Geoduck farmer Peter Downey called to tell me that he found an 11 foot long Humboldt Squid (Dosidicus gigas) washed up on his beach on the 26th. Actually, it appears that it may have been a robust clubhook squid, according to some Stanford marine biologists that corrected me! The squid is not usually found around these waters, but one was caught about a year ago, if my memory serves me well. Downey has a commercial scale, so he weighed the thing in at 59 lbs (!). Peter took the squid to the Port Townsend Marine Science Center. No idea what the center will do with it, but it’s the largest they’ve seen. Photos by Peter.
Filed under: Jefferson County, Straits of Juan de Fuca |
The port Townsend marine science center posted that they dissected the squid and decided it was a Humboldt squid. I’m unsure who’s right.
The Marine Science Center was. Peter told me the original info.
Actually, that is probably not a Humboldt squid. It looks like Moroteuthis robusta, the robust clubhook squid, which is known to be found in Washington waters. This is the scientific opinion of me and several other squid biologists. =)
Thanks Danna! I was going on Peter’s say so. Neither of us are squid biologists though!