Estimated 300 - 500 Humboldt Squid Beach On Vancouver Island, B.C. - Once Seldom Seen N. Of CA

The stranding of hundreds of giant squid on beaches near Tofino last week was the latest indication that warm-water species are pushing north on the Pacific Coast, perhaps as a result of global warming. The Humboldt squid, an estimated 300 to 500 of which swam ashore in the Long Beach area on the west coast of Vancouver Island, normally range from South America to California.

But the large, aggressive squid, which are also called Giant squid, Jumbo Flying squid and Red Devils, have increasingly been reported from Oregon to Alaska. The squid make tasty calamari and are fished commercially in southern waters. But they could have a negative impact in B.C. if they prey heavily on herring, hake or salmon.

Josie Osborne, a biologist with the Raincoast Education Society, in Tofino, said she was surprised when she heard last week that squid and small fish were washing ashore on several local beaches. When she walked Chesterman Beach the next day, she found it was littered with thousands of pilchards, or sardines, and big, red-bodied squid. “It was quite shocking.” Squid prey on pilchard, but it's unclear what caused both species to end up on the beach.

James Cosgrove, who retired a few years ago as head of the Royal B.C. Museum's department of natural history, documented the first case of a Humboldt squid in B.C. waters with a sample collected in 2003. Since then, they have become regular visitors. “This is the sixth year in a row that they've shown up in B.C. waters,” he said. Mr. Cosgrove said it used to be rare to see Humboldt squid north of California, but in recent years there have been strandings on beaches in Oregon, Washington and B.C., as well as reports of incidental catches of squid by sports and commercial fishermen.

EDIT

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/british-columbia/squid-sightings-show-species-unusual-trek/article1247296/

I say develop the commercial market for them, lol.

There again, you could tell the Japanese government that they're
a protected species and see if they develop a "cultural industry"
to help you out ...
:shrug:

The supervisor pointed out a buoy anchor chain encrusted with zebra mussels. When we asked what could get rid of them he said, "Just put them under the protection of the same guys looking after the Northern Cod. They'd be all gone in two years!"