Commercial Anchovy Fishery Public Meeting February 15, 2017 Astoria, Oregon Cyreis Schmitt Troy Buell Maggie Sommer 1 Northern Anchovy • Anchovy Ecology and Life History • Federal and State Anchovy Management • Fishery Description • Incidental Catch • Anchovy Biological Data • Salmonid Survey Data • Issues and Concerns • Potential Solutions • Next Steps 2 Anchovy Ecology • Small pelagic fish that filter feeds on plankton • Can form large, dense schools • Lives in upper 10-20m of water column, usually nearshore and in estuaries except in winter • Population size can show large variations with environmental conditions • Important forage for many other fishes, seabirds, and marine mammal predators 3 Anchovy Life History • Spawning observed in summer off Columbia River plume, but may begin as early as May • Spawn pelagic eggs several times a year, perhaps weekly during the July peak • Nearly all are mature by age 2 • Generally short-lived, about 4 years; some to age 7 4 Purse Seining for Anchovy 5 Federal Anchovy Management • Coastal Pelagic Species Fishery Management Plan • Northern Subpopulation of Northern Anchovy • Monitored Stock • Overfishing Limit 39,000 mt • Annual Catch Limit 9,750 mt • Annual Catch Target 1,500 mt 6 Oregon Rules for Anchovy Fishery • Logbooks Required • Prohibit reduction fisheries for anchovy – No more than 10% allowed for uses other than human consumption or fishing bait (fertilizer, fish feed) • Gear requirements in Columbia River – Seines with mesh size > 0.5 inch and < 1400 feet in length. All other species must be immediately returned to the water • In June 2016, adopted permanent rules to reduce potential for wastage and add more protection to bycatch species – Require dip-netting of groundfish and salmon, and return them immediately to the water – Require 2 3/8 inch grate over hold intake – Allow a coastal pelagic species catching vessel to pump fish from the pursed seine of another; up to 20% of each landing; record in logbook 7 Washington Non-treaty and Treaty, and Oregon Northern Stock - Northern Anchovy Landings 12,000 10,000 ACL= 9,750 MT 8,000 6,000 4,000 Anchovy Landings (mt) Landings Anchovy 2,000 ACT = 1,500 MT 0 2004 2007 2000 2001 2002 2003 2005 2006 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016* *Preliminary; through Nov. 7 8 2016 Washington and Tribal Fisheries • About 275 mt landed by these fisheries • Washington Non-treaty Fishery Purse Seine, Lampara, and Dipnet Gears Bait Fisheries: daily and weekly landing limits Grays Harbor: May – October Columbia River: June – September Offshore Oregon: bait for tuna fishery • Quinault Indian Nation Fishery 1 Purse Seine Vessel, for first time 9 2016 Oregon Anchovy Fishery • Oregon Fishery: June 9 – September 27 3 purse seine vessels, 2 processors in Astoria 5,313 mt (11.7 million pounds) $1.15M ex-vessel revenue, $0.10/lb Majority of landings from Columbia River • Temporary Rule effective October 3 For Columbia River, upriver of Buoy 10: 5 mt maximum landing per vessel per day 10 mt maximum landings per vessel per week • Beach Seine Fishery in Winchester Bay No landings in 2016 10 Set Locations for Oregon Landings 2016 Logbook Data 11 Incidental Catch in 2016 Oregon Anchovy Fishery Logbooks: Fish Tickets: 56 salmon (46 alive) 44 lbs salmon (4 fish) 2 sturgeon 6,217 lbs sardine 3,650 lbs sardine 673 lbs Pacific mackerel 40 lbs mackerel 88 lbs jack mackerel 600 lbs starry flounder 220 lbs Dungeness crab 355 lbs crab 258 lbs shad 100 lbs sand dab 125 lbs pomfret 800 lbs shad 1 lb jellyfish A few miscellaneous fish 12 2016 Oregon Fishery Observer Data Oregon and Washington Staff Observed: 3 fishing trips at sea during Sept. 21-26 127 mt anchovy landed from these trips All successful sets were made in the ocean Small amounts of sardine, mackerel & crab A few small fish (<10) were briefly brought aboard and rapidly discarded at sea Full offloads onshore for 2 of these trips Some sardine and mackerel No salmonids observed 13 Biological Data from 2016 Fishery ODFW and WDFW Samples Mean Length Sex Ratio Number Mean Age Number Month Port (mm) M F sampled Age Range Aged July Astoria 125 38% 62% 150 - - - August Astoria 128 36% 64% 300 - - - September Astoria 130 20% 80% 125 - - - Oregon Total Astoria 128 33% 67% 575 - - - Ilwaco 120 43% 57% 427 1.5 1 - 5 250 Washington Total Ocean 116 34% 65% 699 1.5 0 - 5 399 14 NMFS Salmonid Sampling in Lower Columbia River Focus on spring outmigration of juv. salmonids • Sampling at edges of deep channels • Mid April to late June, every other week (2007-11) • Monthly - Sep. only (2007-08) - July-Oct. (2009-12) • 6-8 sets per station per cruise • Data and figures from Dr. Laurie Weitkamp 15 NMFS Estuary Purse Seine Catches Percent (by Number) of Salmon in NMFS Purse Seine Catches 17 Timing of Sub-year Chinook Stocks in NMFS Purse Seine Catches Lower Mainly Columbia Hatchery ESA Non-ESA Groups July 1 = 182 Aug. 1 = 213 Sep. 1 = 244 18 Issues and Concerns • Concentration of anchovy harvest in time and area – Potential for derby fishery – Impacts on predators • Bycatch and wastage of other species • Anchovy wastage • Fisheries conflicts • Processing practices • Others? 19 Potential Solutions • Establish Fishing Areas and/or Times, such as: – Upriver of Buoy 10 vs. offshore Oregon – Specific months/weeks, weekdays only • Harvest or Bycatch Restrictions – Limits and/or triggers on harvest or bycatch – Establish set-asides for bait and tribal harvest • Fishery Monitoring at sea and on shore – Who does it? – Monitoring rates, dates, areas, etc. • Fishing Gear Requirements • Limited Entry • Enforcement • Others? 20 Next Steps • Potential Interim Actions, if any: – Temporary rule expires March 31 • Propose Permanent Rules: Oregon Fish and Wildlife Commission Salem, Oregon June 9, 2017 21 Public Comment Opportunities • During meeting today • Written comments to Cyreis Schmitt or Troy Buell, ODFW in Newport • Written or in person testimony given at the Commission meeting on June 9: Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife 4034 Fairview Industrial Drive SE Salem, OR 97302 22 Thank You 23 .