Squid
Cephalopod
A soft-bodied cephalopod with a translucent, mottled pinkish-brown tube-shaped body, large eyes, eight arms and two longer tentacles, and fins running along much of its mantle.
Facts
- Can change colour almost instantly using pigment cells (chromatophores) in its skin — a genuine, fast-acting camouflage.
- Moves by jet propulsion, forcing water through a siphon to shoot backwards away from danger.
- Increasingly targeted by UK shore anglers using specialised jig lures, especially around harbour lights after dark.
UK fishing rules
No statutory UK-wide recreational size or bag limit currently applies to shore-caught squid.
Where to catch Squid (2 marks)
| Mark | Region | Season | Method |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mount Batten Breakwater | South West | Oct–Dec | Jigs worked under a light after dark in autumn — a well-known local specialty. |
| Prince of Wales Pier | South West | Oct–Dec | Jigs worked under harbour lights after dark in autumn. |