209
such as Europe. Venezuela catches of octopus were reportedly good in 2017 and
sold at high prices in the European market. International trade of octopus was mixed
for the first 9 months of 2017. Japanese octopus imports dropped by almost 5%
compared to the same period in 2016, from 35,300 tonnes to 33,600 tonnes. The
main suppliers were Morocco, Mauritania, and China, which together accounted for
92% of the imports during this period. Spanish octopus imports increased 8% during this period, to 43,500 tonnes, compared to 2016. The main suppliers to Spain
were Morocco, Mauritania, and Portugal (FAO-Globefish 2018b).
Fishery of Octopuses
The techniques for the exploitation of Octopus are very diverse and the harvesting
strategies are related to the biological and ecological characteristics of the species.
When the density of an octopus population is high and the bottom is flat, then bawling is possible (Guerra 1997). Octopus is caught using various methods, including
trawling, clay pots and traps, long lines using hooks, by hand during SCUBA diving
and spearing. Large fisheries for Octopus vulgaris are concentrated on the northwest African coast, in the Mediterranean Sea and Japan, while small-scale fisheries
exist in countries such as Mexico, Canary Islands, Chile and Hawaii. While octopus
fishing is mostly done with trawlers in the northwest coasts of Africa, there is also
the use of pot besides trawl fishing in the Mediterranean (Oosthuizen 2003). The
largest octopus fishing in the world has been reported to be Sahara fishing on the
northwest coast of Africa (Guerra 1997; Balguerias et al. 2000; Tsangridis
et al. 2002).
While trawling is done in deep waters, pot is used in coastal waters. Large octopuses are caught with a pot and peak values reach during the winter months. Trawler
fishing is more intensely in the summer months. Trawling, pots, long lines and
angling are used for octopus fishing in Japanese waters (Oosthuizen 2003). The use
of pots is very old and perhaps the most widespread of all fishing methods for
Octopus vulgaris and many other species. Pots are un-baited open structures that
afford a safe, dark hiding place either for resting between catching periods or as a
safe place in which a female may lay and brood her eggs. The fishery of octopus
with pots is also very common and traditional in regions along the Spanish Atlantic
and Mediterranean coasts (Guerra 1997).
Traps are essentially pots with some type of lid or trap door to prevent the octopus from leaving the container. Several different types have been used in various
countries. The traps are baited in contrast to the pots (Guerra 1997). Traps and pots
are traditionally used along the Iberian Peninsula (Banon et al. 2017). In Portuguese
waters, especially in the southern coast, the main fishing methods for octopus are
reported as pots and traps (Sonderblohm et al. 2017).
Drift fishing for octopus is an artisanal method used in many countries. This is
fastened to a handline that the fisherman drags along or over the bottom. It is baited
with a dead portunid crab. An octopus attracted to the crab seizes it and is caught by
the hook as the line tightens, alerting the fisherman who pulls it in (Guerra 1997).
3.2 Cephalopods
such as Europe. Venezuela catches of octopus were reportedly good in 2017 and
sold at high prices in the European market. International trade of octopus was mixed
for the first 9 months of 2017. Japanese octopus imports dropped by almost 5%
compared to the same period in 2016, from 35,300 tonnes to 33,600 tonnes. The
main suppliers were Morocco, Mauritania, and China, which together accounted for
92% of the imports during this period. Spanish octopus imports increased 8% during this period, to 43,500 tonnes, compared to 2016. The main suppliers to Spain
were Morocco, Mauritania, and Portugal (FAO-Globefish 2018b).
Fishery of Octopuses
The techniques for the exploitation of Octopus are very diverse and the harvesting
strategies are related to the biological and ecological characteristics of the species.
When the density of an octopus population is high and the bottom is flat, then bawling is possible (Guerra 1997). Octopus is caught using various methods, including
trawling, clay pots and traps, long lines using hooks, by hand during SCUBA diving
and spearing. Large fisheries for Octopus vulgaris are concentrated on the northwest African coast, in the Mediterranean Sea and Japan, while small-scale fisheries
exist in countries such as Mexico, Canary Islands, Chile and Hawaii. While octopus
fishing is mostly done with trawlers in the northwest coasts of Africa, there is also
the use of pot besides trawl fishing in the Mediterranean (Oosthuizen 2003). The
largest octopus fishing in the world has been reported to be Sahara fishing on the
northwest coast of Africa (Guerra 1997; Balguerias et al. 2000; Tsangridis
et al. 2002).
While trawling is done in deep waters, pot is used in coastal waters. Large octopuses are caught with a pot and peak values reach during the winter months. Trawler
fishing is more intensely in the summer months. Trawling, pots, long lines and
angling are used for octopus fishing in Japanese waters (Oosthuizen 2003). The use
of pots is very old and perhaps the most widespread of all fishing methods for
Octopus vulgaris and many other species. Pots are un-baited open structures that
afford a safe, dark hiding place either for resting between catching periods or as a
safe place in which a female may lay and brood her eggs. The fishery of octopus
with pots is also very common and traditional in regions along the Spanish Atlantic
and Mediterranean coasts (Guerra 1997).
Traps are essentially pots with some type of lid or trap door to prevent the octopus from leaving the container. Several different types have been used in various
countries. The traps are baited in contrast to the pots (Guerra 1997). Traps and pots
are traditionally used along the Iberian Peninsula (Banon et al. 2017). In Portuguese
waters, especially in the southern coast, the main fishing methods for octopus are
reported as pots and traps (Sonderblohm et al. 2017).
Drift fishing for octopus is an artisanal method used in many countries. This is
fastened to a handline that the fisherman drags along or over the bottom. It is baited
with a dead portunid crab. An octopus attracted to the crab seizes it and is caught by
the hook as the line tightens, alerting the fisherman who pulls it in (Guerra 1997).
3.2 Cephalopods