Vladivostok scientists recommending new squid stocks for commercial exploitation

Vladivostok-based TINRO-Centre fishery research institute has recommended squid Todarodes pacificus for commercial exploitation, reports www.fishnet-russia.com (www.fishnet.ru) with reference to Vostok-Media.

More specifically, during the surveys made from 17 June to 19 October 2009 the scientists have studied a vast area of Peter the Great Bay and arrived at a conclusion that this year runs of Todarodes pacificus squid in the area can be characterized as very generous. This is true both with respect to winter concentrations of small size squid migrating along the sourthern coast of Primorye to the Amur Bay in June-July and to autumn spawning large size squid main runs of which are observed in the Ussuriisky Bay in August-September 2009. Especially strong concentrations were observed in the island part of the Ussuriisky Bay in October 2009 and were formed by schools of squid making back migrations southwards.

Strength and activity of squid runs to Peter the Great Bay are mostly defined by the hydrological situation in the open sea. The temperature regime in the largest part of the Sea of Japan in summer 2009 was lower, especially in June-July 2009, when T.pacificus squid started migrating for feeding. That resulted into a shift of main routes of feeding migrations towards the coast of Primorye.

Dynamics of research catches of squid per effort shows that the average daily harvest of commercial fleets could amount to ca.230 kilos in July-August, 350 kilos in September and 630 kilos in October. Such expectations as to the catch rates have enabled the scientists to recommend the stock of T.pacificus squid for commercial exploitation.