205
Cuttlefish are among the most important commercial cephalopod resource in
European waters and the highest yielding cephalopod group harvested in the north
east Atlantic. Several cuttlefish species are present in the area but landings of the
common cuttlefish (Sepia officinalis) dominate. The English Channel supports the
main fishery for this species. On both sides of channel landings are dominated by
offshore trawlers with inshore traps consistently contributing only a minor proportion (Bloor et al. 2013). The species is usually caught with trawls as a target species
and as by-catch in demersal fisheries. The artisanal fisheries utilise a larger variety
of highly selective gear types, such as spears, pots, and traps, often combined with
the use of light. Several species of cuttlefish are fished, but the species most frequently landed is the common cuttlefish (Sepia officinalis). Common cuttlefish is
frequently marketed as fresh and frozen and is a highly attractive food item in Japan,
South Korea, Italy, and Spain (EUMOFA 2018b) (Fig. 3.8).
Sepia aculeate
This species is the third most important commercial cuttlefish around Hong Kong
where it is caught with set nets and seines during the spawning season. It is also one
of the most important commercial cuttlefish in southwest India, where is mainly
caught by trawl, with peak landings in October and November. The species is fished
commercially in southern China, Taiwan Province of China, Sri Lanka, and
Thailand, where it is caught by otter trawl, pair trawl, squid light-lures, traps and
push nets. Captures by traps in Thai waters are most abundant in January and
February, when most animals are fully mature, and females are predominantly
caught (Reid et al. 2005).
Sepia hierredda
Sepia hierredda is the most commercially important cuttlefish in the east central
Atlantic waters (from Cape Blanc, 21°N, to Cape Bojador, 26°N). It represents the
dominant cuttlefish caught off Western Sahara and in Mauritania waters. It is distributed from South-eastern Atlantic to Africa, Cape Blanc, Mauritania, Tigres Bay,
and Angola (Reid et al. 2005).
Sepia latimanus
Sepia latimanus is an important fisheries species. It is taken by trawl, set net, jig,
hand line and spear. It supports local fisheries in western Japan and the Philippines
where it is caught with jigs, hand lines, set nets and spears and it is common as bycatch in south-east Asian trawl fisheries. Sepia latimanus is fished in small quantities in the Ryukyus, China, near Taiwan Province of China and in the waters of
Indochina (Reid et al. 2005).
Sepia lycidas
Sepia lycidas is an important commercial species in Japan, China, South Korea,
Vietnam, and Thailand. Most cuttlefishes are caught off Thailand using otter trawl,
with smaller catches made using pair trawl and to a lesser extent, squid light-lures,
traps and push nets; bottom otter and pair trawls are used offshore, while push nets
and lift nets are used in inshore and coastal waters. This species is the second most
important commercial cuttlefish in Hong Kong and Japan, caught as by-catch in
3.2 Cephalopods
Cuttlefish are among the most important commercial cephalopod resource in
European waters and the highest yielding cephalopod group harvested in the north
east Atlantic. Several cuttlefish species are present in the area but landings of the
common cuttlefish (Sepia officinalis) dominate. The English Channel supports the
main fishery for this species. On both sides of channel landings are dominated by
offshore trawlers with inshore traps consistently contributing only a minor proportion (Bloor et al. 2013). The species is usually caught with trawls as a target species
and as by-catch in demersal fisheries. The artisanal fisheries utilise a larger variety
of highly selective gear types, such as spears, pots, and traps, often combined with
the use of light. Several species of cuttlefish are fished, but the species most frequently landed is the common cuttlefish (Sepia officinalis). Common cuttlefish is
frequently marketed as fresh and frozen and is a highly attractive food item in Japan,
South Korea, Italy, and Spain (EUMOFA 2018b) (Fig. 3.8).
Sepia aculeate
This species is the third most important commercial cuttlefish around Hong Kong
where it is caught with set nets and seines during the spawning season. It is also one
of the most important commercial cuttlefish in southwest India, where is mainly
caught by trawl, with peak landings in October and November. The species is fished
commercially in southern China, Taiwan Province of China, Sri Lanka, and
Thailand, where it is caught by otter trawl, pair trawl, squid light-lures, traps and
push nets. Captures by traps in Thai waters are most abundant in January and
February, when most animals are fully mature, and females are predominantly
caught (Reid et al. 2005).
Sepia hierredda
Sepia hierredda is the most commercially important cuttlefish in the east central
Atlantic waters (from Cape Blanc, 21°N, to Cape Bojador, 26°N). It represents the
dominant cuttlefish caught off Western Sahara and in Mauritania waters. It is distributed from South-eastern Atlantic to Africa, Cape Blanc, Mauritania, Tigres Bay,
and Angola (Reid et al. 2005).
Sepia latimanus
Sepia latimanus is an important fisheries species. It is taken by trawl, set net, jig,
hand line and spear. It supports local fisheries in western Japan and the Philippines
where it is caught with jigs, hand lines, set nets and spears and it is common as bycatch in south-east Asian trawl fisheries. Sepia latimanus is fished in small quantities in the Ryukyus, China, near Taiwan Province of China and in the waters of
Indochina (Reid et al. 2005).
Sepia lycidas
Sepia lycidas is an important commercial species in Japan, China, South Korea,
Vietnam, and Thailand. Most cuttlefishes are caught off Thailand using otter trawl,
with smaller catches made using pair trawl and to a lesser extent, squid light-lures,
traps and push nets; bottom otter and pair trawls are used offshore, while push nets
and lift nets are used in inshore and coastal waters. This species is the second most
important commercial cuttlefish in Hong Kong and Japan, caught as by-catch in
3.2 Cephalopods