FiSheRieS Review CalCOFi Rep., vol. 51, 2010 REVIEW OF SELECTED CALIFORNIA FISHERIES FOR 2009: COASTAL PELAGIC FINFISH, MARKET SQUID, RED ABALONE, DUNGENESS CRAB, PACIFIC HERRING, GROUNDFISH/NEARSHORE LIVE-FISH, HIGHLY MIGRATORY SPECIES, KELP, CALIFORNIA HALIBUT, AND SANDBASSES CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF FISH AND GAME Marine Region 8604 La Jolla Shores Drive La Jolla, CA 92037 [email protected] SUMMARY ment) surveys in the San Francisco Bay indicated drastic In 2009, commercial fisheries landed an estimated (57%) declines in the spawning biomass. This was the 160,615 metric tons (t) of fish and invertebrates from lowest ever estimate for the fishery. Following these California ocean waters (fig. 1). This represents an alarming declines, the fishery was closed by the Cali- increase of nearly 14% from the 141,377 t landed in fornia Fish and Game Commission (Commission) for 2008, and a 39% decline from the peak landings of the first time ever. 252,568 t observed in 2000. The preliminary ex- vessel Commercial nearshore live-finfish landings, consist- economic value of commercial landings in 2009 was ing of 19 species, totaled 242 t in 2009, a 19% decrease nearly $144 million, an increase of 29% from the $112 from 2008. A large percentage of the nearshore finfish million in 2008. are sold live at premium prices resulting in a fishery val- Pacific sardine landings experienced a 35% decrease ued at $2.25 million. in volume during 2009. This was largely due to a more Albacore was the most abundant tuna caught in Cali- restrictive harvest guideline (HG) based on declining fornia waters, as well as along the west coast. Commer- stock abundance. Similar to 2008, the fishery exhibited cial landings totaled 12,262 t with an ex-vessel value the characteristics of a “derby.” Other coastal pelagic fin- $0.9 million. Recreational albacore landings in Califor- fish that also experienced a drop in landings were Jack nia from Commercial Passenger Fishing Vessels (CPFV) mackerel and Northern anchovy. Pacific mackerel and totaled 33,679 fish. Pacific bonito, on the other hand, registered increases in The commercial kelp harvest totaled 4,200 t in 2009, landing totals. a steep decrease from the high of 38,000 t in 2000. California market squid emerged as the largest vol- Fewer commercial kelp harvesters rather than unfavor- ume and highest value fishery in the state with over able oceanographic conditions are responsible for this 92,000 t landed and an ex-vessel value of approximately decline. Commercial landings of California halibut in $56.5 million, a two-fold increase from the $26.5 mil- 2009 totaled 278 t with an ex-vessel value of $2.6 mil- lion of 2008. Such increases can be attributed to favor- lion, while recreational landings were 211 t (58,000 fish). able environmental conditions. In 2009, the Department began compiling data to sup- California’s recreational red abalone fishery, while port the first statewide stock assessment of California tightly managed, remains the only abalone fishery still halibut. open. Critical data are collected from fishery indepen- Sandbasses have not supported a commercial fishery dent dive surveys, fishery dependent creel surveys, and a since the 1950s due to steep declines in landings. How- report card system. Additional regulations in 2008 man- ever, barred sand bass have ranked among the top rec- dated tagging of retained abalone as well as a report card reational species caught by southern California CPFV for all fishery participants. anglers for the past two decades. They also ranked first Dungeness crab landings decreased 26% in 2009 in terms of number of fish kept. Spotted sand bass, in compared to 2008, but still remained one of the more contrast, rank high among the species not kept with 94% valuable state fisheries with an ex-vessel value of $14.7 released. Recreational fishing pressure on these species million. Concerns regarding increased effort in the fish- continues to increase over the last two decades. ery have prompted strong support for a statewide, tiered In 2009, the Commission undertook ten rule-making trap limit program. Currently, discussions among con- actions that addressed marine and anadromous species. stituents are ongoing. Preliminary data suggest an upturn The Commission adopted changes to salmon, halibut, occurring within the fishery. lobster, herring, white seabass, and sport fishing regula- In 2009, Pacific herring fisheries experienced one of tions. For two anadromous species, delta smelt status was the lowest landings in the history of the 35 year old fish- upgraded from threatened to endangered under the Cal- ery. California Department of Fish and Game (Depart- ifornia Endangered Species Act, and longfin smelt was 14 FiSheRieS Review CalCOFi Rep., vol. 51, 2010 Figure 1. California ports and fishing areas. Figure 1. California ports and fishing areas. listed as threatened. Emergency regulatory action was Coastal Pelagic Finfish taken to close the open ocean herring fishery to protect Pacific sardine (Sardinops sagax), Pacific mackerel the San Francisco Bay herring stock due to the dramatic (Scomber japonicus), jack mackerel (Trachurus symmetricus), decline in biomass. The Commission also implemented northern anchovy (Engraulis mordax), and Pacific her- a series of 24 marine protected areas (153 square miles) ring (Clupea pallasi) form a finfish complex known as in the north central coast region, defined as state waters coastal pelagic species (CPS). These species, with the between Point Arena (Mendocino County) and Pigeon exception of Pacific herring, are jointly managed by the Point (San Mateo County) under the Marine Life Pro- Pacific Fishery Management Council (Council) and the tection Act (MLPA). The MLPA is a process to consoli- National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS). In 2009, date and establish marine protected areas in California total commercial landings for these four CPS equaled state waters. 45,444 t (tab. 1), and was worth $6.9 million in ex- vessel 15 FiSheRieS Review CalCOFi Rep., vol. 51, 2010 TABLe 1 Landings of Coastal Pelagic Species in California (metric tons). Pacific Northern Pacific Jack Unspecified Pacific Herring Market Year sardine anchovy mackerel mackerel mackerel herring roe squid Total 1977 2 101,132 3,316 47,615 5,286 12,811 170,163 1978 1 11,439 8,241 34,349 48 4,473 17,145 75,696 1979 51 48,880 22,404 21,548 301 4,257 19,982 117,424 1980 21 42,946 25,739 24,181 56 8,061 15,385 116,389 1981 34 52,308 35,257 17,778 132 5,961 23,510 134,980 1982 2 42,150 17,667 19,618 18,398 10,604 16,308 124,747 1983 1 4,427 17,812 9,829 23,659 8,024 1,824 65,576 1984 1 2,889 26,043 9,149 18,038 3,847 564 60,532 1985 6 1,626 18,149 6,876 19,624 7,984 10,275 64,540 1986 388 1,535 22,095 4,777 25,995 7,658 21,278 83,727 1987 439 1,390 26,941 8,020 19,783 8,420 19,984 84,978 1988 1,188 1,478 30,127 5,068 20,736 8,641 37,233 104,471 1989 837 2,449 21,067 10,746 26,661 9,296 40,893 111,950 1990 1,664 3,208 31,077 3,223 9,039 7,436 28,447 84,094 1991 7,587 4,014 31,680 1,693 339 7,347 37,389 90,048 1992 17,950 1,124 18,574 1,209 3 6,319 13,110 58,289 1993 15,346 1,958 11,798 1,673 3,846 0 42,722 77,345 1994 11,644 1,789 10,008 2,704 0 77 2,874 55,508 84,603 1995 40,328 1,886 8,625 1,728 3 4,664 72,433 129,667 1996 32,559 4,421 9,597 2,178 4 249 5,162 80,784 134,954 1997 43,246 5,718 18,398 1,160 1 0 9,147 70,387 148,057 1998 42,956 1,457 20,515 824 0 2,009 2,895 70,656 1999 59,493 5,179 8,688 953 0 2,279 91,950 168,542 2000 53,612 11,754 21,916 1,269 0 26 3,450 118,816 210,843 2001 51,894 19,277 6,925 3,624 1 0 2,768 86,385 170,873 2002 58,354 4,643 3,367 1,006 2 0 3,324 72,920 143,615 2003 34,732 1,676 3,999 156 0 34 1,808 45,061 87,467 2004 44,305 6,793 3,570 1,027 0 60 1,581 41,026 98,362 2005 34,633 11,182 3,244 199 219 136 58,391 108,005 2006 46,577 12,791 5,891 1,167 0 37 694 49,159 116,316 2007 80,981 10,390 5,018 630 1 336 261 49,474 147,091 2008 57,806 14,285 3,530 274 0 131 626 38,101 114,754 2009 37,578 2,668 5,079 119 1 74 460 92,338 138,317 Data Source: Commercial Fisheries Information System (CFIS) value. Compared to 2008 landings, this represents a 40% (BCM). Since the 1970s, the majority of landings have and 30% decrease in quantity and ex-vessel value, respec- occurred in southern California and northern Baja Cali- tively. Once again Pacific sardine ranked as the largest fornia. In 1999, fishing pressure and landings increased fishery among these four species, contributing 83% of in the Pacific Northwest. The 2009 combined landings the combined quantity and 79% of the combined ex- of Pacific sardine for California, Oregon, and Washing- vessel value.