Fishermen Catch Colossal Squid Weighing Half A Ton

By Jerry Garner

For as long as man has sailed the seas, there have been reports of sea monsters that would attack even the largest of man’s ships. The giant squid has always been one of the most widely known of these sea monsters. Fishermen in New Zealand have now caught a colossal squid weighing half a ton, making it the largest specimen ever caught.

Reports of giant squid have circulated since the 18th century. Often depicted in mammoth proportions, these sea monsters were often reported to have pulled entire ships to the ocean floor. Sailors would often treat tales of these creatures with respect and fear, while others regarded them as myth and fantasy.

In 1861, rumors circulated about an encounter between the French Navy and a giant squid. The story fueled the imagination of Jules Verne, resulting in Captain Nemo’s encounter with a colossal squid in Verne’s famous novel, Twenty Thousand Leagues Under The Sea.

Over time, evidence began to surface to demonstrate that the giant squid is a sea monster that truly does exist. Confirming that the creatures were real forever changed our view of them, even if very little is actually known of the creatures. One of the few facts about giant squid that is known is that the creatures are hunted by sperm whales, a fact that was revealed when enormous squid beaks were found in sperm whale stomachs.

While we are not certain of exactly how big these creatures can be, we now have a new benchmark after a fishing crew caught a record setting giant squid off the South of New Zealand today. The squid measured in at 39 feet long, and weighs 990 pounds, and is the largest squid specimen ever landed.

It should be noted that these are estimates made by the crew and the fisheries official on board the vessel. Official, detailed figures have not yet been released. If the initial estimates prove correct, it would make this squid 330 pounds heavier than the next biggest specimen to have every been found.

The men were fishing for Patagonian toothfish, which is sold under the name Chilean Sea Bass. According to Jim Anderton, the New Zealand Fisheries Minister, the squid began eating on of the toothfish that had been hooked. After a two hour struggle the creature was finally captured and brought on board.

"I can assure you that this is going to draw phenomenal interest. It is truly amazing," said Dr. Steve O'Shea, a squid expert at the Auckland University of Technology.

O’Shea went on to say that if calamari rings were to be made from this squid, they would be the size of tractor tires.

Colossal squid are known by the scientific name of Mesonychoteuthis hamiltoni. They are estimated to grow up to 46 feet in length, and can descend to 6,500 feet below the surface of the ocean. They are believed to be very aggressive hunters.

While colossal squid are native to Antarctic waters, they have a close cousin known as the giant squid. The giant squid are native to waters just off the coast of New Zealand, and are known to be up to 39 feet in length. Aside from being slightly longer, the colossal squid is also generally heavier than the giant squid..

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