STATUS OF THE U.S. WEST COAST FISHERIES FOR HIGHLY MIGRATORY SPECIES THROUGH 2008 STOCK ASSESSMENT AND FISHERY EVALUATION OCTOBER 2009 PACIFIC FISHERY MANAGEMENT COUNCIL 7700 NE AMBASSADOR PLACE, SUITE 101 PORTLAND, OREGON 97220 WWW.PCOUNCIL.ORG Cover illustration by Roy Allen, Southwest Fisheries Science Center, National Marine Fisheries Service, La Jolla, California Printed: October 27, 2009 Prepared by the Pacific Fishery Management Council in conjunction with the National Marine Fisheries Service, Southwest Region under National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration award number NA05NMF4410008. ii Table of Contents 1.0 Introduction ....................................................................................................................................... 1 1.1 The Fishery Management Plan ..................................................................................................... 1 1.2 Purpose of the SAFE Report ......................................................................................................... 1 1.3 The Management Cycle ................................................................................................................ 2 1.4 Highly Migratory Species Management Team ............................................................................. 2 1.5 Council Highly Migratory Species Activities, September 2008-June 2009 ................................. 3 2.0 Description of the Fisheries .............................................................................................................. 7 2.1 Commercial Fisheries ................................................................................................................... 7 2.1.1 California .............................................................................................................................. 7 2.1.1.1 Surface Hook-and-Line Fishery for Albacore .................................................................... 7 2.1.1.2 Coastal Purse Seine Fishery for Yellowfin, Skipjack, and Bluefin Tunas .......................... 8 2.1.1.3 Harpoon Fishery for Swordfish .......................................................................................... 9 2.1.1.4 Drift Gillnet Fishery for Swordfish and Shark.................................................................. 11 2.1.1.5 High Seas Longline Fishery for Swordfish ....................................................................... 15 2.1.2 Oregon ................................................................................................................................. 15 2.1.2.1 Surface Hook-and-Line Fishery for Albacore .................................................................... 15 2.1.3 Washington ......................................................................................................................... 17 2.2 Description of West Coast Recreational Fisheries ...................................................................... 18 2.2.1 California ............................................................................................................................ 18 2.2.2 Oregon ........................................................................................................................................ 21 2.2.3 Washington ......................................................................................................................... 23 2.3 Highly Migratory Species taken in Non-HMS Fisheries ............................................................ 24 2.3.1 California ............................................................................................................................ 24 2.3.2 Oregon ................................................................................................................................. 24 2.3.3 Washington ......................................................................................................................... 25 2.4 Non HMS FMP Fisheries of Importance to the West Coast ............................................................. 25 3.0 Regulations Currently In Place ....................................................................................................... 27 3.1 Summary of the HMS FMP Management Measures and Regulations ....................................... 27 3.1.1 Summary of the Regulatory Changes to the HMS FMP ..................................................... 27 3.1.2 HMS Commercial Gear ...................................................................................................... 29 3.1.3 HMS Recreational Gear ...................................................................................................... 29 3.1.4 Landings and Gear Use Regulations ................................................................................... 30 3.1.5 Incidental Landings ............................................................................................................. 31 3.1.6 Status of HMS Permits ........................................................................................................ 31 3.1.7 HMS Data Collection .......................................................................................................... 32 3.1.8 Observer Requirements ....................................................................................................... 33 3.1.9 U.S. Pacific Albacore Logbook and HMS Permits Compliance Check for 2008 ............... 34 3.1.9.1 Enforcement of Regulations ............................................................................................. 34 3.1.9.2 Compliance Check ............................................................................................................ 34 3.1.10 Changes in State HMS Regulations .................................................................................... 34 3.2 Protected Resources Regulations ................................................................................................ 35 3.3 International Regulatory Aspects of the HMS FMP ................................................................... 36 3.3.1 The Inter-American Tropical Tuna Commission ................................................................ 36 3.3.1.1 An Update of IATTC Resolutions .................................................................................... 37 3.3.2 Western and Central Pacific Fishery Commission .............................................................. 39 3.3.3 The U.S.-Canada Albacore Treaty ...................................................................................... 40 3.4 Bycatch and Other Monitored Species ........................................................................................ 41 4.0 Statistical Summaries of Catch, Revenue, and Effort ..................................................................... 43 iii 4.1 Commercial Fisheries ................................................................................................................. 43 4.2 Recreational Fisheries ............................................................................................................... 117 5.0 Updated Status of the Highly Migratory Species Management Unit Species ............................... 131 5.1 Control Rules for Management ................................................................................................. 131 5.2 Recent and Projected Assessment Schedule ............................................................................. 133 5.3 Conclusions from 2008 Pacific HMS stock assessments .......................................................... 133 5.3.1 Albacore ............................................................................................................................ 133 5.3.1.1 Albacore (NPO) .............................................................................................................. 133 5.3.1.2 Albacore (WCPO) ........................................................................................................... 134 5.3.2 Bigeye Tuna ...................................................................................................................... 134 5.3.2.1 Bigeye Tuna (EPO) ......................................................................................................... 134 5.3.2.2 Bigeye Tuna (WCPO) ..................................................................................................... 134 5.3.3 Skipjack Tuna ................................................................................................................... 135 5.3.3.1 Skipjack Tuna (EPO) ...................................................................................................... 135 5.3.3.2 Skipjack Tuna (WCPO) .................................................................................................. 135 5.3.4 Yellowfin Tuna ................................................................................................................. 136 5.3.4.1 Yellowfin Tuna (EPO) .................................................................................................... 136 5.3.4.2 Yellowfin Tuna (WCPO) ................................................................................................ 136 5.3.5 Bluefin Tuna ..................................................................................................................... 137 5.3.5.1 Bluefin Tuna (NPO) .......................................................................................................