Squid Invasion

[howeird]

kevin_standlee posted a link to an article on the invasion of jumbo squid, which was also on the front page of the Merc yesterday. A friend who has a doctorate in squid sent me this note:

Thanks for the info...interesting that they are blaming the lack of hake on the Humboldts...and yes, they are different from giant squid...smaller and much more aggressive! These are the ones who have been known to attack people in the Gulf of California (if they're stupid enough to be in the water when they've been attracted for feeding to a boat)...they have beaks strong enough to bite through an oar, so they aren't something you want to come across when they're pissed!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Jennifer A. Hoar, Ph.D.
Port Supervisor
At Sea Observer Program
Archipelago Marine Research
Ucluelet BC

If the Creator indeed lavished his best design on the animal he created in his own image, Creationists would have to conclude that God is really
a SQUID!
-J. Diamond, 1985
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I've asked if the jumbos are edible - Jenn gives me some of the best squid recipes (I think she even wrote a cookbook) so she ought to know.

Edit Add:

From Jenn :
As to the Humboldt squid, yes they are edible and big and meaty, so they are great grilled as long as you don't overcook them....

enjoy
Jenn

Comments

[susandennis]

Ok, I'm so impressed that one of my LJ friends has a squid expert on virtual speed dial!!! That is very cool.

[howeird]

Ain't it though? Jenn answered my posting in soc.singles a long time ago, while she was still at Dalhousie in Halifax going for her master's degree. Her grandfather founded UBC's marine biology department and her father is still a professor there, so I guess she is part cephelopod by now. She's the Vancouver Aquarium's unofficial squid expert.

[johnnyeponymous.livejournal.com]

Humboldt Squid is delicious. It's very firm, even compared to most other squid, and is best eaten grilled. It makes terrible fried calamari, though.

I gotta check my fave fish monger to see if he's getting more Humboldts now. I may well do a nice squid steak this or next weekend.
CHris

[howeird]

Isn't Humboldt County also famous for its ganja? Grilled squid followed by brownies!