Behavior of Bluefin Tuna Schools in the Eastern North Pacific Ocean As Inferred from Fishermen's Logbooks
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BEHAVIOR OF BLUEFIN TUNA SCHOOLS IN THE EASTERN NORTH PACIFIC OCEAN AS INFERRED FROM FISHERMEN’S LOGBOOKS, 1960-67’ J. MICHAELSCOTT’ AND GLENNA. FLITTNER3 ABSTRACT Fishermen’s records of 8,059 purse-seine sets made on TILunnus thynnus (bluefin tuna) were examined for the period 1960-67. A total of 3,538 sets were identified as to school type. The majority of these sets were made within 90 miles of the beach off southern and Baja California from lat 23ON to 34ON. The region was divided into a northern and southern area on the basis of biological and oceanographic factors. Significant differences were observed in the occurrence of the six most common school types between the northern and southern most areas of the fishery. The difference in occurrence of the jumping, boiling, and shining schools was related to the relative absence of red crabs (Pleuroncodes planipes) in the northern area and to differences in the for- aging behavior of T. thynnus on baitfish and red crabs. Differences in vulnerability to capture and catch per successful set were noted among the five most common daytime schools as well as with respect to time of day. Purse-seine sets made with the assistance of airborne spotters had larger catches and a greater percentage success than did unassisted sets. In addition the percentage of a particular school type taken with aircraft assistance was inversely proportional to the visibility of the schools from the mast. The existence of different school types in scom- schools commonly encountered in the eastern broid fishes has been noted by several authors. tropical Pacific. McNeely (1961) stated that the In 1931, Suzaki (as cited by Uda, 1933) rec- California tuna fishermen recognized several dif- ognized five types of skipjack tuna (Katsuwonus ferent school types for yellowfin (Thunnw aG pelamis) schools in the western tropical Pacific. bncares), skipjack, and bluefin tuna (T. thy+ Kimura (1954) listed six types of skipjack tuna nus). Scott (1969) described 16 different school schools. To these Inoue (1959) added three ad- types for the eastern Pacific tunas, listed fish- ditional types based on behavior and association ermen’s synonyms, and placed them into two of the tuna with animals and inanimate objects. major groups and five lesser categories on the Ogilvie (1949)’ described 10 types of tuna basis of time of day, depth of occurrence, and association with other animals and floating ob- This work was initiated while both authors were jects. employed in the Tuna Resources Laboratory of the Bu- Various attempts have been made to correlate reau of Commercial Fisheries (now the National Marine Fisheries Service, Southwest Fisheries Center) under the type of school with fishing success. Uda the direction of Dr. Richard R. Whitney, then leader of (1933) and Uda and Tukusi (1934) attempted the Tuna Behavior Program.- to show an “index of biting” for the different * Department of Zoology, Oregon State University, Coyallis, OR 9733L school types as did Kimura (1954). Inoue Bureau of Marine Sciences, San Diego State College, (1959) correlated the percentage success of the San Diego, CA 92115. ’ Ogilvie H. 1949. Description of various types of Japanese purse seiner fleet with school types for tuna schoois, of behavior methods of fishing and pro- yellowfin, skipjack, and bluefin tuna in the west- duction possibilities in reiation to pole and line fishing encountered in Central America. Inter-American Trop- ern tropical Pacific. Inoue’s data indicated that ical Tuna Commission, La Jolla, Calif. 5 p. (Manuscr.) possible differences in school size and vulnera- Manuacript accepted April 1972. FISHERY BULLETIN: VOL. 70. NO. 3. 1972 915 FISHERY BULLETIN: VOL. 70. NO. 5 bility to capture existed among the various turing a larger school later in the day. school types as well as between the three species. In regard to the second assumption, fishermen generally agree that it is extremely difficult to “cut” a tuna school with their nets; it appears MATERIALS AND METHODS to be an all-or-nothing situation. Typically a fisherman will catch 1,!i ton or less when the In order to describe the schooling behavior of school is missed. These fish usually are en- T. thynnus in the eastern North Pacific and to trapped in net folds during the pursing oper- relate this behavior to percentage of successful ation and are unable to escape with the main sets and catch per successful purse-seine set, body of the school being set upon. The constant California fishermen’s logbooks were analyzed fraction, therefore, approaches zero. That the for the period 1960-67. Abstracts of these logs second assumption does not hold in every case were made available through the courtesy of the was recognized by the original proponents Inter-American Tropical Tuna Commission. (Orange, Schaefer, and Lacmie, 1957). We have A purse-seine set is defined as that operation assumed also that the fraction of fish retained in which the net is laid out around a school of in the net from a school escaping capture is the fish and the bottom of the net drawn together, same for all school types, as well as for all times capturing the fish, which are then transferred of day; these are factors which need additional to the vessel (Orange, Schaefer, and Larmie, study. 1957). A complete description of the fishing op- Fishermen identify schools to species with con- eration is given by McNeely (1961). For the siderable skill, but the system of identification purposes of this paper the term “school” will is difficult to describe. Their ability to judge apply to that quantity of fish captured in a suc- tonnage, however, is very good after the fish cessful set of the net. No assumptions as to the are inside the net and in full view of the mast- configuration of the school nor the orientation man. The airborne spotters are extremely good of the fish within the school will be made (see at estimating school size. Williams, 1964; Breder, 1967). Bluefin net sets were defined to be: 1) all Orange, Schaefer, and Larmie (1957) made sets in which 90% or more of the total tonnage several assumptions in analyzing single set data landed was T. thynnus, 2) all no-catch sets in from fishermen’s logbooks, and other workers which T. thynnus was clearly identified as the have followed (Broadhead and Orange, 1960; pursued species, and 3) all sets in which it could Whitney, 1969). These assumptions are: be determined from location, water temperature, date, time, and previous and later sets by the 1. A set of the net is made on a single school same or other boats operating nearby that it of fish. was T. thynnus being sought and/or captured. 2. Either the entire school is captured or each Using the above criteria, we determined that a set captures a .constant fraction of the minimum of 8,059 sets were made on T. thynnus school upon which it is made. and 65,478 tons landed by the eastern North 3. Vessel masters can estimate accurately the Pacific high seas purse-seine fleet during the tonnage from individual sets of the net. period 1960-67. Of these sets, 43.9% were ident- ified in the logbooks as to school type. In addition, it is assumed that the schooling be- All weight references in this paper are ex- havior described in ship’s logs indicated the pressed in short ton units. school type evident when the fish were first ob- served. The average size of all schools may actually SCHOOLING BEHAVIOR be smaller than those cited by the fishermen be- The terminology of school types used in this cause small schools of 2 tons or less may be paper is that of Scott (1969) (Table 1). T. passed over by the fishermen in the hope of cap- thynnus exhibited 13 different types of schooling 916 SCOTT and FLI'ITKER: BEHAVIOR OF BLUEFIN TUNA SCHOOLS TABLE1.-Terms used by southern California purse-seine with the assistance of airborne spotters have tuna fishermen to describe various types of tuna schools been separated. The effects of airborne spotters and associations (from Scott, 1969). on catch data will be discussed later in this School fish Associated schools' paper. Surface schools' Fish and mammals1 Of the 13 school types observed, only 6 were Breezer Porpoise schools recorded often enough (50 or more times) to Finner Spotters Jumper Spinners warrant attention. Boiler, foamer, Spotters and spinners smoker, or meatball Whitebelly Whole schools Subsurface schools' GEOGRAPHICAL VARIATION Shark schools Black spot, dark spot, T. thyitnus is taken along the coast of Baja brown spot, green spot, lnanimote obiect association' California and southern California from lat or black ball Log school Shiner Bait boot 23"N to 34"N. Occasionally fish are taken north of this area, especially in warm water years, but Night schools' Fireball, ardura, they are few, and seiner operations are severely glow spot, white spot, limited by prevailing weather and sea conditions. or flare PODOW The greatest percentage of the bluefin catch is 1 These terms are used for organization of the table and are not used made within 90 miles of shore near shoals, banks, by the fishermen. reefs, and islands. We have divided the area of the fishery into behavior and 12 different combinations of these two major areas: that area north of lat 28'59" to the commercial fishermen. There were dif- and the area south of and including that same ferences in frequency of occurrence, size of the latitude (Figure 1). There is some biological schools, and vulnerability to capture between the basis for this division, as Punta Eugenia marks schools (Table 2).