![]() ![]() The lights attract groups of spawning squid to surface waters. Squid seiners typically work with light boats-smaller vessels with several high-powered lights pointed from various angles.Fishermen usually fish for market squid at night directly above the spawning grounds where females lay their eggs.Habitat and bycatch impacts are minimal because the gear is used at the surface around dense schools of fish, which usually contain only one species.Purse seines and scoop nets are used to harvest market squid.These figures may not match other agency sources of data due to confidential information. In 2019, commercial landings of market squid totaled more than 32 million pounds and were valued at approximately $16.4 million, according to the NOAA Fisheries commercial fishing landings database.Market squid are a critical food source for a variety of fish (salmon, lingcod, and rockfish), seabirds, and marine mammals.As they grow, they feed on krill, small crustaceans, small fish, and other squid. Juvenile market squid feed on small crustaceans.Newly hatched eggs are called “paralarvae” and resemble miniature adults.Eggs take several days to months to hatch, depending on temperature. Females deposit eggs on sandy habitats, building large mounds of egg cases.Females produce about 20 egg cases, with each case containing about 200 individual eggs. Males deposit spermatophores into females, and the eggs are fertilized as females release them.Spawning squid congregate in large schools near their spawning grounds, usually over sandy habitats.Spawning occurs April through October in central California and October through the end of April or May in southern California. They reproduce right before they die, around the age of 1 year.They reach up to 1 foot in total length, including their arms. Market squid are fast-growing animals with a short natural life span. ![]()
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