California Market Squid

The California market squid fishery is one of the largest fisheries in the US (by weight) and is the most financially valuable fishery in California. In 2016, commercial landings of market squid were more than 84 million pounds and were valued at US $40 million. Targeted primarily with purse seines, the California market squid fishery is broken up into two components: a northern fishery operating around Monterey Bay from April through November and a southern fishery operating around the Channel Islands and coastal areas from October through March. Market squid live to be about six to nine months making them relatively short-lived. The fishery targets market squid during mass spawning events as large schools will form and because all squid will die shortly after spawning. Given their life history characteristics, market squid are considered to be highly resilient to fishing pressure.  

The California market squid fishery is under the jurisdiction of the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW), NOAA Fisheries, and the Pacific Fishery Management Council (PFMC). Under the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act all federally managed fisheries must have a biomass estimate; however, as there is no biomass estimate for California market squid CDFW has been tasked with implementing the 2005 Market Squid Fishery Management Plan (FMP). While the fishery is federally monitored by the PFMC under the Coastal Pelagic Species Fishery Management Plan, the PFMC has deferred management of market squid to the CDFW.

Amongst management regulations outlined under the Market Squid FMP include:

• Weekend closure dates (noon Friday to noon Sunday) that allow for uninterrupted spawning;
• Additional time, seasonal, and permanent area closures to protect seabirds (all waters of the Gulf of the Farallones National Marine Sanctuary are off limits to squid fishing year-round as well as in other designated ecological reserves);
• Gear restrictions – particularly concerning attracting lights (all lights are limited to 30,000 watts and must be shielded above the horizontal line of sight);
• An annual catch limit of 118,000 tons (this is based on an average of maximum landings obtained during the 1999/2000, 2000/2001, and 2001/2002 seasons);
• A permitting system that limits access to the fishery; and,
• Monitoring requirements.

Although the CDFW and NOAA cooperatively monitor the fishery to evaluate the fishery’s impact on market squid, the California market squid fishery lacks a current stock assessment.