California Department of Fish and Game, Marine Resources Division
Abstract
There were approximately 20 vessels active in the 1992 Monterey Bay squid fishery. The size of the fleet has not changed since the early 1970's when 15 to 20 vessels participated in the fishery.
Since 1977, eleven steel hulled vessels have been added
to the fleet, replacing smaller wooden hulled vessels that were in use during the 1960's. The hold capacity of the new fleet remains about 800 tons, because the new larger vessels replaced small vessels that used lighters (20 - 25 ton capacity non-motorized barges).
Purse seines were legalized in 1989 and have replaced
lamparas which were in use during the 1960'S and 1970's.
Seines used in the squid fishery are small and shallow,
ranging from 120 to 200 fm in length with most less
than 25 fm deep.
Crew size has been reduced nearly 50% by the addition of net reels, power blocks, submersible fish pumps, and vacuum pumps used for unloading at dockside.
In the 1970's flasher type fathometers were used by the fleet and few vessels had navigational aids. Today most
of the fleet have sonar, radar, and loran C. Three vessels carry global positioning systems.
In 1988 squid attracting lights were legalized and the
entire fleet used lights during the 1992 season. (21pp.
