Posted by on February 15, 2005 at 10:30:45:
MONTEREY - For the first time in years, fishermen are catching giant Humboldt squid in Monterey Bay. The squid have also been attracting formerly rare Risso's dolphins into local waters since January, according to marine biologist Nancy Black.
"They are not the market squid," she said. "This is the first time fishermen are finding so many of them."
She said local whale watchers are spotting hundreds of the dolphins every day, and some people are spotting them from local beaches. Risso's dolphins are the largest in the area, and many of their bodies appear to have been scratched by the squid, Black said.
"The dolphins are hanging out there feeding. This is the first year we've seen so many every day," said Black, who works on a commercial whale watching boat.
"They have been out in the canyon, but now they're coming into the bay."