Abstract

Since the inception of Diamond Back Squid (DBS), Thysanoteuthis rhombus, exploration in the Caribbean in April 1999 (Fujii et al. 2003) and collaborative operations with fisheries agencies across the region, the diamond back squid has been discovered in the offshore waters from Jamaica to Tobago (J. James et al. 2006). As of May 2011 to August 2014, Dominica Fisheries Division and a select group of fishers continue working to advance their knowledge and skill to catch and collect biological data, for better understanding of the potential of developing a diamond back squid fishery. A total of 51 fishing trips recorded during the period has yielded 97 DBS individual data collected records. This work have aimed to reveal the potential of year round catch of DBS, which differ from recorded experiences in Japanese pacific ocean (Brown and Miyahara 2005), where it has a capture potential in Okinawa and the Sea of Japan from November to April and July to February, respectively. However, all executed fishing trips were concentrated during February to September due to fisher’s preoccupation during other periods of the year. Catch statistics thus far reveal a sex ratio of 41% male 59% female for individuals caught in Dominica waters. Preliminary indications of spawning aggregations in September were observed for DBS caught in Dominica water. The average CPUE per trip range from 2.3 to 3.0, 1.3 to 1.5, and 2.3 individuals during February to April, May to July, and August to September, respectively. Its migration into the Caribbean is unknown and requires future studies.

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