Squids in! Cuttlefish in high demand

FISHERMEN are enjoying a ‘gold rush’ of cuttlefish due to surging demand from Asia.

The mollusc is normally shunned in Britain because restaurants and fishmongers consider their appearance to be ‘disgusting’ and unappetising.

But now fishermen across the country are flocking to the South West, where populations are bountiful, to cater for high demand from East Asia and China. Anglers now believe the cuttlefish, which is related to the squid, could be the unexpected saviour of the ailing British fishing economy.

They are taking advantage of the lack of quotas on fishing them to land record numbers.

The demand is being driven by declining numbers of cuttlefish in the Indian Ocean.

Jim Portus, from the South West Fish Producers Organisation, said: ‘[Fishermen] are double crewing for a rapid turnover and boats are not spending long in port. It is what you might call a “black gold rush”. Swimming in the sea, they are beautiful [but] in the boxes ready for market they do look a bit disgusting.’