Who Ordered The Extra Large Calamari? Giant Squid Is Caught Off Spanish Coast

THIS monster from the deep has been caught off the coast of Spain.

The 33ft, 330lb giant squid was snared by fishermen aboard the boat Minchos, some miles from off coast of Villaviciosa, a town in the Asturias region of northern Spain.

The female squid was caught in the nets the fishermen were trawling at a depth of almost 500m.

It has been frozen and transported to the labs of the Coordinators for the Study and Protection of Marine Species – CEPESMA – who will carry out an autopsy.

The president of CEPESMA, Luis Laria, said: ‘It is an extraordinary example, one of the biggest we have seen in the last few years.’

The squid was caught by accident

He told how the fishermen were shocked when they saw the huge and rare creature they had trapped, adding: 'To see a specimen of this size can intimidate anybody, even those who fish every day and have spent a lifetime at sea.’

CEPESMA also has two more frozen giant squids at its centre which will form part of an exhibition of a total of eight giant squids at the start of next year.

Greenpeace in Spain are campaigning against trawling off Spain’s coasts, calling it a 'totally unselective and most damaging method’ of fishing.

Measuring the beast

According to the group’s website: 'The rate of accidental captures or bycatching is very high, anywhere between 15 and 70 percent of that which is captured, many of which are thrown back into the sea dead, due to their low commercial value or because they are too small to sell.

'This type of fishing destroys everything in its path and is the most detrimental to the sea bed.’

Pictures from CEN