" The use of mark-recapture data can be an alternative to other methods for estimating abundance of the jumbo squid Dosidicus gigas and can be used when catch-per-unit-effort data applied to depletion models or estimates from survey research are not available. Two markrecapture events were analyzed in the central Gulf of California, Mexico, during October 2001 and April 2002 to assess the status of jumbo squid. Results from October 2001 yielded a population size of 20.2 million squid with a 95% CI of 16 to 26.5 million squid (p < 0.05). In April the population size was estimated at 132.6 million squid with a 95% CI of 85.5 to 222 million squid (p < 0.05). The results for October and April show 2 different periods of abundance. Estimates of tag return rates were higher in April (5.5%) than in October (1.7%), and recruitment is the most plausible explanation. In the Gulf of California, recruitment of jumbo squid commonly occurs during April and May."