Tons of 'nasty' rotting squid in grounded boat at Point Reyes beach creating challenge for crews

POINT REYES, Calif. (KGO) -- Nearly two weeks after a commercial fishing boat ran aground on a Point Reyes beach, crews are preparing for a massive salvage operation complicated by one especially unpleasant problem: tens of tons of rotting squid still trapped onboard.

The 58-foot fishing vessel Lake Bay ran aground on Aug. 21, prompting a response from the U.S. Coast Guard, National Park Service and salvage crews.

Officials have already removed about 1,400 gallons of diesel fuel from the vessel, preventing a potential environmental hazard.

But an estimated 30 to 50 tons of dead squid remain inside the boat's catch tank, where they have been decomposing for days. "That is nasty. I wouldn't want to do that," said commercial fisherman Dick Ogg of the Bodega Bay Fishermen's Marketing Association.

Ogg said anyone familiar with the fishing industry understands what happens when a large catch sits for an extended period.

"If you think about what happens after four or five days, it's a gooey mess," he said.

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The odor has become a defining feature of the operation, and the beach remains closed to the public while crews work on a removal plan.

According to salvage expert Ernie English of Parker Diving Service, the squid has deteriorated into a thick mass that will be difficult to remove.

"It's like concrete," English said when asked about its consistency.

English said crews will likely have to remove the hatch and manually scoop the material out of the vessel while trying to avoid contaminating the surrounding beach.

"We're going to have to take the hatch off and scoop it out, and try not to make a big mess with the squid up and down the beach," he said.

The smell is expected to be intense.

"You've got to put a mask on," English said. "The guy operating the dump truck will have an oxygen mask on."

In a statement to ABC7 Eyewitness News, the U.S. Coast Guard said crews are carefully evaluating the safest and most effective path forward.

"With the incident site now stable, our responders are moving forward deliberately to determine the most effective path ahead."

Once the squid is removed, salvagers plan to dismantle the vessel rather than attempt to refloat it.

"The boat will be taken apart, piece by piece, and hauled to the parking lot," English said.

The fate of the Lake Bay is similar to that of the Aleutian Storm, a fishing vessel that ran aground in Bodega Bay in 2024 and ultimately could not be saved.

Officials say the operation at Point Reyes could take several more weeks to complete. Until then, the beach will remain closed to the public.