NOAA Technical Memorandum NMFS F/NWC-160 Life History, and Harvest Summaries for Selected Invertebrate Species Occurring off the West Coast of North America Volume 1: Shelled Molluscs by Robert J. Wolotira, Jr., M. James Allen, Terrance M. Sample, Constance R. Iten, Sandra F. Noel, and Rick L. Henly February 1989 U.S. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration National Marine Fisheries Service This TM series is used for documentation and timely communication of preliminary results, interim reports, or special purpose information, and has not received complete formal review, editorial control, or detailed editing. This document is available to the public through: National Technical Information Service U.S. Department of Commerce 5285 Port Royal Road Springfield, VA 22161 LIFE HISTORY AND HARVEST SUMMARIES FOR SELECTED INVERTEBRATE SPECIES OCCURRING OFF THE WEST COAST OF NORTH AMERICA VOLUME 1: SHELLED MOLLUSCS Robert J. Wolotira, Jr., M. James Allen, Terrance M. Sample, Constance R. Iten, Sandra F. Noel, and Rick L. Henry Resource Assessment and Conservation Engineering Division Northwest and Alaska Fisheries Center National Marine Fisheries Service National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration 7600 Sand Point Way NE. Bin Cl5700 Seattle, WA 98115-0070 February 1989 II iii ABSTRACT This report comprises synopses of the biology and human utilization of 17 species of abalones, clams, and other bivalves that are found off the west coast of North America. Included in each species synopsis is information on geographic range, habitat requirements, human utilization (commercial, recreational, and subsistence), management, migration and movements, population characteristics, growth and development, food and feeding, biological interactions, and factors influencing populations;, A list of common and scientific names, a gazetteer of place names mentioned in the report, and a glossary of terms follow the synopses. The following are the species addressed: Pink abalone, Haliotis corrugata Black abalone, H. cracherodii Green abalone, H. fulgens Pinto abalone, H. kamtschatkana Red abalone, H. rufescens White abalone, H. sorensoni Flat abalone, H. walallensis Pacific oyster, Crassostrea gigas Pacific geoduck, Panope abrupta Pacific littleneck clam, Protothaca staminea Pacific razor clam, Siligua patula California jackknife clam, Tagelus californianus Manila clam, Tapes philippinarum Pismo clam, Tivela stultorum Fat gaper or horse clam, Tresus capax Pacific gaper or horse clam, I. nuttallii Weathervane scallop, Patinopecten caurinus THIS PAGE INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK V CONTENTS Page Introduction ................................................1 Procedures Followed in Development of Species Synopses ..............2 Standard Format Followed in Species Synopses ........................3 Species Synopses ............................................5 Pink abalone, Haliotis corrugata .............. 5 Black abalone, H. cracherodii ............... 13 Green abalone, H. fulgens ................. 19 Pinto abalone, H. kamtschatkana .............. 25 Red abalone, H. rufescens ................. 33 White abalone, H. sorensoni ................ 41 Flat abalone, H. walallensis ................ 47 Pacific oyster, Crassostrea gigas ............. 51 Pacific geoduck, Panope abrupta .............. 59 Pacific littleneck clam, Protothaca staminea ........ 67 Pacific razor clam, Siligua patula ............. 73 California jackknife clam, Tagelus californianus ...... 81 Manila clam, Tapes philippinarum .............. 87 Pismo clam, Tivela stultorum ................ 93 Fat gaper or horse clam, Tresus capax ........... 99 Pacific gaper or horse clam, T. nuttallii ........ 105 Weathervane scallop, Patinopecten caurinus ........ 111 Acknowledgements . .117 References . .119 Appendix A: Common and Scientific Names . .147 Appendix B: Gazetteer . .149 Appendix C: Glossary . .161 INTRODUCTION From 1984 to 1988, members of the National Marine Fisheries Service's (NMFS) Northwest and Alaska Fisheries Center (NWAFC) helped the National Ocean Service's Strategic Assessment Branch develop a data atlas for marine resources off the west coast of North America. Entitled West Coast of North America Coastal and Ocean Zones Strategic Assessment: Data Atlas, the Data Atlas is a graphic and written summary of important characteristics of marine resources in the region. It includes descriptions of how marine resources are utilized by humans and the impact of other human activities. A major component of the Data Atlas is the section on living marine resources, which includes life history summaries and associated maps portraying temporal and spatial distributions of the marine resources at various life stages. This living marine resource section of the Atlas is the principal component that NWAFC scientists developed. Over 100 species of marine mammals, birds, fishes, and invertebrates are addressed. Although the Data Atlas is a thorough condensation of the salient points for each species, its format restricts the quantity of information that can be presented. Details on geographic distribution, seasonal movements, life history, or human utilization simply could not be incorporated. Consequently, members from the NWAFC's Resource Assessment and Conservation Engineering Division, who compiled the information on fishes and invertebrates for the Data Atlas, decided to publish this Information in a less condensed form. This report represents the initial effort to do so. The following is a collection of species synopses for the shelled molluscs covered in the Data Atlas. This volume summarizes information on 17 species of abalones, clams, and other bivalves. A second volume will cover cephalopods, crabs, shrimps, and one species of lobster; the third will cover demersal fishes; and the fourth will cover anadromous and pelagic fishes. -\- 2 PROCEDURES FOLLOWED IN DEVELOPMENT OF SPECIES SYNOPSES The species in the Data Atlas were selected based on a combination of factors: economic importance, ecological significance, and richness of information. Representatives from a cross section of marine habitats from the intertidal zone down to continental slope depths and out into the open ocean have been selected. All synopses follow a standard format (Table 1). Among the topics addressed are regional and depth distribution, life history characteristics, human utilization (i.e., commercial, recreational, and subsistence harvests), and resource management. The life history information summarizes historical material from the scientific literature through 1986, although more recent sources are occasionally included. Original sources were preferred; synthesized material was used when other references were not available. Information on harvest was obtained from three sources: published literature, computer summaries from resource management agencies, and personal communications with resource managers. Harvest descriptions focus on a series of "baseline" years (1981-83) that were established during the initial drafting of the Data Atlas. Historic summaries are also included when appropriate and more recent catch statistics are provided when available. Catch values for U.S. landings are derived from fisheries statistics publications prepared by the NMFS National Fishery Statistics Program and from state or regional management agencies. Values for Canadian harvests are derived from Canada Department of Fisheries and Oceans annual catch statistics documents and have been adjusted to U.S. dollars unless otherwise indicated. Currency exchange rates for, the baseline years are: 1.2000 for 1981, 1.2344 for 1982, and 1.2325 for 1983. 3 Table 1. --Standard format followed in species synopses. Common Name, Scientific Name Other Common Names Classification Management Value Commercial Recreational Subsistence Ecological Range Worldwide Within Study Area Life Mode Habitat Type Substrate Physical/Chemical Migrations and Movements Population Characteristics Reproduction Mode Spawning Fertilization Reproductive Potential Egg Size Embryonic Development Larval Size Range Juvenile Size Range Age and Size of Adults Release of Young (where appropriate) Food and Feeding Trophic Mode Food Items Feeding Behavior Biological Interactions Predation Competition Symbiotic Relationships Social Interactions Community Associations and Interactions Factors Influencing Populations 4 Some procedures were adopted to condense the text and improve its flow without lessening its content. The references in the synopses are combined into a master list that is numbered sequentially. The number of the reference is cited in the text rather than the author and date. Personal communications are cited in the reference list to eliminate footnotes. Only common names for life forms are mentioned in the text unless they are unavailable. Common names used for fishes are those recognized by the American Fisheries Society, and common names for invertebrates are those used in extensive publications, such as Abbott et al. (1968), Smith and Carlton (1975), and Morris et al. (1980). A list of these common names and associated scientific nomenclature is presented in Appendix A. A gazetteer for all place names, geographic features, and marine areas is presented in Appendix B. It includes locations mentioned not only in this volume of species synopses, but in the three subsequent volumes as well. Appendix C is a glossary of scientific terms. 5 PINK ABALONE, Haliotis corrugata Wood, 1828 (2,119) (corrugated abalone, rough abalone, yellow abalone