Oceanic Squid Fishery

Coonamessett Farm used the commercial fishing vessel Perseverance, operating out of Fairhaven, Massachusetts, to conduct nine exploratory fishing trips for unexploited oceanic squid resources east of the continental shelf waters off New England and the Mid-Atlantic. The trips took place from September through November, 1996. The vessel was outfitted with lights and electronic jigging machines. The objective was to determine the economic feasibility of a commercial fishery of oceanic squid, using existing large offshore vessels, by assessing species availability, distribution, and economic return. The results indicate a potential resource of neon flying squid, Ommnestrephes bartramii, may exist in the region.