Holy shit! Another giant squid.

**Free Range Lobster** · 02-22-2007, 07:13 AM

Its the fucking apocalypse.

New Zealand fishermen have caught what is expected to be a world-record-breaking colossal squid.

Fisheries Minister Jim Anderton said the squid, weighing an estimated 450kg (990lb),took two hours to land in Antarctic waters.

Local news said the Mesonychoteuthis hamiltoni was about 10m (33ft) long, and was the first adult colossal squid landed intact.

One expert said calamari rings made from it would be like tractor tyres.

"I can assure you that this is going to draw phenomenal interest. It is truly amazing," Steve O'Shea from Auckland's University of Technology told local media.

Colossal squid, which are found deep in Antarctic waters, are thought to be about the same length as giant squid (Architeutis dux) but are much heavier.

The species was first identified in 1925, but very few specimens have been found.

The first specimen recovered intact, a 150kg (330lb) immature female, was caught on the surface in the Ross Sea near the Antarctic coast in April 2004.

'Nearly dead'

Mr Anderton said the fishermen had been fishing for Patagonian toothfish in deep Antarctic waters when the squid - which was eating a toothfish - was caught.

"The squid was almost dead when it reached the surface, and the careful work of the crew was paramount in getting this specimen aboard in good condition," he said.

The squid was frozen in the ship's hull and brought back to New Zealand for scientific examination.

"The colossal squid has just arrived in New Zealand and it is likely that it is the first intact adult male colossal squid to ever be successfully landed," Mr Anderton said.

**Tippster** · 02-22-2007, 07:48 AM

"Colossal Squid." There be a difference 'tween the beasties, yarr....

**Free Range Lobster** · 02-22-2007, 07:49 AM

Originally Posted by Tippster

"Colossal Squid." There be a difference 'tween the beasties, yarr....

Its huge. Nuff said.

**DJSapp** · 02-22-2007, 09:13 AM

mmmm.... 1/2 ton of calamari steaks... [homerdrool]

**cantunamunch** · 02-22-2007, 11:43 AM

Too bad they're likely to taste like Windex

**backpack** · 02-22-2007, 12:05 PM

That is so freaking cool. I want to see crittercam footage from one of those someday.

**stayalert** · 02-22-2007, 12:11 PM

why on earth wuld anyone want to land that thing. photos sure...then let it go.

**backpack** · 02-22-2007, 12:15 PM

Originally Posted by stayalert

why on earth wuld anyone want to land that thing. photos sure...then let it go.

A) It was pretty much dead by the time they got it to the surface
B) It's valuable as a research specimen

**beaterdit** · 02-22-2007, 01:10 PM

Way cool.
Not necessarily that it's dead, but that they're out there.

**iceman** · 02-22-2007, 01:16 PM

Originally Posted by stayalert

why on earth wuld anyone want to land that thing.

Bastard was eating all the toothfish, duh.

**Free Range Lobster** · 02-22-2007, 01:21 PM

Hell of an IGFA record.

**stayalert** · 02-22-2007, 01:27 PM

Its frozen in the ships hull and headed to NZ...Sounds like a freaking King Kong movie.....That thing is going to be pissed when it thaws out....

**iceman** · 02-22-2007, 01:37 PM

Originally Posted by stayalert

Its frozen in the ships hull and headed to NZ...Sounds like a freaking King Kong movie.....That thing is going to be pissed when it thaws out....

Pretty sure it's going to be dead when they thaw it out.

**Steven S. Dallas** · 02-22-2007, 01:39 PM

Originally Posted by stayalert

That thing is going to be pissed when it thaws out....

I heard they hired Ted Williams to "talk it down" when it comes out of its frozen state.

**MrsTromano** · 02-22-2007, 01:58 PM

Amazing.

Speaking of large fish.. there was this one from last year.

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/n...ish/index.html

Fishers in northern Thailand netted this huge catfish in the Mekong River on May 1. Nearly nine feet long (2.7 meters) and as big as a grizzly bear, the behemoth tipped the scales at 646 pounds (293 kilograms). Experts say the fish, which belongs to the species known as the Mekong giant catfish, may be the largest freshwater fish ever recorded.

**Orphic Seth** · 02-22-2007, 03:59 PM

Bummer, that catfish was some good genetic stock right there.

**stayalert** · 02-22-2007, 04:00 PM

Originally Posted by iceman

Pretty sure it's going to be dead when they thaw it out.

buzz stomper....much more fun to picture a writhing colossal squid with an attitude than a dead one.....

**cantunamunch** · 02-22-2007, 05:00 PM

Originally Posted by Orphic Seth

Bummer, that catfish was some good genetic stock right there.

More on those and the "dog eating"

catfish

**buckethead** · 02-22-2007, 10:04 PM

Originally Posted by stayalert

why on earth wuld anyone want to land that thing. photos sure...then let it go.

agreed. when i see a massive animal/tree/lake/mountain etc, the last thing i want to do is destroy it. it's horrible to see this massive and mysterious creature reduced to circus specimen (first made popular by museums of "natural history") i guess if it's natural - it's history!

no better than all the whales being killed in the antarctic...

what type of person has to kill something to marvel at it

**Tippster** · 02-22-2007, 10:12 PM

They ate it. http://news.mongabay.com/2005/0630-rhett_butler.html

**buckethead** · 02-23-2007, 01:18 PM

Originally Posted by backpack

A) It was pretty much dead by the time they got it to the surface
B) It's valuable as a research specimen

a.) limit close encounters to visiting the thing in ITs home environment
b.) well, aren't we all?

**tromano** · 02-23-2007, 01:28 PM

I love a good fish story. But it makes you wonder.Why didn't the squid just attack the boat and haul it under like the kracken in pirates of the Caribbean.

**ArmadaBC** · 02-23-2007, 01:38 PM

A dude got a 873 pound tuna in DE last year, it was so toxic that it currently holds the DE record for toxicity levels for mercury.

http://www.newszap.com/articles/2005...ware/dsn05.txt

**Free Range Lobster** · 02-23-2007, 01:52 PM

Doesn't matter where you catch it, just where you land it.

DisArray · 02-23-2007, 03:20 PM

How are they going to dispose of that thing when they are done? It'll probably start smelling pretty bad.

Personally, I would like to see them throw it off of a 30 story building just to see what would happen.(for research purposes, of course)

Or they could just blow it up-