Cephalopod Capture Methods: An Overview

Cephalopods, including octopus, cuttlefish, and squid, are a major component in the marine biomass. Due to high behavioral diversity among species, uncertainty exists concerning the general applicability of sampling and capture techniques. This factor impacts on understanding of the overall abundance and status of stocks. In addition to accelerated exploitation of cephalopods by international fisheries countries, cephalopods represent a major prey component in the diets of other marine species. In the Southern Ocean alone, it is estimated that the consumption of cephalopods by seabirds, whales and seals may reach 34 million tons annually. On a worldwide basis, the total natural predation on cephalopods probably exceeds 100 million tons, more than the total annual harvest of aquatic species by humans. Scientists and fisheries managers are not able to accurately measure cephalopod stocks under direct exploitation. Yet the relatively few species being exploited comprise only a fraction of available worldwide resources. Some of the traditional capture techniques are discussed with an indication of their effectiveness; possible options and access to new or latent methods also are noted