Table of Contents Groundfish: Life History Descriptions *
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TABLE OF CONTENTS GROUNDFISH: LIFE HISTORY DESCRIPTIONS * McCain, 2003* TITLE PAGE i INTRODUCTION 1 LEOPARD SHARK (Triakis semifasciata) 3 SOUPFIN SHARK (Galeorhinus zyopterus) 6 SPINY DOGFISH (Squalus acanthias) 8 BIG SKATE (Raja binoculata) 11 CALIFORNIA SKATE (Raja inornata) 13 LONGNOSE SKATE (Raja rhina) 15 RATFISH (Hydrolagus colliei) 19 FINESCALE CODLING (Antimora microlepis) 20 PACIFIC RATTAIL (Coryphaenoides acrolepis) 21 LINGCOD (Ophiodon elongatus) 23 CABEZON (Scorpaenichthys marmoratus) 27 KELP GREENLING (Hexagrammos decagrammus) 30 PACIFIC COD (Gadus macrocephalus) 33 PACIFIC WHITING (PACIFIC HAKE) (Merluccius productus) 36 SABLEFISH (Anoplopoma fimbria) 40 AURORA ROCKFISH (Sebastes aurora) 44 BANK ROCKFISH (Sebastes rufus) 45 BLACK ROCKFISH (Sebastes melanops) 47 BLACK-AND-YELLOW ROCKFISH (Sebastes chrysomelas) 51 BLACKGILL ROCKFISH (Sebastes melanostomus) 53 BLUE ROCKFISH (Sebastes mystinus) 55 BOCACCIO (Sebastes paucispinis) 58 BRONZESPOTTED ROCKFISH (Sebastes gilli) 61 BROWN ROCKFISH (Sebastes auriculatus) 62 CALICO ROCKFISH (Sebastes dalli) 65 CALIFORNIA SCORPIONFISH (Scorpaena guttata) 67 CANARY ROCKFISH (Sebastes pinniger) 69 CHILIPEPPER (Sebastes goodei) 72 CHINA ROCKFISH (Sebastes nebulosus) 74 COPPER ROCKFISH (Sebastes caurinus) 76 COWCOD (Sebastes levis) 80 DARKBLOTCHED ROCKFISH (Sebastes crameri) 82 DUSKY ROCKFISH (Sebastes ciliatus) 84 FLAG ROCKFISH (Sebastes rubrivinctus) 85 GOPHER ROCKFISH (Sebastes carnatus) 87 GRASS ROCKFISH (Sebastes rastrelliger) 90 GREENBLOTCHED ROCKFISH (Sebastes rosenblatti) 92 GREENSPOTTED ROCKFISH (Sebastes chlorostictus) 94 GREENSTRIPED ROCKFISH (Sebastes elongatus) 96 HARLEQUIN ROCKFISH (Sebastes variegatus) 98 HONEYCOMB ROCKFISH (Sebastes umbrosus) 99 KELP ROCKFISH (Sebastes atrovirens) 100 LONGSPINE THORNYHEAD (Sebastolobus altivelis) 103 MEXICAN ROCKFISH (Sebastes macdonaldi) 106 OLIVE ROCKFISH (Sebastes serranoides) 107 PACIFIC OCEAN PERCH (Sebastes alutus) 110 PINK ROCKFISH (Sebastes eos) 113 QUILLBACK ROCKFISH (Sebastes maliger) 114 REDBANDED ROCKFISH (Sebastes babcocki) 117 REDSTRIPE ROCKFISH (Sebastes proriger) 119 ROSETHORN ROCKFISH (Sebastes helvomaculatus) 121 ROSY ROCKFISH (Sebastes rosaceus) 123 ROUGHEYE ROCKFISH (Sebastes aleutianus) 125 SHARPCHIN ROCKFISH (Sebastes zacentrus) 127 SHORTBELLY ROCKFISH (Sebastes jordani) 129 SHORTRAKER ROCKFISH (Sebastes borealis) 132 SHORTSPINE THORNYHEAD (Sebastolobus alascanus) 134 SILVERGRAY ROCKFISH (Sebastes brevispinis) 137 SPECKLED ROCKFISH (Sebastes ovalis) 138 SPLITNOSE ROCKFISH (Sebastes diploproa) 140 SQUARESPOT ROCKFISH (Sebastes hopkinsi) 143 STARRY ROCKFISH (Sebastes constellatus) 145 STRIPETAIL ROCKFISH (Sebastes saxicola) 147 TIGER ROCKFISH (Sebastes nigrocinctus) 149 TREEFISH (Sebastes serriceps) 151 VERMILION ROCKFISH (Sebastes miniatus) 153 WIDOW ROCKFISH (Sebastes entomelas) 155 YELLOWEYE ROCKFISH (Sebastes ruberrimus) 158 YELLOWMOUTH ROCKFISH (Sebastes reedi) 160 YELLOWTAIL ROCKFISH (Sebastes flavidus) 161 ARROWTOOTH FLOUNDER (Atheresthes stomias) 164 BUTTER SOLE (Isopsetta isolepis) 166 CURLFIN SOLE (Pleuronichthys decurrens) 168 DOVER SOLE (Microstomus pacificus) 170 ENGLISH SOLE (Pleuronectes vetulus) 173 FLATHEAD SOLE (Hippoglossoides elassodon ) 177 PACIFIC SANDDAB (Citharichthys sordidus) 180 PETRALE SOLE (Eopsetta jordani) 183 REX SOLE (Errex zachirus) 186 ROCK SOLE (Lepidopsetta bilineata) 188 SAND SOLE (Psettichthys melanostictus) 191 STARRY FLOUNDER (Platichthys stellatus) 193 REFERENCES 196-241 * These life history profiles cover the 82 groundfish species managed by the Pacific Fishery Management Council. * This document, entitled ESSENTIAL FISH HABITAT WEST COAST GROUNDFISH DRAFT REVISED APPENDIX was prepared initially in June, 1998 by the National Marine Fisheries Service EFH Core Team for West Coast Groundfish: Ed Casillas, Lee Crockett, Yvonne deReynier, Jim Glock, Mark Helvey, Ben Meyer, Cyreis Schmitt, and Mary Yoklavich and staff: Allison Bailey, Ben Chao, Brad Johnson, and Tami Pepperell. It has been updated by Bruce McCain of the Habitat/Ecosystem Team for West Coast Groundfish, Northwest Fisheries Science Center, National Marine Fisheries Service (NOAA Fisheries), 2725 Montlake Blvd. E.,Seattle, WA 98112 ESSENTIAL FISH HABITAT WEST COAST GROUNDFISH DRAFT REVISED APPENDIX Prepared Initially in June, 1998 by EFH Core Team for West Coast Groundfish: Ed Casillas, Lee Crockett, Yvonne deReynier, Jim Glock, Mark Helvey. Ben Meyer, Cyreis Schmitt, and Mary Yoklavich and staff: Allison Bailey, Ben Chao, Brad Johnson, and Tami Pepperell Updated January, 2003 by Bruce McCain of the Habitat/Ecosystem Team for West Coast Groundfish Northwest Fisheries Science Center National Marine Fisheries Service 2725 Montlake Blvd. E. Seattle, WA 98112 INTRODUCTION The 1996 Sustainable Fisheries Act significantly amended the Magnuson-Stevens Act by requiring the Fishery Management Councils and the Secretary of Commerce, through the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), to include provisions in fisheries management plans that describe, identify, conserve, and enhance essential fish habitat (EFH). In 1998 the NMFS recommended to the (Pacific Fisheries Management Council (PFMC) that the fisheries management plan for Pacific Coast Groundfish be amended to include a limited number of composite EFHs for all Pacific Coast groundfish and attach an appendix document to the amendment that describes the life histories and EFH designations for each of the 83 individual species that the FMP manages. The appendix was prepared by a team led by Cyreis Schmitt (at the time, affiliated with the Northwest Fisheries Science Center), and the primary sources of information for the life history descriptions and habitat associations were published reports and gray literature. Geographic information system (GIS) maps of species and life stage distributions generated in the format of the ArcView were included. The appendix was intended to be a "living" document that could be changed as new information on particular fish species arise, without using the cumbersome FMP amendment process. The EFH regulations state that the Councils and NMFS should periodically review and revise the EFH components of FMPs at least once every 5 years. Such review should include information regarding the description and identification of EFH, threats to EFH from fishing and non-fishing activities, and measures that could be taken to minimize those threats. In response to this requirement for periodic review, the life history descriptions were recently updated. The following draft of the updated Appendix was prepared by Bruce McCain with assistance from Stacey Miller and Robin Gintner of the NMFS, Northwest Fisheries Science Center. The draft was compiled by conducting literature searches using the Cambridge Scientific Abstracts Internet Database Service, and by reviewing recently completed summary documents, for example the California Department of Fish and Game=s Nearshore Fishery Management, a draft nearshore fishes synopsis in a section of the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife=s Nearshore Fisheries Management Plan, and the book The rockfishes of the Northeast Pacific by Love et al. published in 2002. Within the updated Appendix, the current 82 FMP groundfish species are sequenced alphabetically according to the common names. This document also includes nine summary tables and a list of references cited. This updated Appendix is being presented to the PFMC in draft form so that NMFS can consider appropriate comments prior to its inclusion in the EIS. Specifically, comments are being sought on the types of habitat preferred by various life history stages of the FMP species, and on species- 1 habitat relationships not adequately addressed in this draft. 2 LIFE HISTORY DESCRIPTIONS LEOPARD SHARK (Triakis semifasciata) Range Leopard sharks are found from southern Oregon to Baja California, Mexico including the Gulf of California (Adams 1986, Castro 1983, Compagno 1984, Emmett et al. 1991, Eschmeyer et al. 1983, Kusher, et al. 1992, Lineaweaver and Backus 1984, Love 1991, Miller and Lea 1972, Roedel and Ripley 1950, Russo 1975, Smith and Abramson 1990, Talent 1976). Fishery Leopard sharks can be caught by set lines, rod and reel, trawls, gill nets, and spearfishing (Castro 1983, de Wit 1975, Kusher, et al. 1992, Love 1991, Russo 1975, Smith 1984, Smith and Abramson 1990, Talent 1976). They are caught and sold commercially year-round and have been targeted by small-scale commercial line fisheries in San Francisco Bay (Compagno 1984, Emmett et al. 1991). From Eureka southward, the commercial fishery takes leopard sharks with gillnets and longlines (Love 1991), and occasionally with trawls (Susan Smith 2001). Recreational landings are larger than those of the commercial landings (Compagno 1984, Ebert 1986). Habitat A neritic species, the leopard shark is most abundant in California bays and estuaries and along southern California beaches. Although they are common in enclosed, muddy bays, other habitats of the leopard shark are flat, sandy areas, mud flats, sandy and muddy bottoms strewn with rocks near rocky reefs, and kelp beds (Compagno 1984, Emmett et al. 1991, Eschmeyer et al. 1983, Ferguson and Cailliet 1990, Love 1991, Smith 2001). It is common in littoral waters (Castro 1983, Compagno 1984, Ebert 1976, Emmett et al. 1991, Eschmeyer et al. 1983, Love 1991, Russo 1975) and around jetties and piers (Emmett et al. 1991). It is also known to congregate around warmwater outfalls of power plants (Smith 2001). The leopard shark occurs in polyhaline-euhaline