JAPAN NEWS-YOMIURI - In Toyama Bay, it is just about prime fishing season for hotaruika, otherwise known as firefly squid.
Already well known for its rich flavour, which goes well with vinegared miso or pickled in a soy sauce-based mixture, the squid has also attracted attention in recent years for its high nutritional value.
Once spring arrives, hotaruika come to Toyama Bay to spawn. Namerikawa, Toyama prefecture, boasts the largest haul of the squid in the prefecture. Local fisherman Kazuhito Mizuhashi said they “try to maintain the resource” by catching firefly squid when they return to the deep sea after spawning.
In early March, this reporter was offered a ride on a boat heading out for fixed-net fishing. The job involved a “parent” vessel and “child” vessel working in tandem.
The boats left port amid complete darkness at 3:30am to head for a spot 1 to 2 kilometers out at sea. First, the child vessel closed the net’s opening and took a position facing the parent vessel with the net between them. Next, the fishermen carefully pulled the net in by hand so as not to damage the hotaruika.
That day, the haul included more than 3 kilograms of firefly squid and a large number of sardines as well. The vessels returned to port by 5am, where the catch was immediately bid on and sent for processing. The hotaruika season peaks around April and lasts until June.
