).
Besides its utilization as human food, squid meat is used extensively
for animal food and manure and of all uses the most important must
be its use as bait. It is the principal bait in theNewfoundland cod fishery
(Squires, 1957) and forms an important bait for the Northern long
line fishery (Nesis, 1964 footnote to translation of Clarke, 1963) and
the Madeiran Espada fishery (Clarke, 1963) and for many minor and
game fisheries.
Should the world’s consumption of squid increase to the point
where other species must be utilized, the most productive species
would be the oceanic squids, providing methods of catching them
could be improved. As pointed out above, species of Ommastrephes,
Symplectoteuthis, Todarodes, Nototodarus and Dosidicus are dominant
oceanic forms and approach the surface at night. Only Todarodes
pacijcus has been utilized to any appreciable extent. If catching
methods could be developed to take the deeper living species, which
are so important in the diet of Sperm whales and other predators,
large untapped protein and oil resources would become available.
XXIX. CATCHING METHODS
The principal tool in use in most parts of the world for catching
oegopsid squid is the I ‘ jig ”. This takes various forms but basically
it is a grapnel-type of hook usually about 6 inches long. A ring of points,
usually unbarbed, project from the tip of the shaft which may pass
through a lead weight (Newfoundland style) or a bait fish (Madeira
MALCOLM R. CLdaKE
sagittatus is becoming economically important (LsvBs-Svendsen, 1964)
and is sometimes important in North Sea catches (Ottolind, 1954).
Various countries bordering the Mediterranean include Todarodes
sagittatus in their catches (e.g. Italy, France, Spain) (Ghirardelli, 1961).
In Australia, Nototodarus gouldi is being taken in increasing numbers
(Anon, 1964). In some regions, an occasional abundance of a particular
species is followed by a temporary development of a fishery; for example
Dosidicus gigas has been used commercially off California at times
(Clark and Phillips, 1936). In all, the deep sea cephalopods, the
oegopsids, contribute about three quarters of the total world catch of
cephalopods and of these nearly all are in the Ommastrephidae.
Constituents of squid have been studied by Japanese workers
(Takahashi, 1960, etc.) and the protein content (20%) compares
favourably with economically important fish. Use of squid for human
food has been extensively studied by the Japanese; from the nutritive
value and digestibility of squid meat (Tanikawa and Suno, 1952) to the
manufacture of particular products such as smoked squid meat
(Tanikawa et al., 1964) and canned squid (Inoue and Tanikawa, 1962).
Besides its utilization as human food, squid meat is used extensively
for animal food and manure and of all uses the most important must
be its use as bait. It is the principal bait in theNewfoundland cod fishery
(Squires, 1957) and forms an important bait for the Northern long
line fishery (Nesis, 1964 footnote to translation of Clarke, 1963) and
the Madeiran Espada fishery (Clarke, 1963) and for many minor and
game fisheries.
Should the world’s consumption of squid increase to the point
where other species must be utilized, the most productive species
would be the oceanic squids, providing methods of catching them
could be improved. As pointed out above, species of Ommastrephes,
Symplectoteuthis, Todarodes, Nototodarus and Dosidicus are dominant
oceanic forms and approach the surface at night. Only Todarodes
pacijcus has been utilized to any appreciable extent. If catching
methods could be developed to take the deeper living species, which
are so important in the diet of Sperm whales and other predators,
large untapped protein and oil resources would become available.
XXIX. CATCHING METHODS
The principal tool in use in most parts of the world for catching
oegopsid squid is the I ‘ jig ”. This takes various forms but basically
it is a grapnel-type of hook usually about 6 inches long. A ring of points,
usually unbarbed, project from the tip of the shaft which may pass
through a lead weight (Newfoundland style) or a bait fish (Madeira