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Seafood Watch - Seafood Guide
Squid
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Jumbo Squid
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Humboldt Squid, Giant Squid, Calamar Gigante, Jibia Gigante
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Gulf of California
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Wild-caught
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Longfin Squid
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Common Squid, Boned Squid
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U.S. Atlantic
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Trawl
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Market Squid
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Calamari
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California
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Purse Seine
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Shortfin Squid
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Summer Squid
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U.S. Atlantic
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Trawl
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Squid
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Calamari, International Squid
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Imported
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Wild-caught
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Squid, Imported and Market
Squid grow quickly and reproduce at a young age, making them highly resilient to fishing pressure. However, insufficient population data as well as poor fishery management and enforcement result in a "Good Alternative" ranking for imported and California market squid.
Summary
Squid play an important role in marine food webs as predator and prey, and are an important source of food for marine mammals. It is also becoming a staple on many restaurant menus, where it’s called calamari.
Squid grow quickly and reproduce at a young age, but their survival depends on ocean temperature and prey availability. This means squid abundance varies widely, or may be unknown in many areas.
There’s also a large squid fishery in the U.S., but most of that catch is exported. (Ironically, most of the squid consumed in the U.S. is imported.) Market squid, California’s most valuable fishery, is caught with purse seines. Normally this method causes limited habitat damage, but when used in the market squid fishery, purse seines often contact and damage the seafloor. Also, there are bycatch issues, including the squids’ own egg cases as they spawn.
In international waters, squid is mostly caught using jigs or trawls, two types of gear that minimize bycatch. But, as with other high-seas fisheries, regulations don’t exist or are rarely enforced and squid is being fished in ever greater numbers in areas where other species have declined due to overfishing.
Without clear data on population size, and without effective management and enforcement measures, imported squid and market squid from California are considered a "Good Alternative" rather than a “Best Choice.”
Scientific Reports About Our Ratings
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