Trawlermen squid's-in as traditional fish supper faces new rival
THE traditional Scottish fish supper could be replaced by squid and chips.
Squid and chips are on the menu as squids are flourishing in the warmer waters of the North Sea
Squid and other fish that thrive in warmer waters, such as sardines and anchovy, are flourishing around the North Sea, according to fisheries data.
Squid is now being caught at 60% of survey stations in the North Sea, compared with 20% in the 1980s.
But the likes of haddock and cod are heading north, away from UK waters.
Diver mauled by GIANT squid in vicious attack
Twenty or 30 years ago we hardly saw squid in our surveys
Dr John Pinnegar, of the Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science, said models for 2025 and beyond suggested that seawater temperatures off the UK may continue to rise.
Fishing boats are now catching species that have not been caught in the area before.
The ripe conditions in the North Sea have resulted in great increases in squid populations
He said: "Twenty or 30 years ago we hardly saw squid in our surveys.
"They're now increasing in UK waters because the waters are getting more conducive for those sorts of species."
Dr Pinnegar added: "There are quite a lot of species that seem to be increasing - things like red mullet, anchovies, sardines, John Dory, squid - all of these are quite nice to eat but they are the kind of thing you would have normally have eaten on your holiday to Spain or Portugal."