Maine Seafood Guide – Squid

Squid

Species Description

Longfin squid Loligo pealei
Shortfin squid Illex illecebrosus
also known as loligo, calamari

Squids are invertebrate mollusks, in the same class as octopus, cuttlefish, and nautilus. They can squirt a cloud of black ink when bothered, and change color to blend in with their surroundings. Their large eyes allow for sharp vision in light and darkness. Squid are a major source of food for other marine animals including bluefish, swordfish, sea ravens, flounder, tuna, sea birds, whales, dolphins, and seals.

Longfin squid squid can grow up to two feet long, and they crush and eat food with bird-like beaks.

Shortfin squid grow between seven and twelve inches and are used primarily for bait.

Season

Year-round.

Status

Longfin squid is not overfished but the sustainability of the current fishing rate is unknown.
Shortfin squid status is unknown but overfishing is not thought to be occurring. Squid can handle relatively high fishing pressure because the entire population replaces itself about every six months.

Regulatory Authority

Managed by the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council under the Atlantic mackerel, squid, and butterfish plan.

Harvest Method

Small-mesh bottom trawls and coastal pound nets and fish traps are used in spring and summer when the squid migrate inshore to spawn. See the vessel and gear guide for more information.

Recreational Harvest

No minimum size and no bag limit on either species.

Health Benefits & Risks

Squid are low-fat and low-calorie and are an excellent source of selenium, riboflavin, and vitamin B12. Squid are short-lived and therefore low in mercury.

View the 2021 US Food and Drug Administration’s fish consumption guidelines.

Buying & Preparing

Squid are usually sold gutted and cleaned, and may or may not have tentacles. Fresh squid should smell clean like the ocean, not fishy, and have firm, glossy skin. You can also find frozen, cleaned squid year-round, these are often flash-frozen at sea and are a convenient alternative.

Often called “calamari” when served in restaurants, squid are abundant in Maine’s coastal waters during the summer and fall. Most are longfin squid, known for their tender texture and sweet, mild flavor.

Maine Sea Grant