Stock assessment of the yelloweye rockfish (Sebastes ruberrimus) in state and Federal waters off California, Oregon and Washington by Vladlena Gertseva and Jason M. Cope Northwest Fisheries Science Center U.S. Department of Commerce National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration National Marine Fisheries Service 2725 Montlake Boulevard East Seattle, Washington 98112-2097 December 2017 1 This report may be cited as: Gertseva, V. and Cope, J.M. 2017. Stock assessment of the yelloweye rockfish (Sebastes ruberrimus) in state and Federal waters off California, Oregon and Washington. Pacific Fishery Management Council, Portland, OR. Available from http://www.pcouncil.org/groundfish/stock- assessments/ 2 Table of Contents Acronyms used in this document ..................................................................... 6 Executive Summary ............................................................................................ 7 Stock ............................................................................................................................. 7 Catches ......................................................................................................................... 7 Data and assessment .................................................................................................. 8 Stock biomass ............................................................................................................. 9 Recruitment ................................................................................................................ 12 Exploitation status .................................................................................................... 14 Ecosystem considerations ....................................................................................... 19 Reference points ....................................................................................................... 19 Management performance ........................................................................................ 21 Unresolved problems and major uncertainties ...................................................... 22 Decision table ............................................................................................................ 23 Research and data needs ......................................................................................... 23 Rebuilding projections .............................................................................................. 24 1 Introduction ................................................................................................ 27 1.1 Basic Information ........................................................................................... 27 1.2 Map ................................................................................................................... 28 1.3 Life History ...................................................................................................... 28 1.4 Ecosystem Considerations ............................................................................ 28 1.5 Fishery Information ........................................................................................ 28 1.6 Summary of Management History ................................................................. 29 1.7 Management Performance ............................................................................. 29 1.8 Fisheries off Canada, Alaska, and/or Mexico ............................................... 29 2 Assessment ................................................................................................ 30 2.1 Data .................................................................................................................. 30 2.1.1 Fishery removals ....................................................................................... 30 2.1.1.1 Commercial and recreational removals....................................................................................... 31 2.1.1.1.1 California ............................................................................................................................................. 31 2.1.1.1.2 Oregon .................................................................................................................................................. 32 2.1.1.1.3 Washington ........................................................................................................................................ 33 2.1.1.1.4 Bycatch in the Foreign POP Fishery ........................................................................................ 34 2.1.1.1.5 Bycatch in the At-Sea Pacific Hake Fishery .......................................................................... 34 2.1.2 Abundance Indices .................................................................................... 34 2.1.2.1 Fishery-Independent Indices ........................................................................................................... 34 2.1.2.1.1 Bottom Trawl Surveys .................................................................................................................. 34 2.1.2.1.2 IPHC Longline Survey .................................................................................................................... 36 2.1.2.2 Fishery-Dependent Abundance Indices ....................................................................................... 37 2.1.2.2.1 California MRFSS Dockside CPUE, 1980-1999 ................................................................... 37 2.1.2.2.2 California Onboard Observer CPUE, 1988-1998 ............................................................... 38 2.1.2.2.3 Oregon Onboard Observer CPUE, 2001-2014 .................................................................... 38 2.1.2.2.4 Oregon MRFSS Dockside CPUE, 1982-1999 ........................................................................ 39 2.1.2.2.5 Oregon ORBS Dockside (release only) CPUE, 2005-2016 ............................................. 39 2.1.2.2.6 Washington Dockside CPUE, 1982-2001 .............................................................................. 40 2.1.3 Fishery-Dependent Biological Compositions ............................................. 41 2.1.3.1 California ................................................................................................................................................... 42 2.1.3.1.1 Length Compositions ..................................................................................................................... 42 2.1.3.1.2 Age Compositions ........................................................................................................................... 42 3 2.1.3.2 Oregon ........................................................................................................................................................ 43 2.1.3.2.1 Length Compositions ..................................................................................................................... 43 2.1.3.2.2 Age Compositions ........................................................................................................................... 43 2.1.3.3 Washington .............................................................................................................................................. 43 2.1.3.3.1 Length Compositions ..................................................................................................................... 43 2.1.3.3.2 Age Compositions ........................................................................................................................... 43 2.1.4 Fishery-Independent Biological Compositions .......................................... 44 2.1.4.1 Length Compositions ........................................................................................................................... 44 2.1.4.2 Age Compositions .................................................................................................................................. 44 2.1.5 Biological Parameters and Data ................................................................ 44 2.1.5.1 Length-Weight Relationships ........................................................................................................... 44 2.1.5.2 Maturity ..................................................................................................................................................... 45 2.1.5.3 Fecundity ................................................................................................................................................... 45 2.1.5.4 Natural Mortality ................................................................................................................................... 45 2.1.5.5 Ageing Error ............................................................................................................................................. 46 2.1.6 Environmental or Ecosystem Data ............................................................ 47 2.2 Model ............................................................................................................... 47 2.2.1 History of Modeling Approaches Used for this Stock ................................ 47 2.2.1.1 Previous Assessments ......................................................................................................................... 48 2.2.1.2 Responses to 2009 STAR Panel Recommendations ..............................................................