Your Friendly Guide of What Not to Eat

Ok, ok...it's more of a "if-you-have-to-eat-fish-keep-this-in-mind" type of guide.  This wonderfully compact, succinct, and colorful memo will help you make better decisions about our fine-finned friends.  

And we're going to insert an interjection/wish list/argument here.  We would love it if the world's industrialized countries came together and sensibly voted to preserve 30% of the world's oceans.  This would allow struggling stocks of marine life to rebound as well as provide a sort of Camp David for the suffering species.  And as much as it seems like a sensible request (considering the earth is 2/3 water) this will not happen any time soon.  In fact, less than 1% of the world's waters are protected into reserves.  That is shameful.  We give a lot of attention to global warming and how to counter the toxins in the ozone.  Much of the poison is created via the use of fossil fuels.  And a lot of fuel is used for mammoth whaling fleets and commercial fishing vessels.  

Let's be sensible.  If you were going to buy a house in a neighborhood that has rampant crime you wouldn't say "well, if I fix up this home the problem will go away".  The focus should be multi-faceted.  And in this example, it can be true that if an effort becomes self-sustained and community supported the problem/issue can be minimized or eradicated all together.  But it requires a lot of focused work and rigorous problem solving.

What do we propose?  Obviously the ocean reserves (this also protects coral reefs that are on the knife's edge of destruction), actually monitor and regulate international fishing policies in the meantime (and we mean regulate, none of this "we believe you 'cuz you're on a boat" nonsense), intensify some policies and close some ridiculous loopholes (we're looking at you, Japan), and of course lastly...do not feed the monster.  Our appetite is increasing exponentially, this doesn't mean we haven't to give in to it.  The bottom line is always important (especially for businesses), but that doesn't mean we have to ring up disaster at the checkout to achieve it.  Check out places like Responsible Travel, a company that is forward-thinking in creating enjoyable vacations that are eco-friendly. In a time when we are suffering global economic ruins, this is when we should be looking forward and redefining how we do business for ourselves in connection with our world. 

Squids, squids, squids!

We here at this blog love our squids. We love the fact that they look squishy, are squishy, and can sometimes freak out the best of us.  And humans react to encounters with uncommon species in a way that puts our evolutionary logic to shame.  Squids are our friends, no matter what.

So what's the hub-bub about?  Check out the inflated news about the Humboldt Squid, or as they're known in Mexico...el Squidos, taco-tossers.  Just kidding, we're pretty sure they're not into tacos.  But seriously, they tend to hang around warmer waters, so they typically call Mexico home.

These muscular and aggressive members of the cephalopod class (if you wanna get nerdy, family Ommastrephidae) are typically found in deep waters as cephalopods are wont to do.  There are incredible things about Humboldt squids.  Their lifespans are usually very short (on average one year), they grow rapidly during the little time they have (a five-footer is typical), and creepily enough because they are voracious hunters they have been documented to cannibalize their own.  They form shoals that exceed 1,000 or more squids at any one time.  That might account for the cannibalism ("man I'm hungry, what's around here?  another squid!").  But aside from that, they're your normal Giant Squid variety.

The phenomenon of the squids migrating to CA is another interesting sign of the dramatic environmental changes we are creating in the world.  You think we have it rough with hotter summers and warmer winters it's nothing compared to the rest of the animal kingdom that do not have self-contained boxes of comfort.  The squids are following weather and food patterns.  This should not be surprising.  We have seen it in thousands of species, most notably polar bears and tunas.  Breeds are dying off because food sources are becoming scarce and subsequently damages or breaks links in the food chain.

Californians are freaked yes, sure, but this surprise appearance of Humboldts will be short-lived.  They will either fall back into their normal pattern and return to deeper waters or they will be the object of intense hatred-fueled hunting off the coasts.  We can only hope it's the former.

So remember, should you meet the Humboldt whilst you vacation anywhere exotic (or CA), don't egg it on (you will most likely lose) and don't poke at it if it washes ashore.