Squid spell tourism
Squid spell tourism
From Whyalla News:
Squid aggregations could spell money for Whyalla’s aquaculture and tourism industry.
More than $1 million of tourism spending could be injected into the community if squid numbers continue to rise.
Huge aggregations of squid have been found this season in the protected cephalopod area since Primary Industry Resources South Australia introduced a full-year protection ban last year.
Commercial diver Tony Bramley came across the large numbers of squid last October just after the cuttlefish breeding season ended.
“They’re all around you … hundreds of animals is not an exaggeration in view at any one time,” he said.
“I’ve been diving for 25 years and this has never, never happened before.
“It was just the most amazing thing.”
Mr Bramley said the latest rough figures saw $500,000 injected into the community through the cuttlefish season.
This could more than double if the squid aggregations continued to take off.
“All the divers that come to see the cuttlefish would stay to see the squid or come back to see the squid.
“We don’t want to put the cuttlefish down (but) this could be what we need to extend the season and make the whole cephalopod attraction more viable for investors.”
Mr Bramley said squid were even more dynamic and photogenic than cuttlefish.
“It’s just a wonderful thing.”
Despite the cuttlefish attracting hundreds, if not thousands of divers to Whyalla, Mr Bramley said the four to five month season was not long enough to justify adding infrastructure to the city.
“But the squid might be it.”
Mr Bramley also said the squid aggregations could also be that extra push needed to introduce the marine park the industry has been pushing for since 1998.
“This gives more desirability to getting the marine park established.
“It’s going to be good for the town if we can get it going … it will just be another straw that goes on the camel’s back to get the marine park.
“We’re really hopeful that because of the closure this will happen ever year.”
According to Mr Bramley everybody will be a winner.
“It’s a great thing for everybody, not just the divers.
“Everybody loves eating calamari … because it’s (the area) is protected they get the chance to aggregate as long as they want.
“What the fisherman have to see is that okay I can’t go into that area, but the hundreds of thousands of squid are not going to stay in that area.
“It’s a great example of you have got to give a little bit to get a little bit … and we’re not giving up a lot.”