News

Squid are without-a doubt an important component of marine ecosystems of the East Coast, serving as forage for a wide variety of inshore and offshore fish and marine mammals. They also support a substantial commercial fishery, and are widely used as bait by anglers.
The Mid Atlantic fishery Management Council manages Ilex (shortfin) and loligo (longfin) squid as part of their Mackerel, Squid, Butterfish Fishery Management Plan.
Ilex are present mostly on the continental shelf and continental slope throughout much of the North Atlantic, where they can be found anywhere from the surface down to about 3,500 feet. Longfin squid prefer warmer waters than do Ilex, and can be found inshore, much shallower.
Both shortfin and longfin squid have a lifespan of less than one year, making them exempt from annual catch limits and accountability measures. Nonetheless, the Council seeks to manage squid sustainably. Ilex squid harvest is controlled through a single annual catch limit, while the annual catch limit for longfin squid is broken down into three 4-month trimesters. Trimester 1 (Jan to April), Trimester 2 (May to August) and Trimester 3 (September to December). The trimester system generally follows the annual migration the squid make: offshore in the winter and inshore in the summer.
Biologists lack the information needed to determine whether or not shortfin squid are overfished or experiencing overfishing. However, abundance appears to be declining, presumably because of unfavorable oceanographic conditions.
According to the best available science, the longfin squid stock is in relatively good condition, yet there are most certainly localized depletion concerns as it relates to predator aggregations, most notably off Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket t during trimester 2.
Regardless, the spawning stock biomass is estimated to be well above the spawning stock biomass target, and currently, loligo squid is being considered by the Marine Stewardship Council for “sustainable” certification, despite objections from anglers in Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket localized depletion as well as several ENGOs.
For a full species description and management history see the Fissues page for squid