An invasion of fierce, cannibalistic predators from the deep took place in northern waters threatening the very life of salmon. The creature was an unprecedented Humboldt squid migration into that water. This summer, those same scientists were scratching their heads about the record high return of sockeye salmon on the Fraser River. Now, the mystery deepens: It seems the Humboldt squid, the locusts of the ocean, have vanished from the Pacific north of California this year.
Ms. Weitkamp, of the Northwest Fisheries Science Centre in Oregon, first encountered Humboldt squid by chance one night off the Oregon coast seven years ago. She informed that they were watching these five-foot squid coming up out of the depths, tentacles first, grabbing fish and then disappearing again.
For the scientists on board, it was thrilling to meet a real-life Kraken mythical monster. At the time, the Humboldt squid were almost unheard-of in such northern waters and she had a front row seat, watching the monsters explode up out of the depths in huge numbers to feed.
Last year saw a population explosion; squid were washing up on the beaches of Tofino on Vancouver Island. The tropical cephalopods were turning up in commercial fishing nets in Alaska. Bill Patton, a salmon biologist for the South Puget Sound, comment on squid migration saying that fishermen would be just panicking as it is just another of many things that make us anxious about marine survival of salmon.
John Payne, staff scientist for Pacific Ocean Shelf Tracking project, was part of a team that tagged two dozen Humboldt squid last year. He has a scar on his hand to remember their “monstrous” sharp beaks. This year, the hunt for specimens has been difficult.
