Sad sight to see squid fishers, even if the catch is yummy

CATHARINE COOPER

The aliens have landed!

Green-eyed, skulking the oceans surface with blinding white

spotlights, these odd water-bound creatures obliterate the night sky.

Humanoids on these floating craft toss baited hooks into illuminated

waters, teasing our precious crop of squid from their cozy kelp bed

homes. The squid fishermen have arrived!

Seventeen boats, by my count, plied the waters two nights ago in

search of a marketable crop. Their sheer numbers seem a good

indicator that we must have (or at least had) a bumper crop of the

strange-looking mollusks. I admit to an appetite for tasty calamari,

especially the presentations at Sorrento Grill and 230 Forest, but

watching my own waters so mined, causes me a bit of heartbreak.

California squid (Loligo opalescens), the object of the numerous

boats hungering off our beaches, hunt in and around kelp, which

provide a bit of cover and protect them from other predators. They

prefer a weedy bottom. Fished for commercial markets around the

globe, the local catch is packaged as either food grade or bait for

other fishing ventures.

Squid are a highly developed member of the class Cephalopoda,

which includes the chambered nautilus and the octopus. While the

ancestral shell of the nautilus provides buoyancy, the squid’s thin

shell is located within its mantle, and is useful only for muscle

attachment. Its tapered, streamlined body and broad triangular fins

make the squid a highly effective swimmer, both backward and forward.

Over short distances, squids are among the most rapid moving of all

marine organisms.

While I’m not a squid fisherwoman, I have queried several sources,

who have provided me with a bounty of information. The lights on the

“green- eyed” craft attract small fish to the surface, the food of

choice of the squid. As they are caught, squids become yet another

chink in the natural predatory chain, with we humans at the top.

To tackle squid fishing, the gear is reportedly simple. A soft

action rod and a variety of jigs. It is reported that pinks out-fish

most other colors, but that some days, blues or greens might be the

better choice (sounds suspiciously like a woman trying to decide what

to wear on a given day).

Squid fishing is usually more successful in the late afternoon and

night. Squid don’t like wind or chop on the water. A rising tide is

said to be an asset.

The squid is a remarkable food in that 80% of this cephalopod is

edible. Its lean meat contains about 18% protein, which makes it

highly nutritious. It is one of the most abundant marine organisms.

Squids are marketed in fresh, frozen, semi-preserved (pickled in

vinegar after boiling), sun-dried, and canned forms. The firm flesh,

which turns yellow after cooking, is delicately flavored and used

most often as an appetizer, in salads or pasta.

From a culinary viewpoint, the Loligo opalescens is one of the

best of all cephalopods. Split and dressed, then dipped in a light

batter, it should be cooked until lightly browned. Squid becomes

rubbery if it is overcooked.

An easy recipe for fried squid:

Marinate about three pounds of small squid, sliced into rings, in

olive oil and lemon juice for about an hour. Dip them in salted

flour, then beaten eggs, then flour again. Deep-fry them in olive oil

heated to 365-degrees until lightly browned. Drain on paper towels

and serve hot with lemon juice and your choice of dipping sauce.

At moments over the last few days, the multitude of boats in such

proximity to shore has actually felt like an invasion. I prefer a few

pleasure craft that sweep in during the day and are gone in the

evening.

The news headline I received this morning, “Squid Season Ends

Early,” from a commercial fishers site, was cause for both jubilation

and regret. The article stated that the season, which usually extends

through March, was coming to a surprising halt. While squid are still

being caught, they are too small to be successfully marketed. The

commercial demand is for eight to 10 pieces per pound, and the

current catch is around 14 to 16 per pound, obviously a smaller

product.

I felt joyous that only three boats floated offshore this morning,

but also sad, that our squid population is not only smaller, but

significantly diminished. The green-eyed aliens have come, fished our

waters and left for other shores. I’ll shop for calamari, whip up an

appetizer and be glad for the return of the night sky.

* CATHARINE COOPER loves wild places. She can be reached at

[email protected].