Rare Red Squid

Published: 10 May 2019

For those inspired by stories of the Kraken, here’s one for you.

This five-kilo beast was recently brought aboard the FV Independent while mid-water trawling for arrow squid at the Snares.

Having not seen a squid like this before, Independent Fisheries Ltd Operations Manager, Stephen Bishop, notified scientists at NIWA and AUT. Heather Braid, from the AUT Squid Laboratory, believes it to be a red squid (Ommastrephes species), which can grow to 60 cm mantle length and are related to arrow squid (Nototodarus species).

Red squid are rare in New Zealand so the lab is excited that the specimen has been donated to NIWA’s invertebrate collection to inform future studies.

Should your vessels identify any unusual species, it is worth taking a picture and contacting us so these observations can contribute to New Zealand marine science.