Southern California independent sport fishing survey Quarterly Report No. 7
Item Type monograph
Authors Wine, Vickie L.
Publisher California Department of Fish and Game, Marine Resources Region
Download date 24/09/2021 16:18:14
Link to Item http://hdl.handle.net/1834/18116 Lemdins Marine Laborai-ori03 State of California P, 0. &rx 223 The Resources Agency Landing, Calif. 95C.:7 DEPARTMENT OF FISH AND GM,
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA INDEPENDENT SPORT FISHING SURVEY QUARTERLY REPORT NO. 7
Vickie L. Wine
MARINE RESOURCES
Administrative Report No. 77-13 SOUTHEKN CALIFORNIA INDEPENDENT SPORT FISHING SURVEY -11 QUARTERLY REPORT NO. 7
by 2 / Vickie L. Wine -
ABSTWCT
During the January 1 - March 31, 1977 quarter, 28 launch ramps, hoists and boat rental locations were sampled 166 times. During the sample days 9,209 anglers and 496 divers were interviewed. They expended 61,347 effort hours and landed 22,454 fishes of 133 identified species.
The ten most commonly landed species were: 1) white croaker, Gznyonemus Zineatus, 16%; 2) Pacific bonito, Sarda chiliensis, 7%; 3) blue rockfish, Sebastes mystinus, 5%; 4) olive rockfish, S. serranoides, 5%; 5) ocean whitefish, CauZoZatiZus princeps, 5%; 6) barred sand bass, Pa~a7,abrm nebuZifWer, 5%; 7) Pacific mackerel, Scornher japonicus, 3%; 8) bocaccio, Sehastes paucispinis, 3%; 9) kelp bass, ParaZabrm ~Zathratus,3%; and 10) copper rockfish, Sehastes cazc/~imns, 3%.
-I/ Marine Resources Region, Administrative Report No. 77-13 July 1977.
-2/ Marine Resources Region, California State Fisheries Laboratory, 350 Golden Shore, Long Beach, California 90802. SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA INDEPENDENT SPORT FISHING SURVEY QUARTERLY REPORT NO. 7
by Vickie L. Wine
INTRODUCTION
This is the second year of the Southern California Indpendent
Sport Fishing Study conducted by the California Department of Fish and
Game in cooperation with the National Marine Fisheries Service. The purposes of the study are to estimate effort levels expended by sport anglers and divers fishing from privately owned boats, to estimate the magnitude and species composition of their catch, and to determine the degree of sport fishermen's compliance with size limit regulations.
This information is used to evaluate the impact of private boat sport fishermen on southern California's marine resources.
OPERAT IONS
The sampling plan consists of a program of random field sampling at the major launch ramps, hoists, and boat rental locations from San
Diego to Santa Barbara Counties. Sampling is conducted on all weekends and holidays, and on randomly chosen weekdays in accordance with avail- able manpower. Field samplers remain at sampling locations from 1000 to
1800 hr, and an effort is made to interview all returning anglers and divers. Information on length of fishing trip, number of fishing poles used, and number of people angling or diving is gathered along with the identification arid enumeration of all fishes, molluscs, crabs, and lobsters in possession (no data are requested about species caught but not kept). An attempt is made to measure all species with legal size requirements. Eight other species are also measured to provide data for life history studies. Sampling sites are located in San Diego, Orange, Los Angeles,
Ventura, and Santa Barbara Counties. During the quarter we sampled 18
launch ramps, 5 boat hoj-sts, and 5 boat rental locations. In Santa
Barbara County the hoist at Goleta was closed during January, and
Gaviota's launch ramp was closed during the latter half of February.
The launch ramp at Cabrillo Beach, Los Angeles County, remained closed
until February due to the explosion of a nearby oil tanker. The re-
modeling of Shelter Island's launch ramp in San Diego County was com-
pleted in February, and the facility reopened.
Due to lack of funds, sampling was curtailed during the winter
months. Weekends were sampled in all counties, but weekdays were sampled
only in Los Angeles and Orange Counties.
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
During the January 1 - March 31, 1977 quarter, 28 launch ramps,
hoists, and boat rental locations were sampled 166 times.
During the sample days 9,209 anglers and 496 divers were interviewed.
Thoy expended 58,802 angler-trip-hours and 2,545 diver-trip-hours -1/ ,
and landed 22,454 fishes of 133 identified species, and 1,358 unidentified
filleted fishes (Table 1).
Effort
Unseasonably warm water temperatures during January and February
resulted in the appearance of surface fishes which would not normally
be available at this time of year. The presence of warm water species,
accompanied by very mild weather conditions, resulted in an increase in
angler effort in all counties sampled.
-1/ The unit of effort is 1 hr of trip time per angler or diver. Adjustments are made for those using more than one fishing pole concurrently. January through March is the "hot" salmon fishing season in the
Santa Barbara ar-ea. Effort levels there rose to 40% higher than the summertime levels, and 80% higher than the preceeding quarter's effort levels. In the four other counties sampled, effort levels ranged from
112 to 213 of the summertime levels.
In contrast to angling effort, diving effort dropped off consider- ably. One reason for the decrease in activity was that the abalone season was closed from mid-January to mid-March, and when the season re- opened, a large section of coastline (from Palos Verdes Pt. in Los
Angeles County to Dana Pt. in Orange County) was closed to both sport and commercial abalone fishing.
Catch
Anglers directed their efforts toward surface fishing rather than the deep water fishing that would normally take precedence at this time of year. Only 37% of the catch was composed of rockfishes, Sebastes spp., including 1,286 rockfishes landed in filleted form which made species identification doubtful. Samplers identified 133 species of fishes, molluscs, and crustaceans, of which 43 species accounted for 93% of the identified catch (Table 2). The remaining 7% was composed of 90 species. of fishes, molluscs, and crustaceans.
The'ten most commonly landed species were: 1) white croaker,
Genyonernus lineatus, 16%; 2) Pacific bonito, Sarda chiliensis, 7%;
3) blue rockfish, Sebastes mystinus, 5%; 4) olive rockfish, S. serranoides,
5%; 5) ocean whitefish, CauZoZatiZus princeps, 5%; 6) barred sand bass,
Paralabrm nebuzifer, 5%; 7) Pacific mackerel, Scomber japonicus, 3%;
8) bocaccio, Sebastes paucispinis, 3%; 9) kelp bass, Paralabra clathratus, 3%; and 10) copper rockfish, Sebastes caurinus, 3%.
Santa Barbara anglers landed mostly rockfishes.(63%), but the most frequently landed single species was Pacific mackerel. There was not much diving activity in this area, but the few divers who did go out brought back good catches of rock scallops, Hinnites mltirugosus.
Diver? in Ventura County concentrated their efforts on rock scallops and California sheepheaci, PimeZometopon puZchm. Anglers landed rock- fishes, white croaker, kelp bass, and ocean whitefish.
In Los Angeles County, 31% of the catch was coinposed of white croaker, 27% of rockfishes, and 15% of preferred game species (Pacific bonito; Pacific mackerel; bass, ParaZabraz spp.; and California halibut,
ParaZichthys catifornieus).
The Orange County catch was composed mainly of surface fishes
(Table 3) such as Pacific bonito; bass; white croaker; halfmoon, MediaZuna caZiforniensis; and black surfperch, Embiotoca jccksoni. Divers brought in large numbers of rock scallops.
In San Diego County, white croaker was the number one sport-caught fish, as it was in Los Angeles County. However, anglers also landed substantial catches of bass, California sheephead, Pacific mackerel, and ocean whitefish.
The catch-per-unit-of-effort (CPUE) values for anglers ranged from
0.12 to 0.74 fish/angler-trip-hour (Table 4). The best catch successes were in Ventura and Los Angeles Counties, where anglers averaged 0.55 and 0.47 fish/angler-trip-hour respectively. San Diego and Orange County anglers fared about the same as during the previous quarter: CPUE values were 0.34 and 0.28 respectively'. However, the biggest change was in Santa
Barbara County. The average catch-per-unit-of-effort value plunged from 0.87 last quarter to 0.26 this quarter. This was due to the large number of hopeful but unsuccessful fishermen trolling for salmon, which greatly increased effort levels but did not raise the catch levels. Since diving activity was so low this quarter, CPUE values were not calculated because samples were too small for meaningful results.
Length Frequencies
Length frequency data were somewhat encouraging this quarter * (Table,5, Figures 1-4). For almost all species with size limit regula-
tions, the percentage of legal sized fishes landed rose compared to last
quarter. The three bass species averaged nearly 90% legals, and more than half the California halibut measured were longer than the minimum
legal size. Only 5 of the 14 white seabass, and 8 of 19 California barracuda measured were legal size. .
Although the percentage of legal pink abalones, HaZiotis cormgata,
taken dipped from 82 last quarter to 62 this quarter, in other abalone
species the proportion of legal sized abalones remained very high.
Of the 56 California spiny lobsters, PanuZCrus interruptus, measured
only one was sub-legal. TABLE I. List of Species Sampled from Southern California :Private Boats from January through March 1977.
Fishes
Scientific name Common name No. sampled
AZopias vuZpinus thresher shark Amphis tichus argentetis barred surfperch A; koeZzi calico surfperch Anisotremus davidsonii sargo Anop Zopoma fimbria sablefish Atherinops affinis t opsmel t Atherinopsis caZiforniensis j acksmelt BaZistes polyepis finescale triggerfish Brachyistius frenatus kelp surf perch CauZoZatiZus princeps ocean white£ish dvreiZotrema saturmwn black croaker Chromis punctipinis blacksmitl~ Citharichthys sordidus Pacific sanddab Cymatogaster aggregata shiner surf perch Cynoscion nobizis white seabass DmaZichthys vacca pile surfperch Embiotoca jacksoni black surfperch E. Za tera Zis striped surfperch Eo ps e t ta jordani petrale sole Ga Zecrhinus zyopterus soupfin shark Genyonemus Zineatus white croaker GireZZa nigricans opaley e Gymnothorax mordm California moray eel HaZichoeres semicinctus rock wrasse Beteros tichus ros tratus giant kelpf ish Hexagrammos decagrmus kelp greenling Hippoglossina stomata bigmouth sole HydroZagus coZZiei rat£ish Hyperprosopon argenteum walleye surfperch Hypsopsetta guttuZata diamond turbot Hypsums caryi rainbow surf perch Lepidops etta biZineatu rock sole Leptocottus armatus staghorn sculpin MediaZuna caZiforniensis halfmoon , iderZuccius productus Pacific hake MoZa moZa common mola Mus teZus ca Zifornicus gray smoothhound M. henlei brown smoo thhound My Ziobatis caZifornica bat ray Oncorhynchus kisutch silver salmon 0. tshawgtscha king salmon Gphiodog eZongatus lingcod 0x9 ju Zis ca Zif omica senorita ParaZdrax chthratus kelp bas s P. macuZatofasciatus spotted sand bass P. nebuzifer barred sand bass ParaZichthys caZifomicus California halibut TABLE 1-cont.
Scientific name Common name No. sampled
Phanerodon furcatus white surfperch Pime Zome topon pu Zchrwn California sheephead PZatichthys s teZ Zatus starry flounder PZeuronichthys decurrens curlfin turbot Porichthys weaster specklef in midshipman Priomce gZauca blue shark Rhacochi Zus toxotes rubberlip surfperch Rhinobatos productus shovelnose guitar£ish Roccus saxatiZis striped bass Romador steamsii spotfin croaker Sarda chiliensis Pacific bcnito Scomber japonicus Pacific mackerel Scorpaena guttata sculpin Scorpaenichthys marnoratus cabezon Sebastes aZutus Pacific ocean perch S. atrovirens kelp rockfish S. auricuZatus brown rockfish S. babcocki redbanded rockfish S. brevispinis silvergray rockfish S . camatus gopher rockfish S . caurinus copper rockfish S. chZorostictus greenspotted rockfish S. chnjsomeZas black & yellow rockfish S. consteZZatus starry rockf ish S. daZZii calico rockfish S. dipZoproa splitnose rockfish S . e Zonga tus greens triped rockfish S . ens ifer swordspine rockfish S. entornelas widow rockfish S. eos pink rockfish S . f Zavidus yellowtail rockfish S. giZZi bronzespott ed rockfish S. goodei chilipepper S. he Zvomacu Zatus rosethorn rockfish S. hopkinsi squarespot rockfish S. Zevis cowcod S . Zentiginosus freckled rockfish S. macdona Zdi Mexican rockfish S. miniatus vermilion rockfish S. mys tinus blue rockfish S . ova Zis speckled rockfish S . paucispinis bocaccio S. phiZZipsi chameleon rockfish S. pinniger canary rockfish S. rastreZZiger grass rockfish S. rosaceus rosy rockfish S. rosenbzatti greenblotched rockfish S. mLbrivinctus flag rockfish S. mfis bank rockfish S. saxicola stripetail rockfish TABLE 1-cont.
Scientific name Common name No. sampled
Sebastes senricinctus half banded rockfish S. serranoides olive rockfish S. serriceps treefish S. mbrosus honeycomb rockfish SerioZa dorsalis yellowtail Seriphus politus queenfish Sphyraena argentea California barracuda Squa Zus acanthias spiny dogfish Stereo Zepis gigas giant sea bass Synodus lucioceps California lizardfish Trachums symetricus j ack mackerel Triakis semifasciata leopard shark Urnbrina roncador yellowf in croaker UroZopus haZZeri round stingray Xystreurys ZioZepis fantail sole Sebastes spp. Unidentified rockfish fillets Unidentified fish fillets
Molluscs and Crustaceans
Sci.entif ic name Common name No. sampled Cancer anthonyi yellow crab C. antennarius rock crab C. productus red crab Dosidicus gigas jumbo squid Emerita anaZoga sand crab HaZiotis assim-iZis threaded abalone H . corrugata pink abalone H. cracherodii black abalone H. fuZgens green abalone H. rufescens red abalone Hinnites muZtirugosus rock scallop Ke ZZetia ke ZZetii kellets whelk Lottia gigantea owl limpet Megathura crenuZata giant keyhole limpet Octopus bimacuzatus twospot octopus PanuZirus interruptus California spiny lobster Pisaster sp. sea star motothaca stcmrinea common littleneck StrongyZocentrotus franciscanus red urchin S. purpuratus purple urchin
Brachyura unclassified spider crab 9
Total 23,812 TABLE 2. Most Commonly Landed Species During January-March 1977.
Fishes
Scientific name Common name No. sampled Genyonemus Zineatus white croaker ~ardachiliensis Pacific bonito Sebastes mgs2inus blue rockfish S. serranoide s olive rockfish CauZo Zati Zus princeps ocean whitef ish ParaZabrax nebuZifer barred sandbass Scomber japonicus Pacific mackerel Sebastes paucispinis bocaccio ParaZabrm cZathratus kelp bass Sebastes cminus copper rockfish Ernbiotoca jacksoni black surf perch Sebastes miniatus vermilion rockfish MediaZuna caZiforniensis half moon Sebastes chZorostictus greenspotted rockfish Pime Zome topon pu Zchrum California sheephead GireZZa nigricans opaleye Scorpaena guttata sculpin Citharichthys sordidus Pacific sanddab Sebastes rosenbzatti greenblotched rockfish S. auricuZatus brown rockfish Para Zabrax macu Zato fasciatus spotted sand bass Trachurus symmetricus jack mackerel Sebastes goodei chilipepper S. e Zongatus greenstriped rockfish S. ovaZis speckled rockfish S. rubrivinctus flag rockfish S. atrovirens kelp rockfish S. consteZZatus starry rockfish Scorpaenichthys marmoratus cabezon Sebastes rastreZZiger grass rockfish ParaZichthys caZifornicus California halibut SquaZus acanthias spiny dogf ish Sebastes rosaceus rosy rockfish ~phiodone Zongatus lingcod Sebastes entomeZas widow rockfish S. umbrosus honeycomb rockfish
Molluscs and Crustaceans
Scientific name Common name No. sampled Hinnites muZtirugosus rock scallop 609 Lottia gigantea owl limpet 173 HaZiotis rufescens red abalone 116 PanuZirus interruptus California spiny lobster 90 TABLE3. Ten Most Commonly Landed Species in Each County, January-March 1977.
County Rank Scientific name Common name Santa Barbara 1. Scomber japonicus Pacific mackerel 2. Sebastes serranoides olive rockfish 3. S. caurinus copper rockfish 4. S. mystinus blue rockfish 5. Hinnites muZtirugosus rock scallop 6. Sebastes auricuZatus brown rockfish 7. Gengonemus Zineatus white croaker 8. Sebastes chZorostictus greenspotted rockf ish 9. S. paucispinis bocaccio 10. S. atrovirens kelp rockfish Ventura Sebastes mystinus blue rockfish S. caurinus copper rockfish S. paucispinis bocaccio Genyonems Lineatus white croaker ParaZabrax c Zathratus kelp bass Sebastes miniatus vermilion rockfish Hinnites muZtirugosus rock scallop Sebastes chZorostictus greenspotted rockfish CauZoZatiZus princeps ocean whitefish PirneZometopon pulchrum California sheephead Los Angeles 1. Genyonemus lineatus white croaker 2. Sarda chiliensis Pacific bonito 3. Embiotoca jacksoni black surfperch 4. CauZoZati Zus princeps ocean white£ish 5. Sebastes serranoides olive rockfish 6. ~edialunacaZi fomiensis halfmoon 7. Sebastes mystinus blue rockfish 8. GireZZa nigricans opaleye 9. ParaZabrax nebuZifer barred sand bass 10. Scomber japonicus Pacific mackerel
Orange 1. Sarda chiliensis ~ Pacific bonito 2. Paralabrax nebulifer barred sand bass 3. MediaZuna caZiforniensis halfmoon 4. ParaZabrm cZathratus ' kelp bass 5. Genyonemus lineatus white croaker 6. Sebastes miniatus vermilion rockfish 7. S. paucispinis bocaccio 8. Hinnites muZtirugosus rock scallop 9. Embiotoca jacksoni black surfperch 10. Scorpaenu guttata s culpin San Diego 1. Genyonemus lineatus white croaker 2. ParaZabrax: nebuZifer barred sand bass CauZoZatiZus princeps ocean whitefish Sebastes serranoides olive rockfish Pime Zometopon puZchrum California sheephead ParaZabrm cZathratus kelp bass Sebastes mystinus blue rockfish Scomber jdponicus Pacific mackerel ParaZabrax macuZatofasciatus s~ottedsand bass Sebastes chZorostictus greenspotted rockfish * TABLE 4. Angler Catch-Per-Unit-of-Effort
Location County CPUE
Cabrillo Los Angeles Golden Shore Los Angeles Gavio ta Santa Barbara Ventura Ventura Marina del Rey Los Angeles Ski Beach San Diego Oxnard Ventura Shelter Island San Diego Paradise Cove Los Angeles National City San Diego Marine Stadium Los Angeles Redondo Hoist Los Angeles Bayside Orange Glorietta San Diego Sunset Aquatic Park Orange Newport Dunes Orange ~anaHoist Orange De Anza San Diego Oceanside San Diego Dana Basin San Diego Dana Launch Orange Chula Vista San Diego Redondo Rental Los Angeles Santa Barbara Santa Barbara Art's Landing Orange Goleta Santa Barbara
Number of fishes per angler-trip-hour. TABLE. 5. Occurrence of Sub-legal Fishes in Examined Catches.
No. Scientific name Common name examined % legal Fishes
Cynoscion nobizis * white seabass 14 35.7 * Dncorhynchus tash~tschaking salmon 2 6 69.2 ParaZabrax cZathratus kelp bass 635 89.8 P. macuZatofasciatus spotted sand bass 247 73.7 P. neubZifer barred sand bass 919 94 .O ParaZichthy s caZifornic~~sCalifornia halibut 131 52.7 Sphyraena argentea California barracuda 19 42.1
lfolluscs and Crustaceans
HaZiotis corrugata pink abalone 3 2 62.5 H. fuzgens green abalone 15 100 .O H. rufescens red abalone 116 94.8 PanuZirus in5erruptus California spiny lobster 56 98.2
* California Sport Fishing Regulations allow one sub-legal sized white seabass to be kept by an angler; therefore these short fish are not illegal, but they are of sub-legal size. KELP BASS
Total length in centimeters
minimum I SPOTTED SAND BASS size /, limit ni
20 30
Total length in centimeters
FIGURE 1. Length frequencies of kelp bass and spotted sand bass. minimum I size 1 limit I I BARRED SAND BASS N=919
Total length in centineters
minimum I size I CALIFOR NIA HAL1 BUT 1imi t
Total length in centimeters
FIGURE 2. Length frequencies of barred sand bass and California halibut. PACIF IC MACKEREL
Fork length in centimeters
PACIFIC BONITO
- N=846
Fork length in centineters
FIGURE 3. Length frequencies of Pacific mackerel and Pacific bonito. RED ABALONE
Shell length in centimeters
OLIVE ROCKFISH
N=890
20 30 40
Fork length in centimeters
FIGURE 4. Length frequencies of olive rockfish and red abalones.