140-155 Stephens 11/13/06 9:02 PM Page 140 STEPHENS ET AL.: ROCKFISH RESOURCES OF SOUTH CENTRAL CA CalCOFI Rep., Vol. 47, 2006 ROCKFISH RESOURCES OF THE SOUTH CENTRAL CALIFORNIA COAST: ANALYSIS OF THE RESOURCE FROM PARTYBOAT DATA, 1980–2005 JOHN STEPHENS DEAN WENDT DEBRA WILSON-VANDENBERG California Polytechnic State University California Polytechnic State University, California Department of Fish and Game San Luis Obispo and Vantuna Research Group San Luis Obispo 20 Lower Ragsdale Drive 2550 Nightshade Place 2550 Nightshade Place Monterey, California 93940 Arroyo Grande, California 93420 Arroyo Grande, California 93420
[email protected] JAY CARROLL ROYDEN NAKAMURA ERIN NAKADA Tenera Environmental, Inc. Biological Sciences Biological Sciences 141 Suburban Road, Suite A2 California Polytechnic State University California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo, California 93401 San Luis Obispo, California 93407 San Luis Obispo, California 93407 STEVEN RIENECKE JONO WILSON Biological Sciences Biological Sciences California Polytechnic State University California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo, California 93407 San Luis Obispo, California 93407 ABSTRACT including Lenarz (1987), Ralston (1998), Gunderson Rockfishes (Sebastes spp.) have historically comprised (1998), and Love et al. (1998, 2002). Rockfish are long- a large proportion of catches in the nearshore recre lived, slow to mature (iteroparous), and therefore sub ational fishery in California, but declining populations ject to pre-spawning mortality (Leaman 1991). Two of some species have led to increasingly restrictive man factors, overfishing and climate change, are considered agement of the resource. This report summarizes new primarily responsible for the declining marine fish pop and existing data on rockfishes of the south central coast ulations in much of California.