7-Foot Jumbo Squid Invade California Waters
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MONTEREY, Calif. — Jumbo squid that can grow up to 7 feet long and weigh more than 110 pounds are invading central California waters and preying on local anchovy, hake, and other commercial fish populations, according to a new study.
An aggressive predator, the Humboldt squid — or Dosidicus gigas — can change its eating habits to consume the food supply favored by tuna and sharks, its closest competitors, according to an article published Tuesday in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences journal.
“Having a new, voracious predator set up shop here in California may be yet another thing for fishermen to compete with,” said the study’s co-author, Stanford University researcher Louis Zeidberg. “That said, if a squid saw a human they would jet the other way.”
