Calamari anyone?

[SoCalDiveGirl]

Rare Squid Could Be Largest Ever Hooked
Massive Catch Has Rings the Size of Truck Tires

WELLINGTON, New Zealand (Feb. 22) - A fishing crew has caught a colossal squid that could weigh a half-ton and prove to be the biggest specimen ever landed, a fisheries official said Thursday.


The squid, weighing an estimated 990 pounds and about 39 feet long, took two hours to land in Antarctic waters, New Zealand Fisheries Minister Jim Anderton said.

The fishermen were catching Patagonian toothfish, sold under the name Chilean sea bass, south of New Zealand "and the squid was eating a hooked toothfish when it was hauled from the deep," Anderton said.

Colossal squid, known by the scientific name Mesonychoteuthis hamiltoni, are estimated to grow up to 46 feet long and have long been one of the most mysterious creatures of the deep ocean.

If original estimates are correct, the squid would be 330 pounds heavier than the next biggest specimen ever found.

Marine scientists "will be very interested in this amazing creature as it adds immeasurably to our understanding of the marine environment," Anderton said.

Colossal squid are found in Antarctic waters and are not related to giant squid found round the coast of New Zealand. Giant squid grow up to 39 feet long, but are not as heavy as colossal squid.

[Sarah]

lol, Missy. I watched that last night and thought, Oh, I sooo need to post that on the ScubaMagazine forum! I thought it might take a while before a photo started floating around.

You beat me to it!

And to think they said it was only half grown!

[SoCalDiveGirl]

And to think they said it was only half grown!

Imagine running into something like that underwater! I've never peed in my drysuit, but if that thing came near me... um....

[DrBill]

And to think I've been worried about the "tiny" Humboldt squid in our waters on my deeper dives. I'd be the mammalian equivalent of sushi for that monster, Missy.

[Zero]

But just think how much calamari you would have. It would be awesome to see it in the wild but i dont think a cage would offer enough protection from one of these suckers.

Matt

[seasnake]

The part about them being "aggressive hunters" is interesting . . . although the more reason to be nervous if you actually saw one!!