Kids get to grips with big squid

Annabel Roessner, 5, from Dunedin, attends a squid dissection session at the Portobello Marine Studies Centre. Picture / Otago Daily Times

It was no place for the squeamish for a group of 16 youngsters attending a class in dissecting squid at the New Zealand Marine Studies Centre in Portobello, Dunedin, yesterday as part of the International Science Festival.

The squid were poked, prodded and cut apart as the youngsters dissected arrow squid from the sub-Antarctic fishery.

Much to the frustration of the budding marine biologists, they did not get the opportunity to carve the creature into squid rings.

Squid expert Dr Steve O'Shea said understanding fishing was crucial for young minds if New Zealand was going to have a generation of children who were aware of the need to protect the environment.

"They're charismatic animals. Everyone loves squid," said Dr O'Shea, from Auckland's Earth and Oceanic Sciences Research Institute, who was in Dunedin to talk about the colossal squid.

"Squid are an incredibly important part of the food chain," he said.

If they were reduced significantly in number "it will have cascading effects".

Five of New Zealand's 86 species of squid are recognised by the Department of Conservation as threatened, although no special protection is afforded them. Their main threat comes from trawling by the fishing industry.

The industry has recently proposed that 31 per cent of the Exclusive Economic Zone be closed to bottom trawling and dredging.

However, Dr O'Shea said because 78 squid species released free-floating egg masses, they could be damaged in the water column by regular trawling, not just bottom trawling.

"Squid are excellent environmental barometers," he said.

He regretted the lack of research on population numbers.

Squid were "boom and bust" animals whose numbers could change dramatically from year to year.

He cited studies done on the diets of orange roughy and sperm whales to illustrate that the amount of fish and squid being eaten were falling, and crustaceans eaten instead, which had flow-on effects for the food chain.

"I'd say we're witnessing a reduction," he said of squid numbers.

Dr O'Shea recommended that bottom protection be extended to soft sediment areas along the northeastern North Island, Bay of Plenty, Hawkes Bay and Wairarapa coast.

- OTAGO DAILY TIMES