CA Living Marine Resources Status Report

Californias Living Marine Resources:
A Status Report
CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF FISH AND GAME

December 2001

A Status Report
The Resources Agency

The California Department of Fish and Game
California Governor Gray Davis

Resources Secretary Mary D. Nichols
Department of Fish and Game Director Robert C. Hight
Marine Region Manager Patricia Wolf
Editors
William S. Leet
Christopher M. Dewees
Richard Klingbeil
Eric J. Larson

December 2001

A Status Report
Acknowledgements
Acknowledgements
The editors wish to acknowledge important contributions from many colleagues. In DFG,
Joann Eres and her staff compiled a huge amount of landings data for the tables and graphs,
while Nancy Wright and Chad King created the maps. Chamois Andersen and the Conservation
Education staff assisted with the editing. Carrie Wilson and Paul Gregory searched out and
supplied many of the photographs. Bernice Hammer and Susan Ashcraft aided in organizing
and producing tables and graphs. Kristen Sortais from the California Sea Grant Program
compiled the glossary and organized the photographs in the document. The ever-enthusiastic
Tom Jurach of the UC Davis Repro Graphics Department was the lead person for publication
design and layout.
This publication fullls the Marine Life Management Act of 1998 requirement for a status
of the sheries report. Primary funding for this project was provided by the State of
California to the Marine Region of the California Department of Fish and Game. Additional
support was supplied by the California Marine Life Management Project with funding from
the David and Lucile Packard Foundation and the National Sea Grant College Program of
the Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, under grant
number NA06RG0142, project AE/1 through the California Sea Grant College Program.
This publication contains a compilation of information from numerous individuals and
highly regarded sources. All efforts have been made to publish the best available data
and information.
This report is not copyrighted. If sections are reproduced elsewhere, the authors and
the California Department of Fish and Game would appreciate receiving appropriate
acknowledgment.
Library of Congress Control Number: 2001098707
ISBN 1-879906-57-0
University of California
Agriculture and Natural Resources
Publication SG01-11
For information about ordering copies of this publication, call (800) 994-8849 or visit
www.anrcatalog.ucdavis.edu.
To view or download via the Internet, visit www.dfg.ca.gov/mrd

A Status Report

December 2001
Dedication
Californias Living Marine Resources: A Status Report is dedicated to the

memory of Dr. Mia J. Tegner, a loved and respected colleague, who died
in a scuba diving accident in January 2001. As a researcher at the
University of Californias Scripps Institution of Oceanography, Dr. Tegner
was an expert in kelp forest ecology and was recognized as one of the
leading scientists in the world regarding Californias abalone and sea
urchin resources. She cared deeply about the marine environment and
became an effective spokesperson for science-based marine conservation. She rmly believed that a system of marine protected areas is
critical to restoration of sheries and the protection of biodiversity and
worked with others to ensure the enactment of both the Marine Life
Management Act of 1998 and the Marine Life Protection Act of 1999, and
the appropriation of funds for their implementation.
Dedication
Dr. Mia J. Tegner
Dr. Tegners presence as a scientist and concerned citizen will be

sadly missed.

December 2001

A Status Report

A Status Report

December 2001
Purpose and Overview

he Marine Life Management Act (MLMA), which became law on
Jan. 1, 1999, opened a new era in the management and conservation of living marine resources in California. The MLMAs overriding
goal is to ensure the conservation, sustainable use, and restoration
of Californias living marine resources, including the conservation of
healthy and diverse marine ecosystems and living marine resources.
To achieve this goal, the MLMA established an innovative program
for managing marine sheries. Good sheries managers periodically
take stock of the effectiveness of their programs. With this in
mind, the MLMA requires that the Department prepare an annual
report on the status of sport and commercial marine sheries
managed by the state. The MLMA requires that these reports do
three things: 1) identify any marine shery that does not meet the
MLMAs sustainability policies; 2) review restricted access programs;
and 3) evaluate the management system and make recommendations
for modications. This rst report presents the best available information for all marine and estuarine sheries managed by the state.
Under the MLMA, later annual reports will cover one-quarter of all
marine and estuarine sheries managed by the state.
The rst section of Californias Living Marine Resources: A Status

Report is meant to provide lay people and specialists alike with
the best available information on the oceanic, environmental, regulatory, and socioeconomic factors that affect the management affecting
Californias living marine resources. This discussion is divided into
ve chapters: Californias Variable Ocean Environment, The Status of
Habitats and Water Quality in Californias Coastal and Marine Environment, The Human Ecosystem Dimension, The Status of Marine Fisheries Law Enforcement and A Review of Restricted Access Programs.
The second section of the report includes chapters on the three major
ecosystems off California: nearshore, offshore, and bays and estuaries.
Each of these chapters includes a description of the ecosystem, the
major issues facing sheries managers, and the management framework. These chapters also include evaluations of individual sheries
and species of marine wildlife, including a historical description of
each shery, the status of biological knowledge, and the status of
the population. Management considerations submitted by authors for
approximately half the individual sheries are found in Appendix A.
The report concludes with chapters on Aquaculture, Invasive Species,
and Marine Birds and Mammals.

December 2001

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A Status Report

December 2001

December 2001

A Status Report

A Status Report

December 2001
Table of Contents
2
Dedication
Table of Contents
Introduction and Historical Overview
19
Californias Variable Ocean Environment
21
Climatic Processes, El Nio Events and Regime Shifts.......... 22

El Nio/La Nia Processes .................................................. 22
Decadal/Regime Scale Processes ........................................ 23
Implications for Nearshore Ecosystems................................ 24
Implications for the Offshore Ecosystem .............................. 26
El Nio - La Nia Fluctuations .............................................. 27
Regime Scale Climatic Variations ......................................... 27
Conclusions........................................................................... 28
References ............................................................................ 28
The Status of Habitats and Water Quality in

Californias Coastal and Marine Environment
29
Importance of Healthy Waters and Habitats to Marine Life
29
Health of Coastal and Marine Water Quality and Habitats ... 29

Monitoring and Assessment Information ................... 29
Data Limitations/Gaps................................................ 30
Sources of Impairment of Water Quality and Habitats.......... 31
Point Source Discharges............................................. 31
Nonpoint Source Discharges ...................................... 31
Spills ..................................................................................... 32
Oil Spills ..................................................................... 32
Other Spills................................................................. 32
Dredging and Disposal of Dredged Material ........................ 33
Invasive Species .................................................................... 34
Habitat Loss, Destruction and Alteration .............................. 34
Water Flow............................................................................. 35
Freshwater Discharges ............................................... 35
Hydromodification...................................................... 36
Recreational and Commercial Activities ............................... 36
Boating ....................................................................... 36
Jet Skis (Motorized Personal Watercraft) .................. 36
Fishing ........................................................................ 37
Ecosystem-wide Implications................................................ 37
Regulatory Structure for Addressing
Water Quality and Habitat Issues ......................................... 38
Federal
Clean Water Act........................................................... 38
Permit Program ....................................................... 38
Nonpoint Pollution Program....................................... 38
Regulation of Discharges into Impaired Waters......... 38
Discharges under Federal Licenses or Permits .......... 38
Dredge Disposal and Fill ............................................ 38
Antidegradation.......................................................... 39
Ocean Dumping Act.................................................... 39
The National Environmental Policy Act ...................... 39

December 2001
Endangered Species Act.............................................. 39

Marine Mammal Protection Act ................................. 40
National Marine Sanctuaries Act ................................ 40
The Coastal Zone Management Act............................. 40
Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and
Management Act ......................................................... 41
Oil Pollution Act of 1990............................................. 41
State
California Environmental Quality Act......................... 41
Porter-Cologne Water Quality Control Act .................. 41
California Endangered Species Act............................. 42
McAteer-Petris Act ...................................................... 42
California Coastal Act ................................................. 42
Oil Spill Prevention and Response Act of 1990........... 42
Regional ..................................................................... 42
CALFED....................................................................... 42
Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary Water Quality
Protection Program.................................................... 43
Local
Implementation of CEQA and NEPA ............................ 43
Coordinated Resource Management Planning ........... 43
Marine Protected Areas.............................................. 43
Regulatory Gaps ......................................................... 44
Human Ecosystem Dimension
Table of Contents
Acknowledgements
47
Human Benefits of the Marine Ecosystem............................. 47

Factors Affecting Commercial and
Recreational Fishery Activity................................................. 47
Commercial Fisheries Landings and Ex-vessel Value ............ 48
Harvesting Sector.................................................................. 49
The Processing Sector........................................................... 51
The Trade Sector................................................................... 51
Sport and Subsistence Fisheries............................................ 52
Effort and Harvest ................................................................. 53
Recreational Fishery Expenditures ....................................... 53
Additional Information on the Salmon and
CPFV Sport Fisheries ............................................................. 53
References............................................................................. 55
Marine Law Enforcement
67
Introduction.......................................................................... 67
Resources.............................................................................. 67
Personnel.................................................................... 67
Patrol Boats ................................................................ 67
Teams ......................................................................... 68
Partnerships ............................................................... 68
Fisheries-Specific Enforcement Efforts ................................. 68
Groundfish.................................................................. 68
Nearshore Fish............................................................ 68
Salmon........................................................................ 69
Halibut........................................................................ 69
Striped Bass................................................................ 69
Pacific Herring ........................................................... 69

A Status Report
Table of Contents
Coastal Pelagic Species ......................................................... 70

Sardine/Anchovy/Mackerel........................................ 70
Squid .......................................................................... 70
Abalone....................................................................... 70
Sea Urchin .................................................................. 70
Shrimp/Prawns .......................................................... 70
Lobster........................................................................ 71
Crab ............................................................................ 71
Other Invertebrates .................................................... 71
Marine Aquaria ..................................................................... 71
Aquaculture .......................................................................... 71
Commercial Fish Businesses................................................. 72
A Review of Restricted Access Fisheries
73
Background ........................................................................ 73
History ................................................................................ 73
Californias Restricted Access Programs .............................. 73
Californias Commercial Fisheries
Restricted Access Policy........................................................ 74
Federal Restricted Access Programs..................................... 76
Future Actions ....................................................................... 76
References ........................................................................... 76
Californias Nearshore Ecosystem

The Nearshore Ecosystem Invertebrate
Resources: Overview
79
87
Abalone ........................................................................................ 89
History of the Fishery ............................................................ 89
Status of Biological Knowledge ............................................. 89
Red abalone................................................................ 90
Pink abalone............................................................... 92
Green abalone ............................................................ 92
Black abalone............................................................. 93
White abalone............................................................. 94
Status of the Populations....................................................... 95
References............................................................................. 96
California Spiny Lobster............................................................... 98
History of the Fishery ............................................................ 98
Status of Biological Knowledge ............................................. 99
Status of the Population ...................................................... 100
References........................................................................... 100
Red Sea Urchin........................................................................... 101
History of the Fishery .......................................................... 101
Southern California Fishery ................................................ 101
Northern California Fishery ................................................ 101
Status of Biological Knowledge ........................................... 102
References........................................................................... 104
10

A Status Report
Purple Sea Urchin ...................................................................... 105

References........................................................................... 106
Dungeness Crab ......................................................................... 107
References............................................................................111
Rock Crabs................................................................................. 112
Status of the Populations..................................................... 113
References............................................................................114
Sheep Crab ..................................................................................115
History of the Fishery ...........................................................115
Status of the Population .......................................................117
References............................................................................117
Ocean Shrimp ............................................................................ 118
Status of Biological Knowledge ............................................119
References........................................................................... 120
Spot Prawn ................................................................................. 121
References........................................................................... 123
Ridgeback Prawn ....................................................................... 124
References........................................................................... 125
Red Rock Shrimp ....................................................................... 127
References........................................................................... 128
Coonstripe Shrimp ..................................................................... 129
References........................................................................... 130

December 2001
Nearshore Ecosystem Fish Resources: Overview
149
California Sheephead..................................................................155
References........................................................................... 156
Cabezon...................................................................................... 157
Status of Biological Knowledge .......................................... 157
References........................................................................... 158
California Scorpionfish .............................................................. 160
References............................................................................161
Black Rockfish ........................................................................... 162
References........................................................................... 164

December 2001
Blue Rockfish ............................................................................. 165

References............................................................................167
Olive Rockfish ............................................................................ 168
References........................................................................... 169
Brown Rockfish.......................................................................... 170
References........................................................................... 172
Copper Rockfish......................................................................... 173
References............................................................................174
Canary Rockfish ..........................................................................175
Quillback Rockfish .................................................................... 177
References........................................................................... 178
Calico Rockfish .......................................................................... 179
References........................................................................... 180
Monkeyface Prickleback............................................................ 181
References........................................................................... 182
Kelp Greenling ........................................................................... 183
References........................................................................... 184
Other Nearshore Rockfishes ...................................................... 185
\
References........................................................................... 188
Vermilion Rockfish .................................................................... 189
References........................................................................... 190

A Status Report
Table of Contents
Sea Cucumbers........................................................................... 131

References........................................................................... 134
Pismo Clam ................................................................................ 135
Status of the Biological Knowledge ..................................... 135
References........................................................................... 137
Sand Crab................................................................................... 138
References........................................................................... 139
Wavy Turban Snail ..................................................................... 140
References........................................................................... 141
Rock Scallop .............................................................................. 142
References........................................................................... 143
Commercial Landings - Nearshore Invertebrates ...................... 144
11
Table of Contents
12
Lingcod ...................................................................................... 191

References........................................................................... 194
California Halibut ...................................................................... 195
Status of the Population ..................................................... 196
References........................................................................... 198
Starry Flounder .......................................................................... 199
References........................................................................... 200
Sanddabs.................................................................................... 201
History of the Fishery ......................................................... 201
References........................................................................... 202
Other Flatfishes .......................................................................... 203
History of The Fishery ......................................................... 203
References........................................................................... 205
White Seabass ............................................................................ 206
References........................................................................... 208
Giant Sea Bass ............................................................................ 209
References........................................................................... 211
Yellowtail .................................................................................. 212
Status of Population ............................................................ 213
References........................................................................... 214
Pacific Bonito..............................................................................215
References........................................................................... 218
California Barracuda ................................................................. 219
References........................................................................... 221

A Status Report
Kelp Bass.................................................................................... 222

References .......................................................................... 223
Barred Sand Bass....................................................................... 224
References........................................................................... 225
Spotted Sand Bass ...................................................................... 226
References........................................................................... 227
California Corbina ..................................................................... 228
References........................................................................... 229
Spotfin Croaker .......................................................................... 230
References........................................................................... 231
Yellowfin Croaker....................................................................... 232
References........................................................................... 233
White Croaker ............................................................................ 234
Surfperches................................................................................ 236
General ............................................................................... 236
Barred Surfperch................................................................ 236
History of the Fishery................................................ 236
Status of Biological Knowledge................................. 237
Status of the Population............................................ 237
Calico Surfperch ................................................................. 237
Pile Perch............................................................................ 237

December 2001

December 2001
Skates and Rays.......................................................................... 257

The Skates and Softnose Skates Families Rajidae and Arhynchobatidae............................... 258
The Guitarfishes and Thornbacks Families Rhinobatidae and Platyrhinidae........................... 259
The Electric Rays - Family Torpedinidae ............................ 259
The Myliobatidiform Rays (Stingrays) - Families Urolophidae,
Myliobatidae, Dasyatidae, Gymnuridae, and Mobulidae .... 259
References .......................................................................... 261
Commercial Landings - Nearshore Finfish................................. 263
Recreational Catch - Nearshore Finfish...................................... 269
Nearshore Marine Plant Resources: Overview
Table of Contents
Redtail Surfperch................................................................ 238

Rubberlip Surfperch ........................................................... 239
Striped Seaperch................................................................. 239
Status of Population.................................................. 239
Walleye Surfperch............................................................... 239
Surfperch: Discussion......................................................... 240
References........................................................................... 240
Opaleye and Halfmoon............................................................... 241
References........................................................................... 242
Silversides .................................................................................. 243
References........................................................................... 245
Grunion...................................................................................... 246
References........................................................................... 247
Pacific Angel Shark .................................................................... 248
References........................................................................... 251
Leopard Shark............................................................................ 252
References........................................................................... 254
Soupfin Shark............................................................................. 255
References........................................................................... 256
273
Giant Kelp................................................................................... 277

History of the Use and Harvest ........................................... 277
Status of the Beds................................................................ 279
Kelp Restoration.................................................................. 280
References........................................................................... 281
Bull Kelp..................................................................................... 282
History of the Use and Harvest............................................ 282
Status of the Beds ............................................................... 283
References: ........................................................................ 284
Sea Palm .................................................................................... 285
References........................................................................... 285
Agarophytes and Carrageenophytes........................................... 286
History of Use and Harvest.................................................. 286
References .......................................................................... 287
Commercial Landings - Nearshore Plants.................................. 288
Californias Offshore Ecosystem

Coastal Pelagic Species: Overview
291
293
California Market Squid............................................................. 295

References........................................................................... 298
Pacific Sardine ........................................................................... 299
References........................................................................... 302

A Status Report
13
Table of Contents
Northern Anchovy ...................................................................... 303

References........................................................................... 305
Pacific Mackerel......................................................................... 306
References........................................................................... 308
Jack Mackerel ............................................................................ 309
References............................................................................311
Commercial Catch - Coastal Pelagics ......................................... 312
Recreational Catch - Coastal Pelagics .........................................314
Highly Migratory Species: Overview
315
Albacore......................................................................................317
References........................................................................... 321
Swordfish ................................................................................... 322
References ......................................................................... 324
Pacific Northern Bluefin Tuna.................................................... 325
References........................................................................... 327
Skipjack Tuna ............................................................................ 328
References........................................................................... 330
Yellowfin Tuna ........................................................................... 331
References........................................................................... 333
Striped Marlin............................................................................ 334
References........................................................................... 335
14

A Status Report
Shortfin Mako Shark .................................................................. 336

References........................................................................... 338
Thresher Shark .......................................................................... 339
References........................................................................... 341
Blue Shark.................................................................................. 342
References........................................................................... 344
Other Mackerel Sharks .............................................................. 345
References........................................................................... 347
Opah .......................................................................................... 348
References........................................................................... 349
Louvar ........................................................................................ 350
References........................................................................... 351
Dolphin ...................................................................................... 352
References........................................................................... 353
Commercial Landings - Highly Migratory Finfish and Sharks.... 354
Recreational Catch - Highly Migratory Finfish ........................... 357
Groundfish: Overview
359
Bocaccio .................................................................................... 361

References........................................................................... 362
Cowcod....................................................................................... 363
References........................................................................... 365

December 2001

December 2001
Sablefish..................................................................................... 390
References........................................................................... 392
Pacific Hake ............................................................................... 393
References........................................................................... 397
Commercial Landings - Groundfish and Flatfish........................ 398
Salmonids: Overview
Table of Contents
Chilipepper ................................................................................ 366

References........................................................................... 367
Blackgill Rockfish...................................................................... 368
References........................................................................... 369
Widow Rockfish ......................................................................... 370
References........................................................................... 371
Yellowtail Rockfish .................................................................... 372
References........................................................................... 373
Thornyheads .............................................................................. 374
References........................................................................... 377
Bank Rockfish............................................................................ 378
References........................................................................... 379
Shortbelly Rockfish .................................................................... 380
References........................................................................... 381
Dover Sole .................................................................................. 382
History of the Fishery ........................................................ 382
References........................................................................... 383
English Sole................................................................................ 384
References........................................................................... 385
Petrale Sole ................................................................................ 386
References........................................................................... 387
Rex Sole...................................................................................... 388
References........................................................................... 389
405
Pacific Salmon ........................................................................... 407

Salmon Management History .............................................. 409
Chinook salmon ....................................................... 411
Coho salmon............................................................. 412
Status of Spawning Populations .......................................... 413
Salmon: Discussion............................................................. 415
Challenges to Inland Salmon Management......................... 415
Challenges to Ocean Management ...................................... 416
References........................................................................... 417
Steelhead Rainbow Trout ........................................................... 418
Status of the Populations .................................................... 420
References........................................................................... 425
Coastal Cutthroat Trout.............................................................. 426
History of Fishery ................................................................ 426
References........................................................................... 427
Commercial Landings - Salmonids ............................................ 428
Recreational Catch - Salmonids ................................................. 429
Bay and Estuary Ecosystems
435
Bay and Estuarine Invertebrate Resources: Overview
437
Bay Shrimp................................................................................. 439

Status of Biological Knowledge ...........................................440
Pacific Razor Clam ..................................................................... 443
Status of the Population ......................................................444
References...........................................................................444

A Status Report
15
Table of Contents
Gaper Clams............................................................................... 445

References...........................................................................446
Washington Clams...................................................................... 447
References...........................................................................448
Geoduck ..................................................................................... 449
References........................................................................... 450
Littleneck Clams......................................................................... 451
References........................................................................... 452
Commercial Landings - Bay and Estuaries Invertebrates........... 453
Bay and Estuarine Finfish Resources: Overview
455
Pacific Herring........................................................................... 456

References........................................................................... 459
Striped Bass ............................................................................... 460
Young Striped Bass Abundance. .............................. 461
Adult Striped Bass Abundance. ................................ 462
Fishery Restoration. ................................................. 462
References........................................................................... 463
Green Sturgeon .......................................................................... 465
References........................................................................... 466
White Sturgeon........................................................................... 467
References........................................................................... 469
Cow Sharks................................................................................. 470
References........................................................................... 471
16

A Status Report
True Smelts ................................................................................ 472

General ............................................................................... 472
Delta Smelt .......................................................................... 472
Surf Smelt............................................................................ 474
Wakasagi............................................................................. 474
Night Smelt .......................................................................... 476
Longfin Smelt ...................................................................... 476
Eulachon ............................................................................. 477
Whitebait Smelt ................................................................... 478
Discussion........................................................................... 478
References........................................................................... 479
Bay and Estuarine Finfish........................................................... 480
Commercial Landings ......................................................... 480
Recreational Catch .............................................................. 480
Bay and Estuarine Plants: Overview
481
Coastal Wetlands - Emergent Marshes
483
General Description............................................................ 483

Status of the Habitat ............................................................484
References........................................................................... 486
Submerged Aquatic Plants.......................................................... 487
Eelgrass............................................................................... 487
Introduction ............................................................. 487
Status of Biological Knowledge.................................488
Status of the Beds .....................................................488
Humboldt Bay ...........................................................488
Small North Coast Estuaries ..................................... 489
Tomales Bay.............................................................. 489
San Francisco Bay..................................................... 489
Southern California .................................................. 489
References ................................................................ 490

December 2001
Aquaculture: Overview
493
Culture of Abalone ..................................................................... 494

History ................................................................................ 494
References........................................................................... 495
Culture of Mussels...................................................................... 496
History ............................................................................... 496
References........................................................................... 499
Culture of Oysters ...................................................................... 500
History ................................................................................ 500
Shellfish and the Environment ............................................ 505
Future Trends...................................................................... 505
References........................................................................... 506
Culture of Salmon ...................................................................... 507
History ................................................................................ 507
Status................................................................................... 508
References........................................................................... 509
Culture of Marine Finfish ........................................................... 510
History of Finfish Culture.................................................... 510
History of the Ocean Resources Enhancement and Hatchery
Program (OREHP).............................................................. 510
Culture, Facilities and Systems............................................ 510
Aquaculture Potential ..........................................................511
Conclusions .........................................................................511
References........................................................................... 512
Invasive Species ......................................................................... 513
History ................................................................................ 513
Examples of Significant Invasive Species ............................ 513
The European Green Crab (Carcinus maenas)....... 513
The Chinese Mitten Crab (Eriocheir sinensis) .........514
An Asian Clam (Potamocorbula amurensis) ...........515
A South African Sabellid Worm
(Terebrasabella heterouncinata).............................515
A Tropical Seaweed (Caulerpa taxifolia) .................515
Other Invasives ......................................................... 516
Existing Regulatory Regime and Regulatory Gaps .............. 516
National Invasive Species Act of 1996....................... 516
Clean Water Act......................................................... 516
National Environmental Policy Act ............................517
Endangered Species Act.............................................517
Presidential Executive Order 13112 ..........................517
California Environmental Quality Act........................517
California Porter-Cologne
Water Quality Control Act ......................................... 518
California Fish and Game Code ................................ 518
Public Resources Code ............................................. 518
Local Application of State and Federal Laws............. 518
Conclusions..........................................................................519

December 2001
Marine Birds and Mammals: Overview
521
Pinnipeds ................................................................................... 523

History ................................................................................ 523
California Sea Lion ................................................... 523
Steller Sea Lion ......................................................... 524
Pacific Harbor Seal................................................... 524
Northern Fur Seal..................................................... 525
Guadalupe Fur Seal .................................................. 525
Northern Elephant Seal ............................................ 525
California Sea Lion ................................................... 526
Pacific Harbor Seal................................................... 526
Northern Fur Seal..................................................... 526
Guadalupe Fur Seal .................................................. 526
Northern Elephant Seal ............................................ 526
References .......................................................................... 527
Whales, Dolphins, Porpoises ..................................................... 529
History ................................................................................ 529
Current Management .......................................................... 529
Status of Biological Knowledge and Populations................. 530
Humpback Whale .................................................... 530
Blue Whale .............................................................. 530
Fin Whale ................................................................. 531
Minke Whale ........................................................... 531
Gray Whale .............................................................. 531
Sperm Whale ........................................................... 532
Killer Whale ............................................................. 532
Shortfinned Pilot Whale ........................................... 533
Common Dolphin ..................................................... 533
Bottlenose Dolphin................................................... 533
Risso s Dolphin ........................................................ 533
Northern Right-Whale Dolphin................................. 534
Pacific white-sided dolphin ...................................... 534
Harbor Porpoise....................................................... 534
Dall s Porpoise ......................................................... 534
References........................................................................... 535
Sea Otter .................................................................................... 536
History ............................................................................... 536
Current Management ........................................................ 539
References........................................................................... 540
Marine Bird Resources .............................................................. 541
History and Utilization ....................................................... 543
Seabird Ecology .................................................................. 545
Management and Conservation........................................... 546
Seabird and Fisheries Interactions ..................................... 547
References........................................................................... 548
General Seabird References ..................................... 548
Surveys and Status Reports ...................................... 548
Seabird Ecology ....................................................... 549
Conservation and Management ............................... 549
Pollution and Other Perturbations .......................... 550
Seabirds and Fisheries ............................................. 550

A Status Report
Table of Contents
Gracilaria and Gracilariopsis............................................ 491

History of Harvest..................................................... 491
References ................................................................ 491
17
Table of Contents
18
Appendix A: Management Considerations
553
Abalone .............................................................................. 553

Albacore.............................................................................. 553
Angel Shark......................................................................... 553
Barred Sand Bass................................................................ 554
Bay Shrimp.......................................................................... 554
Bocaccio ............................................................................. 554
Bull Kelp.............................................................................. 554
Cabezon............................................................................... 554
Calico Rockfish ................................................................... 555
California Barracuda .......................................................... 555
California Corbina .............................................................. 555
California Halibut ............................................................... 555
California Sheephead.......................................................... 555
Coonstripe Shrimp .............................................................. 555
Coastal Cutthroat Trout....................................................... 555
Dolphin ............................................................................... 555
Eel Grass ............................................................................. 556
Flatfish ................................................................................ 556
Gaper Clam ......................................................................... 556
Geoduck Clam..................................................................... 556
Giant Kelp............................................................................ 556
Giant Sea Bass ..................................................................... 557
Gracilaria............................................................................ 557
Grunion............................................................................... 557
Jack Mackerel ..................................................................... 557
Kelp Bass............................................................................. 557
Louvar ................................................................................. 558
Monkeyface Prickleback..................................................... 558
Mussels ............................................................................... 558
Opah ................................................................................... 558
Other Nearshore Rockfish................................................... 558
Pacific Bonito...................................................................... 558
Pacific Hake ........................................................................ 558
Pacific Herring.................................................................... 559
Pacific Razor Clam .............................................................. 559
Pismo Clam ......................................................................... 560
Purple Sea Urchin ............................................................... 560
Red Rock Shrimp ................................................................ 560
Red Sea Urchin.................................................................... 560
Ridgeback Prawn ................................................................ 561
Rock Crabs.......................................................................... 561
Rock Scallop ....................................................................... 561
Salmon ................................................................................ 561
Sand Crab............................................................................ 562
Scorpionfish........................................................................ 562
Sea Cucumber ..................................................................... 562
Sheep Crab .......................................................................... 562
Shortfin Mako ..................................................................... 563
Silversides ........................................................................... 563
Skates and Rays................................................................... 563
Skipjack Tuna ..................................................................... 563
Spiny Lobster....................................................................... 563
Spot Prawn .......................................................................... 564
Spotfin Croaker ................................................................... 564
Spotted Sand Bass ............................................................... 564

A Status Report
Steelhead............................................................................. 564
Striped Marlin..................................................................... 564
Swordfish ............................................................................ 564
Smelts.................................................................................. 565
Delta Smelt................................................................ 565
Eulachon................................................................... 565
Longfin Smelt............................................................ 565
Night Smelt................................................................ 565
Surf Smelt ................................................................. 565
Wakasagi .................................................................. 565
Whitebait Smelt......................................................... 565
Washington Clam ................................................................ 565
Wavy Turban Snails............................................................. 565
White Croaker ..................................................................... 566
Yellowfin Tuna .................................................................... 566
Yellowfin croaker................................................................ 566
Yellowtail ............................................................................ 566
Appendix B
567
Glossary ..................................................................................... 567

References........................................................................... 575
Appendix C: Californias Commercial Fishing Gear
577
Appendix D: Reviewers
583
Index
585

December 2001
alifornias Living Marine Resources: A Status Report is

the fourth edition in a series of reports that address
the status of Californias marine and anadromous sheries
and other marine life. Since the California Department
of Fish and Game published California Ocean Fisheries
Resources to the Year 1960 (1961) and Californias Living
Marine Resources and Their Utilization (1971), and the
California Sea Grant Program updated and expanded Californias Living Marine Resources and Their Utilization in
1992, the states marine resources and their management
have continued to undergo constant change. For example,
by the early 1990s the sardine shery, which was the
worlds largest during the rst half of the 20th century
and practically has been non-existent since the 1960s,
reappeared under precautionary management. In 1998,
the sardine resource was declared fully recovered. Tropical tunas were an extremely valuable segment of California sh landings until the tuna canning industry moved
overseas during the mid-1980s. Changes in Californias
commercial sheries between 1970 and 1990 included the
development of specialized and valuable sheries for sea
urchins, hake, Pacic herring and widow rocksh.
Change has continued in many sheries since the 1992 edition of this report. For example, increased international
demand for squid resulted in a 500 percent increase in
landings to over 300 million pounds annually during non-El
Nio years. This expansion attracted many new participants from salmon purse seine sheries in the Pacic
Northwest. A squid management plan including restricted
access is currently being developed. In 1994, gillnets were
prohibited in most of the nearshore areas of the coast
and islands of southern and central California. This happened as a result of a voter approved California constitutional amendment (Prop. 132). During the 1990s, a major
shery developed for nearshore species including rockshes, cabezon, and sheephead that were often marketed
live for signicantly higher prices. Concerns about sustainability of this new intense shery provided much of the
impetus for the Marine Life Management Act (MLMA) of
1998 and a moratorium on permits in the nearshore shery. The southern California commercial lobster shery
continued to demonstrate higher catches during the 1990s
resulting in record landings in 1997. California barracuda
increased as a component of the recreational sheries to
the levels of the 1950s, and the white seabass population
is showing signs of a recovery at the end of the century.
The California halibut commercial shery continued to
sustain landings comparable to the 1980s, despite the
gillnet closure.
Severe declines in abalone abundance resulted in total
closure of recreational and commercial abalone shing

December 2001
south of San Francisco, and there are serious concerns

about the potential for extinction of the white abalone.
Some major groundsh stocks, especially long-lived rockshes, continued to decline. Quota reductions, seasonal
and area closures, bag limit reductions and long-term
stock rebuilding plans are causing major disruption in the
commercial and recreational industries and communities
dependent on groundsh.
Since the last edition was published, ve California salmon
populations have been listed under the federal Endangered Species Act (ESA): Sacramento River winter chinook,
Central Valley spring chinook, California coastal chinook,
California coastal coho (south of the San Francisco Bay),
and steelhead (south of the Klamath-Trinity River system).
The principal problem faced by these runs is the habitat
degradation that has accrued from water uses that compete with the requirements of salmon. Primary among
these is diversion of water for irrigation and domestic use.
In addition, alterations of rivers and watersheds to enable
navigation, provide power, control ooding, and otherwise
accommodate the needs of humans have taken their toll.
While Californias population continued to grow and diversify during the 1990s, participation in marine recreational
shing measured by license sales continued to be relatively stable. The number of active commercial passenger
shing vessels (partyboats) declined from 308 in 1989 to
300 in 1998. Other forms of marine recreation linked to
the health of marine living resources such as ecotourism
have grown signicantly and have become an important
segment of Californias coastal dependent economy.
Introduction and
Historical Overview
The publics interest and involvement in the management

and conservation of marine living resources have
increased substantially since the 1992 edition of Californias Marine Living Resources and Their Utilization. Major
federal and state legislation is altering the way marine
resources are managed. The 1996 reauthorization of the
Magnuson-Stevens Act specied a precautionary approach
in federally managed sheries. This resulted in establishing much lower catch limits and designing long term stock
rebuilding plans for many Pacic Coast groundsh species,
especially the rockshes. The MLMA also required the
identication and protection of essential sh habitat.
This report was written during a period of extraordinary
change in our state. The MLMA of 1998 signicantly altered
the way the state manages marine life. The MLMA provides the mechanisms whereby the management responsibility for commercial sheries can be moved from the
California State Legislature to the Fish and Game Commission. The MLMA mandates the development of shery
management plans incorporating peer-reviewed science,
increased constituent involvement in marine life management, implementation of an ecosystem based research
and management approach, and regular analyses of the
status of Californias sheries such as those found in
this publication. While the initial management plans man-

A Status Report
19
dated are for white seabass, nearshore sheries, and

emerging sheries, it is anticipated that similar management plans will be developed for many other California
marine sheries.
Use of marine reserves and marine protected areas to
preserve marine wilderness and manage sheries is intensifying at both the state and national level. Californias
Marine Life Protection Act of 1999 requires development
of a master plan for a network of marine reserves. On the
federal level, intense discussions by panels of scientists
and constituents have occurred regarding plans for marine
reserves in large areas of the Santa Barbara Channel
Islands. Although no consensus was reached by mid-2001,
debate regarding MPAs was continuing at both the state
and federal levels.
During the 1990s, overcapitalization was widely recognized as a major problem in some sheries. The difcult
task of designing restricted access programs to improve
the balance between eet shing power and sustainable
harvest levels has become a major component of shery
management plans seeking to sustain sheries economically as well as biologically.
Earlier editions of this publication proved to be among
the most valuable general reference works available on
Californias economically important marine species. The
reports have been widely used by sheries researchers
and managers, policymakers, interested citizens, journalists, the shing industry, enforcement ofcers, educators,
and others. Publication of this edition is mandated by
the MLMA of 1998. A primary purpose of the book is to
provide a baseline of information for all concerned with
managing living marine resources in California.
The editors of this edition have retained much of the style
and format of earlier editions. Many of the conventions of
scientic writing are foregone because it was felt that this
style better serves the broad interests of readers. Each
species article presented in this report contains a short
list of general references for further reading. Detailed sh
and shellsh landings statistics, which begin in 1916, have
been updated through 1999.
Readers of earlier editions will notice some signicant
changes and new features. The publication is organized
by marine ecosystems (bays and estuaries, nearshore, and
offshore) rather than species-by-species. For species that
occur in more than one ecosystem, the discussion appears
in the ecosystem section where they spend most of their
life and/or their principal harvest location. Descriptions of
the three marine ecosystems used for this report are also
included. Added or expanded chapters include a detailed
description of the human dimensions of marine life management, Californias ocean environment, marine law
enforcement, water quality and pollution, and restricted
20

A Status Report
access in sheries. We have also taken advantage of new

technologies to increase the use and effectiveness of
maps, graphs and tables. For ease of use, historical landings statistics have been moved to the end of each appropriate chapter rather than being placed in large appendices. A new glossary of technical terms and acronyms as
well as a shing gear appendix have been addded.
Compiling a publication like this is a collaborative effort.
The editors were fortunate to be able to recruit top
experts from the California Department of Fish and Game,
other state and federal agencies, universities, and private
industry in the preparation of this report. Each section
has been peer reviewed for accuracy. The authors name
and afliation appear at the end of the section they
wrote. When signicant portions of the text from the
1992 edition were left intact, the original author is credited. We want to thank the more that 200 authors and
reviewers who volunteered their time and expertise. We
also greatly appreciate the contributions of many photographers who allowed us to use their images to greatly
enhance this publication.
All editors participated in the development of the overall
design and layout of the report. Bill Leet served as
the lead editor as he did for the 1992 edition. Rick
Klingbeil served as project manager for the Department of
Fish and Game. Christopher Dewees led the University of
Californias participation. Eric Larson coordinated the
creation of the numerous statistical tables, graphics and
maps found in the report. Principal publication production
assistance was provided through a contract with the
University of California, Davis. Tom Jurach from Repro
Graphics Services and Marianne Post from Creative
Communications Services organized the layout, design,
and publication of the document.
Christopher M. Dewees, Marine Fisheries Specialist, Sea
Grant Extension Program, Wildlife, Fish and Conservation
Department, University of California, Davis
Richard Klingbeil, Program Manager, California Department of Fish and Game, Los Alamitos
Eric J. Larson, Senior Marine Biologist, California Department of Fish and Game, Belmont
William S. Leet, Senior Editor, Davis

December 2001
temperatures) and indices of biological productivity (i.e.,

zooplankton densities). These longer term events have
been shown to greatly alter populations of the dominant
pelagic shes of the California Current and it is probable
that they affect the populations of even long-lived benthic
shes and marine mammals.
Small organisms, and the young of most large ones, are

impacted by the full temporal range of physical processes.
Shorter time scale and local physical processes including
intense wind storms, extended periods of calms, infusions
of freshwater runoff, and shorter term variations in
currents heavily impact the growth, survival, and distribution of most of these organisms. Short-term variations in primary production (e.g., diatom blooms) coincide
with upwelling, but the scale of phytoplankton production
relates to the history of water masses and weather
conditions. Seasonal scale uctuations are so important
to many organisms that their life-cycle is often largely
adapted to the seasonal cycle and their abundance is
often heavily inuenced by variations from the seasonal
norm. Longer term events, El Nios and regime shifts,
appear to be primarily dependent upon physical processes
that are centered elsewhere in the Pacic and their
effects include alterations in the physical, nutrient, and
biological content of the waters entering the California
Current system. These events also result in alterations in
local physical processes such as currents and upwelling
that control local inputs of nutrients. El Nio events and
regime shifts have extensive effects on kelp forests and
zooplankton populations.
A species physiology determines its preferred temperature

range and its lethal temperature tolerances. The surface
and bottom temperatures on the continental shelf off
California make the northern portion of the state good
habitat for sub-arctic and cold-temperate species (salmon,
market crab, and petrale sole) and the southern portion
good habitat for warm temperate and sub-tropical species
(kelp bass, spiny lobster and California halibut). Many
of the most abundant species of the California Current
are transition-zone species that have the center of their
distribution in California (Pacic sardine, Pacic hake,
and northern anchovy). Temperature, like other physical
oceanic factors, is highly variable on seasonal, annual,
and longer time scales and it is the most easily studied.
In addition, temperature is highly dependent upon largescale ocean currents and local upwelling; it is therefore
a rough index of the productivity of the lower trophic
levels and an indicator of climatic processes that favor
the colder or the warmer water faunas that occur in
California. Temperature is thus the most commonly correlated climatic variable used to determine associations
with biological processes. However, nearly any environmental factor that is associated with variations in the
major currents will also be correlated with biological processes and temperature, and we do not know if alterations in currents or the resultant changes in temperature
have the largest effect on biological processes in the
California Current.
he habitat of Californias living marine resources is

primarily the California Current system. This huge,
open system is constantly changing in response to weather
systems, seasonal heating and cooling processes, interannual episodes such as El Nio - La Nia events, and
longer term or regime scale climatic changes.
The adults of larger shes and other marine vertebrates

are somewhat buffered from the effects of weather
and other short-term physical uctuations, and extremely
long-lived organisms, such as many of the deep benthic
shes, may have populations that are nearly independent
of normal short-term environmental uctuations. Many
of Californias marine shes have life history adaptations
such as extended spawning seasons, multiple spawnings,
migrations, and extreme longevity that reduce the harmful effects of short-term adverse environmental uctuations and even limit the effects of El Nio events at the
population level. In contrast, organisms with shorter life
spans, such as the market squid, that may be only slightly
affected by environmental uctuations at the shorter
time scales appear to have extreme population declines
during El Nio events. Decadal or regime scale climatic
uctuations that alter the basic productivity of the California Current system are common, repetitive events
readily observed in paleo-sediment analyses that extend
back several thousand years. They are also clearly evident
in time series analyses of physical factors (i.e., ocean

December 2001
Californias Variable
Ocean Environment
Average Monthly Sea

Surface Temperatures
Off San Francisco
Sea surface water
temperature offshore of
San Franciso indicates a
distinct summer upwelling
pattern with cold sea
surface temperatures
nearshore, as well as large
inter-annual variations.
Within this strong upwelling
cell, sea surface temperatures can be colder during
the summer in cold years
than they are during the
winter in warm years.

A Status Report
21
The living marine resources of California evolved in

a dynamic and changing ocean and most populations
undoubtedly uctuated in response to environmental
alterations long before man exploited them. Many of these
resources are now heavily exploited and those in the nearshore environment are also impacted by human induced
environmental changes. Some species, such as bocaccio
and lingcod, have been heavily overshed, and their current populations are at very low levels. A few very highly
overshed stocks, such as Pacic mackerel and Pacic
sardine, have suffered nearly complete population collapses from which they have recovered after one or more
decades of protection by harvest moratoriums. As discussed below, there is considerable evidence that regime
shifts exacerbated the effects of shing and delayed the
effects of the moratoriums.
Fishery and marine resource management is presently in
the middle of a change in philosophy. In the past, our
management has been based on the view that the environment can be considered to be constant with only minor
and temporary perturbations which introduce random
noise into our population assessments and management
policies. This has resulted in a management system
that has failed to protect exploited populations during
extended periods of adverse environmental conditions.
The information in the following sections indicates that
physical factors and biological productivity in the California Current system are not stationary. It is clear that
variations in these processes must be monitored by our
research programs and built into our management systems
if we expect to maintain healthy and diverse nearshore
and offshore ecosystems.
Climatic Processes, El Nio Events

and Regime Shifts
he California Current, one of the worlds major eastern

boundary currents, has its origin in the mid-latitude
west-wind-drift region of the North Pacic, and it could
be considered an equatorward owing, surface extension
of the North Pacic Current. The core of the California
Current normally lies about 90 to 130 miles offshore of
the shelf break or continental margin. The fauna and
productivity of the California Current system are heavily
dependent upon the input of cool, low-salinity, high
nutrient and plankton-rich waters from the mid-latitude
North Pacic.
The system also has a sub-surface, poleward current (the
Davidson Current) that is often at a maximum just offshore of, and somewhat deeper than, the shelf break. In
the fall, poleward ow often extends to the surface in
the southern portion of the California Current and surface
22

A Status Report
poleward ow is not uncommon in the nearshore region

over much of the system. The advection of warm, high
salinity, low-nutrient and plankton-poor water from the
sub-tropics is largely responsible for the warm water ora
and fauna and lower productivity characteristic of the
nearshore region south of Point Conception.
Like other eastern boundary currents, the California Current has extensive coastal upwelling that is primarily
driven by spring and summer winds resulting from temperature gradients between the relatively cool sea surface
and the warming continental land mass. Equatorward
winds, offshore Ekman transport, and coastal upwelling
occur nearly all year off of Baja California and the offshore
region of southern California; however, within the Southern California Bight wind velocities are lower and offshore
transport is much reduced. Wind velocities and upwelling
are variable but tend to be at a maximum in the spring
to early summer in the region between Point Conception
(34.5N) and the Oregon border (42N). The duration and
strength of upwelling-favorable winds diminishes northwards. Off the State of Washington (48N) upwelling is
relatively minor and is largely restricted to the late
spring to early fall; winter storms there result in intense
downwelling events. Downwelling events diminish in both
magnitude and seasonal duration to the south, below
Point Conception they are uncommon and usually of
minor magnitude.
Climatic uctuations ranging from strong storms to seasonal cycles to El Nio/La Nia events to decadal changes
or regime shifts alter the physical, chemical, and biological environment of Californias marine waters. Average
monthly sea surface temperatures (SST) in California
waters range from a minimum of about 52F in February
off northern California to a maximum of about 68F
in August off southern California. The pattern of sea surface temperatures in the California Current varies from
a clearly latitude dependent situation in the late winter,
with isotherms being nearly east-west in orientation, to
the distinct upwelling pattern of cold water near shore
and warmer water offshore in the late summer. Most of
the area has mild winter SSTs, and cool summer SSTs
caused by the summer upwelling. This results in a very
small seasonal variation in SST, no more than 4 to 7 F
during the year. In contrast, the inter-annual variation in
SSTs can be as large as the normal summer/winter difference; off San Francisco SST is colder during the summer in
cold years than it is during the winter in warm years.
El Nio/La Nia Processes
l Nio is a term that describes large-scale changes in

the atmospheric pressure system, trade winds, and sea
surface temperatures of the entire tropical Pacic that

December 2001
The effects of El Nio events in California include reduced

input of cold, nutrient-rich waters from the north and
increased advection of warm, nutrient-poor water of subtropical and tropical origin into the southern California
area. There may or may not be a reduction in upwelling
favorable winds; however, nutrient input to the surface
waters from upwelling is decreased due to reduced nutrients in the subsurface waters and a depressed thermocline. Thus, during El Nios the California Current
becomes more sub-tropical, and warm-water organisms
enter the system in greater numbers. During La Nias the
environment is more sub-arctic and cold water organisms
are favored.
Although California occupies a large geographical area,
surface temperature anomalies on scales greater than a
few weeks are common over the entire region. Time
series of SST from northern, central and southern California are characterized by strong El Nio events such as
those occurring in 1940, 1958, 1983, 1992, and 1997. In
addition, there are decadal scale events where surface
temperatures are above or below average for extended
periods. Cold periods occurred prior to 1925, from about
1946 to 1956, and from 1962 to 1976. Warm periods
occurred from 1938 to 1945, 1957 to 1961, and from
1977 to 1998. Waters of the Central Pacic, however,
tend to vary in the opposite direction from the California
Current system.
marily inuenced by large-scale variations in ow of the

California Current. Increases in southward transport are
associated with increases in zooplankton production, cold
temperatures, and low salinity (La Nia events), whereas
decreases in this transport result in unusually low zooplankton biomass, warm temperature, and high salinity (El
Nio events).
In addition to substantial declines in zooplankton abundance during El Nio events, analysis of the samples taken
during the years 1955 to 1959 showed a large rearrangement of the dominance structure of functional groups
of macrozooplankton. The rank order of abundance for
18 groups, containing an estimated 546 species, changed
over this period. Plankton community structure was similar in 1955 to 1957 but underwent an abrupt and
dramatic change coincident with strong El Nio conditions
in 1958-1959. In addition to changes in zooplankton, other
characteristics of strong El Nio events include deepening
of thermocline and nitricline by some 165 feet, and redistribution of phytoplankton biomass from the upper layers
of the ocean to a deep chlorophyll maximum. Quarterly
patterns of environmental variables and zooplankton biomass are now reported annually in the State of the California Current in CalCOFI Reports.
occur at approximately three to four-year intervals. The

cold water portion of the cycle is now referred to as La
Nia. This cyclic process has traditionally been measured
by the southern oscillation index (SOI), which is the difference between the atmospheric pressure at Tahiti (an
approximation of the South Pacic High) and the atmospheric pressure at Darwin, Australia (near the Tropical
Pacic Low). The SOI is therefore a measure of the variability of the atmospheric circulation in the South Pacic.
Decadal/Regime Scale Processes
uring the last decade it has become increasing apparent that longer term decadal to multi-decadal climatic cycles are impacting populations of a wide variety
of marine organisms in the California region, and that
all trophic levels are affected. Analyses of sh scales in
anaerobic sediments have shown that these cycles have
been occurring for thousands of years (i.e., independent
of shing), and that the most abundant sh stocks have
Surface temperature is not necessarily a good indicator

of temperature below the upper mixed layer. In
1972, at the onset of a major El Nio, the surface temperature at Point Conception was the lowest since 1951,
whereas the temperature at 330 feet was among the
warmest recorded.
The 50 year time series of the California Cooperative
Oceanic Fisheries Investigations (CalCOFI) is probably the
worlds best data set for determining the effects of interannual physical variability on zooplankton populations,
the primary food for larger stages of larval and some
adult shes. As with temperature, strong interannual signals occur over a very large spatial scale. Anomalies of
zooplankton abundance, 10m temperature, 10m salinity,
and southward transport are highly correlated in time
from southern Baja California to north of San Francisco.
On interannual time scales, zooplankton abundance is pri-

December 2001
Winter and Summer Pacific Coast Sea Surface Temperatures

Average (1920-1992) February and August sea surface temperatures (F). A cold summer
upwelling core is apparent in northern California. Data extract from COADS as monthly means.

A Status Report
23
uctuations which occur over an average period of about

60 years. The implications from a number of these paleosediment studies are that large-scale physical processes
are forcing the biological uctuations. Recent results from
ocean/atmosphere models suggest that decadal climatic
cycles are forced by air/sea interactions in the higher
latitude North Pacic. Observed decadal to multi-decadal
uctuations in the mid-latitude atmospheric circulation in
the Central Pacic have also been suggested to have physical and biological effects that appear to affect a large
proportion of the North Pacic basin. A major regime shift
occurred in 1976-1977 and the surface waters of the entire
eastern Pacic Ocean from Mexico to Alaska became
warmer. Since 1976, there has also been an increase in
the frequency, duration and intensity of El Nio events in
California waters.
The 1976 climatic shift is clearly seen in time series of
California sea surface temperatures. Decadal and regime
shift processes both are evident in a newly proposed
index for the North Pacic, the northern oscillation index
(NOI). This index is analogous to the southern oscillation
index used to describe and predict El Nios. However,
it is a better measure of the atmospheric circulation in
the North Pacic because it is based on the difference
between the average position of the North Pacic High
(35N: 130W) and the Tropical Low near Darwin. When
the three to four year scale El Nio processes are ltered
out, using a 36-month moving average, the NOI exhibits
the decadal cycles that researchers have predicted and
the widely observed climatic shift that occurred in
1976-1977.
Zooplankton populations also exhibit strong interdecadal
variability. CalCOFI data showed a 70 percent decrease in
the biomass of macrozooplankton associated with warming of surface layers between 1951 and 1993. Averages
of zooplankton biomass over the initial and nal sevenyear periods of this interval were computed for southern
California grid lines . The differences between the two
periods appeared to be uniform in space and at least
twice the standard deviation of the seven-year mean at
each station. Over this time period, lines 80 and 90 surface temperatures warmed by an average 2.2 and 2.8F,
respectively, but thermal changes at depth were small.
Therefore, the vertical stratication of the thermocline
substantially increased, resulting in a reduction in the
transfer of nutrients to the surface.
Long-term trends in temperature and salinity of the upper
100m, zooplankton biomass, and transport from north to
south through the present day CalCOFI grid indicate that
interdecadal changes apparently have different physical
forcing mechanisms than those associated with El Nio
events. Because the surface layer has become warmer and
fresher, the increase in stratication apparently results
24

A Status Report
in reduced displacement of the thermocline and thus a

shoaling of the source of upwelled waters. The effect is
to decrease the fraction of the year when wind stress is
strong enough to lift nutrient-rich waters to the surface
near the coast. Because the increased stratication essentially insulates nutrient-bearing waters from the surface,
a moderate degree of heating can greatly reduce the
surface nutrient supply. These trends appear to be related
to the strengthening of the North Pacic wintertime atmospheric circulation associated with the regime shift that
began in 1976-1977.
Fish eggs and larvae are also sampled in CalCOFI zooplankton collections. Although both total larval sh and zooplankton abundance exhibit substantial interannual variability, there is no clear relation between the two time
series. There are weak time-lagged correlations when zooplankton leads sh larvae by four to ve months in three
of four regions of the California Current, which would
be expected if poor nutrition of adult sh has affected
their reproductive success. Although zooplankton is well
correlated with temperature, salinity, and transport, total
sh larvae are poorly related to these physical parameters. Nor are larval sh clearly related to anomalies in
longshore winds, the basis of coastal upwelling. Analyses
of both larval sh and zooplankton data suffer from the
obvious complications of lumping large numbers of taxa;
studies of individual species may offer better opportunities of relating oceanographic variability to recruitment success. For example, there are inverse trends for
northern anchovy and Pacic sardine spawning biomass
and larval standing crop; the declines for anchovy and
increases for sardines took place during a period of declining zooplankton abundance and warming temperatures
associated with the regime shift. Clearly shes are longlived organisms with complicated life histories; mortality
in poorly assessed stages such as juveniles may account
for the poor relationships between physical parameters,
larval abundance, and adult stocks.
Implications for Nearshore Ecosystems
he ora and fauna of Californias nearshore communities are strongly affected by interannual variability in
the physical environment including both El Nio-Southern
Oscillation events and the regime shift that began in
1976-1977. Furthermore, large wave events in this region
are highly correlated with strong El Nio events, so
these two forms of disturbance often co-occur. Thus,
in the southern and central regions of the state there
has been considerable interdecadal-scale wave variability,
with greatly increasing numbers of episodes with signicant wave heights greater than 12 feet in recent years.

December 2001
Sea surface temperature is the best predictor of kelp

harvest and areal extent. The increase in mean SST since
the 1976-1977 regime shift has been associated with large
decreases in the size of Macrocystis plants as measured by
number of stipes per individual. Furthermore, this secular
increase in SSTs means that each El Nio event is adding
to a higher temperature base; thus, successive events are
characterized by increasingly severe temperature anomalies. Poor conditions for Macrocystis growth are associated with enhanced understory algae and reduced drift
kelp production.
Aerial surveys illustrate huge variability in Macrocystis
surface canopies in the Southern California Bight. The
effects of the 1983 and 1998 El Nio winter storms are
apparent in all areas, but the speed of kelp recovery
varies with location. Cooler areas such as San Miguel
Island recovered from the storms very quickly and had
minimal impacts from the warm, nutrient-depleted waters
that followed. In contrast, many of the Macrocystis populations on the coastline between Santa Barbara and Point
Conception, which were largely set in sand, were devastated by the storms of the early 1980s and have not recovered. The 1988-1989 La Nia provided excellent growth
conditions after a severe storm largely removed existing
giant kelp populations in many areas; this combination led
to peaks in kelp canopy biomass in the southeastern part
of the bight in 1990.
While effects of El Nio and regime shifts on the kelps
are relatively well known, the implications for higher trophic levels and community structure are only beginning
to be understood. The effects of storms, warm, nutrient-depleted waters, and anomalous current patterns all

December 2001
appear to be important. Drift kelp is the primary food for

sea urchins and abalones. With up to 60 percent of the
biomass of a healthy Macrocystis forest in its canopy, the
loss of the canopy and varying degrees of mortality of
adult plants have huge effects on drift availability. With
reduced food supplies, urchin gonad production is very
low, often to the point of making processing uneconomical; because the product is the gonads. Many processors
closed during the 1982-1984 El Nio, for example. Abalone
reproduction and recruitment are also affected, leading
to large gaps in size-frequency distributions. The loss
of drift food may trigger destructive grazing by sea
urchins, transforming kelp forests to barren grounds with
cascading implications for other organisms in this community. Anomalously warm waters are also associated with
disease outbreaks, especially for sea urchins, sea stars,
and abalones.
Reductions in Macrocystis populations have critical implications for shes dependent on giant kelp for foraging
habitat and refuge from predators. Recruitment of youngof-the-year kelp bass is dependent on Macrocystis density.
The presence of giant kelp has a positive effect on the
recruitment of other rocky inshore shes such as kelp
rocksh, giant kelpsh, kelp surfperch, pile surfperch, and
black surfperch. On the other hand, the striped surfperch,
which feeds in foliose red algae, is adversely affected by
the presence of Macrocystis because of the strong negative relationship between giant kelp and foliose algae.
Thus, the structure of a kelp forest has signicant effects
on the species composition and local density of the sh
assemblage, and that structure is strongly affected by
ocean climate.
The most dramatic benthic effects of El Nio events are

on kelp forests, ecosystems organized around the structure and productivity provided by giant kelp (Macrocystis)
and bull kelp (Nereocystis). The two-fold effects include
extreme winter storm waves, which may decimate kelp
populations along the entire exposed coast, and anomalously-warm, nutrient-depleted waters, whose effects
increase in severity with decreasing latitude. With their
high growth rate, southern California Macrocystis populations depend on nutrients supplied by upwelling or internal waves. When these sources are rendered ineffective
by depression of the thermocline, growth ceases, tissue
decay leads to the loss of the surface canopy, and considerable mortality may follow. Kelp forests from the warmest regions of the state, Orange County south along the
mainland and the southeastern Channel Islands, suffer
massive losses. Further to the north, the addition of the
El Nio temperature anomaly to normal summer-fall temperatures apparently maintains the environment within
the range of suitability (i.e., nutrients did not become
limiting), although growth may be reduced.
With greatly increased transport from the south, northern

range extensions of subtropical, migratory species and
larvae are very characteristic of El Nio events. Most
California Sea Surface Temperature Anomalies

Annual sea surface temperature anomalies (F) off northern, central, and southern California,
with means of three time periods (1920-1937, 1938-1976, and 1977-1997). Data extract from
COADS as monthly means.

A Status Report
25
migratory species are pelagic, but pelagic red crabs are

conspicuous nearshore visitors. Spiny lobsters and sheephead, two important predators of sea urchins in the Southern California Bight, both have their centers of distribution off Baja California and recruit heavily to southern
California (and sheephead as far north as Monterey) during
strong El Nio events. Conversely, La Nia events with
enhanced transport from the north result in increased
recruitment of cool water shes such as blue rocksh in
southern California.
Observations of shallow water reef sh assemblages in
the Southern California Bight from 1974 to 1993 indicate
substantial changes in species composition and productivity that appear to relate to the increased frequency of
El Nio events and the regime shift. At two sites off Los
Angeles, species diversity fell 15 to 25 percent and the
composition shifted from dominance by northern to southern species by 1990. By 1993, 95 percent of all species
had declined in abundance by an average of 69 percent.
Similar declines of surfperch populations off Santa Cruz
Island were linked to declines of their crustacean prey
and biomass of understory algae where the sh foraged.
Recruitment of young-of-the-year at the three sites fell
by over 90 percent, and the decline was highly correlated
with the decrease in macrozooplankton abundance in the
CalCOFI data. These changes in population abundances
and trophic structure were apparently caused by lower
productivity associated with the regime shift of 1976-1977.
Statistics from the commercial passenger shing vessel
rocksh shery of southern California for the period 1980
to 1996 illustrate a substantial decline in catch-per-unit
effort. Three species abundant in 1980 were absent by
1996. Catch of others such as bocaccio declined as much
as 98 percent. On average, mean length declined due to
the removal of larger size classes, and in the case of
the vermilion rocksh, the take changed from primarily
adults to almost entirely juveniles. On some trips, the
catch now mostly consists of dwarf or small species of
Sebastes. Such population declines probably result from
poor long-term juvenile recruitment caused by adverse
oceanographic conditions combined with overshing of
adults and sub-adults. This combination results in recruitment overshing that reduces spawning stocks to levels
too low to ensure adequate production of young sh for
future shing.
Dramatic effects on sh assemblages are reported in central California as well, where El Nio events are associated with improved recruitment of southern species,
recruitment failures of rockshes, and poor growth and
condition of adult rockshes. In addition to sheephead,
blacksmith and bluebanded goby are southern species that
were observed near Monterey. Reproductive success of
many species of central California rocksh appears to be
26

A Status Report
sensitive to El Nio conditions, because it was poor during

1983 and 1992. Poleward advection, downwelling, delayed
and reduced phytoplankton blooms, and low zooplankton
abundance appear to be important factors in reproductive
failure during these periods. Modeling has demonstrated
that shery management practices can exacerbate El Nio
effects if harvest is not decreased in response to the
environmentally induced decrease in biomass.
In northern California, where the red sea urchin shery
is limited by poor recruitment, there has been strong
interest in understanding the role of oceanographic variability on the temporal and spatial patterns of settlement.
Recent studies have shown increased settlement in some
sites during both the 1992-1993 and 1997 El Nios, but
the sampling periods were short and settlement was not
consistent among areas. Regional patterns of circulation
in northern California and the delivery of larvae to the
coast during upwelling relaxation are the best explanation
for the observed pattern of recent recruitment for several
invertebrate species. Understanding the role of larger
scale processes will require longer time series.
Implications for the Offshore Ecosystem
alifornias marine fauna and ora are principally components of the subarctic, transition, and central (or
subtropical) zones. Subarctic species are more common
off northern California and subtropical species more abundant off southern California. With the exception of marine
mammals, birds, and a very few shes (tunas), marine
organisms are cold blooded. They are therefore highly
affected by temperature, making water temperature one
of the most signicant physical factors that marine organisms have to cope with. In fact, the most obvious effect
of climatic variation in the California offshore ecosystem
is the appearance of tropical species such as tunas and
pelagic red crabs in association with El Nio events. As
mentioned earlier, variations in the major current patterns greatly inuence uctuations in ocean temperatures.
Wind driven upwelling also alters temperature and transport patterns. In the California current, the most obvious
consequence is the nearshore core of cold upwelled water
that is at a peak in the Cape Mendocino region in the
summer. Nearshore species that have pelagic eggs are
highly susceptible to the offshore loss of their early life
history stages by wind-driven surface transport. Many species are therefore unable to reproduce successfully in
the region between Point Conception and Cape Blanco,
Oregon (about 35-43N), where upwelling and offshore
transport are at a maximum. Many of the important species that are permanent residents of this region have
reproductive adaptations that reduce the offshore dispersion of reproductive products. These include bearing live

December 2001
El Nio - La Nia Fluctuations
he most obvious biological effect of El Nio Southern

Oscillation events is that environmental factors, especially temperature, affect the behavior and distribution of
larger marine organisms. These effects are most marked
in the adults of pelagic, migratory, or nomadic species
that are able to greatly expand or contract their ranges
by actively moving among regions with seasonal cycles or
other climatic uctuations such as El Nio events. Southern species that have the center of their distribution south
of California such as bonito, barracuda, white sea bass,
and swordsh normally move into southern and central
California during the late summer and fall. Both these
shes and tropical shes such as yellowtail, skipjack, and
yellown tuna move into southern California in larger
numbers during El Nios. Major El Nio events also cause
extended migrations of Pacic sardine, jack mackerel, and
Pacic mackerel to as far north as Alaska. This migratory
response to warmer surface temperatures is primarily
behavioral and it may or may not be associated with
increased population size of the individual species.
Sub-tropical species with limited swimming ability, such
as pelagic red crabs and smaller zooplankton species,
often occur in dense concentrations off of California, suggesting that advection also plays a signicant role in community structure during El Nio events. El Nios are known
to alter the population levels of zooplankton and other
animals with short life spans. The market squid, which
normally lives for no more than one year, appears to be
heavily impacted by El Nios and the California shery for
this species has suffered near total collapse in major El
Nio years. Population effects on longer-lived animals are
likely, but population time series are lacking for most species. El Nios and other warm water events can result in
decreased growth rates and reproductive output in shes,
and decreased size at maturity in market squid.

December 2001
With the exception of the salmons, the colder water shes

are much less likely to make seasonal migrations. Most of
the California groundsh and nearshore shes make very
limited geographical movements, other than the larval
drift that occurs during their planktonic early life history
stages. Once they settle in good habitat, individuals of
these species tend to remain in relatively small areas. La
Nia events therefore are not remarkable in the appearance of large numbers of the adults of cold water species
moving down from Alaska and Canada. However, they may
result in increased recruitment at the southern edges of
the range of colder water species.
Regime Scale Climatic Variations
onger-term climatic processes appear to be forced by

factors outside of the California Current region. Early
studies showed that sea surface temperatures are out
of phase off of California and Japan. The dominant
pelagic shes of the California, Japan, and Peru/Chile
regions have been shown to have strikingly similar population uctuations, and paleo-sediment studies in both the
California Current and the Peru Current suggest that
regime scale climatic changes have been occurring for
thousands of years. Salmon production in the Pacic
Northwest (chinook and coho) has recently been related
to interdecadal climatic patterns in the North Pacic and
it is out of phase with production of pink and sockeye
salmon in Alaska.
young (rockshes and surfperches), demersal spawning

(herring, lingcod and many littoral species), anadromous
spawning (salmonids and true smelts), and late winter
spawning (Dover sole, sablesh and most rockshes) to
avoid the intense upwelling season (late spring to early
summer). The most abundant California Current shes
have pelagic eggs and larvae and these shes have extensive spawning and feeding migrations (Pacic hake, Pacic
sardine, Pacic mackerel, and jack mackerel). The adults
of these stocks feed in the more northern portions of the
region during the summer and fall, and then return to the
area near, or to the south of Point Conception to spawn in
the late winter and early spring.
In contrast with short term La Nia events, cold water

organisms are able to extend their populations into the
southern portion of the state during extended cold periods. Many rockshes that have the center of their distribution in the subarctic zone exhibit this pattern. The reverse
pattern occurs in subtropical shes. Some transition zone
pelagic species move as far north as southern Alaska
during very warm years but essentially abandon the area
north of California during extended cold periods.
The California Current has recently been in its longest
recorded period of warm water. During the last two
decades, there have been marked population declines in
a number of cold water species (salmon, lingcod, and
rockshes) and several stocks are now threatened or
endangered. In contrast, several transition zone shes
that spawn off southern California and migrate to feeding
grounds between northern California and Canada experienced large population increases following the shift to
warm water conditions (Pacic sardine, Pacic mackerel
and Pacic hake). It is clear that physical climatic factors
may be as important as shing in regulating the productivity of some exploited species.

A Status Report
27
Conclusions
References
Baumgartner, T.R., A. Soutar and V. Ferreria-Bartrina.

1992. Reconstruction of the history of Pacic sardine and
northern anchovy populations over the past two millennia
from sediments of the Santa Barbara Basin, California.
CalCOFI Rep. Vol. 33:24-40.
he organisms of the California Current are adapted to

an environment that varies on scales from local and
short term to very large scale and multidecadal. Growth,
reproduction, and larval survival may be depressed for
variable periods during short-term adverse environmental
conditions, but most adults of larger species survive. The
addition of decades of intense shing pressure onto long
term climate disturbances such as those experienced since
the 1976-1977 regime shift, however, makes population
decline almost inevitable for species adversely affected
by the changed environment. The challenge facing shery
managers is how to respond on time scales that will
protect spawning stocks during periods of poor reproduction. One approach is to signicantly decrease shing
effort on existing, heavily pressured stocks to create a
buffer for hard times. El Nio events are being predicted
with increasing skill; if shing effort on sensitive species
could be sharply curtailed in favor of species that thrive
under warm conditions, the negative effects of these
climatic events could be reduced. Another approach is to
establish marine protected areas large enough to ensure
surviving populations in every region. If some rocksh
stocks had been protected in southern California during
the present regime shift, for example, recovery during
cold water periods would be far faster than the present
situation that will largely depend on recruitment from
depressed central California populations.
Too much of our sheries management has been based
on the assumption that environmental variability is not
important. With 20/20 hindsight and the increasing prospects of human impacts on climate, we know that this
cannot continue. It is clear that over the next decade
a major research effort will have to be made to better
understand the climatic connection and that shery management will have to consider policies to reduce exploitation rates when species are impacted by adverse
climatic factors.
Richard R. Parrish
National Marine Fisheries Service
Mia J. Tegner
University of California Scripps Institution of Oceanography
Chelton, D. B., P. A. Bernal, and J. A. McGowan. 1982.

Large-scale interannual physical and biological interaction
in the California Current. J. Mar. Res. 40: 1095-1125.
Dayton, P. K. and M. J. Tegner. 1990. Bottoms beneath
troubled waters: benthic impacts of the 1982-84 El Nio
in the temperate zone. In: P. W. Glynn (ed.), Ecological
consequences of the 1982-83 El Nio to marine life.
Elsevier Oceanography Series No. 52, p. 433-472.
Holbrook, S. J., M. H. Carr, R. J. Schmitt, and J. A. Coyer.
1990. Effect of giant kelp on local abundance of reef
shes: the importance of ontogenetic resource requirements. Bull. Mar. Sci. 47: 104-114.
Holbrook, S. J., R. J. Schmitt, and J. S. Stephens. 1997.
Changes in an assemblage of temperate reef shes associated with a climate shift. Ecol. Appl. 7(4): 1299-1310.
Love, M. S. , J. R. Caselle, and W. Van Buskirk. 1998. A
severe decline in the commercial passenger shing vessel
rocksh (Sebastes spp.) catch in the Southern California
Bight, 1980-1996. CalCOFI Rep.39: 180-195.
MacCall, A.D. 1996. Patterns of low frequency variability
in sh populations of the California Current. CalCOFI Rep.
Vol 37:100-110.
McGowan, J.A. 1972. The nature of oceanic ecosystems. In
The Biology of the Oceanic Pacic. Ed C.B. Miller. Oregon
State Univ. Press. 9-28.
McGowan, J. A., D. R. Cayan, and L. M. Dorman. 1998.
Climate-ocean variability and ecosystem response in the
northeast Pacic. Science 281: 210-217.
Roemmich, D. and J. A. McGowan. 1995a. Climatic warming and the decline of zooplankton in the California Current. Science 267: 1324-1326.
Tegner, M. J. and P. K. Dayton. 1987. El Nio effects on
Southern California kelp forest communities. Adv. Ecol.
Res. 47: 243-279.
Tegner, M. J. and P. K. Dayton. 1991. Sea urchins, El Nios,
and the long-term stability of Southern California kelp
forest communities. Mar. Ecol. Prog. Ser. 77: 49-63.
Tegner, M. J., P. K. Dayton, P. B. Edwards, and K. L. Riser.
1997. Large-scale, low-frequency effects on kelp forest
succession: a tale of two cohorts. Mar. Ecol. Prog. Ser.
146: 117-134.
28

A Status Report

December 2001
Importance of Healthy Waters and

Habitats to Marine Life
lean water is essential to a healthy coastal and marine

environment. Seventy-ve percent of all commercial
sh in the United States depend on estuaries and associated coastal wetlands for some portion of their life-cycle.
Unfortunately, these are probably the most threatened of
all habitats in California today.
Because pollution impairs the breeding grounds for many
species of sea life, it is a substantial contributing factor
to declines in these species. Impacts to coastal-dependent species include declines in the species populations,
reproductive problems, birth defects, behavioral changes,
and increased susceptibility to disease. For example, illnesses and deaths of sea otters and other marine mammals from viruses, many of which had had little effect
on the animals only a few years ago, are on the rise
in California. Studies indicate that coastal pollution may
be a signicant factor in these increased illnesses and
deaths, possibly due to its negative impacts on immune
systems responses.
Pollution can come from direct discharges (point
sources) and runoff from land-based activities (nonpoint source pollution). Plumes of contaminated runoff
can oat on top of the heavier seawater and have been
shown to extend 25 or more miles offshore. Nutrient pollution, such as from farms, can create toxic algal blooms,
or red tides, in marine waters. One 1998 toxic algal
bloom produced domoic acid, a harmful biotoxin that
affects the nervous system in animals and humans. This
algal bloom resulted in the death of more than 50 California sea lions along Californias central coast. Inland,
nonpoint source pollution from logging and other activities impair critical habitats for marine life, including north
coast streams essential to threatened and endangered
species such as Pacic Coast coho salmon.
The health, safety, and welfare of California residents
who use marine resources similarly depends upon clean
coastal and ocean waters. Eighty percent of Californians
live within 30 miles of the coast. Industries such as

December 2001
shing and tourism that depend on a healthy coast and

ocean contribute more than 17 billion dollars to the
states economy every year, and provide 370,000 jobs to
Californias citizens.
Health of Coastal and Marine Water

Quality and Habitats
Monitoring and Assessment Information
ood water quality and healthy aquatic habitats

depend upon the activities that occur nearby. Land
use practices, population densities, point and nonpoint
source discharges, agriculture, urbanization, industry, and
recreation all inuence the water quality and habitat of
a specic locality or region. To determine the nature and
extent of impacts that these activities have on water
quality and habitat, monitoring and assessment programs
are conducted at the state, federal, and local levels.
The states Bay Protection and Toxic Cleanup Program
and Mussel Watch Program, the San Francisco Bay
Regional Monitoring Program, the Southern California
Bight Regional Study, and the National Oceanographic and
Atmospheric Administrations Status, and Trends Program
are but a few examples of the many programs underway in
California. Monitoring and assessment information is used
to determine compliance with state and federal statutes
such as the federal Clean Water Act and the states PorterCologne Water Quality Control Act, as well as with permit
regulations and water quality standards protecting marine
resources and their habitats.
Though monitoring efforts in the state are limited and
can be much improved, some conclusions can be drawn
about the health of certain states waters. For example,
existing data indicate that uses of 100 percent of the
states surveyed tidal wetlands, 71 percent of surveyed
bays and harbors, 91 percent of surveyed estuaries, 78
percent of surveyed freshwater wetlands, 71 percent
of surveyed lakes and reservoirs, and 81 percent of surveyed rivers and streams are impaired or threatened in
some way by water pollution. Examples of uses that are
being impaired or threatened by pollution include drinking
water, sh consumption, aquatic life support, swimming,
and aquaculture. It should be noted that these gures are
only for those waters that are monitored, which may overrepresent the more contaminated waters in the state. On
the other hand, a recent federal report indicates that the
number of impaired waters is likely much higher than that
currently recorded.
The states latest report on water quality generally
describes the major water pollution concerns along the
California coast. In the north coast region, nonpoint

A Status Report
The Status of Habitats and Water Quality in Californias Coastal and Marine Environment
The Status of Habitats

and Water Quality in
Californias Coastal
and Marine
Environment
29
30
source pollution from logging and agriculture pose the

most signicant problems. In the San Francisco Bay area,
point source discharges from petroleum reneries and
cities along the bay, and nonpoint source runoff from
Marin County dairies and farms in the Central Valley and
Napa County, cause coastal pollution problems. Along the
central coast, agriculture creates the most signicant pollution problems. Along the densely populated southern
California coast, storm-water pollution is a major problem,
though agricultural runoff and sewage discharges also are
important pollution sources.
States are required to identify water bodies within the
states jurisdiction that do not meet water quality standards. To this end, the State Water Resources Control
Board, in conjunction with the states nine Regional
Water Quality Control Boards, has used monitoring data
to develop a list of impaired water bodies for the State
of California. A water body can be listed as impaired for
any number of chemical constituents or conditions such
as nutrients, heavy metals, petroleum products, sediment
toxicity, bacteria, pesticides, polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), etc.
California has over 500 water bodies that are impaired,
that is, they are not meeting water quality standards
under current regulations; many of these are coastal.
Waters from the Oregon border to north of San Francisco
Bay are listed as impaired primarily because of sediments. There are, however, some northern embayments,
(e.g., Humboldt Bay and Tomales Bay) that have been
identied as impaired by other assorted constituents such
as heavy metals and nutrients. southern California, with
a substantially higher number of impaired coastal waters,
bays, and estuaries, faces problems from a much wider
variety of sources and contaminants, with urban runoff
playing a prominent role. A southern California example is
Santa Monica Bay, which has been listed as impaired for
several heavy metals, marine debris, sediment toxicity,
chlordane, DDT, PAHs, and PCBs. San Pablo Bay, located
in the northern San Francisco area, has been identied as
impaired for several heavy metals, exotic species, diazinon, PCBs, chlordane, DDT, dieldren, dioxin, and furan
compounds. In central California, Morro Bay is impaired
because of heavy metals, sedimentation/siltation, and
pathogens. San Diego Bay has been listed for copper, sediment toxicity, and benthic community effects; and Lower
Newport Bay for a variety of pesticides, metals, nutrients
and pathogens. In many of these areas, degraded subtidal
and intertidal habitat has also been identied.
The coastal waters of California have been utilized for
waste disposal for many years. Ocean outfalls for the
discharge of treated sewage, power plant cooling waters,
and various industrial discharges are common throughout
the state. Add to this the substantial volumes of nonpoint

A Status Report
source discharges and it becomes readily apparent that

impacts to marine and estuarine resources are inevitable.
Some improvements, however, have been realized over
the years as a result of additional controls and requirements applied to point source discharges, and due to
phase out of particularly toxic chemicals. For example, a
recent study reports that concentrations of DDT and PCBs
in livers of bottom sh collected throughout the southern
California coastal shelf are at concentrations 95 percent
lower than 20 years ago, though health advisories still
exist for these constituents. The major challenge remaining is the control of nonpoint source pollution.
Data Limitations/Gaps
xisting water quality and habitat data are not as complete or comprehensive as needed to assess the overall
health of marine ecosystems. California does not yet have
a system to comprehensively monitor water quality in the
inland watershed, enclosed waters, or nearshore ocean
zones, and the vast majority of Californias waterways
and small estuarine systems are not monitored by the
state on a regular basis. For example, over 90 percent
of Californias rivers and streams and about half of the
states coastal shoreline are simply never monitored by
the state. Sediment and water quality assessment programs such as the statewide Mussel Watch Program, Bay
Protection and Toxics Cleanup Program and the San Francisco Bay Regional Monitoring Program, all need to be continued and expanded. These programs have, over recent
years, supplied critical data on the health of the coastal,
bay, and estuarine waters of the state. However, years of
funding cuts have left the health of much of Californias
waters unknown.
Programs that will collect data on contaminants and
marine life populations, as well as pollutant source identication, are necessary to ensure that adequate information is available to make sound regulatory and management decisions regarding water quality issues. In addition, a statewide baseline inventory of various habitats
such as rocky intertidal, subtidal, kelp beds, rock reef,
beach areas, mudats, and subtidal vegetation is critical
to make sound scientically-based resource management
decisions. Additional information also needs to be gathered on marine and estuarine habitat restoration and
enhancement opportunities.
In 1999, the Legislature passed a law that required the
State Board to prepare a comprehensive, statewide surface water quality monitoring program by November 2000.
This will serve as the blueprint for much-needed improvements in coastal water quality monitoring.

December 2001
Point Source Discharges
oint source discharges are generally those that have a

discrete, identiable source, such as a pipe carrying
treated waste from a pulp mill or a sewage treatment
plant. Point sources also include municipal, industrial,
and construction storm water discharges and offshore oil
well platforms.
Point source discharges into the marine environment contain a variety of contaminants. They include suspended
and dissolved solids, heated water, petroleum hydrocarbons, heavy metals, nutrients, pesticides, chlorine,
brines, fresh water, and oil and grease. All discharges into
the marine or estuarine environment are required to be in
compliance with provisions of the State Water Resources
Control Boards California Ocean Plan or the respective
Basin Plans developed by the Regional Water Quality Control Boards. Conditions on permitted discharges are supposed to be set so that discharge of pollutants will not be
deleterious to sh, wildlife and other resources.
Point source discharges to marine waters of the state
are substantial both in volume and pollutant load. Many
millions of gallons of treated efuent from sewage treatment plants, cooling water discharges from power plants,
storm water, and other point sources ow into marine and
estuarine waters every day.
Historically, there have been many discharges of pollutants that, although discontinued, continue to have adverse
impacts upon the environment. For example, in the 1960s
and 1970s, regional industrial facilities discharged DDT
and PCBs into what is now the County of Los Angeles Joint
Water Pollution Control Plant, which discharged these
toxins directly into the Pacic Ocean at the Palos Verdes
shelf. Today, the discharge area is identied as a U.S. EPA
superfund site and is undergoing extensive evaluation and
remediation planning.
One of todays foremost issues with respect to ongoing
coastal water quality and habitat impacts is storm-water
discharge. Although storm water discharges are regulated
by National Pollution Discharge Elimination System
(NPDES) permits, the current contribution of pollutant
load by this source to waters of the state is staggering. In
the National Water Quality Inventory: 1998 Report to Congress, U.S. EPA found that urban runoff and storm sewers
are the leading source of pollution in coastal waters.
Urban runoff and storm water discharges include pollutants such as heavy metals, pesticides, salts, sediments,
trash, debris, nutrients, bacteria, petroleum products,
and sewage overows. This problem is heightened in the

December 2001
City of San Francisco, which is one of the few major cities

left in the nation that has a combined storm water and
sewage system. This aging system frequently overloads
during heavy storm events and discharges raw sewage to
the Pacic Ocean.
Sewage treatment plants discharging into the marine environment are another signicant pollution source. The discharges for those plants that provide secondary treatment
to the waste stream contain low levels of heavy metals,
pesticides, nutrients, and high volumes of fresh water.
Some heavy metals, though discharged at low levels, bioaccumulate up the food chain. These have the potential
to alter body burdens in sh and other marine life feeding
in the vicinity of the discharge pipe. While levels at the
end of the pipe in the water column may be considered
relatively insignicant, over the reproductive life of the
affected marine organisms, effects may be signicant.
This is particularly true in areas where discharges receive
only primary treatment to remove solids. For example,
San Diego uses only advanced primary treatment for the
citys sewage, which it then deposits into the ocean.
Point source discharges lead to a variety of impacts. Beach
closures, degraded bay and estuarine habitats, increased
levels of contaminants in marine sediments, bioaccumulation of pollutants in the tissues of marine organisms,
degraded benthic communities, loss of kelp beds, and
sediment toxicity are some of the more notable impacts
identied. Beaches are posted or closed for thousands
of beach days each year due to point source discharges
from combined sewer overows and storm water. Nonpoint source pollution, which is not conned to a discrete
and easily regulated source, plays an even greater role in
water pollution and habitat degradation in California.
Nonpoint Source Discharges
onpoint source pollution occurs when water from rainfall, snowmelt, oods, or irrigation runs over land
or through the ground, picks up pollutants, and deposits
them into rivers, lakes, bays, estuaries, nearshore coastal
waters or groundwater. In California, nonpoint source
discharges have been categorized into eight large groupings: agricultural, urban, silviculture, marinas and boating, grazing, mine drainage, on-site sewage treatment
systems, and hydromodication.
According to the U.S. EPA, agriculture is the leading contributor nationwide to water quality impairments, degrading most of the impaired river miles and lake acreage
surveyed by states, territories, and tribes. By contrast,
runoff from urban areas is the largest source of
water quality impairments to surveyed estuaries. The
most common nonpoint source pollutants are sediments
and nutrients.

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Sources of Impairment of Water Quality

and Habitats
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Some examples of impacts from nonpoint source pollution

in central California include agricultural runoff releases
of DDT into the Salinas River Lagoon and Monterey Bay
National Marine Sanctuary at levels that have been demonstrated to be deleterious to aquatic life; and severe
oxygen depletion and eutrophication, as well as shellsh
contamination, in Tomales and Bodega bays and their
tributaries due to nutrients from dairy runoff. Data from
the National Shellsh Register document that in 1995 (the
most recent year reported) shellsh harvesting was prohibited for 9,000 out of 24,000 acres of harvesting areas in
California due to water quality concerns. Coastal nonpoint
source pollution, including both urban and agricultural
runoff, also contributes to the thousands of days of beach
closures and postings in the state each year.
Alteration of water ow (hydromodication) and channel
erosion are two nonpoint source pollution categories
that have been linked to the decline of anadromous sheries (e.g., chinook salmon), especially in habitat areas
where spawning success is determined. The increased
sedimentation, siltation, and turbidity resulting from
these pollution sources lead to habitat loss and modication. These impacts may then adversely affect species
population numbers.
Harbors and marinas provide their share of nonpoint
source pollutants including oily bilge water, detergents
from the washing of decks and hulls, runoff from shipyards
with paint akes containing heavy metals and organotins,
and dish detergent and occasionally sewage material from
live-aboards. Marinas and harbors also can add a signicant sediment plume to local waters during dredging
activities for channel and basin depth maintenance, as
well as associated pollutant and sediment loads from the
dumping of these dredged materials into coastal waters.
Spills
Oil Spills
f all deleterious materials spilled into the marine

environment, crude oil and rened petroleum products are the most common. Oil enters state waters from
many sources, such as storm drains and runoff from roadways, as well as medium-to-large oil spills. Oil spills come
in many forms, from the discharge of oily bilge water by
tens of thousands of boats plying the waters of California,
to breakage in oil pipelines due to earthquakes or age.
From 1991 to 1998, signicant oil spills released at least
18,650 barrels of oil into Californias coastal waters. Data
complied by U.S. EPA of signicant California spills from
1971 to February 2000 record 627,415 barrels of oil spilled
that resulted in identied environmental damage. The
actual number of spills and amount of damage is likely

A Status Report
much higher, but current resource limitations make full

detection impossible.
In nearly all cases, wildlife are injured or even killed by
contact with oil. Aquatic birds, shorebirds, and marine
mammals, particularly sea otters, are the sea life most
visibly affected. However, birds collected at an oil spill
site often may die with no external signs of oil contact
because they have ingested oil while cleaning it off their
feathers. Once ingested, the oil is almost always fatal to
the birds. Impacts to sh and other aquatic organisms are
not often observed because the affected organisms sink
out of sight.
The use of oil dispersants to prevent an oil slick from
coming ashore generally serves to break up the spills
integrity. However, they allow the oil to remain emulsied
in the water column, and add dangerous chemicals that
may adversely affect water column communities below
the surface. Oil spills that do come ashore impact coastal
and marine wildlife as well as valuable rocky intertidal,
sand beach, and coastal wetlands habitats.
In 1991, the California Department of Fish and Game created the Ofce of Spill Prevention and Response (OSPR)
to implement legislation to address oil pollution issues in
the marine environment. In 1997 (last year for available
data), 767 marine oil spills were reported to OSPR. Again,
these are only reported spills; the actual amount of oil
discharged into coastal waters is likely far higher than
reported. For example, these gures do not include the
8.5 to 20 million gallons of diluent released over many
years at the Unocal/Guadalupe oil eld near the City of
San Luis Obispo.
Other Spills
ewage spills are the most common of non-oil related

spills. Effects can range from minimal losses to thousands of sh and other marine animals killed or impaired.
A recent sewage spill into the Salinas River resulted in
a portion of the river becoming completely depleted of
oxygen and in the loss of hundreds of shes, including
steelhead trout (a federally listed species). Sewage spills
also have the potential to release harmful chemicals into
the environment, as the sewage has not reached the treatment plant where these chemicals normally are removed
or reduced to non-toxic levels prior to discharge. Sewage
spills are a signicant source of beach closings and health
advisories each year.
Even some chemical compounds commonly thought to be
non-toxic can have an adverse effect on wildlife when
spilled into an aquatic environment. For example, the
release of 2,300 gallons of vegetable oil into Monterey Bay
in 1997 impacted a variety of birds species. Among other
things, birds were poisoned through ingestion of the oil,
and oil on feathers made the birds less buoyant and more

December 2001
Dredging and Disposal of

Dredged Material
redging is the deepening or enlargement of a navigational channel, harbor/marina basin, or berthing area.
Construction of new channels, basins, or berthing areas
involves the removal of previously undisturbed sediment,
while maintenance dredging removes accumulated sediment from previously dredged areas. Maintenance dredging also occurs at the mouths of coastal lagoons, creeks,
and rivers where accumulated sediment is removed to
keep the system open to the ocean.
At the ports of San Francisco, Oakland, Los Angeles, Long
Beach, and San Diego, increasing global economic pressures have resulted in the need for larger, deeper draft
ships to transport cargo. This has led to a demand
for new construction dredging to widen and deepen
channels, turning basins, berths, and slips to accommodate the larger vessels. Maintenance dredging has similarly increased. More often, dredging activities are permitted for annual or multiannual maintenance of previously
dredged areas. Although infrequent, dredging activities
are increasingly being used for wetland restoration and
enhancement projects such as the dredging of Batiquitos
Lagoon in San Diego County, the Port of Los Angeles
shallow water habitat, and the Port of Oaklands middle
harbor enhancement area.
The selection of a disposal site for dredged sediments is
dependent upon the physical and chemical characteristics
of the material to be placed. Physically and chemically
suitable material (i.e., appropriate grain size and minimal
contamination) may be disposed of at unconned, openwater disposal sites authorized by the U.S. EPA and U.S.
Army Corps of Engineers, such as the deep-ocean disposal
site near the Farallon Islands off San Francisco.
In some instances, clean material may be benecially
reused for structural ll, wetland construction and restoration, habitat improvement and enhancement, capping
material for sites with contaminated sediments, or for
beach nourishment. Dredge material has been used in Los
Angeles Harbor to regain acreage of shallow water habitat
historically lost to past dredge and ll projects. In the Los
Angeles Harbor project, clean dredge material was used
to cap contaminated sediments. A recent Port of Oakland
channel deepening project resulted in the creation of the
Sonoma Baylands, a more than 300-acre tidal wetland restoration project located in Sonoma County. In San Diego
Bay, the Navy has proposed a 30-acre shallow water habitat site to be built with dredge material from their

December 2001
homeporting project. Upland or aquatic disposal for benecial reuse is encouraged throughout the state to minimize open-water unconned disposal at authorized in-bay
(e.g., San Francisco Bay), nearshore (e.g., Moss Landing) or
ocean (e.g., Los Angeles, San Diego, Eureka, etc.) disposal
sites. Dredged material that is physically suitable, but
is chemically unsuitable for aquatic disposal because of
elevated levels of certain contaminants, may be used
as ll, or in certain wetland construction and habitat
improvement projects, provided the contaminated materials are conned (e.g., parking lots, container piers, etc.).
Beach nourishment is one of the more common reuses
of clean dredge material from routine dredging projects.
Compatible material, which matches the receiving beach
in grain size and quality, is usually pumped directly onto
the beach and then spread by use of heavy equipment, or
directly placed in the nearshore environment where it will
be transported onshore through natural littoral processes.
Large-scale beach nourishment projects, using material
from offshore borrow areas, are currently being planned
for southern California, particularly in San Diego County.
Dredging activities can cause signicant negative impacts
to marine life, including a direct loss of benthic habitat,
as well as potential loss or injury to slow moving or immobile benthic species such as polychaete worms, crabs,
seastars, clams, and bottom-dwelling shes. Studies have
shown that benthic invertebrate species can re-colonize in
the dredged area as early as six months after a dredging
project has been completed. However, this type of recovery can be delayed indenitely if there is repeated dredging activity. Depending on the scale of dredging, there
also could be a loss of marine plants such as eelgrass.
In addition to the direct loss of habitat and associated
infauna and epifauna, dredging operations displace mobile
sh and invertebrates, affect the foraging habits of marine
birds, and displace other water birds such as ducks, geese,
terns, loons, grebes, and cormorants. Newly dredged substrate also is more susceptible for colonization by opportunistic and invasive non-endemic organisms.
Dredging may also result in the resuspension and redistribution of sediments, potentially increasing marine and
estuarine life to exposure to chemical contaminants,
as well as a temporary decrease in dissolved oxygen.
Increases in turbidity and suspended solids decrease light
penetration, resulting in reduced photosynthesis by phytoplankton, kelp, eelgrass, and surfgrass. Prolonged turbidity can clog the apparatuses of lter-feeding invertebrates
and the gills of shes. Turbidity also reduces the ability
of sight-foraging birds, such as the federal- and stateendangered California least tern and brown pelican, to
successfully capture prey items.
susceptible to hypothermia. Several hundred birds died,

while hundreds more were rehabilitated and released.
For small dredging projects, many impacts are assumed

to be short term and temporary; however, the larger the

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dredging project, the longer the duration of the dredging

and the greater the impacts to marine organisms. The
method of dredging also affects turbidity and resuspension
of sediments. For example, a clamshell dredge results
in more turbidity at the dredging site than a hydraulic
dredge, but at the disposal site the opposite occurs.
There are a number of ways to minimize some of the
impacts associated with dredging. Mitigation measures
include the use of silt curtains to contain ne sediments,
water-tight clamshell buckets for minimizing the dispersion of contaminants, and seasonal restrictions (e.g., no
dredging during the nesting seasons of least terns and
snowy plovers, or during the migration of endangered
salmonid species).
Open-water disposal buries most immobile epibenthic and
infaunal organisms within the footprint of the disposal
site, and there are expectations that the site will be
degraded over time. Approved ocean disposal sites are
designed to minimize adverse impacts to living marine
resources outside of the site boundaries. Beach replenishment can also have negative impacts on marine resources
and their habitats. Sensitive and valuable habitats including kelp beds, rocky reefs, and surfgrass could be potentially buried by nearshore disposal operations. Direct
placement of sand on the beach may also bury incubating
California grunion eggs, destroy nests of western snowy
plover and least tern, and preclude shorebird foraging.
Invasive Species
nvasive species are the number two threat to endangered and threatened species nationwide, second only
to habitat destruction. Specic environmental threats
include consumption of native species and their food
sources, dilution of native species through cross-breeding,
and poisoning of native species through bioaccumulation
of toxics that are passed up the food chain. Commercial
shermen nationwide are seeing signicant impacts to
sh and shellsh populations due to invasive marine life.
Moreover, unlike threats posed by most chemical or other
types of pollution, biological pollution by non-indigenous
species has permanent impacts, as aquatic invasive species are virtually impossible to eradicate once established.
Though many areas along Californias coast have been
impacted, San Francisco Bay has seen some of the most
signicant damage from invasive species. Extensive studies conrm that at least 234 alien plant and animal species now live in San Francisco Bay, and that recently
introduced alien species are nding a viable niche in the
bay and delta at the rate of one new species every 14
weeks. Those invasive species that have been positively
identied as permanent residents of the bay include the

A Status Report
Asian clam, the European green crab, the New Zealand sea
slug, the Chinese mitten crab, several species of sponges,
jellysh, several species of sh, and numerous species of
anemone, snails, mussels, clams, and barnacles.
It is widely accepted that the discharge of ballast water is
the primary mechanism by which coastal invasive species
are spread. For example, from 53 percent to up to 88
percent of the aquatic non-indigenous species introduced
into San Francisco Bay in the last decade originated in ballast water discharges. Other sources include aquaculture
imports and deliberate introductions (the possible source
of the invasive Chinese mitten crab in the San Francisco
Bay Estuary).
This topic is addressed in more detail in the chapter on
invasive species.
Habitat Loss, Destruction and Alteration
earshore coastal and estuarine habitats are signifcantly impacted by ll, residential and commercial
development, and ood control projects. Fill, or the
placement of sediments, pilings, bulkheads, retaining
walls, piers, etc. in marine waters, has occurred in every
major port and many other developed coastal areas.
The man-made Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach
were created by the dredging and lling of the former
3,450-acre Wilmington Lagoon. Large-scale ll projects
continue today as increasing economic pressures dictate a
need for additional container terminals. In fact, the Port
of Los Angeles just recently completed an over 580-acre
landll project for its Pier 400 project. In the San Francisco Bay area, the San Francisco International Airport
is proposing a runway reconguration project that would
potentially ll up to 1,500 acres of San Francisco Bay.
The lling of marine waters with large volumes of sediment clearly has signicant adverse impacts on the nearshore marine and estuarine environment, permanently
eradicates benthic habitat, and likely kills most epibenthic
and infaunal organisms within the footprint of the ll.
Additionally, ll removes the surface-air interface, reducing foraging areas for surface feeding species, and
reduces water column habitat, adversely affecting plankton, shes, diving birds, and marine mammals.
Structures, such as wharves, piers, seawalls, groins, and
breakwaters, also impact and modify the marine and estuarine environment. There is often a permanent loss of
habitat from the ll used to install the structure, such as
pilings for piers. Some overlying structures (e.g., pier platforms) cover a portion of the water column, resulting in
the loss of foraging habitat for sight-feeding marine birds
such as terns and pelicans. Additionally, the structure may
shade marine plants such as eelgrass, as well as algae

December 2001
In addition to the structures themselves, construction

activities associated with projects also impact the marine
environment, and, although the impacts are not permanent, they may have signicant effects on resources. This
is particularly true for large-scale or long-term projects
or where there are multiple small project phases in the
same area. Surface turbidity caused by dredging is one
of the major impacts from in-water construction activities
affecting marine plants, birds, and shes. Shock waves
from demolition and pile driving can further impact foraging birds by making prey more difcult to capture. They
are also capable of breaking up concentrated schools of
sh, forcing schools to seek deeper waters or avoid an
area altogether. Noise associated with construction operations also displaces marine birds and mammals.
Groins and breakwaters convert one habitat type to
another resulting in a change in community structure.
For example, placement of riprap over subtidal/intertidal
habitat converts a soft bottom surface to a rocky habitat.
Habitat conversion becomes an issue when a majority of
the habitat in the area has already been altered. For
example, in San Diego Bay, only 26 percent of the bays
shoreline remains natural, whereas the remainder is covered with man-made structures.
Flood control projects can be another source of habitat
loss and alteration. The natural hydrology of bays
and estuaries has been greatly affected by human activities in an attempt to control ooding. Flood control methods such as channelization of rivers and streams have
impacted or destroyed riparian habitat and increased the
rate of sedimentation into bays and estuaries. Breaching
of sand bars on coastal rivers and streams for the purpose
of ood control has changed riverine habitat from fresh
water to brackish or tidal. One of the many functions of
wetland habitat is to provide ood control during high ow
years, but development on coastal wetlands has, among
other things, removed this natural benet.
Coastal habitats such as wetlands and estuaries are vital
to the survival of numerous invertebrates, shes, birds,
mammals, and plants. Already an essential component of
commercial and sport shing industries worth hundreds
of millions of dollars, these habitats help fuel the
states economy and support Californias diverse marine
wildlife population. Californias coastal wetlands also are

December 2001
valued for their capacity to recharge groundwater and

cleanse runoff.
However, these habitats are an increasingly scarce
resource. For example, 90 percent of Californias coastal
wetlands have been diked, paved over, developed or otherwise destroyed, and only ve percent of the states
coastal wetlands remain intact. Development continues
to pose a signicant threat to the few remaining natural
coastal wetlands. The vast majority of Californias population lives within a short drive from the coast, and the
number of people settling in coastal counties continues
to grow.
Development not only can directly destroy coastal habitats, but also can contaminate them through the urban
runoff and other discharges generated by the development activities. Increased controls on urban runoff will be
implemented shortly through a new round of regulations
on smaller municipalities, helping to control this problem
somewhat, but it is unclear whether this effort will be
outweighed by the sheer rate of growth in these areas.
The California Coastal Act limits the lling of wetlands
and estuaries to certain types of projects including
port, energy, and coastal-dependent industrial facilities,
entrance channels for new or expanded boating facilities;
new boating facilities in a degraded wetland; and restoration, nature study, and aquaculture. Despite these protections, coastal wetlands are still being developed today.
Development projects are currently anticipated at Bolsa
Chica, Ballona, and Los Cerritos wetlands, some of the few
remaining wetlands in southern California.
Water Flow
Freshwater Discharges
he two principal sources of freshwater discharges into

marine and estuarine habitats are sewage treatment
plants and power plant cooling water. Sewage treatment
plants discharge treated wastewater into coastal waters
and bays. There, the freshwater dilutes the salinity of
the receiving environment, impacting and changing that
habitat. This problem is particularly acute in south San
Francisco Bay, which has a low ushing rate.
With respect to power plant discharges, California has
more power plants discharging into salt and brackish
water than any other state. Although these plants use
once-through cooling systems, the water is heated to
several degrees above ambient during transit through the
plant. Impacts from heated water can vary depending
upon where the discharge structure is located. Discharges
into environments that normally experience wide temperature ranges during tidal and annual cycles (e.g., estu-

A Status Report
and benthic invertebrates. Groins and breakwaters may

deect wave or water current energy and inuence water
currents, ushing, sedimentation, and normal sediment
transport. Materials used to construct structures exposed
to water may have negative impacts on water quality,
such as creosote-treated wood products. The operation of
the structure may also result in additional water quality
impacts, such as runoff from piers and platforms.
35
36
aries) are more resistant to changes from thermal effects

than those that do not normally experience such changes.
Power plant discharges can result in decreased diversity
and density of species at the community and ecosystem
levels. In addition to heat, power plant discharges can
contain high levels of suspended solids, which decrease
light penetration of the water column and affect adjacent
kelp bed production.
Power plants also cause problems related to water ow.
Electricity generating power plants take in billions of gallons of water on a daily basis. Diablo Canyon Nuclear
Power Plant circulates 2.5 billion gallons of water per day,
which pulls in creatures in the seawater en route to passing the water through the plant in its once-through cooling
cycle. This water circulation causes temperature increases
in the area of discharge (thermal pollution), impingement
(marine animals caught on water intake screens), and
entrainment (destruction of marine animals pulled inside
the plant). Entrainment is generally limited to those
organisms not capable of swimming against the intake
current (e.g., larval forms). Most energy company-sponsored studies of power plant entrainment limit analysis
to effects on larval sh, arguing that plankton losses
are too difcult to enumerate and analyze for ecosystem
effects. It has been estimated, however, that plankton
losses can signicantly increase the estimates of overall
wildlife losses due to entrainment. Larval entrainment
losses are often estimated at 100 percent due to a multiplicity of factors, including physical changes in pressure,
discharge velocity, turbulence, and temperature increase
effects. If the power plant has a mechanism to return
impinged organisms to the water (most do not), those
losses are lower, but do contribute to the cumulative
effects of power plants on the ecosystem.
Hydromodication
ams in California range from large, permanent structures to small, temporary structures. Millions of gallons of water, often diverted from rivers that empty into
the ocean or estuaries, are stored for agricultural use,
drinking water supplies, ood control, or groundwater
recharge. Dams change the landscape both at the construction site and the downstream conveyance to the
ocean or estuary. Loss of upstream habitat due to water
diversion has the effect of reducing the production capability of anadromous species that depend on continuous
summer ows for rearing and transport of juveniles that
travel downstream to the ocean for growth prior to
returning to natal streams. Diversion of freshwater inow
to estuarine systems also reduces the productivity of the
estuaries by reducing the nutrient input which diatom and
other bottom trophic level organisms require. Dams also
change stream morphology by altering sediment ow, by

A Status Report
smothering gravels with silt during high ow releases, and

by emptying summer rearing pools. Dams also contribute
to poor water quality by releasing warm surface water
that has been mostly depleted of oxygen; or by releasing
water, through spillways, that may contain oxygen levels
too high for sh survival (supersaturation). The lakes that
are formed by large dams cover miles of former spawning
rifes, and many dams have been built without passage
facilities, blocking the upstream migration of anadromous
sh trying to nd suitable spawning habitat.
Water conveyance structures (i.e., water canals) remove
essential water from rivers and streams that historically
produced the bulk of Californias salmon runs. These
structures not only remove water, they also alter existing
habitat. For example, canals that leak repeatedly create
riparian habitat entirely dependent on that leakage. When
these canals are repaired, the ecosystem that has developed over the years is lost. Water canals also have the
potential to transport sh between watersheds and introduce species into unfamiliar habitats. Many newly created
reservoirs behind dams contain non-native sh that also
have the potential to escape from the lake into the outlet
stream, such as the in the case of the northern pike
introduced into Lake Davis.
Recreational and Commercial Activities

Boating
ruise ships, yachts, and other large recreational vessels discharge sewage, gray water, toxic chemicals, oil
and gas, and air pollutants into sensitive coastal waters.
Smaller vehicles also can do signicant harm.
Jet Skis (Motorized Personal Watercraft)
or example, jet skis, more generically referred to as

motorized personal watercraft (MPWC) can do signicant nearshore harm. For example, their noise, which
is rated at 85-105 decibels, can disrupt wildlife communities through alteration of behavior and nest abandonment.
MPWCs also pollute more than other boats. From 25 to
33 percent of the oil and gasoline used by MPWCs is
discharged unburned, impacting local water quality. A
two-hour ride on an MPWC can discharge up to three
gallons of unburned gasoline and oil, or the same amount
of pollution as driving 139,000 miles in a 1998 passenger
car. The impact of accumulated oil pollution in the marine
environment is particularly signicant in sensitive nearshore environments such as estuaries and bays. This pollution can have cumulative effects throughout the food
web as the hydrocarbons bioaccumulate, posing a threat
to larger marine life.

December 2001
Fishing
here is growing evidence that shing has a signicant

impact on coastal habitats. For example, the complexity of the marine habitat can be altered by the scraping,
shearing and crushing effects of shing gear. Physical
effects of trawling include plowing and scraping of the
sea oor and resuspension of sediments. Resulting benthic
troughs can last as little as a few hours or days in mud
and sand sediments over which there are strong tides or
currents, to between a few months to over ve years in
sea beds with a mud or sandy-mud substrate at depths
greater than 100 meters with weak or no current ow.
Longline gear has similarly been observed to shear marine
plants and sessile organisms from the bottom. Pot gear
may damage demersal plants and animals as it settles,
and longlined pots may drag through and damage bottom
fauna during gear retrieval. Boat anchors also can inict
serious, though localized, damage in some areas.
In addition to directly altering the bottom habitat, shing
can result in lost gear that is left to ghost sh, thereby
causing additional habitat alterations. Fishing activities
also affect the water column through discharge of offal
from sh processed at sea. These discards in deeper
water could redistribute prey food away from midwater
and bottom-feeding organisms to surface-feeding organisms; in low-current environments, these discharges can
decompose and create anoxic bottom conditions. The
water column also can be impacted by fuel leaks from
shing boats.

December 2001
Measures to minimize these impacts include prohibiting

the use of damaging gear in sensitive areas and modifying
gear so that damage to bottom habitats is minimized.
Ecosystem-wide Implications
n ecosystem can be dened as the balanced and

sustained interaction of a biological community with
its physical and chemical environment. The sh, invertebrate, marine mammal, aquatic bird, and aquatic plant
populations in Californias coastal, bay, and estuarine
waters are all components of a vast array of discrete and
overlapping communities and ecosystems. Although most
members of a biological community are linked through
elaborate food webs based upon predation, competitive
and mutualistic relationships also play an important role.
Add to this complexity the myriad of effects on individual
organisms and populations from changes in the chemical
and physical environment, and measuring and evaluating
ecosystem responses to these changes becomes a challenging task.
The current state of environmental science allows us to
use both individual evaluation measures and combinations
of measures depending upon the information at hand.
These may include population numbers and structure,
biological testing (e.g., bioassays, bioaccumulation, etc.),
concentration of contaminants in organisms or the surrounding habitat, movement of contaminants into aquatic
ecosystems, and size and/or availability of habitat. Based
upon these and other measurements, it appears that bay
and estuarine ecosystems are much more threatened than
those of the nearshore coastal environment with regard
to habitat quality and quantity. This is particularly true
with regard to contaminants in the water column and
benthic sediments, and impacts from dredging and lling,
point and nonpoint source discharges, oil spills, and nonindigenous species introduction. On a localized or regional
basis, however, areas of the nearshore coastal environment may be in worse condition than our bays and estuaries with regard to specic contaminants or conditions.
Examples include DDT-laden sediments in the area of the
Palos Verdes shelf and radioactive waste dumped near the
Farallon Islands.
Although Californias population continues to increase,
thereby putting added pressure on our limited resources
and habitats, there are a number of efforts and initiatives
underway in the state to begin to curtail impacts and
improve the quality and quantity of our marine and
estuarine habitats. These efforts include greater
regulation of point and nonpoint source discharges,
improved identication of toxic hot spots, increased
emphasis on benecial reuse opportunities for dredged
materials, reduction of the frequency and extent of oil

A Status Report
For these reasons, MPWC regulations have been established in sensitive areas such as the waters of the Monterey Bay and Gulf of the Farallones National Marine
Sanctuaries. In justifying the regulation of MPWC, the
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration noted
that, the small size, maneuverability and high-speed of
these craft is what causes these craft to pose a threat
to resources. Resources such a sea otters and sea birds
are either unable to avoid these craft or are frequently
alarmed enough to signicantly modify their behavior
such as cessation of feeding or abandonment of young.
Indeed, the narrow draft and smaller size of MPWCs
allows them to access the most fragile nearshore habitats,
causing signicant environmental impacts including: ight
responses in shorebirds and alteration of nesting habits;
destruction of critical bird and sh habitat, including eelgrass beds; and harassment of or collisions with marine
mammals (several of which are federally protected species under the Endangered Species Act) and other wildlife.
While these impacts are most critical in the nearshore
environment, the risk of collision with or harassment of
marine mammals and seabirds is signicant throughout
areas frequented by MPWC.
37
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spills, development and coordination of large-scale water

quality and habitat monitoring and assessment programs,
restrictions on the import of non-indigenous species in
ballast water, and increased marine habitat restoration
and enhancement projects.
Regulatory Structure for Addressing

Water Quality and Habitat Issues
Federal
Clean Water Act
he Environmental Protection Agency is the foremost

federal agency with responsibility for protecting the
health of the nations waters. The Federal Water Pollution
Control Act (Clean Water Act) addresses the major categories of discharges into coastal and marine waters with
varying degrees of stringency. Californias State Water
Resources Control Board (SWRCB) and Regional Water
Quality Control Boards (RWQCB) currently hold the authority, delegated by U.S. EPA, to implement the Clean Water
Act in state waters.
Permit Program
ection 301(a) of the Clean Water Act prohibits the

discharge of any pollutant by any person into waters
of the United States, unless done in compliance with
specied sections of the Act, including the permit requirements in Section 402. Under the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) set up under Section
402, U.S. EPA requires permits for most point source
discharges of waste. These permits contain discharge conditions, including technology-based controls and waterquality-based efuent requirements, to ensure that the
discharges meet all applicable standards set to protect
uses of the water body, such as use by aquatic life and
for shing.
NPDES permits for discharges into the territorial sea
also must comply with ocean discharge criteria specically designed to prevent the degradation of those
waters, pursuant to Clean Water Act Section 403. These
permit requirements may increase in stringency in the
near future due to a recent presidential Executive Order
on this topic.
Nonpoint Pollution Program
ection 319 of the Clean Water Act sets up a voluntary

program to control polluted runoff. This program was
established through the 1987 Clean Water Act amendments, and states soon thereafter submitted nonpoint
source pollution management plans to EPA in order to

A Status Report
receive federal 319 funds for projects to control polluted

runoff. Signicant limitations of this program include low
levels of funding in comparison with the signicance of
the problem and the fact that the programs are voluntary.
As a result, over a decade after establishment of the 319
program, polluted runoff continues to be the major - and
growing - source of pollution into the nations waters.
Regulation of Discharges into Impaired Waters
ection 303(d) of the Clean Water Act requires states

to identify specic water bodies where water quality
standards are not expected to be met even after full
implementation of required permit controls and other conditions imposed on point source discharges. States must
then establish a priority ranking of those impaired waters
and identify the pollutant stressors that are causing the
water quality problems. In accordance with those rankings, the state must then establish limits on all pollution
discharges, both point and nonpoint, in order to ensure
attainment of water quality standards within a margin
of safety. These limits are referred to as the total
maximum daily loads (TMDL) for the identied pollutants
and waters. The states impaired water body list currently
tops 500, with more likely to be listed. Because many of
these waters are vital to the health of the states coastal
ecosystems and wildlife, full and prompt implementation
of these TMDLs is essential to a thriving marine ecosystem.
Discharges under Federal Licenses or Permits
ection 401 of the Clean Water Act requires a certication from a state that federal agency actions and
permits comply with state water quality standards and
other Clean Water Act requirements. Congress stated in
enacting this provision that the purpose of Section 401
is to provide reasonable assurance that no license or
permit will be issued by a federal agency for any activity
that through inadequate planning or otherwise could in
fact become a source of pollution. When implemented
fully, this adds an important layer of protection over
existing regulations protecting coastal water quality and
habitat health.
Dredge Disposal and Fill
ection 404 of the Clean Water Act grants the U.S. Army
Corps of Engineers authority to regulate any project
involving ll, construction, or modication of the waters
of the United States. This would include, for example,
dredging and lling of coastal harbors. Corps actions
are subject to Clean Water Act Section 401 certication
that the proposed activities will not violate state water
quality standards.
U.S. EPA sets the standards for suitability of dredge material destined for federally approved sites in the ocean

December 2001
Antidegradation
he Clean Water Act and accompanying regulations

state that both point and nonpoint source pollution
control programs must specically address antidegradation, or preventing further pollution of the nations
waters. Water quality standards, which all waters must
meet, consist of three elements: (1) the designated benecial use or uses of a water body; (2) the water quality
criteria necessary to protect the uses of that water body;
and (3) an antidegradation policy. Both federal and state
antidegradation policies must ensure that water quality
improvements are conserved, maintained and protected.
Despite the fact that antidegradation in general, and protection of relatively clean waters in particular, is a specic component of the water quality standards, it is given
relatively little attention in point source pollution control
and permitting programs, and essentially no attention in
nonpoint pollution control programs. A lack of attention to
maintaining the health of cleaner waters threatens those
waters with impairment that will be far more expensive to
address than prevention. Water quality programs should
contain specic descriptions of how new and continued
discharges into all waters, both impaired and clean, will
be reduced.
Ocean Dumping Act
itle 1 of the Marine Protection, Research, and Sanctuaries Act (Ocean Dumping Act), prohibits the unpermitted dumping of any material transported from a location outside the United States into the territorial sea
of the United States, or into the zone contiguous to the
territorial sea, to the extent discharge into the contiguous
zone would affect the territorial sea or the territory of
the United States. Dumping is dened broadly as a

December 2001
disposition of material. The statute contains only a

few, very specic exemptions from this term. The Act is
administered by U.S. EPA and is on top of any Clean Water
Act requirements.
The National Environmental Policy Act
he National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 is the

basic national directive for the protection of the environment. NEPA requires that federal agencies prepare an
Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for major Federal
actions signicantly affecting the quality of the human
environment. In doing so, the agencies must provide
a full and fair discussion of signicant environmental
impacts of the proposed project.
An EIS is intended to help public ofcials make decisions
that are based on an understanding of the potential
environmental consequences and decide whether to take
actions that avoid these consequences. The EIS also
must inform decision makers and the public of the
reasonable alternatives which would avoid or minimize
adverse impacts and must analyze such project alternatives comprehensively. In addition, the EIS must discuss
appropriate mitigation measures not already included in
the proposed action or alternatives. Finally, the lead
agency must state at the time of its decision whether
all practicable means to avoid or minimize environmental
harm from the alternative selected have been adopted,
and, if not, why not.
Endangered Species Act
he federal Endangered Species Act (ESA) is the

nations charter for protection of threatened and
endangered species, including coastal and marine life.
The Endangered Species Act contains both consultation
requirements and a substantive requirement prohibiting
certain activities that threaten listed species. Under Section 7 of ESA [e]ach Federal agency shall, in consultation
with and with the assistance of the Secretary [of the
Interior and/or Commerce, as appropriate], insure that
any action authorized, funded, or carried out by such
agency . . . is not likely to jeopardize the continued
existence of any endangered species or threatened species or result in the destruction or adverse modication
of habitat of such species . . . . In addition, federal
agencies must consult with the Secretary of the Interior
and/or Commerce, as appropriate on any agency action
which is likely to jeopardize the continued existence of
any species proposed to be listed . . . or result in the
destruction or adverse modication of critical habitat proposed to be designated for such species.
Section 7 is an important tool that can be used to protect
and conserve the habitats of threatened and endangered
coastal and marine wildlife. ESA Section 7 is used, for

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beyond three miles from shore. These standards are found

in the 1991 Ocean Disposal Testing Manual, or Green
Book, which species the physical, chemical, and biological tests required to determine suitability. Disposal within
state waters (i.e., inside three miles) is authorized by state
and federal agencies which use standards from the Inland
Testing Manual. State agencies involved in authorizing
disposal within state waters through a permitting process
include the Regional Water Quality Control Boards, State
Lands Commission, California Coastal Commission, and the
San Francisco Bay Conservation and Development Commission. Federal agencies involved in the permitting process
for the disposal of dredged materials in state waters
include U.S. EPA and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
Federal and state resource agencies such as the Department of Fish and Game, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service,
and National Marine Fisheries Service act as consulting
agencies on dredging projects.
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40
example, to require the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers

to consult with U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the
National Marine Fisheries Service regarding how proposed
Corps dredging projects will affect listed species.
In addition, Section 9 of ESA prohibits the transport or
take of listed species, and Section 4 sets up a program to
acquire lands and habitat associated with listed species to
enhance recovery efforts.
Marine Mammal Protection Act
he federal Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA) protects the marine mammals that make their home in
the waters off Californias shores. One of the more signicant provisions of the MMPA prohibits the take of
marine mammals. Take is dened broadly to include
actions that kill or harass marine mammals, where
harassment refers to any act of pursuit, torment,
or annoyance which (i) has the potential to injure a
marine mammal or marine mammal stock in the wild;
or (ii) has the potential to disturb a marine mammal or
marine mammal stock in the wild by causing disruption of
behavioral patterns, including . . . feeding . . . . As
dened, take is not limited to a direct physical taking
of the animal, but also other actions that indirectly harm
the animal.
National Marine Sanctuaries Act
itle 3 of the Marine Protection, Research, and Sanctuaries Act is the National Marine Sanctuaries Act
(NMSA), which protects the nations most unique marine
habitats, waters and wildlife. California is fortunate to
have four National Marine Sanctuaries: Channel Islands,
which lies nine to 46 miles offshore and encompasses
1,658 square miles of marine waters and habitats; Monterey Bay, which lies adjacent to the central coast and
is 5,328 square miles; Gulf of the Farallones, which lies
adjacent to shore along Marin County and extends 12 miles
out to the Farallon Islands, encompassing 1,255 square
miles; and Cordell Bank, the smallest at 526 square
miles, which lies near the continental shelf seven to 23
miles offshore (adjoining the Gulf of the Farallones Sanctuary). The NMSA is designed to maintain, restore,
and enhance living resources by providing places for species that depend on these marine resources to survive
and propagate. NOAAs Sanctuary ofces use the NMSA
to provide for comprehensive and coordinated management of these unique marine areas.
To meet these goals, the NMSA requires federal agencies
to consult with sanctuary ofcials if federal actions are
likely to injure sanctuary resources. So, for example, U.S.
Army Corps of Engineers staff would need to consult with
sanctuary staff on proposed dredging in sanctuary waters.
The NMSA also makes it illegal to destroy, cause the loss

A Status Report
of, or injure any sanctuary resource managed under law

or regulations for that sanctuary, with specied actions
allowed under sanctuary permits or authorizations. Under
the NMSA, management plans must be prepared for each
sanctuary and reviewed every ve years. These plans
must take into account management of the diverse marine
wildlife in Californias sanctuaries.
Like the Ocean Dumping Act, the NMSA adds an extra layer
of protection for marine resources in certain areas. For
example, the San Francisco and Central Coast Regional
Water Quality Control Boards report to the Monterey Bay
NMS ofce on proposed new and revised permits for discharges into sanctuary waters and allow for staff review
and comment. Sanctuary staff may in some instances
place conditions on these permits as needed to protect
Sanctuary resources. Violations of these permits is an
infraction of both state water quality law and the NMSA,
subjecting the violator to nes under both acts.
The Coastal Zone Management Act
he Coastal Zone Management Act (CZMA) of 1972

established a federal-state partnership to manage
development and use of the coastal zone. CZMA, which
is administered nationwide by NOAA, provides federal
funding for the development and implementation of state
Coastal Zone Management Programs. The state agency
charged with developing and implementing a state coastal
plan in accordance with CZMA is the California Coastal
Commission. Signicantly, CZMA grants the commission
the authority to review federal activities in the coastal
zone and ensure they comply with Californias Coastal
Zone Management Program.
Coastal Zone Management Act Reauthorization

Amendments of 1990
he Coastal Nonpoint Pollution Control Program, established by the Coastal Zone Reauthorization Amendments of 1990 (CZARA), addresses the control of nonpoint
source pollution, which is the number one cause of water
contamination in the state. The impacts of nonpoint
source pollution in coastal areas include beach closings
and advisories, loss of habitat, closed or harvest-limited
shellsh beds, declining sheries, red tides and other
harmful plankton blooms, reduction in tourism revenues
and threats to the drinking water of coastal communities.
The State Water Resources Control Board and the California Coastal Commission have submitted to U.S. EPA and
NOAA a Nonpoint Pollution Control Program Plan that
is intended to control nonpoint source pollution in accordance with CZARA Section 6217 requirements. The plan
lays out a general outline of nonpoint source pollution
management measures that will be implemented over the
next 15 years.

December 2001
Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and

Management Act
s amended and reauthorized in 1996, the MagnusonStevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act
includes substantial new provisions designed to protect
habitats important to all federally managed species of
anadromous and marine sh. The amended Act denes
essential sh habitat (EFH) as those waters and substrate necessary to sh for spawning, breeding, feeding,
or growth to maturity.
The act requires the eight regional shery management
councils around the country and the Secretary of Commerce to amend each regional shery management
plan to:
Describe and identify EFH;
Identify adverse impacts to EFH;
Minimize, to the extent practicable, adverse impacts

from shing to EFH; and
Develop suggested measures to conserve and enhance

EFH.
Before a federal agency may proceed with an activity that

may adversely affect a designated EFH, the agency must
consult with NOAA Fisheries with regard to measures that
avoid or minimize adverse impacts on the EFH.
The Pacic Fishery Management Council has dened
groundsh EFH as waters of the entire Pacic Coast, and
described the types of measures needed to protect the
habitat from shing and non-shing impacts. However,
the Council, like other councils nationwide, has required
almost no protection for EFH from shing itself, despite
growing evidence that shing often poses a signicant
threat to EFH.
Oil Pollution Act of 1990
he Oil Pollution Act (OPA) of 1990 streamlined and

strengthened EPAs ability to prevent and respond to
catastrophic oil spills. A trust fund nanced by a tax
on oil is available to clean up spills when the reponsible
party is incapable or unwilling to do so. The OPA requires
oil storage facilities and vessels to submit plans to the
Federal government detailing how they will repond to
large discharges. EPA has published regulations for above
ground storage facilites; the Coast Guard has done so for
oil tankers. The OPA also requires the development of
Area Contingency Plans to prepare and plan for oil spill
response on a regional scale.

December 2001
State
California Environmental Quality Act
ike NEPA, the California Environmental Quality Act

requires the state to take a hard look at the environmental impacts of projects that require state or local government approval. Unlike NEPA, CEQA also requires appropriate mitigation of projects that contain signicant environmental impacts. Specically, CEQA states that agencies
must adopt feasible mitigation measures in order to
substantially lessen or avoid the otherwise signicant
environmental impacts of a proposed project. A signicant impact is a substantial, or potentially substantial,
adverse change in any of the physical conditions within
the area affected by the project including land, air, water,
minerals, ora, [and] fauna
CEQA also mandates that the responsible agencies consider a reasonable range of project alternatives that offer
substantial environmental advantages over the project
proposal. CEQA adds that the agency responsible for the
projects approval must deny approval if there would be
signicant adverse effects when feasible alternatives
or feasible mitigation measures could substantially lessen
such effects.
Porter-Cologne Water Quality Control Act
nder Californias Porter-Cologne Water Quality Control

Act any person discharging waste, or proposing to
discharge waste, within any region that could affect the
quality of the waters of the state must le a report
of the discharge with the appropriate Regional Water
Quality Control Board. Pursuant to the act, the regional
board may then prescribe waste discharge requirements
(WDRs) that add conditions related to control of the discharge. Porter-Cologne denes waste broadly, and the
term has been applied to a diverse array of materials,
including nonpoint source pollution.
When regulating discharges that are included in the federal Clean Water Act, the state essentially treats WDRs
and NPDES as a single permitting vehicle. Where PorterCologne is more stringent than the Clean Water Act, such
as for discharges of nonpoint source pollution, WDRs alone
must be applied to or waived for such discharges. This
requirement, however, is not implemented as it should
be, and indeed is simply ignored in a number of cases,
particularly with respect to nonpoint source pollution.
A bill passed in 1999 now requires the state and
regional boards to review existing waivers of WDRs in
an effort to ensure that needed regulatory controls are
properly imposed.

A Status Report
U.S. EPA and NOAA approved Californias plan in July

2000. Additional requirements on the contents of the Plan
imposed under state law (particularly with respect to
enforcement) should be completed by February 2001.
41
42
California Endangered Species Act
he California Endangered Species Act (CESA) generally

parallels the main provisions of the Federal Endangered Species Act and is administered by the California
Department of Fish and Game. Under CESA, the term
endangered species is dened as a species of plant, sh,
or wildlife that is in serious danger of becoming extinct
throughout all, or a signicant portion of its range and is
limited to species or subspecies native to California. CESA
states that it is the policy of the state that state agencies should not approve projects as proposed which would
jeopardize the continued existence of any endangered
species or threatened species or result in the destruction
or adverse modication of habitat essential to the continued existence of those species, if there are reasonable and prudent alternatives available consistent with
conserving the species or its habitat which would prevent
jeopardy. However, CESA goes on to add that, in the
event specic economic, social, or other conditions make
infeasible such alternatives, individual projects may be
approved if appropriate mitigation and enhancement
measures are provided.
McAteer-Petris Act
nder the McAteer-Petris Act of 1965, the Bay Conservation and Development Commission (BCDC) has
authority to plan and regulate activities and development
in and around San Francisco Bay through policies developed in the San Francisco Bay Plan. This is essentially
the San Francisco Bay counterpart to the California
Coastal Act.
California Coastal Act
he California Coastal Act of 1976 granted state

authority to the California Coastal Commission, in conjunction with local governments, to manage the conservation and orderly development of coastal resources
through a comprehensive planning and regulatory program
for the coast (excluding areas covered by the McAteerPetris Act). The states management program for the
1,100-mile Pacic Coast program was approved in 1977 by
NOAA as consistent with the requirements for planning
in the federal Coastal Zone Management Act. NOAAs
approval was made pursuant to an agreement between
the Coastal Commission and the Bay Conservation and
Development Commission to develop mechanisms to
integrate their two programs.
The Coastal Act contains specic policies relating to management of coastal development activities that affect the
marine environment and coastal land resources. These
policies are the standards used in the commissions planning and regulatory programs to ensure that the commission meets the acts mandate that the state [p]rotect,

A Status Report
maintain, and, where feasible, enhance and restore the

overall quality of the coastal environment and its natural
and manmade resources. The act also delegates planning
and permitting authority to local governments through the
Local Coastal Plan process.
Oil Spill Prevention and Response Act of 1990
he states Ofce of Spill Prevention and Response

(OSPR) was created in the aftermath of the ExxonValdez oil spill and the American Trader oil spill at Huntington Beach. The Lempert-Keene-Seastrand Oil Spill Prevention and Response Act of 1990 created OSPR within
the Department of Fish and Game. The bill provided funding for OSPRs work by levying a tax on oil brought into
the state and another on oil transported across the state
by rail, truck, or pipeline. OSPRs mandate is to work
with other DFG units, interested public, other agencies,
clean-up companies, and oil companies to prevent oil
spills, to develop response plans, and to implement those
plans when spills occur.
The U.S. Coast Guard is OSPRs federal counterpart
and response partner for these efforts. In addition,
OSPR has responsibility for determining injuries to living
natural resources and seeking compensation and restoration through civil litigation. More recently, OSPRs role
has expanded from a focus on oil spills to a broader
focus on spills of any material deleterious to living natural
resources, and has expanded from marine waters to spills
that may happen anywhere in California.
In addition, the act makes the State Lands Commission
responsible for ensuring that all marine terminals and
other oil and gas facilities within their jurisdiction use
the best achievable methods to prevent accidents and
resulting oil spills. The State Lands Commission has jurisdiction over all of Californias tidal and submerged lands.
Management responsibilities extend to activities within
submerged lands and those within three nautical miles
of shore.
Regional
umerous regional and local initiatives have been

launched to protect marine resources and wildlife.
A few of the more signicant initiatives are highlighted
below.
CALFED
he San Francisco Bay-Delta Estuary is a signicant

habitat for numerous coastal and marine species and
directly impacts the viability of many of the states coastal
watersheds and resources. However, years of mismangement of this invaluable resouce has left its health seriously
threatened. State-federal cooperation to restore the estu-

December 2001
agencies in 1992, committing the agencies to working

together to develop a Water Quality Protection Plan for
the sanctuary. Led by sanctuary staff, over two dozen
federal, state, local agencies and public and private
groups have developed much of the planned comprehensive Water Quality Protection Program, addressing urban
runoff, marina and boating pollution, monitoring, and
runoff from agricultural activities and rural lands, in order
to enhance and protect the sanctuarys physical, chemical
and biological conditions. Implementation has begun on
many of the action items in the plans.
The long-term goal of CALFED is to develop a comprehensive and balanced plan that addresses all of the resource
problems in the estuary. A group of more than 30 citizenadvisors selected from Californias agriculture, environmental, urban, business, shing, and other interests with
a stake in nding long-term solutions for the problems
of the Bay-Delta Estuary has been chartered to advise
the CALFED program on its mission and objectives, the
problems to be addressed and proposed actions.
Implementation of CEQA and NEPA
The program is following a three-phase process to achieve

broad agreement on long-term solutions. First, a clear
denition of the problems to be addressed and a range
of solution alternatives were developed. Second, environmental impact reports are being prepared to identify
impacts associated with the various alternatives. The programs nal EIS was released in June 2000, proposing
more reliable water deliveries to the Estuary to protect
habitats, water quality and wildlife. Environmental impact
reports will be prepared for each element of the selected
solution. Implementation of the nal CALFED Bay-Delta
Estuary solution is expected to take 30 years.
Coordinated Resource Management Planning
Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary Water

Quality Protection Program
he proximity of the Monterey Bay National Marine

Sanctuary to the coast and its sheer size make the
sanctuary vulnerable to numerous pollution problems in
the eleven watersheds that drain into it. The quality
of the water in the sanctuary is directly linked to the
quality of the rainwater runoff and irrigation water from
mountains, valleys, rivers, streams, and wetlands on the
adjacent coastline. Key problems identied in the sanctuary and its watersheds include sedimentation, toxic pollutants in sediments, sh and shellsh, high fecal coliform
levels, sh population declines, low ows in rivers and
streams, wetlands alteration, and habitat degradation.
Recognizing that water quality is a key to ensuring protection for all sanctuary resources, a memorandum of agreement (MOA) was signed by eight federal, state, and local

December 2001
Local
ne of the more common ways that coastal and marine

resources are protected on a local level is through
implementation of environmental review requirements
under CEQA and NEPA. Projects requiring local, state
or federal approval are generally subject to the review
requirements in these statutes. Local and state projects
also are subject to required mitigation under CEQA.
oordinated Resource Management and Planning

(CRMP) is a community-based program established by
the federal Natural Resource Conservation Service. It uses
a watershed-based approach to manage upstream lands in
order to improve downstream water quality. CRMP emphasizes direct participation by everyone concerned with natural resource management in a given planning area. The
concept underlying CRMP is that coordinating resource
management strategies will result in improved resource
management and minimized conicts among land users,
landowners, governmental agencies, and interest groups.
The goals of CRMP are to protect, improve and maintain
natural resources by addressing resource problems based
on resource boundaries and through those who live, work
and recreate on a given piece of land, and by avoiding
articial constraints by individual, agency or political
boundaries.
CRMPs work with University of California Cooperative
Extension program and the Resource Conservation Districts, who are signatories to the CRMP Memorandum
of Understanding and who support this process through
technical and other assistance to the local CRMP groups.
Marine Protected Areas
arine Protected Areas (MPAs) are special ocean areas

that are protected in some way above other
marine areas in order to minimize disturbance.
Depending on the level of use of such areas, benets
include biodiversity conservation, ecosystem protection,

A Status Report
ary was formalized in June 1994 with the signing of a

framework agreement by the state and federal agencies
with management and regulatory responsibility in the BayDelta Estuary. These CALFED agencies include the state
Resources Agency, the California Environmental Protection
Agency, the Department of the Interior, the Environmental
Protection Agency, the Department of Commerce, the U.S.
Army Corps of Engineers, and the Department of Agriculture. The framework agreement pledged that the state
and federal agencies would work together on implementation of water quality standards, coordination of State
Water Project and Central Valley Project operations with
regulatory requirements, and development of long-term
solutions to problems in the Bay-Delta Estuary.
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improved sheries, enhanced recreation, improved water

quality and expanded knowledge and understanding of
marine systems.
As a tool for enhancing ocean resources and wildlife, MPAs
are becoming increasingly popular. In 1999, the legislature
passed the Marine Life Protection Act, which sets up a
system for evaluating and coordinating MPAs in the state.
In May 2000, President Clinton issued an executive order
supporting MPAs and further dening their purpose.
Regulatory Gaps
alifornia has lagged in implementing federal and state

laws designed to protect the health of the states
waters. Years of budget cuts and bond act failures have
left Californias water quality protection programs underfunded and poorly implemented. Until the recent passage
of Propositions 12 and 13, of the $2.9 billion in water
bonds approved by California voters since 1970, only $10
million had been earmarked for nonpoint source pollution,
the number one source of water pollution in the state. In
addition, acquisition funding for protection of the states
lands, which helps prevent increasing pollution from urban
and other runoff sources declined 80-90 percent over the
last 10 years.
As a result, use of the vast majority of the states surveyed tidal wetlands, bays, harbors, and estuaries is
impaired or threatened in some way by water pollution.
Examples of uses that are being impaired or threatened by
pollution include drinking, sh consumption, aquatic life
support, swimming, and aquaculture. The primary source
of pollution in these waters is nonpoint source pollution.
The states lack of a detailed, comprehensive approach for
addressing nonpoint source pollution is a major stumbling
block in our efforts to stem the continuing degradation of
these water bodies.
These water-use impairment gures are even more alarming in light of the fact that many of the states waterways
are monitored only infrequently or not at all. California
does not yet have a system to comprehensively monitor
water quality in the inland watershed, enclosed waters,
or nearshore ocean zones, and the vast majority of Californias waterways and small estuarine systems are not monitored by the state on a regular basis. Because of these
deciencies, it is difcult to comprehensively determine
the health of these water bodies. In other words, the
number of impaired water bodies that we know about
is the minimum number of polluted water bodies in
the state.
Federal water quality control programs that are not being
implemented fully include the Clean Water Acts stormwater permitting program; the Clean Water Acts Section
303(d) program; and the state and federal antidegradation

A Status Report
programs, which are designed to prevent cleaner waters

from sliding down towards contamination.
With respect to the storm-water permit program, the
state has allocated far fewer staff and other resources
than needed to ensure full compliance with federal
requirements. For example, at the current rate of facility
inspections, the Los Angeles Regional Water Quality Control Board will not be able to make even one full
round of inspections of regulated industries in its jurisdiction in 100 years. Moreover, the regional board has not
moved forward with more than a handful of enforcement
actions against non-ling facilities, even though there are
between 12,000 and 17,000 facilities in the Los Angeles
region that have not led permit applications as required
by law. For this reason, several environmental groups
recently petitioned U.S. EPA to take away the states
authority to conduct the storm-water permit program in
that region.
The state has identied over 500 water bodies as impaired
under section 303(d) of the Clean Water Act. The
limited monitoring information available indicates that the
number of impaired waters is likely to be much higher.
However, the state has completed only a scattering of
plans for reducing pollution into these impaired waters,
with the pace of production of new plans extremely slow
and implementation uncertain.
With respect to antidegradation, the state has paid virtually no attention to protecting its cleaner waters, choosing
instead to spend much of its limited time and funds on
already impaired waters. Protecting the states waters
from increased pollution is not only benecial to the
health of those waters and the people who depend on
them, it is also more cost-effective than cleaning up contaminated waters. Regulations implementing the federal
Clean Water Act as well as State Water Board Resolution
68-16, call on the state and regional water boards to
consider and address the impacts of their decisions on the
overall health of the waters affected. However, this mandate has not been implemented fully, particularly with
respect to nonpoint source discharges, leaving cleaner
waters and associated habitats vulnerable to pollution.
Other state programs that are not being implemented
fully include the state water boards Bay Protection and
Toxic Cleanup Program (BPTCP) and its program of issuing
waste discharge requirements for nonpoint source pollution under the Porter-Cologne Water Quality Control Act,
as well as the Department of Fish and Games program for
addressing pollution under Fish and Game Code Section
5650.
The Bay Protection and Toxic Cleanup Program required
monitoring for toxic pollution, identication of cleanup
priorities, and development of standards for toxics in sedi-

December 2001
ment, plans for cleaning up the toxics, and a funding

mechanism to ensure that the dischargers that created the
problem will pay for the cleanup. Much of the BPTCPs
goal of identifying hot spots of toxic coastal contamination has been completed, leading to signicant new
knowledge about threats to marine wildlife. However,
the original goal of actually cleaning up these hot spots
remains unmet, and is unlikely to be met in the foreseeable future.
With respect to Porter-Cologne, the state has the authority to issue waste discharge requirements for both point
and nonpoint source discharges. However, the full extent
of this authority has never been used, particularly
with respect to nonpoint source discharges, where such
requirements are routinely waived. Increased permitting
would increase the number of conditions on discharges,
which would reduce this signicant source of pollution in
coastal and marine habitats.
Finally, implementation of Fish and Game Code Section
5650 has been weakened through recent statutory amendments and a lack of allocated funding. This section stated
broadly that it is unlawful to deposit in, permit to
pass into, or place where it can pass into the waters
of this state[a]ny substance or material deleterious to
sh, plant life, or bird life. This language gave the
department wide latitude to protect marine habitats from
problem discharges. However, the program was amended
recently to exempt dischargers who hold state or regional
water board discharge permits, on the assumption that
those discharges are already being controlled. But, as
noted above, the regional water boards are behind on
fullling state and federal permit mandates. As a result,
there is no assurance that permitted discharges will not be
deleterious to sh, plants and birds.
Linda Sheehan
The Ocean Conservancy
Robert Tasto
California Department of Fish and Game

December 2001

A Status Report
45
46

A Status Report

December 2001
Human Benefits of the Marine Ecosystem
arine ecosystems provide opportunities for consumptive and non-consumptive uses of marine resources.
Some activities, such as commercial, recreational and
subsistence shing, kelp harvesting and harvesting of
marine specimens for aquarium use, are consumptive in
the sense that they result in permanent removal of ecosystem resources. Other activities (tidepooling, marine
mammal and bird watching, kayaking and observational
diving) are more commonly characterized as non-consumptive. However, the distinction between consumptive
and non-consumptive use is not always clear cut, as activities that are not necessarily intended to be consumptive
may sometimes result in inadvertent injury to marine
animals or disruption of their habitat.
Marine ecosystems also benet people who may never use
or even see marine resources but nevertheless value their
existence. Non-use value may be motivated by the desire
to have ecosystem resources available for future use or
by the satisfaction of knowing that such resources exist,
regardless of whether they are ever put to human use.
The remainder of this report focuses on the two major
consumptive uses of marine resources commercial and
recreational shing. The intent is not to diminish the
importance of other sources of use and non-use value
but rather to address informational and reporting requirements of the Marine Life Management Act.
Factors Affecting Commercial and

Recreational Fishery Activity
ommercial and recreational shery landings are

affected by many factors. Landings tend to increase
with stock abundance, as sh are easier and less costly
to locate and harvest when they are at higher levels of
abundance. The availability of some species on local shing grounds may vary across seasons or years, depending
on ocean temperature and other environmental factors.
Weather conditions and economic circumstances (market
demand and prices) may discourage or encourage shing
activity. Fishing behavior is also affected by regulatory
restrictions, which are imposed for a variety of reasons
and take a variety of forms.
that may result from interactions with shing operations.

Regulations may be imposed for economic reasons. For
instance, seasons may be set to coincide with periods
when a sh stock is in prime marketable condition
or when market demand is high. Regulations may be
imposed for social reasons, such as providing equitable
harvest opportunities or reducing the potential for conict
among different sectors of a shery.
Human Ecosystem
Dimension
Regulations can take a variety of forms, including license

and permit programs, harvest quotas, season closures,
area closures, trip limits, bag limits (for recreational
anglers), size limits and restrictions on quantity and type
of gear. Reporting requirements such as landings receipts,
logbooks or on-board observers may be imposed to ensure
that shery monitoring, management, enforcement and
research needs are met. A particular type of regulation
may serve different objectives, depending on the context
in which the regulation is imposed. For instance, trip
limits may be used to discourage targeting on a particular
species while allowing a limited amount of incidental
take of that species. Trip limits may be used to
slow the harvest rate to enhance real-time monitoring
capability in sheries where quotas would otherwise
be quickly exhausted. Trip limits may also serve economic objectives, such as lengthening the duration of the
Regulations may be imposed for biological reasons. For

instance, harvest restrictions may be imposed to protect a
particular sh stock or to reduce incidental take of other
stocks that are caught simultaneously with that stock.
Regulations may be imposed to protect habitat or to
reduce injury or mortality to marine mammals or seabirds

December 2001

A Status Report
47
shing season or ensuring that landings do not exceed

processing capacity.
For shing vessels and sh dealers, net economic benet
is properly measured as the difference between their
gross revenues and economic costs. However, net economic benets cannot be estimated for either of these
shery sectors, due to lack of complete economic data.
Instead, landings by shing vessels and landings receipts
by sh dealers are described in terms of their ex-vessel
value. Ex-vessel value overstates the economic value of
the shery to shing vessels, as it does not include any
consideration of harvesting costs. For dealers, ex-vessel
value represents the cost of obtaining sh. Information on
revenues earned from processing/marketing these landings is not generally available. In addition, some dealers
may also process/market sh imported from other states
or countries; the revenues and costs associated with these
imported products are also not known.
Commercial Fisheries Landings and

Ex-vessel Value
his section describes trends in the volume and exvessel value of California commercial landings. The
harvest information presented here is based on landings
receipts and therefore excludes discards and live bait
catch. Fish may be discarded in commercial shery operations for a variety of reasons. Discards may include sh
that are of sublegal size, exceed a vessels hold capacity
or trip limit, or are not of marketable size or species.
Information on the level of discards and discard mortality
is generally not known. Live bait used by recreational
shermen is also not reported on landings receipts, since
transactions between buyers and sellers of live bait typically take place at sea. Logbook data indicate that bait
haulers harvest a maximum of 12 million pounds of live
bait each year.
Commercial landings in California decreased from 791.4

million pounds in 1981 to 472.1 million pounds in 1999.
Ex-vessel revenues also fell during this period from $475.7
million to $144.4 million in 1999. All dollar values presented here and throughout the remaining of this report
have been corrected for ination to 1999 dollars. The
precipitous decline experienced during the early-1980s
was largely the result of a shift in tuna landings from California ports to less costly cannery operations in American
Samoa and Puerto Rico. The decline in tuna landings and
revenues has been compounded by declines in landings of
species such as groundsh, urchin, shark and swordsh,
salmon, abalone. Other species (e.g., market squid, lobster, prawn, coastal pelagics) have been the target of
expanding sheries, while still others (e.g., crab, Pacic
herring, shrimp) exhibit no obvious pattern or trend in
landings and revenues.
From 1995 through 1999, the species groups accounting
for most of the ex-vessel value of California landings
were (in descending order of value) groundsh, market
squid, crab, albacore/other tunas, sea urchin, herring,
shark/swordsh, salmon, coastal pelagics, lobster, prawn,
shrimp and abalone. The species composition of landings
and revenues varies signicantly by area. Over 90 percent
of the ex-vessel value of landings in northern California
consists of groundsh, crab, shrimp and sea urchin. In
central California, 90 percent of total ex-vessel value is
contributed by groundsh, herring, salmon, crab, prawn,
shark/swordsh and coastal pelagics. In southern California, 90 percent of total value is contributed by squid,
albacore/other tuna, sea urchin, coastal pelagics, shark/
swordsh, lobster and groundsh. Landings and revenues
have historically been higher in southern California than
in central or northern California. The major reason for
this difference is the large contribution made by the highvolume squid and coastal pelagic sheries to southern
California landings and revenues.
The State of California requires that all commercial shing
vessels, crew members, and sh businesses be licensed
48

A Status Report

December 2001
to operate in the state, and further requires that all

businesses and shermen who accept seafood for commercial purposes maintain landings receipts. The state
also imposes additional license and permit requirements
that are specic to certain types of shing activities. In
addition, federal permits are required for vessels that
qualify to participate in the groundsh and coastal pelagics limited-entry sheries. Permits and licenses represent
upper-bound estimates of shery participation, as not all
permit/license holders actively engage in shery activity
each year. The next two sections of this report describe
the extent of actual participation in the harvesting and
processing sectors.
Harvesting Sector
he number of commercial shing vessels that land sh

in California declined from 6,897 in 1981 to 2,690 in
1999. While the majority of these boats land sh solely at
California ports, a signicant minority also makes landings
in Oregon or Washington. California boats may sh in
other states as well (e.g., Alaska); however, the extent of
such activity is not known.
Just as some vessels engage in interstate shing activity,

a small but signicant minority of vessels lands sh both
inside and outside of their principal shing area within
California. From 1981 through 1999, 82 percent of vessels
whose principal area was northern California made landings in northern California only, while the remaining 18
percent also made landings in other areas (mostly central
California). Of vessels whose principal area was central
California, 87 percent made landings in central California
only, and 13 percent also made landings in northern
and/or southern California. Of vessels whose principal
area was southern California, 88 percent made landings
in southern California only, and the remaining 12 percent
also made landings in other areas (mostly central California).
Categorizing vessels according to their principal area

(i.e., the area in which they made the plurality of their
revenues from California landings), the statewide pattern
of declining eet size is evident in all areas. From 1981
to 1999, the number of boats declined from 2,256 to 532
(76 percent) in northern California, from 2,848 to 1,191 (58
percent) in central California, and from 1,793 to 967 (46
percent) in southern California. The number of boats has
been consistently higher in central California than in the
other two areas.
The percent of boats earning less than $5,000 per year

declined from 53 percent during the period from 1981
through 1985 to 34 percent during the 1995 through 1999
period, while the percent of boats accounting for 90 percent of the ex-vessel value of statewide landings increased
from 20 percent (1981-1985) to 35 percent (1995-1999).
The highly skewed revenue distribution characteristic of
the early 1980s reects the sizeable contribution of tuna
shery participants to total statewide revenues during
those years. The tendency toward a less skewed distribution of revenue after the mid-1980s was apparent in northern, central and southern California as well as statewide.
Nevertheless, the commercial shery remains characterized by a large number of low-revenue vessels and a
small number of high-revenue vessels, with hook-and-line
Street fish market, Fishermans Wharf, San Francisco, CA

Credit: UC Davis Sea Grant

December 2001

A Status Report
49
salmon and groundsh vessels disproportionately represented in the low-revenue segment.

From 1981 through 1999, ex-vessel revenue from California
landings averaged $46,500 per boat and did not exhibit
any consistent trend or pattern. However, the statewide
average masks signicant regional differences in this
regard. From the 1981-1985 period to the 1994-1999
period, average revenue per boat increased signicantly
in northern California from $24,500 to $60,800, increased
less dramatically in central California from $20,800 to
$30,100, and declined in southern California from $126,000
to $74,900. The shing opportunities that developed in
southern California after the mid-1980s were not sufcient
to compensate for the decline in revenues from the highly
lucrative tuna shery. Nevertheless, average revenue per
boat is still higher in southern California than elsewhere
in the state.
For the years 1995 through 1999, commercial landings
and revenues were categorized into 23 different combinations of species and gear that depict major types
of shery activity in the state. Table II-7 describes average annual landings and revenues in each major shery
in northern, central and southern California during the
1995-1999 period, presented in declining order of revenue.
For each shery, the table also includes the number
of participating vessels (dened as vessels who earned
at least ve percent of their California revenue from
that shery) and the number of participating vessels for
whom the shery is their principal shery (that is,
the shery from which they derive the plurality of their
California revenue).
Table II-8 characterizes the vessels in each principal shery category in terms of average landings and revenues
per year from the vessels principal California shery, from
other California sheries, and from Oregon and Washington sheries. Average revenue per boat varies widely
among sheries, and tends to be lowest in the groundsh
and salmon hook-and-line sheries and highest in the
trawl and seine sheries. The distribution of average rev-
enue per vessel among sheries is suggestive of vessels

economic dependence on their principal shery relative to
other California sheries and to Oregon and Washington
sheries. For instance, some vessels (e.g., shrimp trawl in
northern California) earn more revenue from their out-ofstate landings than their California landings. For these
vessels in particular, adverse conditions in their out-ofstate sheries can result in a signicant diversion of effort
to the California sheries in which they also participate,
and vice versa. At the other end of the spectrum are vessels that derive most if not all of their revenue from their
principal shery (e.g., urchin diving in central California).
Because of this lack of diversication, such vessels are
particularly vulnerable to changing conditions in the
shery in which they do participate. It should be cautioned that ex-vessel revenue comparisons are merely suggestive of differences in economic value, as such comparisons do not account for differences in operating costs
across sheries.
According to Tables II-7 and II-8, the highest-revenue sheries do not necessarily support the largest numbers of
boats or generate large ex-vessel revenues per boat. For
instance, the salmon hook-and-line shery is the third
largest contributor to ex-vessel revenue in central California ($6.5 million) and serves as the principal shery
for 579 vessels, yet generates only $9,000 in ex-vessel
revenue per boat per year. The tuna seine shery is the
third largest contributor to ex-vessel revenue in southern
California ($9.6 million) and yields higher revenue per
boat than any other shery statewide ($914,600 per boat
per year); yet tuna seine is the principal shery for only
10 boats.
The Tables in II-3 describe the most common combinations
of sheries in which vessels participated from 1995
through 1999. The number in each rectangle represents
the average annual number of vessels that participated
solely in that shery during the 1995-1999 period, and the
number on each line connecting the rectangles represents
the average annual number of vessels that participated
50

A Status Report

December 2001
Patterns of behavior vary signicantly by area. In northern California, crab pot is the predominant shery in
terms of the number of vessels that participate solely
in that shery (153) and the frequency with which crab
pot vessels also engage in other sheries. In central
California, the largest numbers of vessels engage in the
salmon hook-and-line (419), groundsh hook-and-line (332)
and herring (121) sheries. The most common combinations involve salmon and groundsh hook-and-line (92),
and salmon hook-and-line and crab pot (88). In southern
California, the largest numbers of vessels engage in the
sea urchin (156), groundsh hook-and-line (119) and lobster pot (102) sheries. Groundsh hook-and-line vessels
are also notable in terms of the number of other sheries
in which they participate. While interactions exist among
the prawn, groundsh and cucumber trawl sheries, trawl
sheries in southern California are seldom pursued in
combination with other gear types.
in that particular two-shery combination. The asterisks

denote the most common three-shery combinations. Only
sheries or shery combinations that represent an annual
average of at least three vessels appear in the gure.
Since the abalone dive shery has been closed to commercial shing since 1998, the 1995-1999 statistics on that
shery included in Tables II-7, II-8 and II-3 include the
recent years of zero shing activity (1998-1999).
The increase in numbers of dealers has followed a distinctive pattern: a relatively stable number of dealers during
the 1981-1986 period, followed by a stepwise increase in
1987 and relatively stable (albeit higher) numbers thereafter. The ex-vessel value of average annual landings
receipts per dealer shows a parallel though opposite stepwise pattern. From the 1981-1986 period to the 1987-1999
period, the average annual number of dealers increased
from 547 to 825, while the value of landings receipts
per dealer decreased from $531,500 to $209,500 over the
same period. The decline in average value per dealer
is largely due to the post-1986 increase in the number
of dealers for whom the value of landings was less than
$5,000. Many of these small dealers are commercial shing vessel operators who sell their landings directly to
restaurants and markets rather than to a processor. The
decline in annual value per dealer has been particularly
severe in southern California (falling from $805,500 in
1981-1985 to $233,900 in 1986-1999), where the effect of
the post-1986 increase in the number of small dealers was
compounded by the drastic reduction in high-priced tuna
landings experienced in that area through the early 1980s.
Since the decline of the tuna shery, northern California
has generally replaced southern California as the area
with the highest average value of landings per dealer.
The distribution of landings receipts among dealers is
highly skewed, with 16 percent of the dealers responsible
for 90 percent of the value of landings from 1987 through
1999. This pattern is repeated throughout the state, with
20 percent of dealers in northern California and 16 percent
of dealers in central and southern California accounting
for 90 percent of ex-vessel value in their respective areas
of the state.
The Trade Sector
enerally speaking, imports into the U.S. are categorized by their initial port of entry, which is not necessarily their nal destination. Thus, some imports that
The Processing Sector
etween 1981 and 1999, the number of sh dealers

increased statewide from 519 to 888. Categorizing
dealers according to their principal area (e.g., the area
of California accounting for the plurality of the ex-vessel
value of their landings receipts), the number of dealers
increased from 86 to 143 (+66 percent) in northern California, from 213 to 366 (+42 percent) in central California,
and from 220 to 379 (+72 percent) in southern California.
The number of dealers has been consistently lower in
northern California than in other areas of the state.

December 2001

A Status Report
51
enter the U.S. at Nogales, Arizona and Honolulu, Hawaii

likely end up in California markets. For this reason, seafood imports into California should be considered suggestive rather than denitive estimates of California consumer demand for imported seafood.
Like imports, exports from the U.S. are categorized in
terms of the port from which they left the U.S. Thus,
not all exports from a state necessarily originate from
sheries in that state. California exports may include
sh landed in Mexico and subject to additional handling
or processing in California before being sold to a third
country. Exports also include sh that were imported
and not sold, then re-exported in substantially the same
condition as when imported.
The dollar value attached to imports represents the Customs value, that is, the price actually paid for merchandise when sold to the U.S., excluding U.S. import duties,
freight, insurance and other charges incurred in bringing
the goods to the U.S. The dollar values attached to
exports and re-exports is the free alongside ship value,
that is, the value at the port of export, dened as
the transaction price including charges and transportation
costs incurred in bringing the merchandise to the port
of exportation.
Between 1989 and 1999, the value of seafood products
imported into California increased from $1.6 trillion to
$2.4 trillion, while imports into the U.S. as a whole
increased from $6.9 trillion to $9.0 trillion. About 30
percent of the value of U.S. imports enters the country
at California ports. Shrimp imports, which have increased
dramatically over the past decade, have consistently comprised about 60 percent of the value of California seafood
imports. The average annual value of shrimp imports
was $1.6 trillion during the 1997-1999 period. Signicant
though much smaller amounts of tuna ($187.6 million),
unspecied marine sh ($104.1 million), scallop ($65.1
million), lobster ($62.2 million) and squid ($47.0 million)
were also imported during that period. The countries
from which California received most of its seafood imports
during the 1997-1999 period (in order of declining annual

import value) were Thailand ($999.6 million), Indonesia
($179.1 million), China ($162.5 million), Ecuador ($157.9
million), India ($148.6 million) and Taiwan ($99.4 million).
Imports from all of these countries except China have
been on a generally increasing trend over the past decade.
From 1989 through 1999, the value of seafood products
exported from California and from the U.S. as a whole
averaged $246.2 million and $3,215.3 million respectively.
About eight percent of total U.S. seafood exports originated from customs districts in California. In recent years
(1997-1999), squid has replaced sea urchin as Californias
major export. The major species groups comprising California exports during the 1997-1999 period (in order of
declining average annual value) were squid ($37.9 million),
sea urchin ($28.5 million), shrimp ($18.3 million), lobster
($17.4 million), salmon ($16.6 million) and groundsh
($14.7 million). Although exports to Japan have declined
signicantly over the past decade, Japan remains the
major recipient of California exports. Californias major
seafood export trading partners from 1997 through 1999
(in order of declining annual export value) were Japan
($61.7 million), Taiwan ($30.6 million), China ($22.2 million), Australia ($15.7 million), Mexico ($11.9 million) and
Hong Kong ($10.8 million).
Sport and Subsistence Fisheries
ome shermen do not earn revenue from their catch

but rather sh for pleasure and/or to provide food
for personal consumption. The economic value of the
sport/subsistence (hereafter loosely referred to as recreational) shery depends on which segment of the shery
is being considered. For instance, the value of shing
to anglers would be measured by consumer surplus, that
is, the maximum amount that anglers would be willing
to pay for the shing experience over and above what
they actually pay. The value of shing to businesses that
provide services to anglers, such as commercial passenger
52

A Status Report

December 2001
shing vessels (CPFVs), would be measured by the difference between their gross revenues and economic costs.
The economic impact of shing on local economies would
be measured by the multiplier effects on income and
employment that occur as money spent by anglers moves
through the economy. Collection and analysis of data
needed to estimate these various types of economic
effects are underway. Until such studies are completed,
all that is available at this time are approximate estimates
of angler expenditures.
Effort and Harvest
pproximately 4.7 million marine recreational angler

trips were made annually in California during
1998-1999 2.9 million trips (61 percent) in southern
California (Santa Barbara County and southward) and 1.9
million trips (39 percent) in central/northern California
(San Luis Obispo County and northward). The proportion
of total effort in each area associated with man-made
structures (e.g., piers), beaches, CPFVs and private boats
was 22 percent, 10 percent, 22 percent and 46 percent
respectively in southern California, and 24 percent, 18
percent, nine percent and 49 percent in central/northern
California. Approximately 17.8 million sh were harvested
annually during 1998-1999, of which 9.6 million were
landed in whole condition, 7.1 million were discarded
alive, and 1.2 million were used as bait, lleted, given
away or discarded dead.
Harvests vary across shing modes and areas as well as

species. During 1998-1999, annual harvests (excluding sh
released alive) ranged from highs of 1,995,000 sh for
CPFV anglers and 2,171,000 sh for private boat anglers in
southern California, to lows of 344,000 sh for southern
California beach anglers and 600,000 sh for central/
northern California anglers shing from man-made structures. Sea basses, tuna/mackerel, Pacic barracuda, California scorpionsh and jacks are much more commonly
caught in southern California, while striped bass and
salmon are more commonly caught in central/northern
California. Rockshes are an important component of
boat-based harvests in southern California and the dominant component in northern California.
varies widely, ranging from a high of 85-90 percent for

smelt, rocksh, jacks and herring to a low of 11 percent for
cartilaginous sh.
Recreational Fishery Expenditures
ased on the average annual number of marine recreational shing trips made in U.S. waters during
1998-1999, aggregate annual trip-related expenditures
were estimated to be approximately $202.0 million for
southern California and $107.9 million for central/northern
California. These estimates, combined with license, shing gear and boat-related expenses of $128.4 million in
southern California and $68.6 million in central/northern
California, bring total annual statewide angler expenditures to $506.9 million.
Additional Information on the Salmon

and CPFV Sport Fisheries
FG sponsors a number of data collection programs

that provide detailed information regarding certain
segments of the marine sport shery. One such program is
the Ocean Salmon Project (OSP), which provides informa-
Harvest levels vary signicantly across species groups.

During 1998-1999, the major components of harvest
included rocksh (3.4 million sh), sea basses and tuna/
mackerel (2.5 million sh each), and smelt, surfperch,
croakers and Pacic barracuda (1.1 million sh each).
Flatsh, silversides, jacks, sharks, rays, scorpionsh,
striped bass, herring greenlings, sculpins and sea chubs
made smaller though signicant contributions to total
harvest. The percentage of total catch retained by
anglers or discarded dead (e.g., not released alive)

December 2001

A Status Report
53
tion on harvest and effort in Californias ocean salmon

sheries (both recreational and commercial). It also sponsors a CPFV logbook program. Not all CPFVs participate
in the program and the participation rate varies somewhat
from year to year. Nevertheless, logbook-based estimates
of effort and catch are generally considered to be useful
indicators of trends in the CPFV shery.
According to data collected in the OSP, recreational
salmon landings and effort in both central and northern
California were lower and less variable in the years prior
to 1985 than they have been in subsequent years 1985
through 2000. Record low levels of landings and effort
were experienced by both CPFV and private boat anglers
in 1992 and record highs in 1995. While CPFV and private
boat landings have been markedly similar over time, shing effort has been consistently higher for private boats
than CPFVs. From 1985 through 2000, annual salmon landings averaged 91,600 sh for CPFVs and 93,600 for private
boats, while annual effort averaged 86,200 CPFV trips and
128,300 private boat trips. Neither landings nor effort
exhibit any consistent long term trend.
According to data collected in CPFV logbooks, the number
of CPFVs that participate annually in the marine recreational shery averaged 297 boats from 1980 through
1998. Categorizing CPFVs according to their principal
area (e.g., the area in which they made the plurality
of their shing trips), the number of northern California
CPFVs increased from an annual average of 18 boats
during the 1980-1987 period to 30 boats during the
1988-1991 period, then decreased to an average of 13
boats during the 1992-1998 period. The number of central
California CPFVs declined from an annual average of 137
boats during the 1980-1991 period to 105 boats during the
1992-1998 period. The CPFV eet in southern California,
many of which sh in Mexican as well as U.S. waters,
increased in size from an average of 145 boats (1980-1994)
to 183 boats (1995-1998). Of these 183 boats, 119 shed
exclusively in U.S. waters, 58 shed in both U.S. and
Mexican waters, and ve shed exclusively in Mexican

waters.
The number of CPFV angler trips in northern California
averaged 6,782 (1980-1984), increased to 13,271
(1985-1991), then declined to 6,087 (1992-1998). In central
California, shing effort declined from an annual average
of 206,121 angler trips (1980-1991) to 159,634 angler trips
(1992-1998). For CPFVs based in southern California, shing effort in U.S. waters experienced peaks in 1980-1982,
1990 and 1997-1998, while effort in Mexican waters peaked
in 1984-1985 and 1997-1998. Fishing effort in southern
California (in both U.S. and Mexican waters) displays no
obvious trend over time.
Paralleling the changes in shing effort, CPFV landings
in northern California also increased through the 1980s,
peaked in the late 1980s and early 1990s, then declined
throughout the 1990s. This same trend was followed by
both major components of northern California landings
rocksh/lingcod and salmon. Landings of other
species, which have historically been very modest, were
augmented by crab harvests from 1995 through 1998,
when CPFVs began employing crab pots on shing trips
to help supplement declining harvests of nshes. Central California landings, which ranged from 1.5 to 1.8 million sh during the early 1980s, have declined to well
under one million sh in recent years. This decline has
been largely driven by the precipitous decline in rocksh/
lingcod landings. Salmon landings and landings of other
species (including species such as crab, striped bass, sturgeon, atshes, mackerel, tuna, shark) followed no obvious trend. Landings associated with southern California
trips in U.S. waters declined from well over four million
sh during the early 1980s to around two million sh
during the late 1990s. Increases in sea bass and barracuda
landings during 1980-1998 were overshadowed by much
larger declines in rocksh, mackerel and bonito landings.
Tuna/jack landings do not follow any obvious long term
trend, although they have been unusually high in recent
years. Other landings include a diversity of species,
including California scorpionsh, ocean whitesh, sea
chubs, wrasses, croakers and atshes among others.
Since 1995, the CPFV logbook database has included information that allows shing trips to be distinguished from
diving trips and also allows trips to be distinguished by
target species. From 1995 through 1998, diving trips
comprise a very modest proportion of total CPFV activity
in both northern and central California. CPFV shing trips
in northern California were targeted largely at salmon (39
percent), rocksh/lingcod (48 percent) and salmon and
rocksh/lingcod combined (10 percent). CPFV shing trips
in central California were targeted at salmon (45 percent),
rocksh/lingcod (35 percent), salmon and rocksh/lingcod
(three percent), and striped bass/sturgeon, shark, tuna
54

A Status Report

December 2001
Southern California CPFVs participate in a range of shing

and diving activities. From 1995 through 1998, about
79 percent of angler trips made by southern California
boats involved shing in U.S. waters, 14 percent involved
shing in Mexican waters, seven percent involved diving
in U.S. waters, and less than one percent involved dive
trips in Mexican waters. Of the 183 CPFVs that operated in
southern California during 1995-1998, 63 shed in Mexican
waters. Mexican as well as California shing regulations
are an important consideration for this signicant minority
of southern California CPFVs.
From 1995 through 1998, 91 percent of southern California

CPFV shing trips in U.S. waters were not targeted at any
particular species, reecting the prevalence of freelance
trips on which anglers are provided with the opportunity
to catch a diversity of species. Of the remaining nine percent of trips, two percent were specically targetine tuna
and seven percent rocksh/lingcod. About 55 percent
of total rocksh/lingcod landings in southern California
were made on trips specically targeting rocksh/lingcod
and the remaining 45 percent landed on freelance trips.
This highlights one of the complexities associated with
management of the southern California CPFV shery,
that is, how to meet harvest goals for managed species
(like rocksh and lingcod) that are taken jointly with
other species without unduly restricting harvests of these
other species.
and other/unspecied species (17 percent). From 1995

through 1998, the contribution of salmon to total CPFV
landings in northern and central California (seven percent
and 10 percent respectively) was much lower than the
proportion of trips targeted at salmon. Conversely, the
rocksh/lingcod contribution to total northern and central
California landings (88 percent and 84 percent respectively) was much higher than the proportion of trips targeted at rocksh/lingcod. Such marked disproportionalities between landings and effort highlight the large
differences in catch-per-unit-effort that can exist among
species groups. The singular reliance of northern
and central California CPFVs on salmon, rocksh and lingcod harvests and the unprecedented regulatory restrictions on harvests of these species in recent years are
signicant contributing factors to the decline in effort and
landings experienced in northern and central California in
recent years.
Cynthia J. Thomson
References
Thomson, Cynthia J. and Daniel D. Huppert. 1987. Results
of the Bay Area Sportsh Economic Study (BASES), NOAA
Technical Memorandum NOAA-TM-NMFS-SWFSC-78, 70 pp.
Thomson, Cynthia J. and Stephen J. Crooke. 1991. Results
of the southern California Sportsh Economic Survey.
NOAA Technical Memorandum NOAA-TM-NMFS-SWFSC-164,
264 pp.
Table II-1. Commercial landings (millions of pounds), by year and species group, 1981-1999.1
Year
1981
1982
1983
1984
1985
1986
1987
1988
1989
1990
1991
1992
1993
1994
1995
1996
1997
1998
1999
Groundfish
94.4
116.7
90.0
90.1
95.0
92.5
91.8
88.5
94.4
86.7
79.7
77.3
62.4
54.8
63.5
62.4
65.5
50.6
33.1
Squid
51.8
36.9
4.0
1.2
22.7
46.9
44.1
82.1
90.2
62.7
83.2
28.9
94.4
122.0
154.9
177.6
155.1
6.6
201.8
Crab Alb/Other Tuna

11.8
337.1
8.2
251.6
6.7
248.7
7.0
182.4
7.9
68.2
9.8
69.0
8.6
80.6
12.7
75.7
7.2
55.5
12.3
37.4
6.0
19.0
9.9
20.6
13.5
24.9
14.6
26.0
10.4
26.1
13.6
42.4
11.3
37.2
12.1
38.1
9.6
24.6

December 2001
Urchin
26.5
19.5
17.8
15.1
20.1
34.1
46.1
52.0
51.4
45.3
42.3
33.2
27.0
23.9
22.3
20.1
18.1
10.4
14.2
Herring
13.1
23.4
17.7
8.5
17.6
16.9
18.6
19.1
20.6
16.5
16.3
14.2
9.6
6.7
10.4
12.2
20.8
4.5
5.2
Shark/Sword
4.8
5.7
5.8
7.6
8.9
6.7
5.3
4.3
4.5
3.5
3.1
3.3
3.5
3.4
2.4
2.5
3.1
2.8
3.8
Salmon
6.0
8.0
2.4
2.9
4.3
7.3
8.8
14.2
5.6
4.3
3.7
1.6
2.5
3.1
6.6
4.1
5.3
1.8
3.8

A Status Report
55
Table II-1. Commercial landings (millions of pounds), by year and species group, 1981-1999.1 (continued)
Year
CPS
Lobster
Prawn
Shrimp
Nearshore
Abalone
1981
232.6
0.5
0.6
5.3
2.6
1.1
1982
215.7
0.5
0.4
5.4
2.3
1.2
1983
122.9
0.5
0.3
2.1
1.5
0.8
1984
123.7
0.4
0.6
3.0
2.3
0.8
1985
102.0
0.4
1.0
4.6
3.0
0.8
1986
120.8
0.5
0.8
7.0
2.1
0.6
1987
124.7
0.4
0.3
8.2
2.1
0.8
1988
129.2
0.6
0.3
11.5
2.3
0.6
1989
136.1
0.7
0.4
14.6
2.1
0.7
1990
106.2
0.7
0.4
10.3
2.0
0.5
1991
99.9
0.6
0.4
11.8
2.9
0.4
1992
85.7
0.6
0.3
19.6
1.8
0.5
1993
67.9
0.6
0.4
8.6
2.1
0.5
1994
57.6
0.5
0.6
12.1
3.1
0.3
1995
115.7
0.6
0.8
6.8
3.2
0.3
1996
107.5
0.7
1.1
10.6
3.4
0.2
1997
151.2
0.9
1.1
15.7
2.7
0.1
1998
147.2
0.7
1.3
3.0
1.4
0.0
1999
163.4
0.5
2.0
5.8
1.4
0.0
1
Nearshore includes non-rockfish species caught in nearshore areas (e.g., California sheephead, white croaker, white seabass).
All Else
3.2
3.2
1.7
1.5
1.3
1.1
1.5
1.7
3.6
6.0
1.7
1.3
1.8
1.7
1.4
3.3
4.2
3.3
2.9
Total
791.4
697.8
522.8
447.3
357.6
416.1
442.1
494.8
487.5
394.9
371.2
298.9
319.8
330.4
425.4
461.6
492.3
283.9
472.1
Table II-2. Ex-vessel value ($millions, base year=1999), by year and species group, 1981-1999.1
Year
1981
1982
1983
1984
1985
1986
1987
1988
1989
1990
1991
1992
1993
1994
1995
1996
1997
1998
1999
Groundfish
38.3
46.5
36.5
35.8
39.9
42.8
44.5
40.1
40.7
37.2
34.4
34.9
28.0
28.2
38.7
37.8
35.8
25.0
22.4
Squid
8.5
5.6
1.1
0.4
5.3
6.2
5.3
10.2
8.7
5.7
7.2
2.8
11.3
15.6
23.7
22.8
21.2
1.7
33.3
Year
1981
1982
1983
1984
1985
1986
1987
1988
1989
1990
1991
1992
1993
1994
1995
1996
1997
1998
1999
CPS
23.7
21.1
15.5
14.7
11.5
12.7
11.0
12.7
12.3
7.9
8.3
7.1
4.2
4.1
5.6
5.6
8.4
6.8
7.4
Lobster
2.7
3.0
3.0
2.6
2.7
3.1
2.9
4.2
5.0
4.8
4.4
4.4
4.0
3.8
5.1
5.3
7.0
4.8
3.7
56
Crab Alb/Other Tuna

17.2
317.6
13.6
198.7
14.0
163.1
14.3
118.2
14.7
36.6
17.9
38.3
15.2
48.3
21.0
55.1
11.3
32.8
21.8
18.4
10.0
9.4
14.1
11.5
16.4
15.2
21.4
16.5
16.9
11.4
19.5
23.5
20.8
20.1
21.8
19.0
18.2
16.3
Prawn
1.6
1.7
0.8
0.8
1.3
1.5
1.0
1.3
1.3
1.9
2.1
1.7
2.6
3.2
3.3
4.4
5.8
6.4
5.8
Shrimp
5.3
5.4
2.1
3.0
4.6
7.0
8.2
11.5
14.6
10.3
11.8
19.6
8.6
12.1
6.8
10.6
15.7
3.0
5.8
Urchin
8.4
5.6
5.8
5.3
6.8
13.4
17.9
25.2
28.4
29.7
39.5
33.9
29.4
27.7
24.1
19.6
15.7
8.0
13.4
Herring
7.9
15.8
18.9
2.8
8.7
7.6
7.9
7.4
5.9
10.5
11.1
10.5
2.8
3.5
10.3
15.8
15.6
0.6
2.2
Shark/Sword
9.6
12.5
13.7
20.7
23.1
20.8
18.2
15.2
16.6
10.7
9.3
9.6
10.9
11.5
7.8
7.1
7.3
6.7
9.1
Salmon
25.3
31.5
7.0
11.4
15.3
20.2
32.6
52.5
16.5
14.1
10.5
5.1
6.3
7.0
12.4
6.3
7.5
3.1
7.4
Nearshore
2.8
1.2
0.9
1.1
1.8
1.3
1.3
1.4
1.2
1.2
1.5
1.0
0.6
2.0
2.1
2.0
1.8
1.6
1.3
Abalone
3.5
3.6
2.6
3.2
3.4
2.6
3.3
2.6
3.9
3.0
2.1
3.2
3.5
2.9
2.7
2.3
1.1
0.0
0.0
All Else
4.0
4.0
1.2
1.2
1.0
0.9
1.2
1.3
2.0
3.6
1.5
1.4
2.6
2.0
1.0
1.4
1.2
1.3
1.1
Total
475.7
369.6
286.3
238.4
174.4
194.7
218.7
256.7
193.4
176.5
158.8
149.3
141.2
157.0
170.5
180.5
176.5
109.0
144.4
Nearshore includes non-rockfish species caught in nearshore areas (e.g., California sheephead, white croaker, white seabass).

A Status Report

December 2001
Northern California
Species Group
Groundfish
Crab
Shrimp
Urchin
Albacore/Other Tuna
All Else
Total
Pounds x 1000
30,233.7
8,067.0
6,425.7
3,321.6
1,105.3
3,402.0
52,555.3
Percent
57%
15%
12%
6%
2%
7%
100%
(Base Year $=1999)

13,564.4
13,257.6
3,531.2
2,724.9
951.8
1,467.9
35,497.8
Percent
38%
37%
10%
8%
3%
4%
100%
Percent
27%
12%
5%
3%
0%
1%
38%
2%
2%
9%
1%
100%
(Base Year $=1999)

14,985.8
8,800.1
6,939.9
5,135.0
2,279.0
2,093.4
1,499.2
1,448.6
1,314.0
1,197.8
1,181.2
46,874.0
Percent
32%
19%
15%
11%
5%
5%
3%
3%
3%
2%
2%
100%
Pounds x 1000
131,468.9
30,924.4
13,057.8
104,979.2
2,059.3
683.1
2,007.4
915.9
891.2
2,237.8
289,225.0
Percent
45%
11%
5%
36%
1%
0%
1%
0%
0%
1%
100%
(Base Year $=1999)

19,344.8
15,662.8
12,906.9
5,261.4
5,229.5
5,174.6
3,382.5
2,813.2
1,067.1
2,974.6
73,817.4
Percent
26%
21%
18%
7%
7%
7%
5%
4%
1%
4%
100%
Pounds x 1000
55,012.9
139,187.8
11,386.1
33,648.2
17,040.0
10,628.9
2,915.3
4,348.7
137,003.8
683.2
1,261.4
8,373.9
121.7
5,458.6
427,070.5
Percent
13%
33%
3%
8%
4%
2%
1%
1%
32%
0%
0%
2%
0%
1%
100%
(Base Year $=1999)

31,932.7
20,546.4
19,459.6
18,063.1
16,151.1
8,910.9
7,609.2
7,347.7
6,764.9
5,175.5
5,157.7
4,876.8
1,205.1
2,988.4
156,189.2
Percent
20%
13%
13%
12%
10%
6%
5%
5%
4%
3%
3%
3%
1%
2%
100%
Central California
Species Group
Groundfish
Herring
Salmon
Crab
Prawn
Shark/Swordfish
Coastal Pelagics
Albacore/Other Tuna
Shrimp
Market Squid
All Else
Total
Pounds x 1000
22,771.8
10,431.2
4,131.5
2,428.0
335.6
758.9
32,000.3
1,618.6
1,912.5
7,709.4
1,192.4
85,290.2
Table II-3. Average annual landings and ex-vessel value during 1995-1999, by area and major species group.
Southern California
Species Group
Market Squid
Albacore/Other Tuna
Urchin
Coastal Pelagics
Shark/Swordfish
Lobster
Groundfish
Prawn
Crab
All Else
Total
Total California
Species Group
Groundfish
Market Squid
Crab
Albacore/Other Tuna
Urchin
Herring
Shark/Swordfish
Salmon
Coastal Pelagics
Lobster
Prawn
Shrimp
Abalone
All Else
Total

December 2001

A Status Report
57
Table II-4. Number of vessels that make commercial landings in California, categorized according to whether or not
they also make landings in Oregon or Washington, 1981-1999.
Year
1981
1982
1983
1984
1985
1986
1987
1988
1989
1990
1991
1992
1993
1994
1995
1996
1997
1998
1999
CA Only
5,832
5,762
5,257
4,779
4,451
4,305
4,162
4,204
4,376
4,155
4,032
3,536
3,271
3,102
3,074
2,994
2,857
2,505
2,495
CA & OR
787
555
396
261
235
365
352
354
309
273
214
170
196
161
184
205
190
119
128
CA & WA
135
106
83
103
87
106
104
135
125
122
102
118
93
107
83
74
96
51
45
CA, OR & WA
143
130
94
31
37
69
76
92
64
48
40
46
58
52
35
30
20
24
22
Total
6,897
6,553
5,830
5,174
4,810
4,845
4,694
4,785
4,874
4,598
4,388
3,870
3,618
3,422
3,376
3,303
3,163
2,699
2,690
Table II-5. Number of vessels by principal area, categorized according to whether or not they also make landings
outside their principal area, 1981-1999.
58
Principal Area=Northern CA
No.CA
No.&
Other
Year Only
Cen.
Comb.
Principal Area=Central CA
Cen.CA
No.&
Total
Only
Cen.
1981
1982
1983
1984
1985
1986
1987
1988
1989
1990
1991
1992
1993
1994
1995
1996
1995
1998
1999
2256
2167
1623
1242
1112
1345
1249
1200
1158
1020
934
751
764
655
579
643
604
538
532
1920
1842
1472
1066
891
1127
951
940
858
842
767
597
605
521
470
507
512
445
459
311
289
141
160
198
198
241
211
240
130
127
71
94
101
76
112
68
76
59
25
36
10
16
23
20
57
49
60
48
40
83
65
33
33
24
24
17
14
2488
2274
2269
2008
2033
1935
1843
2035
2069
2011
1944
1778
1562
1370
1539
1428
1406
1105
1057

A Status Report
259
232
190
177
147
164
244
250
296
184
189
90
132
155
97
92
88
64
56
Principal Area=Southern CA
So.&
Other
Cen.
Comb.
Total
82
110
139
102
105
108
99
101
69
84
82
83
63
101
116
70
84
76
74
19
29
21
15
13
16
21
16
20
14
18
18
20
23
14
7
9
11
4
2848
2645
2619
2302
2298
2223
2207
2402
2454
2293
2233
1969
1777
1649
1766
1597
1587
1256
1191
So.CA
Only
So.&
Cen.
Other
Comb.
Total
1635
1566
1325
1313
1160
1112
1025
979
1056
1111
1080
998
954
958
903
929
858
806
846
135
155
159
230
152
121
132
90
89
76
101
90
73
107
96
95
86
64
98
23
19
35
20
24
26
23
53
64
40
27
47
42
42
21
25
18
17
11
1793
1740
1519
1563
1336
1259
1180
1122
1209
1227
1208
1135
1069
1107
1020
1049
962
887
955

December 2001
Principal Area=Northern CA:

Number of Boats
Ex-Vessel Revenue Per Boat
#(%) Boats Earning <$5K Per Year
#(%) Boats Accting for 90% of Ex-Vessel Value
of Northern California Landings
Principal Area=Central CA:
Number of Boats
of Central California Landings
Principal Area=Southern CA:
Number of Boats
of southern California Landings
Total California:
Number of Boats
of Total California Landings
1981-1985
1986-1994
1995-1999
1,680
$24,500
983(59%)
1,008
$48,300
386(37%)
579
$60,800
162(28%)
419(25%)
341(35%)
236(41%)
2,542
$20,800
1,420(56%)
2,134
$25,100
967(46%)
1,479
$30,100
627(43%)
727(29%)
737(34%)
512(35%)
1,630
$126,000
682(42%)
1,201
$67,400
402(33%)
988
$74,900
256(26%)
290(18%)
401(34%)
382(39%)
5,853
$50,600
3,085(53%)
4,344
$41,800
1,755(40%)
3,046
$50,700
1,045(34%)
1,119(20%)
1,375(32%)
1,072(35%)
Table II-6. Average annual number of boats that make California landings, ex-vessel revenue per boat from
California landings, number and percent of boats earning less than $5,000 per year from California landings, and
number and percent of boats accounting for 90 percent of ex-vessel value of aggregate landings, by principal
area and time period.
Table II-7. Average annual 1995-1999 landings, ex-vessel value of landings, and vessel participation in major
commercial sheries, by area.
# Vessels
Major Northern CA
Fisheries
Crab trap
Groundfish trawl
Shrimp trawl
Urchin dive
Groundfish H&L
Tuna H&L
Salmon H&L
Groundfish/misc. trap
Shark/swordfish gillnet
Herring
Landings Value ($1000s, # Participating Participating As

(1000 lbs) Base Year=1999)
Vessels Principal Fishery
7,886.0
13,095.5
309
247
28,683.7
11,322.9
71
56
6,084.1
3,179.5
58
25
3,318.9
2,742.1
64
61
1,562.8
1,925.4
158
103
966.4
837.6
43
17
406.1
654.5
86
44
363.9
459.4
35
16
102.0
308.9
9
4
121.1
104.4
5
4
# Vessels
Major Central CA
Fisheries
Groundfish trawl
Herring
Salmon H&L
Crab trap
Groundfish H&L
Prawn trawl
Squid seine/other net
Tuna H&L
CPS seine
Shrimp trawl
Urchin dive
Abalone dive
Prawn trap
Shark/swordfish H&L
Landings Value ($1000s, # Participating Participating As

17,406.2
9,097.8
73
61
10,014.2
8,585.5
149
136
3,847.1
6,512.4
704
579
2,564.3
5,209.2
207
127
4,056.2
4,710.2
520
415
317.9
2,039.2
18
13
581.9
1,683.5
30
21
8,817.7
1,282.9
13
5
1,470.1
1,248.1
123
44
20,333.9
961.6
13
7
985.7
956.9
19
10
686.7
546.9
17
10
153.1
382.5
34
13
31.8
313.1
9
8
34.4
249.2
8
3
101.2
240.9
9
3

December 2001

A Status Report
59
Table II-7 (continued).

# Vessels
Major Southern CA
Fisheries
Urchin dive
Tuna seine
Tuna H&L
CPS seine
Lobster trap
Groundfish H&L
Shark/swordfish H&L
Prawn trawl
Groundfish/misc. net
Crab trap
Prawn trap
Abalone dive
Shark/swordfish dive
Groundfish trawl
Cucumber dive
Salmon H&L
Cucumber trawl
Shrimp other net
Landings Value ($1000s,

129,556.2
19,150.2
13,007.9
12,835.5
23,001.5
9,644.1
7,473.2
5,736.9
115,869.4
5,671.8
680.7
5,157.5
1,053.9
2,548.2
1,588.5
2,193.8
795.6
1,875.9
745.3
1,679.9
810.8
1,232.3
900.4
1,097.2
135.1
1,011.9
87.6
877.0
219.1
663.2
119.3
632.0
255.0
525.3
398.6
244.3
89.8
171.1
236.4
167.1
63.5
22.2
# Participating Participating As
87
70
223
207
21
10
115
65
46
23
202
168
80
50
205
157
42
27
27
19
58
31
76
35
28
18
33
13
66
19
24
20
32
20
22
21
18
7
12
5
3
3
Table II-8. Average annual 1995-1999 landings and ex-vessel revenue per boat from the principal shery, from other
California sheries and from Oregon and Washington sheries, by vessels principal area and principal shery.
Landings/Boat/Year (1000 Pounds)
Northern California
Principal Fisheries
Crab trap
Groundfish trawl
Shrimp trawl
Urchin dive
Groundfish H&L
Tuna H&L
Salmon H&L
Herring
Groundfish trawl
Herring
Salmon H&L
Crab trap
Groundfish H&L
Prawn trawl
Tuna H&L
CPS seine
Shrimp trawl
Urchin dive
Abalone dive
Prawn trap
Shark/swordfish H&L
60
Principal
Fishery
26.0
473.1
110.2
54.2
10.6
27.1
1.8
10.8
13.2
25.9
275.3
64.2
5.3
16.1
8.6
23.3
573.8
17.1
2030.9
26.1
60.3
8.1
2.3
8.1
11.2
Other
CA
17.1
61.1
38.9
0.7
3.1
2.7
0.8
3.7
10.3
1.2
18.8
18.5
1.4
9.1
0.8
44.7
479.3
2.7
334.9
4.2
1.1
2.2
2.0
16.2
2.7

A Status Report
OR/WA
9.8
385.7
249.4
2.7
1.6
30.6
0.2
3.5
107.6
0.0
333.9
1.8
1.9
1.9
0.2
87.4
0.0
17.9
0.0
78.7
0.0
0.0
0.1
0.9
0.7
Total
52.9
919.8
398.5
57.6
15.3
60.5
2.8
18.0
131.0
27.1
628.0
84.5
8.6
27.0
9.6
155.4
1053.1
37.6
2365.9
109.0
61.4
10.3
4.4
25.2
14.6
Ex-Vessel Revenue/Boat/Year ($1000s)

Principal
Fishery
43.8
185.1
58.6
43.9
12.7
24.0
3.2
14.8
42.3
19.4
145.4
53.4
9.0
32.7
10.2
153.8
85.7
14.4
99.2
52.7
47.6
20.8
22.5
59.8
27.0
Other
CA
12.7
37.2
30.1
1.5
4.3
3.6
1.1
5.1
11.3
1.2
11.1
2.9
1.8
8.4
1.1
34.0
46.0
4.0
53.2
4.9
2.2
4.3
2.1
12.6
7.5
OR/WA
8.8
44.8
134.5
2.5
2.3
28.3
0.3
6.3
102.9
0.0
52.9
1.3
2.3
1.9
0.2
46.3
0.0
16.7
0.0
52.4
0.0
0.0
0.1
0.5
1.9
Total
65.2
267.2
223.2
47.9
19.4
55.9
4.6
26.2
156.5
20.5
209.4
57.7
13.1
43.1
11.5
234.1
131.6
35.2
152.4
110.0
49.7
25.1
24.7
72.8
36.4

December 2001
Landings/Boat/Year (1000 Pounds)

Southern California
Principal Fisheries
Urchin dive
Tuna seine
Tuna H&L
CPS seine
Lobster trap
Groundfish H&L
Shark/swordfish H&L
Prawn trawl
Groundfish/misc. other net
Crab trap
Prawn trap
Abalone dive
Shark/swordfish dive
Groundfish trawl
Cucumber dive
Principal
Fishery
1516.9
60.2
1882.1
105.0
2475.8
3.7
16.4
8.9
26.8
32.5
17.5
15.1
6.1
2.1
4.6
5.2
9.0
2.6
Other
CA
674.7
3.0
1288.6
15.1
482.5
3.8
23.5
1.7
6.7
9.2
12.1
1.4
2.6
9.1
2.9
1.2
8.0
4.0
OR/WA
5.2
5.1
4.9
36.2
0.4
0.1
8.3
0.3
3.0
56.5
0.6
0.0
0.5
0.4
0.0
0.0
7.9
0.5
Ex-Vessel Revenue/Boat/Year ($1000s)

Principal
Fishery
226.0
58.8
806.4
70.5
132.0
28.2
42.9
12.2
62.8
79.4
28.1
18.3
47.4
21.4
14.0
27.3
20.9
15.1
Total
2196.7
68.2
3175.6
156.3
2958.8
7.6
48.2
11.0
36.5
98.2
30.3
16.6
9.1
11.7
7.5
6.3
24.9
32.9
Other
CA
44.9
4.2
104.0
9.4
89.5
6.4
19.7
1.4
15.3
11.6
10.6
4.7
9.1
9.7
7.2
1.8
6.0
9.8
OR/WA
4.5
0.9
4.1
31.3
0.1
0.1
7.1
0.3
2.4
12.2
0.5
0.0
0.4
0.3
0.0
0.0
2.7
0.0
Total
275.4
63.8
914.6
111.3
221.6
34.7
69.7
13.9
80.4
103.2
39.2
23.0
56.9
31.5
21.3
29.1
29.6
24.8
Table II-8 (cont.)
Table II-9. Number of sh dealers by principal area, categorized according to whether or not they also receive landings
outside their principal area, 1981-1999.
Principal Area=Northern CA
Year
1981
1982
1983
1984
1985
1986
1987
1988
1989
1990
1991
1992
1993
1994
1995
1996
1997
1998
1999
No.CA
Only
81
77
67
53
59
65
103
102
108
85
85
85
104
98
54
88
89
78
120
No.&
Cen.
3
8
6
11
9
7
12
6
10
11
12
10
14
14
14
13
24
19
16
Other
Comb.
7
1
0
0
0
2
4
2
5
5
3
6
4
12
12
6
4
6
7
Total
86
86
73
64
68
74
119
110
123
101
100
101
122
124
80
107
117
103
143
Principal Area=Central CA
Cen.CA
Only
182
209
221
211
200
213
420
361
329
322
312
307
318
333
284
274
301
360
339
No.&
Cen.
15
9
14
8
9
4
22
21
15
14
21
21
21
24
9
19
17
16
11

December 2001
So.&
Cen.
12
11
12
9
19
18
17
15
12
21
19
24
21
27
27
18
18
19
13
Other
Comb.
4
4
4
4
2
3
4
2
5
2
6
11
5
9
6
6
8
5
3
Principal Area=Southern CA
So.CA
Total
213
233
251
232
230
238
463
399
361
359
358
363
365
393
326
317
344
400
366
So.&
Only
201
227
217
207
187
188
275
272
294
285
290
257
237
331
292
267
297
312
328
Other
Cen.
17
18
27
28
35
24
29
29
37
34
26
26
31
59
37
30
30
29
43
CA
Comb.
2
2
4
2
1
6
5
10
11
12
9
15
17
15
8
12
7
10
8
Total Dealers
220
519
247
566
248
572
237
533
223
521
218
530
309
891
311
820
342
826
331
791
325
783
298
762
285
772
405
922
337
743
309
733
334
795
351
854
379
888

A Status Report
61
Table II-10. Average annual number of sh dealers, ex-vessel value of California landings receipts per dealer,
number and percent of dealers accounting for less than $5,000 per year in California landings receipts, and number
and percent of dealers accounting for 90 percent of ex-vessel value of aggregate landings receipts, 1981-1986 and
1987-1999, by dealers principal area.
Principal Area Northern CA:
Number of Dealers
Ex-Vessel Value of CA Landings Receipts/Dealer
#(%) Dealers With<$5K Per Year in CA Receipts
#(%) Dealers Accounting for 90% of Ex-Vessel Value
of Northern California Landings
1981-1986
1987-1999
75
$542,700
18(23%)
112
$380,300
52(46%)
25(33%)
22(20%)
233
$246,700
76(33%)
370
$138,800
186(50%)
50(21%)
58(16%)
239
$805,500
69(29%)
344
$233,900
131(38%)
28(12%)
55(16%)
547
$531,500
163(30%)
825
$209,500
369(45%)
103(19%)
134(16%)
Principal Area Central CA:

Number of Dealers
of Central California Landings
Principal Area Southern CA:
Number of Dealers
of southern California Landings
All California:
Number of Dealers
of Total California Landings
Table II-11. Volume and value of imports and exports of edible sh products at California customs districts and at
all United States customs districts, by year, 1989-1999.
Imports
Exports
$Millions
Millions of Pounds (Base Year=1999)
Year
1989
1990
1991
1992
1993
1994
1995
1996
1997
1998
1999
62
Calif.
569.8
627.4
687.0
710.3
708.9
777.1
729.8
759.6
832.0
911.1
979.0
U.S.
3,243.0
2,884.6
3,014.8
2,894.0
2,917.2
3,034.8
3,066.5
3,169.8
3,338.8
3,647.0
3,887.9
Calif.
1,636.7
1,808.6
1,895.1
2,015.5
1,948.3
2,325.8
2,230.8
2,222.9
2,533.5
2,513.8
2,471.5

A Status Report
U.S.
6,863.7
6,289.9
6,595.2
6,491.3
6,477.0
7,207.3
7,217.5
7,017.3
7,961.2
8,289.2
9,013.9
$Millions
Millions of Pounds(Base Year=1999)
Calif.
106.6
99.2
131.6
105.2
86.7
135.9
183.8
218.7
248.3
142.6
285.4
U.S.
1,406.0
1,947.3
2,058.6
2,087.6
1,986.0
1,978.5
2,047.2
2,112.1
2,018.9
1,663.9
1,961.1
Calif.
255.2
231.7
260.1
223.6
216.6
284.8
293.8
281.8
269.7
158.9
232.3
U.S.
2,940.8
3,463.1
3,669.5
3,942.7
3,407.3
3,390.6
3,466.8
3,161.9
2,785.5
2,291.8
2,848.5

December 2001
Table III-1. Average annual marine recreational shing effort and harvest during 1998-1999 in southern and
central/northern California, by shing mode (1000s of sh).
Landed
Whole
Released
Alive
Other
Disposition
Total
Southern California
Man-made
Beach
CPFV
Private
Total
624
281
641
1,324
2,869
837
327
1,733
1,960
4,857
644
247
973
4,075
5,939
233
17
262
211
723
1,714
590
2,968
6,246
11,518
Central/Northern California
Man-made
Beach
CPFV
Private
Total
440
344
168
921
1,872
533
1,582
1,131
1,459
4,705
192
206
122
648
1,168
67
17
171
205
460
792
1,805
1,423
2,311
6,331
Total California
Man-made
Beach
CPFV
Private
Total
1,064
625
808
2,245
4,741
1,370
1,909
2,864
3,419
9,562
836
453
1,095
4,723
7,107
300
34
433
416
1,183
2,506
2,395
4,391
8,557
17,849
1000s of
Angler Trips
Area/Fishing Mode
Source: Marine Recreational Fishery Statistics Survey.

Includes harvests in U.S. waters only. Other Disposition refers to fish used as bait, filleted, given away or discarded dead. All landings are in 1000s of fish.
Table III-2. Average annual marine recreational harvest (excluding sh released alive) during 1998-1999 in southern
and central/northern California, by shing mode and species category.
Southern California
Species Category
1000s of Fish (%)
Species Category 1000s of Fish (%)
Man-Made
Tuna/mackerel
413 (39%)
Silversides
185 (31%)
Croaker
204 (19%)
Surfperch
164 (27%)
Silversides
150 (14%)
Croaker
78 (13%)
Herring
145 (14%)
Herring
61 (10%)
Surfperch
71 (7%)
Anchovy
47 (8%)
Other
87 (8%)
Other
65 (11%)
Total
1,070 (100%)
Total
600 (100%)
Beach
Surfperch
218 (63%)
Smelt
1,145 (72%)
Croaker
59 (17%)
Surfperch
343 (21%)
Silversides
24 ( 7%)
Silversides
41 (3%)
Sea chub
16 (5%)
Other
70 (4%)
Other
27 (8%)
Total
1,599 (100%)
Total
344 (100%)
CPFV
Rockfish
668 (33%)
Rockfish
1,204 (92%)
Sea basses
313 (16%)
Salmon
50 (4%)
Tuna/mackerel
281 (14%)
Greenling
21 (2%)
Pacific barracuda
269 (13%)
Other
27 (2%)
Calif scorpionfish
151 (8%)
Total
1,302 (100%)
Other
313 (16%)
Total
1,995 (100%)
Private Boat
Sea basses
502 (23%)
Rockfish
1,034 (60%)
Tuna/mackerel
379 (17%)
Tuna/mackerel
89 (5%)
Rockfish
328 (15%)
Croaker
85 (5%)
Pacific barracuda
192 (9%)
Flatfish
80 (5%)
Jacks
168 (8%)
Striped bass
70 (4%)
Croaker
156 (7%)
Greenling
68 (4%)
Flatfish
125 (6%)
Salmon
55 (3%)
Calif scorpionfish
86 (4%)
Other
237 (14%)
Other
235 (11%)
Total
1,718 (100%)
Total
2,171 (100%)
Source: Salmon harvest estimates obtained from DFGs Ocean Salmon Project. All other harvest estimates obtained from Marine Recreational Fishery Statistics Survey.

December 2001

A Status Report
63
Table III-3. Estimated average annual expenditures by marine anglers during 1998-1999 in southern and central/
northern California ($millions, base year=1999), by expenditure category.
Expenditure Category
Southern CA
Northern CA
Total CA
Trip-Related Expenses
Man-Made
Beach
CPFV
Private
Total
$ 18.1
9.8
81.4
92.7
$202.0
$ 13.2
15.1
17.0
62.6
$107.9
$ 31.3
24.9
98.4
155.3
$309.9
Licenses/Fishing Gear
Boat-Related Expenses
Grand Total
54.3
74.1
$330.4
29.0
39.6
$176.5
83.3
113.7
$506.9
Source: Trip-related expenses based on average annual 1998-1999 effort estimates (Table III-1) and estimates of average expenditures per trip by fishing mode derived from Thomson
and Crooke (1991) for southern California and from Thomson and Huppert (1987) for central/northern California and corrected for inflation to 1999 dollars. License/gear and
boat-related expenses based on the observation from Thomson and Crooke (1991) that license/gear and boat-related expenses are 27 percent and 37 percent respectively of total trip
expenditures in southern California, and extrapolating that result to central/northern California.
Table III-4. Number of CPFVs participating in the marine recreational shery during 1980-1998,
by vessels principal shing area.
Year
1980
1981
1982
1983
1984
1985
1986
1987
1988
1989
1990
1991
1992
1993
1994
1995
1996
1997
1998
NoCA
14
15
20
21
19
17
18
22
27
41
32
21
16
16
13
13
10
11
13
CenCA
142
125
136
145
140
142
140
134
132
146
135
125
120
107
107
99
105
105
95
U.S.Only SoCA:U.S. &Mex

83
57
85
52
92
50
96
52
80
65
78
58
82
53
76
45
102
47
83
55
87
45
87
23
91
39
90
32
98
34
117
47
121
47
125
66
114
73
MexOnly
6
14
9
6
17
19
7
10
8
14
11
15
3
6
7
6
6
4
5
Total
147
151
151
154
162
155
142
131
157
152
143
125
133
128
139
170
174
195
192
All Boats
303
291
307
320
321
314
300
287
316
339
310
271
269
251
259
282
289
311
300
Source: CPFV logbooks. Southern California CPFVs distinguished according to whether they fish in U.S. and/or Mexican waters.
64

A Status Report

December 2001
Year
1980
1981
1982
1983
1984
1985
1986
1987
1988
1989
1990
1991
1992
1993
1994
1995
1996
1997
1998
NoCA
5,665
6,948
6,694
8,024
6,577
11,591
11,064
13,251
12,496
15,595
14,724
14,179
7,586
5,617
4,949
6,806
6,021
5,456
6,175
CenCA
204,146
205,380
213,206
180,898
188,275
210,894
189,780
208,989
217,284
226,333
222,149
175,329
164,792
169,566
161,637
169,402
137,312
165,899
133,133
SoCA Total U.S. Waters Mexican Waters

492,290
702,101
59,739
556,721
769,049
61,460
503,280
723,180
52,756
433,514
622,436
69,210
415,036
609,888
91,666
413,102
635,587
81,601
407,614
608,458
51,755
396,309
618,549
59,862
427,610
657,390
53,967
420,976
662,904
74,681
474,761
711,634
57,433
434,945
624,453
37,100
407,831
580,209
55,258
377,125
552,308
40,626
364,774
531,360
51,765
408,547
584,755
58,074
435,940
579,273
74,846
554,117
725,472
99,304
483,420
622,728
106,504
Grand Total
761,840
830,509
775,936
691,646
701,554
717,188
660,213
678,411
711,357
737,585
769,067
661,553
635,467
592,934
583,125
642,829
654,119
824,776
729,232
Table III-5. Number of CPFV angler trips, by year and area.
Source: CPFV logbooks. Mexican waters pertains to trips departing from southern California ports to fish in Mexican waters.
Table III-6. Landings on CPFV shing trips (1000s of sh), by year and area.
Year
1980
1981
1982
1983
1984
1985
1986
1987
1988
1989
1990
1991
1992
1993
1994
1995
1996
1997
1998
NoCA
24.2
51.9
42.4
60.9
33.5
53.5
41.6
50.4
56.9
82.4
111.1
73.0
69.7
31.4
30.8
43.9
32.1
43.4
53.7
CenCA
1,545.4
1,747.0
1,781.8
1,654.9
1,485.3
1,364.3
1,198.9
1,314.3
1,390.1
1,574.1
1,606.5
1,345.9
1,526.7
1,312.3
1,049.1
923.2
743.7
957.3
882.8
SoCA Total U.S. Waters Mexican Waters

4,517.1
6,086.6
321.2
4,267.0
6,065.9
248.6
3,363.5
5,187.7
182.9
2,547.0
4,262.7
362.2
2,249.5
3,768.3
404.0
2,471.2
3,889.0
290.1
2,617.9
3,858.4
217.1
2,485.0
3,849.7
256.2
2,651.2
4,098.2
254.2
2,618.9
4,275.4
321.6
2,824.5
4,542.1
243.5
2,694.5
4,113.4
175.9
2,275.7
3,872.1
219.6
2,112.2
3,455.9
166.7
1,945.7
3,025.6
189.4
1,980.0
2,947.1
222.8
2,350.6
3,126.5
249.0
2,356.1
3,536.8
384.2
2,008.1
2,944.6
377.9
Grand Total
6,407.8
6,314.5
5,370.6
4,624.9
4,172.3
4,179.1
4,075.5
4,105.9
4,352.4
4,597.0
4,785.6
4,289.2
4,091.7
3,622.6
3,215.1
3,169.8
3,375.5
3,921.0
3,322.5
Source: CPFV logbooks. Mexican waters pertains to harvests on trips that depart from southern California ports to fish in Mexican waters.

December 2001

A Status Report
65
Table III-7. Annual number of CPFV boat and angler trips in 1995-1998, by area and trip type.
Area/Trip Type
1995
1996
1997
1998
Avg.
Northern California
Total Fishing Trips:
Salmon
Rockfish/lingcod
Salmon/rockfish/lingcod
Other/unspecified
Total Dive Trips
NoCA Total
6,806
2,948
3,222
321
314
26
6,832
6,021
3,264
2,161
519
77
15
6,036
5,456
1,808
2,839
553
256
0
5,456
6,175
1,554
3,410
1,034
177
10
6,185
6,115
2,394
2,908
607
207
13
6,128
Central California
Total Fishing Trips:
Salmon
Rockfish/lingcod
Salmon/rockfish/lingcod
Strbass/sturgeon
Shark
Tuna
Other/unspecified
Total Dive Trips
CenCA Total
169,402
86,899
58,008
5,098
2,522
1,012
140
15,723
1,126
170,528
137,312
56,567
52,865
3,408
3,720
526
1,127
19,099
1,249
138,561
165,899
78,202
52,233
5,135
5,572
628
6,500
17,629
716
166,615
133,133
48,645
51,795
3,777
5,349
428
4,014
19,125
38
133,171
151,437
67,578
53,725
4,354
4,291
648
2,945
17,894
782
152,219
Southern California
Total Fishing Trips-CA:
Rockfish/lingcod
Tuna
Other/unspecified
Total Fishing Trips-Mex:
Tuna
Other/unspecified
Total Dive Trips-CA
Total Dive Trips-Mex
SoCA Total
408,547
31,684
12,006
364,857
58,074
35,691
22,383
37,089
446
504,156
435,940
34,923
2,992
398,025
74,846
34,692
40,154
43,128
790
554,704
554,117
30,525
13,586
510,006
99,304
56,029
43,275
44,938
394
698,753
483,420
26,595
18,124
438,701
106,504
62,164
44,340
33,014
659
623,597
470,506
30,932
11,677
427,897
84,682
47,144
37,538
39,542
572
595,303
Source: CPFV logbooks.
66

A Status Report

December 2001
Introduction
he Fish and Game Code states that (t)he protection

and conservation of the sh and wildlife resources of
this state are hereby declared to be of utmost public
interest. Fish and wildlife are the property of the people
and provide a major contribution to the economy of the
state, as well as providing a signicant part of the peoples food supply and therefore their conservation is a
proper responsibility of the state.
In keeping with this responsibility, the Marine Region
enforcement staff is charged with enforcing the regulatory aspects of marine resource management. This formidable challenge encompasses approximately 1100 miles of
California coastline out to sea for 200 miles 220,000
square miles. Marine Region law enforcement focuses its
efforts on commercial sheries (including shing vessels,
shore facilities and all sheries-related infrastructures
throughout the state), illegal commercialization of the
public shery resources, sport sheries, market inspections and landing taxes. Enforcement efforts include
the inspection of licenses, permits, catch, gear types,
vessels, shing activity records, sh businesses, accounting records, and importation. The enforcement staff also
ensures that sport and commercial shermen comply with
regulations concerning seasons, size limits, bag limits,
trip limits, shing gear restrictions and design, quotas,
closures, sales of sh, and prohibited species. Land-based
and at-sea patrols are required to enforce all of the various regulations.
In addition to enforcing laws, the enforcement staff is
very active in public outreach and education. The staff
takes a proactive approach in recognizing emerging sheries that may need management measures to ensure a
viable commercial and recreational environment.
In consideration of the natural history of individual
species, management and enforcement policies are
tailored to ensure the sustainability of sport and
commercial sheries. Each species has unique regulatory
needs, challenges, and issues, but the effective management of all is dependent on accurate recording and
reporting of landed weights by sh businesses. Patrol
efforts to insure accurate documentation of landings for
all species is crucial. Enforcement is faced with identifying these needs and structuring enforcement activities to
address such complex issues. Current enforcement effort
is hampered by a lack of enforcement personnel and
disinterest in prosecution by some court systems.

December 2001
Resources
Personnel
The Department of Fish and Games (DFG) Marine Region
was established in December of 1997. This resulted in
the consolidation of marine resource enforcement efforts
which had been split between the three inland regions
bordering the coastline. Initial stafng included 21 positions transferred from the departments Ofce of Oil Spill
Prevention and Response (OSPER) (responsible for marine
oil pollution regulation enforcement only).
In March 1998, 38 positions were transferred from DFGs
inland regions. The law enforcement function was staffed
with these 59 positions until October 1998 when the
Marine Life Management Act (MLMA) was enacted by the
State Legislature. This law provided 15 additional enforcement positions bringing the count to 74. In April 2000, in
keeping with statutory obligations, the positions funded
by the OSPR were removed from the Marine Region to
ensure a dedicated spill prevention and response unit.
Law enforcement personnel stafng in the Marine Region
decreased to 53 positions. In July 2000, the state Legislature provided 10 additional positions. Entering 2001, the
Marine Regions law enforcement staff consisted of 63
positions, still well below the stafng levels of the early
1980s when DFG had a Marine Resources Region with its
own enforcement function.
Marine Law
Enforcement
Patrol Boats
In 1998, the Marine Region had two 65-foot patrol boats,
the Albacore (an aluminum mono-hull) and the Bluen (a
berglass mono-hull), two 40-foot patrol boats (the Yellowtail and the Tuna), and 18 smaller patrol skiffs ranging
in size from 13 to 28 feet.
Funds were provided later that year to increase the
regions at-sea patrol capabilities. A 54-foot vessel was
designed, contracted, built, and delivered in 1999. Named
the Thresher, this patrol boat is a state-of-the-art
aluminum foil-supported catamaran powered by twin 660
turbo diesels. The funds also enabled the purchase of
three 24-foot, rigid-hull inatable (RHI) patrol boats.
These three boats joined two other similar boats to form
the north coast rapid deployment force. The boats can
be put on trailers and deployed quickly along the rugged
north coast.
In July 1998, the MLMA provided for the purchase of the
patrol boat Marlin, a sister vessel to the Thresher. This
boat was delivered in July 2001. All six large patrol boats
are equipped with an 18-foot RHI boarding vessel. In July
1999, additional funding provided for three more patrol
boats, the Swordsh, Coho and Steelhead, identical to the
Managing Californias Living Marine Resources:

A Status Report
67
previous two. Delivery is expected in January and April

of 2002.
1.
A Policy and Procedure Team responsible for interpreting commercial and sport shing laws, rules and
regulations in a consistent statewide basis and establishing standard operating procedures for marine law
enforcement activities.
In addition, the enforcement staff coordinates with 1)

the NMFS in regard to Lacey Act violations for sh transported across state boundaries; 2) the US Coast Guard
on enforcement; 3) the PFMC on sheries management
plans and shing gear deployment; 4) the State Department of Weights and Measures in assuring the proper
procedures for the weighing of sh and the completion
of landing receipts; and 5) the State Department of Parks
and Recreation, National Park Service, Harbor Patrol, local
police and local sheriffs departments in matters of mutual
enforcement efforts.
2.
An Enforcement Legislative Team responsible for

developing language for law, rule and regulation
changes for legislative and commission consideration.
Fisheries-Specific Enforcement Efforts
Teams
The Marine Region Law Enforcement function is organized
along a traditional chain-of-command structure; however,
in addition, self-directed work teams were instituted at
the inception of the Marine Region. These teams include:
3.
4.
A Boat Team responsible for the deployment of

the patrol boats and the at-sea operations of the
patrol eet.
A Law Enforcement Training Team which develops
instructional designs for training modules to address
the training requirements of enforcing complex
commercial and sport shing regulations.
These teams were developed to encourage fair and consistent enforcement of the laws and regulations throughout
the region, clarify and make the regulations more enforceable, deploy and operate the patrol boats where they will
be the most benecial, and maintain a well trained and
professional warden force to protect Californias diverse
marine resources for all of the people in the state.
Partnerships
The law enforcement function works closely with other
government organizations concerned with the management of marine resources. The department has a Memorandum of Understanding with the Monterey Bay National
Marine Sanctuary which allows wardens to be deputized to
conduct federal law enforcement patrols in the sanctuary.
This partnership provides $125,000 in operating expenses,
over a three-year period, for the wardens working in the
sanctuary. A similar partnership exists with the National
Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) which provides $300,000
to pay wardens overtime for groundsh enforcement. We
can expect these partnerships to continue.
Enforcement personnel are actively working on memorandums of understandings with the Channel Islands National
Marine Sanctuary and various units of the National Park
Service in the Channel Islands and San Francisco Bay
areas. These partnerships will provide the department
with operating funds in exchange for law enforcement
patrols in federal waters. The function also provides a
law enforcement consultant to assist the Pacic Fisheries
68
Management Council (PFMC) in its formulation of federal

shery management regulations.

A Status Report
Groundsh
Because of concerns about continuing declines of many
groundsh populations, recent additional restrictions have
been proposed and adopted to protect these resources.
Enforcement of groundsh regulations is difcult due to
the large number of species involved, their vast distributions, the frequently changing and sometimes complex
regulations, and the various shing methods utilized in
the commercial shing industry. Some species, such as
lingcod, have been proposed as candidates for listing as
threatened or endangered. The effectiveness of enforcement effort is dependent upon the accurate recording of
landed weights.
Nearshore Fish
There are many species that can be considered as nearshore sh, but the species that this section addresses
are those that are of primary concern to managers and
were among the rst to be addressed in the Nearshore
Fisheries Management Plan. Included are black rocksh,
black and yellow rocksh, blue rocksh, brown rocksh,
calico rocksh, China rocksh, copper rocksh, gopher
rocksh, grass rocksh, kelp rocksh, olive rocksh, quillback rocksh, treesh, California sheephead, greenlings,
cabezon, California scorpionsh, and monkeyfaced eels.
These species are targeted by sport and commercial shermen. The primary commercial shery is for the live-sh
market. The live-sh market commands a much higher
price per pound than traditional markets. The high price
and low volume of sh being handled has resulted in
the proliferation of small sh businesses. Many such businesses operate out of vehicles. The resulting highly-mobile
shery makes enforcement difcult.

December 2001
Striped Bass
Enforcement problems in the sport salmon shery include

the use of barbed hooks and other illegal hooks, multiple
poles, overlimits, group shing, retention of Coho salmon,
sorting and discarding of less desirable sh, (i.e., high
grading) violations of the salmon punch card in the Klamath Management Zone, and sale of sport caught sh. There
has been a trend among some sport salmon anglers toward
the use of commercial type gear in an illegal manner.
Enforcement includes patrols directed toward such problems as night shing from boats and multiple rod violations in San Francisco Bay, overlimits, gillnets, and market
checks for illegal sh. There is also public concern over
snagging of striped bass in ocean waters.
Problems in the commercial shery include the failure

to record sh landings, violations of quota-landing limits,
shing closed areas, retention of Coho salmon, use of illegal gear such as barbed hooks or more than six troll lines,
and shing without a commercial salmon permit. Some of
the tribal allotments of salmon are being sold outside the
reservation, both in California and other states. This has
created an enforcement problem, as there are currently
conicts between tribal law and California regulations.
Mid-season regulation changes, for both the sport and
commercial sheries, result in confusion and adverse
public relations. While these changes are based upon the
best biological information available, enforcement personnel often receive complaints about the complexity of the
salmon regulations. Standardization and earlier publication of regulations, to the extent possible, would be well
received by all shermen. A greater effort towards public
education regarding management of salmon and the basis
for the regulations would also assist in this area.
Besides the federal shery agencies, other entities
involved in the management of salmon include the Hoopa
and Yurok tribes. These tribes in the Klamath Management
Zone are allocated fty percent of the available annual
harvest and have a tribal representative on the PFMC. The
department works closely with these groups to manage
the sport and commercial salmon shery in ocean and
inland waters of the state.
There is an active black market involving sport-taken

striped bass entering the commercial market. Fish are
caught with rod and reel and illegal gillnets. Black market
striped bass then become mixed with legally imported sh
from sources outside of California, primarily aquaculture sh.
Additional patrol time has been made available through
the Striped Bass Stamp Fund. In addition, funding is available through state and federal water projects to mitigate
impacts of those projects on this and other sheries.
Recipients of the additional funding are the Marine Region
and the Delta Bay Enhanced Enforcement Project.
Salmon
Pacic Herring
Enforcement is focused on compliance with gillnet mesh
sizes, length of nets, number of nets used, limited entry
permit requirements, quotas, and season dates. There
are special requirements for herring buyers to ensure
accurate recordings of the landings for the purpose of
quota management. The roe-on-kelp shery is subject to
permit requirements, licensing of individuals working on
kelp rafts, special reporting requirements, quotas, and
raft size limits. The ocean harvest fresh sh permit may
not be used during the time the roe sheries are operating, and the herring taken in this shery may not be sold
for roe recovery. During the relatively short season, there
is a strong enforcement effort, which requires the shifting
of wardens from many other areas of the state.
Because of the numerous boats involved in the San Francisco Bay shery, the Coast Guard is heavily involved
Halibut
There are minimum size limits for commercial and sport
caught Pacic and California halibut. Commercial enforcement efforts center on the trawl and gillnet shery.
Efforts focus on net measurement, sh size restrictions,
and documented landings. There are several closures for
trawl and gillnets along the California coasts. Closures
are very specic to depths and distance from shore. Specic electronic equipment capable of accurately measuring distances and depths is needed to monitor these sheries for compliance. Personnel trained in the use of this
equipment are essential to ensure successful prosecution
through the legal system. Limited entry permits are also
required for the use of gillnets to take halibut.

December 2001
The departments marine patrol officers enforce the law by issuing a citation for
taking horn sharks in a marine protected area.
Credit: Chamois Andersen, California Department of Fish and Game

A Status Report
69
in monitoring the setting of nets to avoid navigational

hazards. The National Park Service is involved in some
areas of the Golden Gate National Recreation area. The
San Francisco Police Department becomes involved with
nets or boats that are tied to prohibited structures.
Coastal Pelagic Species

Sardine/Anchovy/Mackerel
Enforcement involves monitoring and sampling loads for
compliance with quotas and allowable levels of incidental
catches. Incidental catches are allowed because these
species often school together and are caught in the same
net. Round haul nets are the primary gear used for taking
these species.
Sampling techniques and monitoring of the unloading process are labor intensive. Monitoring the landings ensures
accurate reporting of species and prevents under-reporting and/or landing of prohibited species. When quotas are
close to being reached or are reached, a high incidence of
unreported landings typically occurs making enforcement
activity even more important.
Squid
Enforcement for market squid includes education about
and enforcement of new regulations such as the restricted
use of lights, documentation of shing activity in logbooks, weekend closures, light-boat shielding, and wattage restrictions. Consistent statewide enforcement of new
regulations is a priority. Accurate and consistent dissemination of information of regulation and policy changes to
the shermen and sh businesses is critical to gaining
compliance throughout the shery.
Abalone
The abalone shery is currently the number one statewide
enforcement priority and is expected to remain. Because
of declining populations, all areas south of San Francisco
have been closed to the sport and commercial take of
abalone. The coastline north of San Francisco is open
to sport shing only. The sport season is April through
November with the month of July closed. Restrictions
added during the 2000 season were requirements for an
abalone stamp and abalone report card. Of major concern
is the sale of sport-caught abalone. Mariculture and importation are the only legal sources of abalone for the commercial markets. Enforcement problems arise when the
source of abalone cannot be determined.
the extremely high value for abalone, a signicant black

market exists. Traditionally, this violation revolved around
small groups taking large numbers of abalone for sale.
While this still may occur, more recent trends involve
large numbers of individuals taking their daily limits and
selling them. These individuals often make daily trips to
the coast.
Every year signicant cases are made involving the sale
of sport-caught abalone. Patrol techniques used include
directed enforcement details, undercover operations, and
checkpoints. There is also DFGs Special Operations Unit
(SOU) which is a specially funded group of wardens
who spend much of their time and effort detecting sale
of sport-taken abalone. Enhanced enforcement levels,
depend on continued stable funding from abalone stamp
revenue or other sources.
Sea Urchin
Regulations relating to the allowable size limits, log books
and permits for sea urchins are the primary focus for
enforcement. Measuring the urchins is time-consuming
and challenging because of the volume of urchins taken
and the physical make-up of the urchin. Commercial vessels are often small, and it is sometimes difcult to nd
workspace for at-sea monitoring. The urchin industry also
has specic time and area closures. Observing the divers
while they are in the water is necessary to identify the
divers that do not have a restricted access permit. Abalone share the same habitat as urchins and this creates
additional enforcement efforts related to the illegal take
of abalone by commercial urchin divers.
Shrimp/Prawns
Shrimp and prawn sheries are generally divided into
two gear categories. The rst category includes golden,
spot, coonstripe, and ridgeback prawns, which are taken
by trawling or traps. The second category includes pink
shrimp, which are taken only by trawl nets.
Enforcement focuses on trawl mesh sizes, trap construction including destruct devices, limited entry permits,
incidental catch, and log books. With the shutdown of
other sheries, there were concerns that new shermen
would enter this shery, so limited entry was established.
Apprehension over incidental take of prohibited species
has resulted in consideration of on-board observers and
sh excluder devices. Changes in the design of traps are
also under consideration.
Besides the usual over limit/under-size problems, enforcement is directed at the illegal sale and export of abalone.
This is a major problem in California, and because of
70

A Status Report

December 2001
Current enforcement efforts include inspection of catch,

compliance with season and area closures, gear restrictions, including trap construction and destruct devices,
permits, size limits, out-of-season take, illegal importation, and log books.
Patrol techniques vary on the enforcement of lobster
regulations. Techniques include routine uniformed patrols
and undercover patrols, such as underwater surveillance,
and use of marked lobster. DFG divers are also used to
locate illegally-set lobster traps. Traps set in areas closed
to commercial lobster shing present a major problem for
enforcement.
The majority of sport taken lobster are taken at night,
requiring constant monitoring by enforcement personnel.
The majority of violations committed by sport shermen
include out-of-season-take and taking undersize lobster.
Crab
Enforcement focuses primarily on commercial and sport
sheries for Dungeness or rock crab, with minor sheries
for tanner and stone crab. The sport sheries are subject
to minimum size limits, season and gear restrictions for
all species of crabs.
Commercial Dungeness crab regulations include a minimum size limit, male crab only requirement, and limited
entry permits. Commercial shermen are allowed to bait
and pre-set their gear a certain number of hours prior
to the opening of the commercial Dungeness crab season.
Detection of violation of the pre-soak regulation requires
the use of directed enforcement. Rock crab have minimum size limits as the primary restriction. All traps are
required to have escape rings and destruct devices built
into the design to prevent lost traps from continued shing. In most years, eighty percent of Dungeness crab landings are taken during the rst three weeks of the season.
This requires concentrated enforcement efforts during this
peak period of landings.
Other Invertebrates
The other invertebrates category generally includes the
large number of species for which specic permits are not
required. However, a tidal invertebrate permit is required
to take the following species for commercial purposes
between the high tide line and 1,000 feet seaward of the
low tide line: ghost shrimp, barnacles, chiones, clams,
cockles, limpets, mussels, octopus, oysters, sand dollars,
sea hares, starsh, and worms. These species, as well as
scallops, turban snails and moon snails, may also be taken
under a sport shing license, in certain areas, with daily
bag limit restrictions. There are few commercial restrictions on season, size, or bag limits for these species.

December 2001
Because commercial take is permitted, unless restricted

by law, new sheries continue to develop for invertebrate
species, which have not previously been taken for commercial purposes.
Enforcement of the take of invertebrates in the tidal
zone occurs primarily from the shore. Enforcement of
incidental take is commonly checked while monitoring
another shery. There are specic permits related to the
scientic collection of invertebrates. These permits are
very restrictive in specifying what can be taken, how
many can be taken and who can do the collecting.
Marine Aquaria
Lobster
he marine aquaria shery involves the take of organisms for the live pet, hobby or display trade. Finsh
include garibaldi, gobies and juvenile sharks. Invertebrates include coral, shrimp and octopus. The demand
for the marine aquaria trade has led to species being
harvested for the rst time. The take of marine aquaria
species occurs statewide primarily in nearshore waters
with no seasonal closures. Illegal importation of marine
aquaria species from Mexico has become prevalent.
Marine aquarium organisms cannot be taken in any marine
life refuges, marine reserves, ecological reserves and
state reserves. One identied enforcement problem is the
killing of live-bearing adult sharks in order to remove
unborn young for the aquarium trade. Another is the
illegal shing by release of harmful chemicals into ocean
waters. The chemicals force the otherwise inaccessible
species from their hiding places resulting in the death of
many non-targeted as well as targeted species.
Aquaculture
nforcement focuses on working closely with biologists

to monitor aquaculture facilities.
Monitoring the collection of brood stock by the mariculture industry is necessary to ensure compliance with
permits and regulations. Inspection of sh businesses
purchasing mariculture products, is required to ensure
that wild stocks are not used to illegally replace mariculture species in the commercial trade. Current regulations are not sufcient to properly monitor and enforce
mariculture activities.

A Status Report
71
Commercial Fish Businesses
alifornias marine resources are a public trust. The

conservation and protection of these resources have
been entrusted to DFG. One means to monitor the lawful
use of these resources is the inspection of businesses that
commercialize the wild sh populations. Persons dealing
in the sale of seafood are required to be licensed, to
maintain adequate accounting records, and to comply with
species restrictions. Wardens routinely conduct inspections of businesses to ensure compliance with all state
and federal laws. Business inspections are also routinely
conducted to ensure compliance with landing requirements and proper documentation.
Frank Spear and Carmel Babich
72

A Status Report

December 2001
Background
estricted access programs in sheries limit the quantity of persons, vessels or shing gear that may be
engaged in the take of any given species of sh or shellsh. Restricted access may also limit the catch allocated
to each shery participant through harvest rights such as
individual or community quotas.
Without some form of restricted access, sheries
resources are available to anyone who wants to pursue
them. Each individual sherman or company is motivated
to catch the sh before their competitors, which leads
to overcapitalization of the eet with too many vessels
and too much gear. Overcapitalizaton usually results in
reduced income to shermen. Open access to sheries
often leads to problems with both biological sustainability
and economic viability. Over the past 50 years, increased
demand for sheries products, big advances in shing
technology, and development of global sh markets have
combined to intensify the race for sh.
Restricting access has been used as a shery management
tool for thousands of years to improve resource sustainability, allocate catches among participants, and improve
economic and social returns from sheries. Restricting
access to sheries can 1) promote sustainable sheries;
2) provide for a more orderly shery; 3) promote conservation among participants; and 4) maintain the long-term
economic viability of sheries.
Great care must be taken in designing and implementing
restricted access programs. First, broadly recognized
goals for the shery must be dened by managers, shermen, and other constituents. Once these goals are identied, key restricted access elements can be identied
to attain them. A primary purpose of restricted access
programs is to balance the level of effort in a shery
with the health of the shery resource. In most situations,
except for harvest rights programs, this involves setting
an appropriate shery capacity goal (a combination of
factors that represent the shing power of the eet).
History
ntil recent decades, California did not restrict shing

effort. After World War II, eet expansion, improved
electronics and gear technology, new net materials, larger
and faster vessels, plus increased shing skills signicantly
increased shing power. This trend of increased shing
capacity and adoption of new technology accelerated
during the mid-1970s after passage of the Federal Fishery
Conservation and Management Act of 1976 (Magnuson-

December 2001
Stevens Act). This act began phasing out foreign shing

and encouraged Americanization of sheries, primarily
for groundsh, within our 200-mile exclusive economic
zone. Federal loan and tax programs proved to be
powerful incentives for private investment in shing
eet expansion.
By the late 1970s, it was clear to many in the shing
industry, California Department of Fish and Game (DFG)
and the Pacic Fishery Management Council (PFMC) that
there was a need to limit entry to sheries. In California,
the rst limited entry program was established in 1977
for the abalone shery. This was followed in 1979 with
legislation requiring salmon limited entry permits in 1980.
By 1983, this became a salmon vessel permit system.
While these and other limited entry programs capped the
number of shermen or vessels and created more orderly
sheries, they generally had little effect on overall shing
capacity. Participants in these restricted sheries often
increased their shing power with larger vessels, more
gear and increased time shing, or shifted to other fully
developed open access sheries.
Since the early 1980s, DFG has implemented restricted
access programs at an accelerating rate. High value sheries such as herring, sea urchin and Dungeness crab are
now under restricted access. When demand from industry
for restricted access programs intensied in the mid1990s, DFG decided it was time to address restricted
access in a comprehensive manner. In late 1996, DFG
formed a limited entry review committee to develop a
standard restricted access policy for the Fish and Game
Commission. A draft policy was completed in 1998 and
underwent major revision in 1999 with assistance from
outside experts and consultation with constituents. After
three public hearings and considerable public input,
the commission approved the restricted access policy in
June 1999.
A Review of Restricted
Access Fisheries
Californias Restricted Access Programs
he legislature, commission, and DFG have differing,

but related roles in implementation of restricted
access programs. Historically, most of Californias programs were created through legislation. Examples include
abalone (1977), salmon (1979), and pink shrimp (1994).
Others such as herring (1986), sea urchin (1989), and
the new pink shrimp program (2001) have been the
responsibility of the commission. Since the passage of the
Marine Life Management Act of 1998 and the commissions
adoption of a comprehensive restricted access policy in
1999, more restricted access program responsibility has
switched to the commission and department. The department works closely with constituent advisory committees
and task forces to carefully design and evaluate restricted

A Status Report
73
access plans for submission to the commission. The commission then conducts hearings for further public input.
The restricted access plan is then returned for any necessary revision by the department and advisory groups
before going before the commission for a nal decision.
The legislature is kept informed and involved for sheries
that require legislation to implement restricted access.
Restricted access programs active through 2000 are summarized in the table below. Some of these programs are
revised versions of earlier programs. Restricted access
was discontinued in 1998 in the abalone shery after
that shery was closed. Herring round haul permits were
phased out by 1998.
Californias Commercial Fisheries

Restricted Access Policy
he commission adopted its policy in order to guide

future restricted access programs. The commission
believes that restricted access programs can offer at least
four benets:
Fostering sustainable sheries by offering a means to

match the level of shing with the capacity of a sh
population and by giving shermen a greater stake in
maintaining sustainability;
Providing a way to fund total costs for administration

and enforcement of restricted access programs;
California Restricted Access Programs Through 2000

Permit
Type
Ldgs. Req. to
Renew
Year Begun
No. Permits
First Year
No. Permits
in 1992
No. Permits
in 2000
Current Mgmt.
Authority
General Gill/Trammel Net
Person
no
1985
1052
376
223
Commission
Drift Gillnet
Person
every other year
1984
226
149
126
Legislature
Dungeness Crab (Resident)
Vessel
no
1995
614
N.A.
589
Legislature
Legislature
Dungeness Crab (Non resident)
Vessel
no
1995
67
N.A.
69
Finfish Trap
Person
yes
1996
316
N.A.
142
Legislature
Herring Gillnet (Resident)
Person
no
1986
339
323
335
Commission
Herring Gillnet (Non resident)
Person
no
1986
72
97
121
Commission
Lobster Operator
Person
no
1996
298
351
251
Commission
Market Squid Vessel
Vessel
no
1998
242
N.A.
198
Legislature
Market Squid Light Boat
Vessel
no
1998
53
N.A.
49
Legislature
Salmon Vessel
Vessel
no
1983
5964
2974
1704
Legislature
Sea Cucumber Diver
Person
no
1997
111
N.A.
101
Legislature
Sea Cucumber Trawl
Person
no
1997
36
N.A.
30
Legislature
Sea Urchin Diver
Person
every other year
1989
915
537
407
Commission
Nearshore Fishery
Person
no
1999
1130
N.A.
1026
Commission
Pink Shrimp (discontinued)
Person
no
1994
307
N.A.
90
Commission
Vessel
----
1994
N.A.
101
Commission
Pink Shrimp
(new program in 2001)
Source: California Department of Fish and Game License Branch Statistics
74

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December 2001
Providing long term social and economic benets to

the state and shermen, and;
Broadening opportunities for the commercial shing

industry to contribute to management of the states
commercial sheries.
The key elements of the policy are summarized below.

A complete copy of the policy is contained in Guide to
Californias Marine Life Managememt Act by M. L. Weber
and B. Heneman. It is also available at the commissions
Web site at www.dfg.ca.gov/fg_comm/index.html
General: Restricted access is one of a number of tools
for conserving and managing sheries as a public trust
resource, and may be adopted to achieve several purposes, including sustainable and orderly sheries, conservation, and long-term economic viability.
Development: Fishermen and other citizens must be
involved in the development of restricted access programs. The specic needs of a shery must be balanced
with the goal of increasing uniformity among such programs.
Review: Restricted access programs in individual sheries
and the Commissions policies on restricted access should
be regularly reviewed.
Capacity Goal: Any restricted access program that does
not assign harvest rights to individual shermen must
identify a capacity goal for the shery to try to match
shing power to the resource. This goal, which should be
developed collaboratively, may be expressed in such terms
as size or power of vessels or number of permits. Where a
eet is above its capacity goal, the program must include
a means of reducing the capacity in the shery. A new
restricted access program is not to allow shing effort to
increase beyond recent levels.
Harvest Rights: In establishing restricted access programs based on the allocation of harvest rights to individual shermen or vessels, the state should insure the fair
and equitable initial allocation of shares, resources assessments, cost recovery, limits on aggregation of shares, and
consider recreational shing issues.
Costs and Fees: Administrative costs are to be minimized.
Review or advisory boards may be established. Funds
from restricted access programs may be deposited in
a separate account of the Fish and Game Preservation
Fund. Restricted access programs should deter violations,
while minimising enforcement costs through the use of
new technologies or other means. Administrative and
enforcement costs are to be borne by each restricted
access program.
The rst restricted access program adopted under the
commissions new policy is for northern pink shrimp shery. This program, which replaced the pink shrimp program initiated by the legislature in 1994, took effect in
2001. It includes transferable and non-transferable vessel
and individual permits.
Currently, there are restricted access plans under development and review for the nearshore nsh shery,
market squid, the spot prawn trap sheries. These plans
are created collaboratively by teams of constituents and
DFG staff convened by the director.
Participation: Eligibility for participating in a restricted

access shery may be based on the level of historical participation or on other relevant factors. In issuing permits,
certain priorities should be followed. For instance, rst
priority should be given to licensed commercial shermen
or vessels with past participation in that shery. In addition, shermen licensed in California for at least 20 years
may be included in new restricted access programs with
qualifying criteria determined for each program by the
commission. New permits should be issued only if a shery
is below its capacity goal.
Permit Transferability: Where appropriate, permits may
be transferable between shermen or vessels, as long as
there is a capacity goal and a program for achieving that
goal in the shery. Under certain conditions, permits may
be transferred from retired to new vessels. Fees to offset
the costs of management may be imposed on the transfer
of permits.
Commercial fishing vessels in Bodega Bay.
Credit: Chris Dewees

December 2001

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75
Federal Restricted Access Programs
he federally managed groundsh shery (includes 83

species) off Washington, Oregon and California is
managed, in part, under a limited entry program
developed by the Pacic Fishery Management Council
(PFMC) and implemented by the National Marine Fisheries
Service (NMFS) in 1993. The federal program has issued
gear-specic permits to vessels using trawl, xed longline
and shpot and allocates a proportion of the catch to
each gear type. Those sh not allocated to the limited
entry eet continue to be allocated to open access
vessels (primarily hook-and-line and shpots) and those
who take groundsh incidentally in other sheries. NMFS
was authorized by Congress in December 2000 to develop
regulations for the limited entry xed gear sablesh
shery which allow for stacking of up to three permits
with cumulative landing limits. These management
regulations would have effects similar to those of harvest
rights systems.
Future Actions
he Marine Life Management Act (MLMA) requires evaluation every ve years of existing restricted access
programs and this will be an ongoing activity of the
department and the commission. These evaluations and
the increasing demand for restricted access programs
means that the department will need expanded capabilities to collect and analyze economic and social data
related to sheries. These data, combined with biological
data about shery resources, will be critical in developing
and evaluating restricted access policy options on a
shery-by-shery basis. Restricted access will likely be
an important component of shery management plans
required under the MLMA.
California needs to understand the interaction of

restricted access programs with other primary types of
shery management systems such as marine reserves,
spatial management and local co-management schemes.
Finally it is important to take into account how restricted
access programs in one shery affect participation and
shing effort in other sheries.
University of California, Davis
Michael L. Weber
Advisor to California Fish and Game Commission
References
California Fish and Game Commission. 1999. Restricted
Access Policy. Accessible at www.dfg.ca.gov/fg_comm/
index.html.
Gimbel, K. L. 1994. Limiting Access to Marine Fisheries:
Keeping the Focus on Conservation. Center for Marine
Conservation and World Wildlife Fund, Washington, DC,
316 pp.
Iudicello, S., M. L. Weber and R. Wieland. 1999. Fish,
Markets, and Fishermen: The Economics of Overshing.
Island Press, Washington, DC and Covelo, CA, 192 pp.
National Research Council. 1999. Sharing the Fish: Toward
a National Policy on Individual Fishing Quotas. National
Academy Press, Washington, DC, 422 pp.
Weber, M. L. and B. Heneman. 2000. Guide to Californias
Marine Life Management Act. Common Knowledge Press,
Bolinas, CA, 133 pp.
Experience with restricted access is growing statewide,

nationally and internationally. As our knowledge base
grows, new techniques for managing access to sheries
will become available. There is a growing trend toward
implementing harvest rights systems in the form of
individual and community-based quotas as currently used
in Alaska, Canada and overseas. Transferable gear certicate programs are in place in trap sheries in Florida and
Georgia and this tool may have potential in California.
It will be important that DFG and the PFMC work closely to
ensure consistency of state and federal restricted access
programs affecting sheries managed jointly off the California coast.
76

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alifornias nearshore ecosystem, dened as the area

from the coastal high tide line offshore to a depth of
120 feet, is one of the most productive ocean areas in
the world. This area, comprising only about 2,550 square
miles, generates from the harvest of its resources, almost
$40 million in ex-vessel revenue, a little less than onethird of the value of all Californias sheries. The area
is home to a wide variety of shes, giant kelp, marine
invertebrates (spiny lobster, abalone, sea urchin, crabs),
and marine mammals, as well as a large number of sea
and shore bird species.
The nearshore area is composed of a variety of habitats
ranging from high-relief rocky reef to broad expanses
of sand and mud. There are distinct differences in the
prevalent oceanographic conditions from north to south.
Much of the states shoreline is heavily inuenced by the
cold California Current, which sweeps south from the Gulf
of Alaska. As a consequence, the extreme northern portion of the coast is inhabited by plant and animal species
also found off Oregon and Washington. The nearshore
area here is dominated by species commonly found off
Oregon such as black rocksh and cabezon, redtail perch,
and night and surf smelt. Along the central coast, south
of Cape Mendocino, where rocky-reef habitat dominates,
prevailing onshore northwest winds cause the upwelling
of nutrient-rich waters from the ocean bottom and high
biological productivity. Kelp beds, consisting of giant kelp
to the south and bull kelp to the north, are home to
a variety of nearshore rocksh, abalone and sea urchin.
Sea bird nesting areas and marine mammals such as sea
otters and sea lions are also important members of this
community. South of Point Conception, warm waters from
the south join with the cold California Current to provide
habitat for a wide variety of seasonal sub-tropical visitors
like yellowtail, white seabass, Pacic bonito, and California barracuda, all found in close association with the
abundant stands of giant kelp found around the offshore
islands and along the mainland. Major resident species
such as kelp bass, sheephead, halfmoon and olive rocksh
sustain a year-round nearshore shery.
and the commission delegated the authority to set recreational angling regulations. Notable exceptions are the
white seabass and nearshore nsh sheries, which are
subjects of shery management plans under development
by the department for adoption by the commission late
in 2001. These two sheries are being managed under
the provisions of the Marine Life Management Act of
1998. This act establishes the framework for the eventual
management of all the states marine sheries through
the creation of shery management plans and commission
regulatory action. A key provision of this act is an overarching goal of sustainable use.
The next decade will be a critical one for the management of the resources of the nearshore, as we attempt to
successfully address the major issues listed above.
Robson A. Collins
Californias Nearshore Ecosystem
Californias Nearshore
Ecosystem
Major issues are the impact of environmental events like

El Nio on animal and plant species, over-harvest of species such as abalone and nearshore rocksh, interactions
between sheries and marine mammals, pollution from
human activities, and competition among user groups,
both consumptive and non-consumptive.
Management authority for most species found in the
nearshore continues to be split between the legislature
and the Fish and Game Commission, with the legislature
retaining the authority to manage commercial sheries

December 2001

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alifornias marine invertebrate sheries range among

the crustaceans, mollusks, echinoderms and to a limited extent, the polychaetes. This section deals with
most of them, with the notable exception of squid, classied as a coastal pelagic in this publication. Invertebrate
resources usually associated with bays and estuaries are
considered in another section. Commercial and recreational shermen spend thousands of hours annually in
pursuit of these species, which are among the most highly
prized of our marine resources. Harvest methods include
trawls pulled by large ocean-going vessels (shrimp),
traps shed from smaller boats (lobsters, crabs, and
prawns), ring nets, and bare hands (recreational lobsters
and crabs). In 1999, commercial invertebrates (excluding
squid) accounted for only about six percent of the states
total commercial catch by weight, but over 30 percent of
its ex-vessel value at over $44 million. Commercial catch
records for invertebrate species, like most of Californias
sheries, are more complete than for their recreational
counterparts. Spiny lobster is the only invertebrate shery
with both a substantial sport and commercial component.
However the magnitude of the sport component of that
shery is poorly known. The Marine Life Management Act
recognizes the importance of allocating marine resources
fairly between commercial and recreational users and
so an improved understanding of the amount of sport
take and effort will be a necessity in the future. Many
other species of invertebrates that are not the target
of sheries inhabit Californias marine waters where they
nevertheless form important functional components of
marine ecosystems.
In 1999, over half of the marine crustacean catch of 16.4
million pounds consisted of Dungeness crab. Dungeness
crab and Pacic ocean shrimp have comprised the majority of the crustacean catch each year since the 1950s.
In recent years there have been over 330 boats taking
Dungeness crabs in the center of the catch range from
Crescent City to Fort Bragg. Boats average 200 crab pots
each, but some carry as many as one thousand pots.
In contrast, the spiny lobster catch was almost 500,000
pounds in 1999, and ranged from 600,000 to 800,000
pounds through most of the 1990s. Recreational harvests
of crustaceans also center around crabs and spiny lobster.
Dungeness and rock crabs are targets of scattered recreational effort throughout California. It is estimated that
sport shermen take less than one percent of the Dunge-

December 2001
ness crab catch and that the sport lobster catch, while
signicant, is substantially less than the commercial catch.
While the size of the recreational lobster harvest is not
known, a NMFS-sponsored survey estimated over 115,000
individual trips targeting spiny lobster in 1989. Divers
catch most lobsters with their hands, although baited ring
nets are also used, usually from skiffs, piers or jetties. A
commercial passenger shing vessel (CPFV) industry catering to divers schedules special trips during lobster season.
CPFVs in the SF Bay area have in recent years been offering combo-trips for rocksh and Dungeness crabs, where
crab pots are set at the beginning of the shing trip
and pulled on the way back to port. These trips could
signicantly increase the sport crab catch in this region.
In addition to these major sheries, sand crabs and red
rock shrimp are the target of small but high value-per-unit
bait sheries.
Californias nearshore echinoderm sheries developed in
the 1970s as a response to the growing demand for shery
export products but were little utilized domestically. They
have been dominated by the red sea urchin shery which
saw almost 15 million pounds landed in 1999, the second
lowest total during the 1990s, down from a high of 45 million pounds in 1990. Sea cucumber landings have averaged
about 500,000 pounds during the 1990s, with cucumbers
taken by both commercial divers and trawlers, mostly in
southern California. There has been very little interest in
the sport take of echinoderms, other than small amounts
of sea urchins. Purple sea urchins, whose unregulated take
can cause localized depletions, have been the target of
scientic collectors for years.
Other species not considered in this section, such as
limpets, jackknife clams, mussels and rock scallops, are
frequently harvested by sport shers and have been seriously impacted by Californias expanding human population. Water quality problems, both natural and mancaused, may prevent commercial and sport harvest of
bivalve mollusks, primarily clams and mussels. Since most
bivalves are lter feeders, they ingest microscopic plant
and animal matter from the water column. At certain
times during the year, particularly during the spring and
summer upwelling season, heavy plankton blooms occur
in nearshore waters, and lter feeders may ingest and
concentrate toxins, which are harmful to humans if consumed. The levels of toxic plankton are monitored by the
California Department of Public Health and warnings are
issued when appropriate.
The Nearshore Ecosystem Invertebrate Resources: Overview
The Nearshore
Ecosystem
Invertebrate
Resources: Overview
Natural predation may signicantly reduce a population

if a prey species increases its density or range. A welldocumented example is the return of the sea otter population to its historic range and its impact on central
Californias Pismo clam and abalone resources. Disease
has not often been implicated in reducing populations of

A Status Report
87
The Nearshore Ecosystem Invertebrate Resources: Overview
Californias mollusks. However, the withering syndrome

in the black abalone population, coupled with shing pressure, has resulted in a drastic decline in the southern
California stock. Periodic oceanographic disturbances such
as the warm-water event known as El Nio can have
severe impacts on nearshore invertebrates, especially
southern populations.
Californias commercial abalone shery was the leading
molluscan shery for the decades up until its collapse and
closure in 1997. Indeed, the MLMA was drafted in part
as a response to this tragedy. A robust recreational-only
abalone shery remains in northern California where an
estimated 1.2 million pounds was taken by 33,000 divers
annually during the past decade. A punch card reporting
system was established in 1999, which should make tracking catch and effort in this shery much easier in
the future.
Californias nearshore ecosystem has been the target of
an onslaught of exploitation, both extractive and nonconsumptive, since the end of World War II. Californias
population has exploded during that time period and concentrated along the coastal zones of central and southern
California. Intertidal areas here, particularly rocky tidal
pools, have been trampled and stripped of their ora and
fauna despite the efforts of regulatory agencies to protect
them. Offshore mineral extraction, pipelines and tanker
trafc increase the likelihood of major fouling incidents
along our coastline. Fisheries management agencies have
been largely concerned with controlling the type and
amount of marine organisms available for harvest. However, the demands of ecosystem management will require
a greater vigilance over all the elements of nearshore
ecology, including the habitats of the organisms.
can undergo rapid increases or declines in population size

(ocean shrimp and ridgeback prawn). Separate subpopulations of Dungeness crabs and ridgeback prawns may exist
within California. The spiny lobster population is shared
with Mexico, and ocean shrimp and Dungeness crab populations span the Oregon border. Management and shing
practices in those political entities may affect Californias
portion of such shared resources.
Future management and research on Californias invertebrate resources should focus on more frequent and efcient resource assessment methods and a better understanding of the various factors, both natural and humaninduced, which determine population levels and patterns
of change. With such information at hand, resource managers will be better able to match the growing demands
on Californias nearshore invertebrates with their productive capacity. Future management will undoubtedly
address the issue of marine protected areas as a
tool for ecosystem protection and enhancement of
degraded areas.
Peter Kalvass
The collection of timely and accurate biological and shery information can be a costly and challenging endeavor.
As a consequence, management of nearshore invertebrate
resources in California has proceeded largely on an ad hoc
basis. Measures such as minimum sizes, closed seasons,
gear or equipment restrictions, bag limits and closed areas
have been used in an effort to protect stocks, sustain
harvests and allocate the resource. For some of our sheries, management systems based on annual or seasonal
quotas and a xed harvest rate may be more desirable.
Following a worldwide trend, during the last decade most
of our commercial sheries for invertebrates have come
under limited access or entry regulations, and consequently opportunities for entry into these sheries have
been reduced.
A variety of life-history patterns, which need to be considered when making management decisions, are found
among Californias invertebrate resources. Some resources
are long-lived and slow growing (spiny lobster, sheep crab,
abalone, sea urchins); others have short life spans and
88

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December 2001
Abalone
A
rchaeological evidence indicates that California Indians shed abalones extensively from coastal areas and
the Channel Islands prior to European and Asian settlement of California. During the 1850s, Chinese Americans
started a shery in California that targeted intertidal
green (Haliotis fulgens) and black (H. cracherodii) abalones, with peak landings of 4.1 million pounds of meat and
shell in 1879. The Chinese worked shallow waters with
skiffs, gafng abalones dislodged by a long pole with a
wedge on the end. This shery was eliminated in 1900 by
closure of shallow waters to commercial harvest. Japanese
divers followed the Chinese by exploiting virgin stocks
of subtidal abalones, rst as free divers from surface
oats and later, more successfully, as hard-hat divers.
California Department of Fish and Game statistics showed
an increase in landings from 1916 to a peak in 1935 of
3,900,000 pounds followed by a decline to 164,000 pounds
in 1942 as shermen of Japanese heritage were moved to
relocation camps during World War II.
The red abalone (H. rufescens) was the only species
reported in the commercial landing gures from 1916 to
1943. They were recorded as unidentied abalone. By
1960, the center of the shery had moved from Monterey
to the Morro Bay area, where the regions from Cape San
Martin to Cayucos in the north and Point Buchon to Pecho
Rock in the south were shed. Declining stocks of red
abalones, caused largely by the combined effects of shing and a growing population of sea otters, forced a shift
southward in the late 1960s. Landings increased in the San
Francisco area, supplying 34 percent of the 1988 red abalone landings. Evidence, including successfully prosecuted
court cases, indicates that many of these abalones were
poached from noncommercial areas in northern California.
By 1990, landings of red abalones declined to 17 percent
of the 1931 to 1967 average of 2,135,000 pounds.
Commercial harvest of abalones was prohibited in southern California from 1913 through 1943, then reopened
to increase wartime food production. The shery has
undergone successive development and decline as less
desirable species were exploited. The abalone shery
underwent spatial and interspecic serial depletion following World War II. The shery was managed as a single
entity, and it was difcult to address the collapse of
individual species in the face of stable landings. The shery alternated from red to pink (H. corrugata) to green,
white (H. sorensensi), and nally to black abalones, but
the new target species could not provide the continuous
demand. The combined-species landings reached a record
5,420,000 pounds in 1957. Pink abalone landings reached
a maximum 3,388,000 pounds in 1952 and in 1990 were
one percent of the 2,178,000 pounds averaged from 1950

December 2001
to 1970. Green abalones peaked in 1971 at 1,090,000

pounds, declined rapidly to six percent of their 1968 to
1972 average catch of 488,000 pounds. White abalone was
the shortest lived of the abalone shery, beginning about
1968 peaking in 1972 with landings of 144,000 pounds,
and quickly declining thereafter. Black abalones peaked in
1973 at 1,913,000 pounds, declining in 1990 to 13 percent
of their 1972 to 1984 average catch of 687,000 pounds.
Because the shery was managed as a single entity, the
total landings stabilized with the inclusion of the pink,
green, white, and black landings, but each of these species quickly collapsed. Red abalone again became the
dominant species with most of the landings originating
from the southern part of central California, and the
Channel Islands.
Abalone
History of the Fishery
Complicating the issues was the effect of sea otter preempting the central California shing areas. Red abalone,
stocks were fully utilized around the historic center of
the range, Monterey, and the shery expanded southward.
The expansion of the sea otter, also moving south, eventually removed much of the central California coast as a
source of legal abalones.
Increased efciency and effectiveness of the shery, i.e.,
faster boats and better diving technology, were factors
which caused a continual expansion of the shing grounds.
None of these factors was adequately addressed, and
necessary reductions in the shing power in the shery to
protect the abalone resource never occurred.
Status of Biological Knowledge
n addition to the ve species which have been commercially shed, at (H. walallensis), threaded (H. assimilis)
and pinto (H. kamtschatkana) abalones are also found
in California; all have limited distributions and none is
common. The threaded (H. assimilis) was once thought to
be a separate species, but it has been included under the
pinto as a southern sub-species. Depth and geographical
distributions of all California haliotids are best described
by seawater temperature. Black abalones are found from
Oregon to southern Baja California and are largely intertidal, extending to a depth of about 20 feet in southern
California. Red abalones, which also extend from Oregon
into Baja California, are intertidal and shallow subtidal in
northern and central California but are exclusively subtidal
in southern California, where they are restricted to cooler
upwelling locations along the mainland and the northwestern Channel Islands. Pink, green, white and threaded
abalones are characteristic of the warmer waters south of
Point Conception extending into Baja California and the
southeastern Channel Islands. These species further sort
out by temperature in their depth distributions: greens

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89
Abalone
Commercial Landings
1916-1999, All Abalone
Prior to 1949, commercial
abalone landings consisted
primarily of red abalone. Data
Source: DFG Catch Bulletins and
commercial landing receipts.
All Abalone
millions of pounds landed
6
5
4
3
2
1
0
1916 1920
1930
1940
are centered at shallower depths than pinks, which

are shallower than white abalones. Flat and pinto abalones are generally found in the cooler waters north of
Point Conception.
California abalones feed primarily on algae, mostly the
large brown kelps that form stands along the coast and
islands. They feed on bacterial and diatom lms when
small, later switching to grazing on living plants and capturing algal drift, fragments of macrophytes moved by
currents and surge. Most abalones feed preferentially on
kelps but minor variations in preference appear to reect
the habitat where each is found. Specialization on drift
algae puts abalones in competition with three species of
urchins. Sea urchin grazing has been reported to limit kelp
and abalone distributions in many regions of the state.
Seawater temperature also strongly inuences abalone
growth, and reproduction. Elevated seawater temperatures are low in nutrients and kelps, the food of abalone,
do not tolerate these periods well. El Nio events bring
warm seawater temperatures northward along the coast.
This can have severe short and long-term effects on abalone populations through reduced food availability and
the direct affects of warm water on the abalone. In red
abalone, El Nio conditions have been observed to slow
growth, and decrease settlement and recruitment. If sufcient stocks survive through the warm water period,
reproduction will resume with the return of normal conditions, but several year classes may be absent. This
will eventually be reected in the future availability of
shable stocks.
Abalones are synchronous broadcast spawners, the males
and females releasing their sperm and eggs directly to
the sea. The duration and period of spawning varies
with species. The fertilized egg sinks to the bottom,
hatches and spends several days to a week in the plankton, depending upon temperature and species. Various
oceanographic mechanisms are thought to keep the larvae
in the vicinity of the adults. Nevertheless, settlement to
90

A Status Report
1950
1960
1970
1980
1990
1999
the benthic existence appears to be hit or miss. To compensate, abalones produce millions of eggs. Additionally,
broadcast spawners must be sufciently close together to
improve the chances of fertilization, which decrease with
distance between spawners because of dilution. Distances
greater that three or four feet may not support sufcient
fertilization. While abalones can move and aggregate for
spawning, often low numbers and physical barriers can
prevent aggregation.
Recent research has shown that abalones may not successfully reproduce and recruit annually, likely because of
all the reasons above. As abalones are removed during
shing, their numbers often will decrease to the point
that few adults are sufciently close for successful fertilization. In one Australian abalone, it has been shown
that when stocks of abalone are reduced to about 40
percent of the virgin biomass, reproduction failure occurs.
Most of the California abalones are well below that 40
percent mark.
Abalones, especially juveniles, are preyed upon by a wide
variety of animals including crabs, lobsters, gastropods,
octopuses, sea stars and shes; larger abalones achieve a
partial refuge in size from most of these. However, two
predators, sea otters and humans, including the effects
of human activity in and near the sea, are the keystone
species that control the condition of the abalone resource.
Red abalone
ed abalone is the largest abalone in the world with a

record maximum shell length of 12.3 inches. The shell
color is brick red when red algae are part of the diet.
A prominent muscle scar is visible on the inside of the
shell. Typically three to four respiratory pores are open;
these are slightly raised, tubular, and oval. The epipodium
is smooth and black.

December 2001
There is a clear distinction between juvenile and adult red

abalone habitat, an indication that migration occurs as the
abalone grow. There are two separate movement phases.
The rst phase corresponds with settlement as postlarvae
on coralline algae and is ascribed to light avoidance (negative photoaxis) and/or downward attraction (positive geotaxis) into small spaces between rocks and under boulders. The second phase starts at 2.0 inches when they
switch to feeding on drift kelp, moving from under boulders into crevices. Abalone in exposed crevices, under
ledges, or on top of reefs are described as emergent
with most red abalone emergent by six inches. Red abalone have been reported to move in response to environmental hazards such as sanding-in of reefs. They have
been shown to move considerable distances of up to
0.4 miles. In northern California random movement in
deeper, less intensely shed populations supports some
of the replacement of the intertidal and shallow subtidal shed stocks.
Red abalone generally reach sexual maturity at a shell
length of ve inches, but may become mature as small as
1.6 inches for females and 3.3 inches for males in the wild.
Fecundity ranges from a few thousand eggs at rst spawning to up to six million eggs in large adults. Spawning
is seasonal in northern and year round in southern California reecting northern seasonal availability of kelp. A
single spawning season from April to July with a peak
in May was reported for northern California, based on
histological evidence.
The optimal temperature for successful survival to settlement for red abalone larvae is 55 to 68 F. At these
temperatures the average duration of the swimming larval
phase is four days. Post settlement larval survival varies
from year to year. Studies off southern and northern
California showed occasional strong year classes followed
by long periods of unsuccessful recruitment.
Growth is highly variable and depends on availability of
food. Mark and recapture studies demonstrated higher
yearly growth rates in southern California compared to
northern California where food is seasonally available. An
exception occurred during the 1982-1984 El Nio in southern California when kelp abundance declined dramatically.
Recent evidence suggests abalone growth rates in the

December 2001
north have increased following the shing down of their

main competitor the red sea urchin.
Abalone are preyed upon by a broad range of predators
including sea stars, octopus, crabs and lobster, and shes,
particularly sheephead, cabezon, and bat rays, all of
which may be found in red abalone habitat. Sea otters
are the major predator of red abalone in the current sea
otter range from Ao Nuevo (Santa Cruz) to south of Point
Conception. Inside this range a few adult abalone survive
in deep crevices.
Abalone
This abalone is associated with rocky kelp habitat ranging

from Oregon into Baja California. In northern and central
California they are found from the intertidal to the shallow
subtidal depths. In southern California they are exclusively
subtidal, restricted to upwelling locations along the mainland and the northwestern Channel Islands. Two canopyforming kelps, bull kelp and giant kelp are primary components of the red abalone habitat and diet. Several other
brown algae are reported as important food sources.
In central and southern California, where species were

serially depleted, red abalone had declined the least of
all ve species by the time the shery was closed in 1997.
Combined landings of red abalone declined during the
period from 1969 to1982 stabilizing at 1/10 their historic
average during the 14 year period before the 1997 closure. Detailed examination of catch by area and shery
independent assessments reveal that the stability in landings masked serial depletion by area, as successive areas
declined by over two orders of magnitude. From 1952-1968
most red abalone were caught in central California, followed by southern mainland, Santa Cruz, Santa Rosa and
San Miguel Islands. Catches declined rst along the central
coast under the combined effects of expanding sea otters
and shing pressure. Outside the sea otter range catches
declined more slowly along the southern mainland than
at Santa Rosa, Santa Cruz, and San Nicolas Islands. From
1983-1996, catch decreased off these three islands to
three percent, for Santa Rosa, and less than one percent,
for Santa Cruz and San Nicolas, of their respective peak
catches by the 1997 closure. San Miguel Island and the
north coast were the exceptions to this pattern. Catches
from San Miguel Island, the farthest and most northern
of the Channel Islands, and the north coast comprised 71
of the 87 tons landed in 1996 prior to the shery closure
in 1997.
A successful red abalone sport only shery continues to
the north of San Francisco county, where SCUBA has
always been prohibited and commercial take was only
allowed for a three year period during WWII. Breath-hold
Red Abalone, Haliotis rufescens

Credit: DFG

A Status Report
91
Abalone
diving effort has increased in relation to shore picking

beginning in the 1960s. In 1960, an estimated 11,000 diverdays were expended to take 118,000 pounds of red and
black abalone, compared with 29,000 diver-days to take
192,000 pounds in 1972. By 1985 to 1989, average diverdays and shore picker-days per year were focused on
red abalone in central and northern California. Estimated
landings of red abalone in central and northern California
for combined divers and shore pickers reached a high of
3,472,000 pounds in 1986 and had decreased to 1,161,000
pounds by 1989. In 1998 an abalone stamp was rst
sold to generate revenues for assessments. In 1998 and
1999 an average 33,000 stamps were sold showing effort
levels are comparable to those estimated for the 1985 to
1989 period.
Pink abalone
ink abalones occur from Point Conception to the central Baja California peninsula, Mexico. Its depth range
extends from the lower intertidal zone to almost 200 feet,
but most are found from about 20 to 80 feet. It has the
broadest distribution of the southern California abalones.
It may be identied by its nearly circular shell, black and
white epipodium and black tentacles, and highly arched
shell with protruding respiratory pores, two to four of
which may be open.
In the early 1950s, pink abalone comprised the largest
segment of the abalone shery, about 75 percent, and
had a signicant effect on the total abalone landings
(Figure 1). Commercial landings originated at the eastern
northern Channel Islands (Anacapa, Santa Cruz), and the
southern Channel Islands (San Nicolas, Santa Catalina,
Santa Barbara, San Clemente). Because pink abalone are
more fragile than others and grow more slowly, the level
of take could not continue. The persistence of pink landings was due to expansion into unshed areas, but that
occurred so quickly that depleted areas did not have
time, or the ability, to recover. By the early 1980s the
commercial pink abalone shery had expanded throughout
the available range and the landings dwindled to
virtually nothing.
Pink abalone was important in the recreational shery,
being the second most taken species, after green abalone.
This is not surprising as both species are easily targeted
by sport divers. Since pink abalone inhabits areas south
of Point Conception, until recently south of the range
of the sea otter, its population condition has not been
affected by that predator. The re-occupation of sea otter
into southern California could have adverse consequences
on the already depleted pink abalone.
92

A Status Report
Department research cruises to San Clemente, Santa Catalina, and Santa Barbara Islands in 1996 and 1997, were
used to investigate pink, and other, abalones. The number
of abalones sighted per unit of time was used to quantify
stocks, and a factor was applied to estimate the number
of commercially legal pink abalone that could be collected
per hour. Estimates ranged from about one to 1.5 abalone
per hour. Similar cruises conducted in 1999, estimated
only 0.28 commercial legal pink abalone per hour. At
Catalina Island, no commercial sized pink abalone were
found. These estimates indicate how low the remaining
numbers of abalone there are at the islands. The situation
is no better on the front side of Santa Catalina Island,
where it was closed to commercial take, but open to
recreational shing.
Fishery independent surveys conducted at the Channel
Islands reveal a close association between the presence
of small individuals and legal size sport and commercial
sizes. The best locations were where refuges were present, e.g., Anacapa Island. These areas supported higher
numbers of legal sized abalone and had continued presence of smaller sizes. There needs to be large adults
present to provide spawn for future generations, and the
presence of the smaller sizes forms the potential shable
resource. This situation may point out that to have sustainable abalone resources the full size range must occur.
Natural climatic events may affect pink abalone both positively and negatively. Pink abalone is at the northern end
of its range in southern California, so it would not be
unusual for this species to be enhanced by the inux of
warm water during an El Nio period, as was observed
in 1982 to 1984. On the other hand, intrusion of nutrientpoor warm, El Nio-driven seawater severely depresses
kelp, growth and survival, which limits the food of abalone. This may depress abalone growth and reproduction.
Since pink abalone spawn throughout much of the year,
they are able to overcome the detrimental effects of
warm water and spawn successfully. Withering syndrome
(WS), a lethal disease of abalones, is exacerbated by El
Nio related sea water warming, and may cause severe
local decline in numbers.
Green abalone
reen abalone is found on open coast shallow rocky

habitat from Point Conception, California to Bahia
Magdalena, Baja California, including parts of the Channel
Islands that are inuenced by warmer water regimes. The
species is associated with the warm-temperate California
region from Baja California to southern California. Green
abalone were commonly found in rock crevices, under
rocks and other cryptic cavities from the low intertidal to
subtidal zones. They are mostly found between 10 and 20

December 2001
Since they prefer well sheltered, hidden niches, green

abalone are able to exist in the high energy area of the
low intertidal shallow subtidal areas where most other
abalone species cannot exist. They are often concentrated
in shallow subtidal surf grass beds where wave action
facilitates a steady ow of drift algae.
Green abalone may occupy a particular site, called a
homesite or scar. Abalone larger than one inch seldom
leave their home scar to forage, relying on algal drift.
Smaller individuals actively forage but return to their
home scar in the day.
Black abalone
n black abalone the shell is smooth, black to slate gray

in color, though some may have lost much of the outer
layer leaving it white. This abalone has the most distinctive shell of the California species. The shell is usually
clean though some have barnacles growing on them. There
are ve to nine open pores, which are ush with the shell.
In more southern populations as many as 14 pores may be
open. The epipodium has a smooth texture and is black.

December 2001
1930
1940
1950
1960
1970
1980
1990
1999
1920
1930
1940
1950
1960
1970
1980
1990
1999
1916 1920
1930
1940
1950
1960
1970
1980
1990
1999
1920
1930
1940
1950
1960
1970
1980
1990
1999
1920
1930
1940
1950
1960
1970
1980
1990
1999
Red Abalone
Pink Abalone
3
2
1
0 1916
1.2
Green Abalone
Green abalone are opportunistic drift algae feeders, and

eat a wide variety of drift algae, but they prefer eshy
red algae. Predation of juveniles plays a major role in
shaping adult population size. Abalone experience a high
mortality early in life due mainly to predation. Some
of the predators of juvenile abalone are crabs, lobsters,
other gastropods, sea stars, octopuses, and shes. The
two spot octopus is the main predator of young green
abalone at Santa Catalina Island. Larger individuals have a
refuge in size from most of these predators. However, bat
rays and sea otters prey selectively on larger abalones.
1920
1.0
0.8
0.6
0.4
0.2
0.0
150
White Abalone
thousands of pounds landed
Sexual maturity occurs at about three and a half inch shell

length (approx. 5 to 7 years). Individuals average about
one half inch of shell growth per year for the rst ve
to seven years. After maturity, shell growth slows down.
The spawning season for green abalone is between early
summer and fall and spawning often occurs several times
during this period. Average fecundity for a population of
greens at Santa Catalina Island was estimated to be about
2.5 million eggs per female per year.
4.5
4.0
3.5
3.0
2.5
2.0
1.5
1.0
0.5
0.01916
125
100
75
50
25
01916
2.0
Black Abalone
The shell is brown with the surface marked by many low,

at-topped ribs which run parallel to the pores. The shell
has ve to seven pores with edges elevated from the
surface and a groove that runs parallel on the outside
edge of the pores. The edge of the foot, the epipodium, is
mottled cream and brown, with a frilly edge and scattered
tubercles. The tentacles are olive green in color. Green
abalone attain a size of 10 inches but are usually smaller.
Abalone
foot depths, often associated with surf grass beds, but are
sometimes seen at 50 and 60 foot depths.
1.5
1.0
0.5
0.01916
Commercial Landings 1916-1999, Multiple Abalone

Data Source for all figures: DFG Catch Bulletins and commercial landing receipts. Graphs
stacked to depict movement of catch effort from one abalone species to the next
over time. Prior to 1949, identification of abalone species landed was not
required. However, commercial abalone landings between 1916 and 1949 consisted
primarily of red abalone. The data presented here for red abalone includes
landings recorded as unspecified abalone during this time period. There were
no commercial landings reported for pink or green abalone prior to 1950; no commercial landings are reported for white abalone prior to 1959; and no commercial
landings are reported for black abalone prior to 1956.

A Status Report
93
Abalone
The interior of the shell is silvery-white nacre (mother-ofpearl) and has a muscle scar.
Black abalone are reported from as far north as Oregon,
but most are found south of San Francisco Bay to southern
Baja California including the offshore islands. By the mid1990s, only remnant populations existed at the Farallon and
Channel Islands, and along the mainland southern California
shoreline they were totally absent. Small populations exist in
central and northern California.
Essential habitats includes rocky intertidal areas, often
within the high energy surf zone. Consequently, it is
exposed to a broad range of conditions, including wave
wrack, exposure during low tides to hot, dry periods of
direct sun, and to chilling cold winter conditions. Because
natural populations of black abalone form exposed, easily
accessible aggregations, protection from take is important, particularly along the mainland coast. In light of the
growing human population in California, it is possible that
coastal populations of black abalone will never return.
Remote totally protected intertidal areas on the mainland
and the Channel Islands may be required for reestablishment of natural populations.
It is not known whether subpopulations of this abalone
exist. Because of the extensive distribution of suitable
habitat, limited migration, and the method of reproduction, there may be genetic differences that have evolved
among local populations, particularly at the extreme ends
of the range, and between coastal and insular populations. Black abalone appear to recruit locally, but further
examination of the recruitment pattern in this species is
needed for better resource management and restoration.
Black abalone grow most quickly during the rst ve to
10 years. Growth varies between locations, and is likely
affected by stress, including disease, food availability, and
climatic variation. This abalone is a long-lived species,
attaining an age of 25 years or more. Sexual maturity
occurs at a relatively small size, with most individuals
being mature at less than two inches. Spawning occurs
in the spring and early summer, and a second period of
spawning may occur in the fall.
Black abalone larvae settle onto hard substrate, and are
often found in the vicinity of larger individuals. The newly
settled larvae are cryptic, and remain so until they attain
a length of four inches or greater. Small juveniles are
found under rocks and deep in crevices, while larger black
abalone in natural unharvested areas congregate on rocks
and in tide pools, sometimes in great numbers. Newly
settled and juvenile black abalone forage on bacterial
lms. As the abalone grows it shifts to larger drift algae
brought into the intertidal areas by waves and currents.
Small black abalone are preyed upon by sea stars, octopus, and several crabs found in the intertidal areas. Larger
94

A Status Report
individuals appear to be well protected from most predators, at least as long as they remain attached to the
substrate. Sea otters are the main natural predator of
this species. The absence of sea otters from southern
California is the primary reason for the dense concentrations of abalone that developed in California and Mexico.
The recent commercial shery in California began in
approximately 1968 at the Channel Islands with the development of an Asian market. Landings peaked in the 1970s,
and began a slow decline thereafter.
In 1985, weak, shriveled, and dying black abalone were
observed by scientists in tide pools at the Channel Islands.
Black abalone were literally falling off the rocks in large
numbers at several of the islands. The disease is characterized by weight loss, pedal atrophy, weakness, and
lethargy. Early experiments showed that once an abalone
exhibited signs of this syndrome, it quickly died.
Withering syndrome (WS), caused by a Rickettsia-like procaryote is the causative agent of this catastrophic disease
of abalone. It has ravaged all the Channel Islands and the
remaining mainland populations of black abalone as far
north as Pacica, San Mateo county. Most locations experienced almost total loss of black abalone populations.
A few individuals survive WS. These resistant abalone
will be the basis of any natural recovery and are also
utilized in captive breeding programs to develop resistant
strains. In 1998, the NMFS added black abalone to the
candidate species list for possible listing under the federal
Endangered Species Act.
White abalone
hite abalone inhabit deep, rocky substrata from 60

to 200 feet deep, from Point Conception, in southern
California to Bahia Tortugas, in central Baja California,
including the offshore islands and banks. Because it is
found primarily in depths greater than about 75 feet, it
wasnt described as a species until 1941.
The shell is high and oval in shape with a row of high pores
spiraling to the highest part of the shell, the spire. Generally, the surface of the shell is free of heavy encrustation,
but often the shell is covered with pink, coralline algae.
There appears to be no harm to the abalone, and the
algae often matches the shell to the surrounding habitat.
The shell is considerably lighter in weight than the shells
of other species. The interior of the shell is silvery-white
nacre and lacks a muscle scar. Three to ve of the largest
pores are open, the rest being lled in during growth.
Little is known about natural growth of white abalone.
Individuals settled in the laboratory grew at about 0.6 inch
per year, less than that of other abalones. Estimates from
a few individuals indicated that growth during the rst

December 2001
Reproduction in white abalone is probably similar to other

species. Successful reproduction depends upon population
density, spawning period, and fecundity, and conditions
conducive to successful settlement. White abalone spawn
in the winter, with synchronous gamete release, but the
cue is unknown. The release of sperm initiates egg release
in some abalones. Abalone may reproduce annually, but
evidence suggests that settlement of the larvae may be
only occasionally successful. Because of the short larval
life, and the discontinuous habitat there are likely to
be genetic differences between remote locations, particularly at the extremes of its range.
Abalone are herbivorous, feeding on bacterial and diatom
lms when small, and foraging on attached and drift kelp
later. White abalone are associated with deep living kelps,
and have been observed feeding on these. They have also
been observed near the interface of sand and rock, a
position that would facilitate the capture of drift algae.
Abalone predators include sea stars, octopus, crabs, lobster, and shes, particularly sheephead, cabezon, and bat
rays, all of which have been observed in white abalone
habitat. Sea otters are likely not signicant predators of
white abalone, and are not responsible for low white abalone population numbers. Otters have been absent from
most of the areas where white abalone occur since well
before the establishment of the white abalone shery.
As the nearshore abalone resources declined throughout
California, divers went farther and deeper, eventually
encountering virgin stocks of white abalone. The commercial shery for white abalone began about 1965, though
whites were probably taken incidentally before then.
The high quality of the meat and the knowledge of the
resource spurred commercial landings to a peak in 1972 of
almost 144,000 pounds. Thereafter landings declined and
became insignicant in the mid-1980s. The recreational
shery also took white abalone, but landings are unknown,
and probably far less than the commercial landings. Relative to the whole shery, white abalone comprised a
small part of the landings, but its high quality and value
bolstered the shery for a short time.
In 1997, the NMFS added the white abalone to the candidate species list to be considered for listing under the
federal Endangered Species Act. This action required a
status review, which concluded that overexploitation was
the major cause of the decline. In May 2000, white abalone became the rst marine invertebrate to be proposed

December 2001
for listing as endangered under the federal Endangered

Species Act.
Status of the Populations
Abalone
ve years averages about an inch per year slowing down

thereafter, which is a similar growth pattern to other
California abalones. The life span of white abalone was
estimated at about 35 to 40 years. There is no evidence
of a signicant recruitment event since the late 1960s
or early 1970s; thus the remaining individuals are likely
approaching the end of their life spans.
urrently, all ve major species of abalone in central

and southern California are depleted, a result of
cumulative impacts from commercial harvest, increased
market demand, sport shery expansion, an expanding
population of sea otters, pollution of mainland habitat,
disease, loss of kelp populations associated with El Nio
events, and inadequate wild stock management. The
political/legislative climate and limited funding has prevented the department from establishing and managing to
sustain yields for each species and area. Fish and Game
Commission and California legislative action halted sport
and commercial shing for abalones in southern California
in 1997. Sport shing is allowed north of San Francisco
Bay. It seems paradoxical that all shing for abalone would
be closed in the southern two thirds of California, while
a viable sport shery exists in the north. The difference
between the two areas is centered on the way abalones
are taken. In the south, scuba and commercial dive equipment made all abalone available to harvest, while in the
north only skin diving and shore picking are allowed. In
the deeper areas beyond free diving depth, the population is dense and individuals are large, conditions that
maximize reproduction and recruitment. It is these de
facto refuge areas that provide a sustainable resource that
can be shed year after year.
The northern California abalone shery provides insight
into what is necessary to maintain a sustainable resource,
upon which a shery can be allowed. In the northern
shery signicant areas of good abalone numbers are
unavailable to the shery, including individuals larger than
minimum legal size. Such areas are maintained passively
because most skin divers cannot get to them in the often
severe oceanic conditions found there. In contrast, all
areas in southern California were available to commercial
and sport divers, and eventually the larger individuals
were taken, leaving little for stock rebuilding.
The primary regulation of the abalone shery was the size
limit, which was set at a relatively large size, allowing
individuals as old as 15 years (in red abalone) to reproduce
before entering the shery. Implicit in size limits is the
assumption of regular reproduction and more importantly,
settlement. To have reproduction and settlement there
must be large numbers of adults close together. Such
areas are exactly what is sought in the shery. Management efforts to protect stocks through size limits
and limits on the number of commercial abalone shermen have been ineffective. Stock declines have led
to near extirpation of three species with red and pink

A Status Report
95
Abalone
abalone reduced to remnant populations on islands in

if environmental temperatures increase WS could become

a problem.
The poor survival rates observed in most abalone seeding

experiments suggest that seeding will not be an effective
method for restoration of depressed stocks. Adult translocation to aggregate spawners may be the only hope to
replenish depleted stocks or prevent extinction for some
species. Unfortunately for most species, few adults remain
to aggregate. Expensive articial breeding programs may
be necessary to obtain sufcient numbers of large abalones upon which to start rebuilding the resource. Additionally, unless stocks are reestablished in well-protected
refuge areas, illegal take will undermine these efforts.
WS has the capacity to eliminate abalones throughout

large areas. A signicant increase of the incidence could
eliminate the remaining, already low, populations of abalones. Research is forthcoming about breeding resistant
abalone and treating abalones held in captivity. Additionally, any management decisions about abalone must take
disease effects into consideration.
In northern California, red abalone stocks continue to

provide abalone to an important recreational shery. The
continuation of this shery depends upon the protection
of the de facto deep water refuge, monitoring the annual
harvest to assure that the resource can accommodate
sport harvest, continued effective resource protection,
education, and assessment. Recovery of the southern California abalone resource will likely require many years and
the establishment of marine protected areas to encourage
and protect dense populations of abalones.
Three natural phenomena will have a decisive effect
on Californias future abalone sheries disease,
oceanographic events (El Nio), and sea otter expansion.
Each is already inuencing research and management
decisions.
WS is a bacterial disease that has virtually eliminated
black abalone from large areas of its habitat in southern
California. The spread and effectiveness of the disease is
enhanced by higher than average sea water temperatures.
In black abalone, some individuals appear to be resistant
to it, but because these individuals are healthy, they
were often taken in the course of shing. It is precisely
these healthy individuals that are necessary to obtain
natural recovery. After the discovery of WS, rather
than establishing a general moratorium on the take of
black abalone, each island was closed after populations
had crashed. The continued shing removed most of the
potentially resistant abalones.
WS is known in each of the other California abalones, but
little is known how it affects the other species, particularly along the mainland. Red abalone at San Miguel Island
are infected, but incidence seems to be low. Green abalone, which overlaps with the distribution of black abalone, appears to have suffered from WS at some islands.
A few northern California red abalone have been collected
with WS pathogens, but it has not caused any symptoms.
The cooler seawater temperatures off northern California
are sufcient to prevent the occurrence of symptoms, but
96

A Status Report
Climatic and periodic oceanographic disturbances, particularly those that bring warm water northward can have
severe effects on abalones, especially those in southern
California. The effect of increased sea water temperature
can affect disease susceptibility; lower growth in kelps,
thus reducing abalone food sources; alter distribution patterns of marine animals; and bring storms which disrupt
local habitats. Each of these could further place additional
stress on abalone populations.
The southward movement of the sea otter into its ancient
range in southern California would undoubtedly further
reduce remaining abalone, and other invertebrate populations further. Along the central coast, sea otters have
removed the larger emergent abalone populations, and
restricted them to cryptic habitat.
Paradoxically, each of these three developments, are natural events with which abalone and all marine organisms,
have endured to some extent in the past. The difference is
that historically, populations were larger and more adaptable, and better suited to evolve strategies to cope with
changing conditions. Today, populations are smaller, and
they cannot respond sufciently enough or quickly enough
to adapt. In some cases, local, and perhaps total extinction of species will result.
Management Considerations
See the Management Considerations Appendix A for
further information.
Peter L. Haaker, Konstantin Karpov, Laura RogersBennett, Ian Taniguchi, and Carolyn S. Friedman
Mia J. Tegner
Scripps Institution of Oceanography
References
Ault, J.S. and J.D. DeMartini. 1987. Movement and dispersion of red abalone, Haliotis rufescens, in northern California. Calif. Fish Game, 73:196-213.

December 2001
Davis, G. E., P. L. Haaker, and D. V. Richards. 1996. Status

and trends of white abalone at the California Channel
Islands. Transactions of the American Fisheries Society
125: 42-48.
Geiger, D.L. 1999. Distribution and biogeography of the
recent Haliotidae (Gastropoda; vestigastropoda) worldwide. Bollettino Malacacologico 35(5-12):57-120.
Tegner, M.J., P.A. Breen, and C.E. Lennert. 1989. Population biology of red abalone, Haliotis rufescens, in southern California and management of the red and pink, H.
corrugata, abalone sheries. Fish. Bull., U.S. 87:313-339.
Tutschulte, T.C. 1976. The comparative ecology of three
sympatric abalone. Ph. D. Dissertation. Scripps Institution
of Oceanography, San Diego.
Abalone
Cox, K.W. 1962. California abalones, Family Haliotidae.

Calif. Dept. of Fish and Game, Fish Bull. 118:1-133.
Haaker, P.L. 1974. Assessment of abalone resources at

the Channel Islands. Edited by Halvorson, W.L. and G.J.
Maender, in The Fourth California Islands Symposium:
Update on the status of resources. Santa Barbara Museum
of Natural History, Santa Barbara, CA.
Haaker. D.O. Parker, K. C. Barsky, and C.S. Chun. 1998.
Growth of red abalone, Haliotis rufescens (Swainson) at
Johnsons Lee, Santa Rosa Island, Calif. J. Shell. Res. 17(3):
847-854.
Hobday, A. J. and M. J. Tegner. 2000. Status review of
white abalone (Haliotis sorenseni) throughout its range
in California and Mexico. NOAA Technical Memorandum
NOAA-TM-NMFS-SWR-035. U. S. Department of Commerce.
Karpov, K.A., P.L. Haaker, I.K. Taniguchi, and L. Rogers-Bennett. 2000. Serial depletion and the collapse of
the California abalone (Haliotis) shery. In Workshop on
rebuilding abalone stocks in British Columbia. Edited by
A. Campbell. Can. Spec. Publ. Fish Aquat. Sci. 130 pp.
In press.
Karpov, K.A. 1991. A combined telephone and creel survey
of the red abalone, Haliotis rufescens (Swainson), sport
shery in California from Monterey to the Oregon border,
April through November 1989. Calif. Dept. Fish and Game,
Mar. Res. Div., Admin. Rep. 91-2. 72 p.
Karpov, K.A., J. Geibel, and P. Law. 1997. Relative abundance and size composition of subtidal abalone (Haliotis
sp.), sea urchin (Strongylocentrotus sp.) and abundance
of sea stars off Fitzgerald Marine Reserve, California,
September 1993. Calif. Dept. Fish Game Mar. Res. Admin.
Rep.. No. 97-1, 16 pp.
Karpov, K.A., P.L. Haaker, D.Albin, I.K.Taniguchi, and
D.Kushner.1998. The red abalone, Haliotis rufescens, in
California: importance of depth refuge to abalone management. J. Shellsh Res. 17:863-870.
Rogers-Bennett, L. and Pearse, J.S.. 1998. Experimental
seeding of hatchery-reared juvenile red abalone in northern California. J. of Shellsh Res. (17)3: 877-880.
Tegner, M.J. 1989. The California abalone shery: production, ecological interactions, and prospects for the future.
Pages 401- 420. In: J.F. Caddy (ed.) Marine invertebrate
sheries: their assessment and management. John Wiley
and Sons, New York.

December 2001

A Status Report
97
California
Spiny Lobster
ince the late 1800s, there has been a commercial shery for California spiny lobster (Panulirus interruptus)
in southern California. Commercial shermen use box-like
traps constructed of heavy wire mesh to capture spiny
lobsters. Traps of other materials, such as plastic, are
allowed, but wire traps remain the most popular. About
100 to 300 traps per sherman is common, but some sh
as many as 500 at the peak of the season. The traps are
baited with whole or cut sh and weighted with bricks,
cement, or steel. They are shed on the bottom, and
each trap is marked with a buoy bearing the shermans
license number followed by the letter P. High-speed boats
in the 20 to 40-foot size range are popular in this shery,
but everything from 15-foot skiffs to 50-foot shing boats
are used. Most trap boats are equipped with a davit and
hydraulics to assist in pulling the traps.
Commercial lobster shing occurs in shallow, rocky areas
from Point Conception to the Mexican border and off the
islands and banks (such as Cortes and Tanner banks) of
southern California. Some marine life refuges and reserves
are closed to the take of lobster, as are areas in Santa
Monica and Newport Bays and at Santa Catalina Island.
Sophisticated electronic equipment enables trappers to
nd suitable lobster habitat and relocate their traps there.
Traps are shed along depth contours in waters less than
100 feet, or clustered around rocky outcrops on the
bottom. At the beginning of the season the traps are
usually very close to shore. By the end of the season they
are in 100 to 300 feet of water.
Seasonal landings in the 200,000 to 400,000 pound range
rose following World War II and peaked in the 1949-1950
season, with a record 1.05 million pounds landed. A general decline followed for the next 25 years, reaching a
low of 152,000 pounds in the 1974-1975 season. Landings

started back up the next season, but remained between
400,000 and 500,000 pounds for nine consecutive seasons
from 1979-1980 to 1987-1988. The next nine years the
landings ranged from 600,000 to 800,000 pounds with
a peak of 950,000 in the 1997-1998 season. Landings
dropped back down after that. The peaks and valleys that
have characterized this shery are not unexpected in a
shery that is strongly inuenced by the weather, El Nio
and La Nia events, and the export market.
About 90 percent of the legal lobsters taken in the commercial shery weigh between 1.25 and 2.0 pounds, which
produces the size of tail desired for the restaurant trade.
Most of the harvest in recent years has been exported
to Asian countries and France. However, depressed economies overseas have resulted in an effort to re-establish
domestic markets. The price paid to the sherman is in
the range of $6.75 to $8 a pound. The largest portion of
the commercial and sport harvest is always taken during
the rst month of the season, October, which also is the
highest month of trapping effort. The effort and catch
drop off sharply in January through the middle of March
(the seasons end). San Diego County, being the most
central to the spiny lobsters range, usually produces the
highest landings, followed by Los Angeles/Orange, and
Santa Barbara/Ventura counties.
Commercial and recreational lobster shermen are
restricted to a minimum size limit of 3 1/4 inches carapace
length (CL). Historically, the season for both has run from
early October to mid-March. Since 1992, the sport season
has opened the weekend before the rst Wednesday in
October, the ofcial commercial season opener. Commercial sh traps, including lobster traps, must have a
destruct-device of a type approved by the Department of
Fish and Game. This is to ensure that lost or abandoned
traps do not continue to capture marine life indenitely.
Since the 1976-1977 season, it has been required that
lobster traps be tted with rectangular escape ports (2
3/8 by 11 1/2 inches) to minimize the retention of undersized
lobsters. This requirement has been credited with reversing
the long downward trend in landings previous to that.
A formal commercial restricted access program was initiated in April of 1997. All lobster shermen are required
to have an operator permit ($285). Deckhands that assist
them must have a lobster crewmember permit ($125).
California Spiny Lobster, Panulirus interruptus

Credit: DFG
98

A Status Report
Recreational harvesters need a valid sport shing license

with an ocean enhancement stamp, and may use hoop
nets or bare (gloved) hands when skin or scuba diving
for lobster. No appliance, such as a sh spear or a short
hooked pole, may be used to snag the animals from deep
crevices or caves. The daily bag limit for sport shing is
seven lobsters, reduced from 10 in 1971.

December 2001
Spiny Lobster
0.8
0.6
0.4
0.2
0.0 1916
1920
1930
1940
1950
1960
he California spiny lobster ranges from Monterey Bay,

California to Manzanillo, Mexico. There is also a small,
isolated population of this species at the northwestern
end of the Gulf of California. The majority of the population is found between Point Conception, California
and Magdalena Bay, Baja California. Adult lobsters usually
inhabit rocky areas from the intertidal zone to depths of
240 feet or more.
Spiny lobsters mate from November through May. The
male attaches a putty-like packet of sperm, called a spermatophore, to the underside of the females carapace.
When the female releases her eggs, she uses the small
claws at the end of her last (fth) pair of walking legs to
open the spermatophore and fertilize the eggs with the
sperm inside the packet. Fertilized eggs are attached to
the underside of the females tail primarily in May and
June. Berried females are generally in water less than
30 feet deep and carry their eggs for about 10 weeks. The
larger the size of the female, the more eggs she produces.
Females sampled at San Clemente Island carried between
120,000 (2.6 inches CL) and 680,000 (3.6 inches CL) eggs.
Spiny lobster eggs hatch into tiny, transparent larvae
known as phyllosomas that go through 12 molts. They have
attened bodies and spider like legs, and drift with the
prevailing currents feeding on other planktonic animals.
They may drift offshore out to 350 miles, and may be
found from the surface to a depth of over 400 feet. After
ve to nine months, the phyllosoma transforms into the
puerulus or juvenile stage. The puerulus is still transparent, but now looks like a miniature adult with extremely
long antennae. The puerulus actively swims inshore where
it settles to the bottom in shallow water and starts to
grow if the habitat is suitable.
The spiny lobsters outer shell serves as its skeleton, and
is referred to as an exoskeleton. To grow, a lobster must

December 2001
1970
1980
1990
1999
Commercial Landings
1916-1999, Spiny Lobster
Data Source: DFG Catch
Bulletins and commercial
landing receipts.
California Spiny Lobster
1.0
shed its exoskeleton. This process of molting is preceded

by the formation of a new, soft shell under the old one. An
uptake of water expands the new shell before it hardens.
Lobsters are vulnerable to predation and physical damage
right after they molt, until their new shell hardens.
Molt rates for the California spiny lobster are assumed
to be similar to those of the Japanese spiny lobster. A
0.24-inch CL specimen goes through 20 molts to reach 1.18
inches CL at the end of its rst year. Four molts during
the second year will result in a carapace length of two
inches, and there are three molts in the third year. It
takes a lobster from seven to 11 years to reach a legal size
of 3.25 inches CL. Spiny lobsters molt annually, following
the reproductive period, once they reach 2.5 inches CL.
Growth rates, or the period between molts, are highly
variable. They have been correlated with food availability,
size, and sex. The larger an animal, the slower it grows.
Injuries or disease will often result in a slowing or complete
cessation of growth until the injury has been repaired.
Juvenile lobsters usually spend their rst two years in
nearshore surf grass beds. Sub-adults have also been
found in shallow rocky crevices and mussel beds. Adult
lobsters are found in rocky habitat, although they also
will search sandy areas for food. During the day, spiny
lobsters usually reside in a crevice or hole, dubbed a den.
More than one lobster is usually found in a den. At night,
the animals leave their dens to search for a wide range
of food. Adult lobsters are omnivorous and sometimes
carnivorous. They consume algae and a wide variety of
marine invertebrates such as snails, mussels, sea urchins,
and clams as well as sh, and injured or newly molted
lobsters. Lobsters are eaten by sheephead, cabezon, kelp
bass, octopuses, California moray eels, horn sharks, leopard sharks, rockshes and giant sea bass.
A large portion of the spiny lobster population makes
an annual offshore-onshore migration that is stimulated
by changes in water temperature. During winter months,

A Status Report
99
California Spiny Lobster
male and female lobsters are found offshore at depths

of 50 feet and deeper, although individuals of both sexes
have also been found in shallow water in winter. In late
March, April, and May, lobsters move into warmer onshore
waters less than 30 feet. The higher temperatures on
shore shorten the development time for lobster eggs.
Nearshore waters also have a more plentiful supply of
food. In late October and November, the onshore waters
cool, and most lobsters move offshore. Winter storms that
cause increased wave action in shallow water encourage
this movement. Lobsters generally move after dark and in
small groups across the sand.
California spiny lobsters of both sexes reach maturity at
ve or six years and 2.5 inches CL. After maturity, male
lobsters grow faster, live longer, and reach larger sizes
than the females. Males can live up to 30 years, and
females at least 20 years. There are records of male California spiny lobster weighing over 26 pounds and attaining
lengths up to three feet. Today, lobsters over ve pounds
are considered trophy-size. Trophy-size animals are usually
taken by recreational divers.
Status of the Population
opulation size is unknown for the California spiny lobster. Commercial landings have uctuated through the
years and are inuenced by some factors that are independent of the health of the population.
The closed season protects egg-carrying and molting
female lobsters. The size limit ensures that there will be
several year classes of broodstock, even if all legal-size
lobsters are caught each season. The escape port has
been effective in reducing the capture and handling of
juvenile lobster. An illegal market has always existed for
shorts (undersized lobsters). Public education and adequate warden enforcement are key elements in reducing
this problem.
Kristine C. Barsky
References
Bodkin, J.L. and L. Brown. 1992. Molt frequency and
size-class distribution in the California spiny lobster (Panulirus interruptus) as indicated by beach-cast carapaces
at San Nicolas Island, California. Calif. Fish and Game
78(4):136-144.
Booth, J.D. and B.F. Phillips. 1994. Early life history of
spiny lobster. Crustaceana 66(3):271-294.
Dexter, D.M. 1972. Molting and growth in laboratory
reared phyllosomes of the California spiny lobster, Panulirus interruptus. Calif. Fish and Game 58:107-115.
Duffy, J.M. 1973. The status of the California spiny lobster
resource. Calif. Dept. Fish and Game, Marine Resources
Tech. Rep. No. 10. 15 p.
Engle, J.M. 1979. Ecology and growth of juvenile California
spiny lobster, Panulirus interruptus (Randall). Sea Grant
Dissertation Series, USCSC-TD-03-79. 298 p.
Lindberg, R.G. 1955. Growth, population dynamics, and
eld behavior in the spiny lobster Panulirus interruptus.
Univ. Calif. Pub. Zool. 59(6):157-248.
Mitchell, C.T., C.H. Turner, and A.R. Strachan. 1969. Observations on the biology and behavior of the California spiny
lobster, Panulirus interruptus (Randall). Calif. Fish and
Game 55(2):121-131.
The Department of Fish and Game has had a commercial

logbook system in place since 1973. Catch effort, the
numbers of legal and short lobsters taken, number of
traps shed, and depths where the traps are shed are
required information on the logs. The presence of shorts is
generally a good indicator of a healthy shery.
100

A Status Report

December 2001
Red Sea Urchin

T
he commercial shery for red sea urchins (Strongylocentrotus franciscanus) has been one of Californias
most valuable sheries for more than a decade. This
shery is relatively new, having developed over the last 30
years, and caters mainly to the Japanese export market.
Archaeological evidence however, shows that sea urchins
in California have been shed by coastal American Indians
for centuries. The gonads of both male and female urchin
are the object of the shery and are referred to as roe
or uni, in Japanese. Gonad quality depends on size,
color, texture, and rmness. Algal food supply and the
stage of gonadal development affect quality and price. Exvessel prices during the season typically range from less
than $0.20 to more than $2 per pound with the highest
prices garnered during the Japanese holidays around the
new year. Sea urchins are collected by divers operating
in nearshore waters. Divers check gonad quality and are
size selective while shing to ensure marketability. In the
last few years the red urchin shery has become fully
exploited throughout its range in northern and southern
California. Because of sea otter (Enhydra lutris) predation, sea urchin stocks in central California occur at densities too low to sustain a commercial shery. The purple
sea urchin (S. purpuratus), which occurs over the same
geographical range, is harvested in California, but only on
a limited basis.
Southern California Fishery
he shery in southern California began in 1971 as

part of a National Marine Fisheries Service program
to develop sheries for underutilized marine species. The
shery was also seen as a way to curb sea urchins destructive grazing on giant kelp. There have been two periods of
rapid shery expansion in California. The rst culminated
in 1981 when landings peaked at 25 million pounds in
southern California. Contributing to this rapid escalation
of the shery was a pool of shermen and boats involved
in the declining commercial abalone dive shery. Sea
urchin landings then decreased following the El Nio of
1982-1983, when warm water weakened or killed kelp,
the primary food source for sea urchins. Catches did not
recover until 1985-1986, helped in part by the strengthening of the Japanese yen relative to the U.S. dollar, favoring California shermen and exporters. Prices for urchin
from the south are typically higher than for urchins from
northern California due to the longer market presence and
consistently higher gonad quality of the former.
The majority of sea urchin landings in southern California
have come from the northern Channel Islands off of Santa
Barbara, where large and accessible stocks once occurred.

December 2001
During the period 1973 through 1977, 80 to 90 percent

of the landings originated from these islands. In more
recent years, however, there has been a decrease in
the contribution from the northern Channel Islands as
shing effort has shifted south to San Clemente Island,
San Nicolas Island, and the San Diego area. This spatial
shift occurred at the same time that catches decreased
throughout the region. In 1990, the southern California sea
urchin catch peaked at over 27 million pounds, and has
declined steadily to 10.9 million pounds in 1999. In the
1990s, the shery was impacted by two El Nios and a
weakening yen; both factors have contributed to reduce
shing effort and catches.
Red Sea Urchin
Northern California Fishery
he northern California commercial sea urchin shery

began in 1972, and remained insignicant until 1977,
when 386,000 pounds were landed in the Fort Bragg
region. The second major shery expansion began in
1985, fueled partly by decreasing landings in southern
California and favorable monetary exchange rates. The
large and unexploited sea urchin biomass in northern
California sparked a gold rush as hundreds of new shermen enter the unregulated shery. In northern California
(Half Moon Bay to Crescent City) landings jumped from
1.9 million pounds in 1985 to 30.4 million pounds in 1988,
far exceeding landings from southern California. Northern
California sea urchin landings and catch-per-unit effort
(CPUE) began a steep decline in 1989, before leveling off
in 1996 at about three to four million pounds annually and
about 700 pounds per shing day per diver. Preliminary
landings data for 1999 show a catch of 3.2 million pounds
with an ex-vessel value of $2.4 million. In northern California, Fort Bragg has remained the center of the shery,
while the ports of Albion, Point Arena, and Bodega Bay
accounted for about two-thirds of the catch in 1999. Rocky
reefs around Crescent City also support a small shery.
Red Sea Urchin, Strongylocentrotus franciscanus

Credit: Chris Dewees
CA Sea Grant Extension Program

A Status Report
101
Red Sea Urchin
ea urchins are locally abundant subtidal herbivores that

play an important ecological role in the structure of
kelp forest communities. Sea urchins belong to the phylum
Echinodermata, which includes sea stars, brittle stars, sea
cucumbers, and sand dollars. They have a hard calcareous
shell called a test, with spines and small pinchers called
pedicellariae. Tube feet are located between the spines
which are used in respiration, locomotion, and for grasping food and the substrate. On the bottom, or oral side, is
the mouth, consisting of ve calcareous plates making up
a jaw structure called Aristotles lantern. The mouth leads
to the digestive system which voids through the anus on
the top, or aboral, side.
Sea urchins are omnivorous, eating primarily foliose algae.
The perennial giant kelp is the preferred food in southern
California, whereas in northern California urchins feed on
the annual bull kelp and perennial brown algae. The
red sea urchins ability to survive during periods of food
shortages contributes to the its ability to persist in high
densities in areas devoid of algae, known as urchin barrens. The formation of barrens in southern California can
follow oceanographic events such as El Nio during which
kelp beds die-off resulting in shortages of standing and
drift algae. These food shortages may trigger urchins to
aggregate and move in fronts denuding the remaining kelp
forest. Based on examination of long-term aerial photos
and on kelp forest ecology studies in northern San Diego
county, sea urchin grazing at its most severe probably
accounts for about 20 percent mortality in a given kelp
bed. Conversely, the intense shery for red sea urchins in
northern California appears to have had a positive effect
on kelp availability. Aerial photographs of surface kelp
at one location during the period of concentrated urchin
shing, showed a 15-fold increase in the surface canopy
from 1982 to 1989.
Red sea urchins may compete with abalone for both space
and food. A recent study on competitive interactions
Packing sea urchin gonads

Credit: California Sea Grant Extension Program
102

A Status Report
between these species at sites in northern California concluded that there is an inverse relationship between red
abalone and red sea urchin abundance at sites where
urchin density is high. Sea urchins may be more successful
in competing for limited food because of their aggressive
foraging and ability to survive starvation conditions.
Fishing abalone and sea urchins has no doubt altered
these relationships.
Several signicant predators of red sea urchins are known.
Sea otters, spiny lobsters, sea stars, crabs, white sea
urchins, and shes such as sheepshead eat red sea urchins.
Within the sea otters present range, the red sea urchin
resource has been reduced to a level which precludes
shery utilization. Urchin diseases have decimated sea
urchin populations in the Caribbean islands, however the
dynamics of sea urchin diseases in California remain poorly
understood. Sea urchins in southern California are susceptible to disease during warm water El Nio events.
There are no reliable methods of aging sea urchins since
rings on the test plates are not laid down annually. Sea
urchin growth rates vary depending on food availability.
Growth rates must be determined by tagging and recapturing animals. Internal tags (PIT tags) or chemical (uorescent) tags that bind to calcium have been used to
successfully tag sea urchins. Tagging studies reveal that
red urchins are long-lived, are certainly older than 50
years and large individuals may be older than 100 years.
Growth to a harvestable size of 3.5 inches (test diameter,
exclusive of spines) averages six to eight years. There
are no patterns in growth along a latitudinal gradient
from Baja California to Alaska, however there is a clear
trend in population mortality rates. Mortality estimates
for southern populations were found to be greater than for
northern populations. Likely mechanisms include higher
rates of disease and temperature-related stresses as one
moves from north to south.
Red sea urchins become sexually mature at about two
inches. The sex ratio in urchins about one to one. Sea
urchin spawning is seasonal but can vary from year to year
and from one locality to another. Food supply and ocean
temperatures play a role in the timing and magnitude of
spawning. In most southern California locations, spawning
generally occurs in winter. In northern California, major
spawning occurs in spring and summer, with some spawning activity also in December.
As for many marine invertebrates, fertilization is external
and success is highly dependent on density. Subtidal studies suggest that red urchins at densities of less than
two per square meter can have poor fertilization success.
Females spawn up to several million eggs at a time.
Larval development is dependent on temperature and the
abundance of phytoplankton (single-celled algae) and is
thought to extend for six to eight weeks. As the larvae

December 2001
Settlement patterns have been studied for red and purple

sea urchins on articial substrates at sites in northern
and southern California since 1990 and are similar for the
two species. Peak settlement periods tend to be in spring
and early summer although there is substantial year-toyear variation both in timing and intensity. Settlement
tends to be less variable south of Point Conception and
is depressed during El Nio events. However, El Nio
events appear to favor settlement in northern California.
Recruitment patterns of red sea urchins in northern and
southern California generally mirror those of settlement.
Recruitment in southern California appears to be relatively constant while in the north, recruitment rates are
lower and more sporadic. The more variable pattern of
settlement in the north is consistent with more energetic
offshore advection of water during spring periods when
larvae are available, especially around headlands.
Newly settled juvenile urchins are highly susceptible to
mortality. Juveniles appear to suffer increased mortality
in the kelp forest habitat, where micro-predators are
presumably more abundant than in similar rocky habitats
just outside of the kelp beds. Adult sea urchins and
their spines are important structuring organisms in subtidal communities. The canopy formed by the spines is
a micro-habitat in which juvenile sea urchins, shrimps,
crabs, brittle stars, sh, abalone and other invertebrates
can be found. The spine canopy is most likely an important habitat for juvenile sea urchins especially in areas
where alternative cryptic habitats (e.g., crevices and
undersides of boulders) are rare or absent.
n southern California, the red sea urchin resource now

produces about 10 million pounds annually, with harvestable stocks (dened as exceeding the minimum legal size
and containing marketable gonads) in decline since 1990.
Between 1985 and 1995, the percentage of legal-sized
red sea urchins at survey sites in the northern Channel
Islands declined from 15 percent to 7.2 percent. Although
shing has signicantly reduced density in many areas
and catch-per-unit of effort has decreased, localized juvenile recruitment has, thus far, somewhat mitigated shing
pressure. Consistent recruitment has been noted on articial settlement substrates and along subtidal transects
over the last decade at monitoring stations along the
southern California mainland coast and the northern Channel Islands. This may be partly due to ocean current patterns in the Southern California Bight, where water reten-

December 2001
tion may increase the chances for larvae to encounter

habitat suitable for settlement. Continued recruitment
at present levels, however, is not guaranteed; in fact,
intensive sea urchin harvesting in northern California and
Baja California could result in a decrease in sea urchin
larvae in southern California in the future.
Catches in southern California have exhibited a pattern
resembling the serial depletion that characterized the
decline and collapse of the abalone sheries in the mid1990s. The northern Channel Islands have supplied most of
the catch over the years, but beginning in 1992 catches
in the northern islands began to decline as effort and
harvests started to increase in the southern islands of San
Nicolas and San Clemente, signaling a shift away from the
northern islands. Recently, San Clemente Island catches
have declined precipitously indicating that the shable
stock there may be largely depleted. Whether the harvestable stocks can recover to their previous levels in these
heavily shed areas remains a concern, particularly if shing effort remains largely uncontrolled.
Red Sea Urchin
mature they settle to the bottom and metamorphose into

benthic juveniles. The long planktonic phase suggests that
juvenile sea urchins may disperse long distances from the
adults that have spawned them.
The northern California shery has been characterized by

rapid growth to 30 million pounds in 1988 and decline to
less than ve million pounds in the late 1990s. Fishery
dependent modeling of the sea urchin shery during the
period of rapid decline estimated that the 50,800 tons of
red urchins harvested from 1988 through 1994 represented
about 67 percent of the shable stock available at the
start of 1988. Effort declined during this period as the 126
divers who had worked exclusively in northern California
during 1991 had dwindled to 69 by 1995. Annual catch per
permittee declined by 57 percent from 1990 to 1995.
Densities of shable stocks continue to be depressed at
subtidal survey sites examined in the Fort Bragg area
since 1988. From 1988 to 1997, legal-sized red urchins
surveyed outside of reserves, declined from 47 percent
to 20 percent of the population, and from 0.8 per square
meter to 0.2 per square meter surveyed. In contrast,
during this period densities in two area reserves averaged
over 3.0 red urchins per square meter. These patterns
were observed to continue during northern California surveys in 1999 and 2000. Episodic and infrequent recruitment combined with intensive harvesting on the north
coast have had a serious impact upon catches, as the
shery has evolved into a recruitment shery, with shermen targeting harvest of newly recruited sea urchins. For
example, in 1999, 47 percent of the catch was less than
3.9 inches, just over the 3.5-inch minimum size limit. The
size limit and seasonal closures may help prevent shery
collapse but may not improve recruitment, particularly
if its success is primarily a function of oceanographic
factors, spine canopy micro-habitat and maintaining large
spawners in the population.

A Status Report
103
Commercial Landings
1916-1999, Red Sea Urchin
Commercial Landings
1916-1999, Red Sea Urchin
Data Source: DFG Catch Bulletins
and commercial landing
receipts.
Red Sea Urchin

50
40
30
20
10
0 1916
1920
1930
1940
1950
1960
1970
1980
1990
1999
in the sea urchin Strongylocentrotus franciscanus. Ecol

73:248-254.

Rogers-Bennett, L., H.C. Fastenau, and C.M. Dewees.

1998. Recovery of red sea urchin beds following experimental harvest. Echinoderms: San Francisco. Proceeds.
9th Intern. Echinoderm Conf. (Eds). R. Mooi and M. Telford. A.A. Balkema, Rotterdam, Neth. 805-809.
Peter Kalvass and Laura Rogers-Bennett

References
Botsford, L.W., S.R. Wing, and J.L. Largier. 1998. Population dynamic and management implications of larval dispersal. S.Afr.J.Mar.Sci. 19:131-142.
Ebert, T.A., J.D. Dixon, S.C. Schroeter, P.E. Kalvass, N.T.
Richmond, W.A. Bradbury, D.A. Woodby. 1999. Growth
and mortality of red sea urchins Strongylocentrotus franciscanus across a latitudinal gradient. Mar.Ecol.Prog.Ser.
190:189-209.
Ebert, T.A. 1998. An analysis of the importance of Allee
effects in management of the red sea urchin Strongylocentrotus franciscanus. Echinoderms: San Francisco. Proceeds. 9th Intern. Echinoderm Conf. (Eds). R. Mooi and M.
Telford. A.A. Balkema, Rotterdam, Neth p 619-627.
Ebert, T.A., S.C. Schroeter, J.D. Dixon and P. Kalvass.
1994. Settlement patterns of red and purple sea urchins
(Strongylocentrotus franciscanus and S. purpuratus) in
California, USA. Mar.Ecol.Prog.Ser. 111:41-52.
Rogers-Bennett, L., W.A. Bennett, H.C. Fastenau, and C.M.

Dewees. 1995. Spatial variation in red sea urchin reproduction and morphology: implications for harvest refugia.
Ecol. Appl. 5(4):1171-1180.
Tegner, M.J. and P.K. Dayton. 1977. Sea urchin recruitment
patterns and implications of commercial shing. Science
196:324-326.
Red Sea Urchin
California Red Sea Urchin Catch
and Value in Millions
Red Sea Urchin
60
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
1971
1980
1990
1999
Catch in Millions of Dollars

Catch in Millions of Pounds
California red sea urchin catch (lbs) and ex-vessel value.

Data Source: market receipt database.
Kalvass, P.E. and J.M. Hendrix. 1997. The California

red sea urchin, Strongylocentrotus franciscanus, shery:
catch, effort and management trends. Mar. Fish. Rev.
59:1-17.
Kato, S. and S.C. Schroeter. 1985. Biology of the red sea
urchin, Strongylocentrotus franciscanus, and its shery in
California. Mar. Fish. Rev. 47(3):1-20.
Levitan, D.R., Sewell, M.A. and F.-S. Chia 1992. How distribution and abundance inuence fertilization success
104

A Status Report
CPUE (catch per diver day)

Catch (millions of lbs.)
Northern California landings and catch per unit of effort (CPUE).

Data source: DFG logbooks.

December 2001
Purple Sea Urchin

P
urple sea urchins (Strongylocentrotus purpuratus) have

been used by humans in California for thousands of
years as shown by remains in middens left by American
Indians along the coast. Prior to the early 1970s, few
people harvested purple sea urchins and, along with red
sea urchins (Strongylocentrotus franciscanus), they were
considered to be pests because they grazed kelp.
The purple sea urchin has shery potential, its roe being
reported to be very similar in quality to some of the highly
desirable domestic Japanese species as well as being a
desirable product in Mediterranean countries. However, it
has been harvested only on a limited and experimental
basis in California as an adjunct to the much larger and
more lucrative red sea urchin shery. All the requirements
of the restricted access commercial sea urchin permit
shery apply to harvest of purple sea urchins except
there are no minimum sizes or closed periods. A minor
recreational shery for purple urchins also takes place in
southern California with a daily bag limit of 35.
Since 1990, annual purple sea urchin landings have ranged
from 14,000 to 388,000 pounds, averaging 139,000. Landings were less than 50,000 pounds in ve of those years,
with the highest landings of 388,000 and 316,000 pounds
in 1991 and 1992 when several attempts were made to
develop a viable shery for this species for the Japanese
market. In recent years, purple sea urchins have also
been exported to markets in the Mediterranean region.
Harvesting has occurred in both southern and northern
California with approximately 60 percent of the landings
coming from northern areas since 1990. Unfavorable
harvesting and processing economics and limited
availability of harvestable quality purple sea urchins for
the Japanese market have been the main impediments to
growth of this shery.
before metamorphosis takes place and juveniles are ready

to settle to the bottom. Peak settlement periods tend to
be in spring and early summer and there is substantial
year-to-year variation both in timing and intensity. Settlement tends to be less variable south of Point Conception and is depressed during El Nio events. El
Nio events appear to favor settlement in northern California, however. Energetic movements of water to the
offshore in northern California have been associated with
reduced recruitment.
Growth is highly variable and strongly linked with food
availability. At one year of age, purple sea urchins can
be between about 0.4 and 1.2 inches. After ve years,
size can range from 1.25 to 2.0 inches. Growth rates of
very small individuals up to an age of one year are not
well known.
Purple Sea Urchin
Predators of purple sea urchins include those for red sea

urchins but, because purple sea urchins are common in the
intertidal zone, predators also include sea gulls, oyster
catchers, and raccoons. Sea otters are able to reduce
sea urchin populations to levels unsuitable for commercial
or recreational shing, but apparently not to levels that
would threaten the species continued existence.
Purple sea urchins show increased mortality above 73F,
which appears in part to be physiological stress, but elevated temperatures also promote development of one or
more pathogens that can cause mass mortalities. Mass
mortalities have been observed more frequently in southern than in northern California especially in association
with elevated water temperatures during El Nio events.
arval settlement rates monitored at a number of locations in southern and northern California over the past
10 years do not indicate a change in larval production and
recruitment patterns, which indicates that the status of
this species appears to be stable.
eneral biology of the purple sea urchin is very similar

to the closely related red sea urchin and will not
be repeated in detail here. In addition to external color
differences, maximum size is much smaller for purple sea
urchins and only rarely do they attain a test diameter over
four inches. Purple sea urchins live primarily in shallow
water and are the only abundant sea urchin in intertidal
areas along the California coast. The maximum reported
depth is 500 feet. The published range is from Cedros
Island, Baja California, to Alaska.
Feeding habits and reproduction are quite similar to the
red sea urchin. Age of rst reproduction probably is one
or two years. Larvae spend an uncertain length of time in
the plankton, and it is probably at least six to eight weeks

December 2001

A Status Report
105
Commercial Landings
1916-1999, Purple Sea Urchin
Commercial Landings
1916-1999, Purple Sea Urchin
and commercial landing receipts.
Purple Sea Urchin

Purple Sea Urchin
450
400
350
300
250
200
150
100
50
0
1916 1920
1930
1940
1950
1960
1970
1980
1990
1999
References

Ebert, T. A. 1968. Growth rates of the sea urchin Strongylocentrotus purpuratus related to food availability and
spine abrasion. Ecology 49: 1075-1091.
David O. Parker
Ebert, T. A., S. C. Schroeter, J. D. Dixon and P. Kalvass

1994. Settlement patterns of red and purple sea urchins
(Strongylocentrotus franciscanus and S. purpuratus) in California, USA. Marine Ecology Progress Series 111:41-52.
Thomas Ebert
San Diego State University (emeritus)
Gilles, K.W. and J.S. Pearse. 1986. Disease in sea urchins

Strongylocentrotus purpuratus: experimental infection
and bacterial virulence. Diseases of Aquatic Organisms
1:105-114.
Kato, S. and S.C. Schroeter. 1985. Biology of the red sea
urchin, Strongylocentrotus franciscanus, and its shery in
California. Mar. Fish. Rev. 47(3):1-20.
Kenner, M. C. 1992. Population dynamics of the sea urchin
Strongylocentrotus purpuratus in a central California kelp
forest: recruitment, mortality, growth, and diet. Marine
Biology 112: 107-118.
Pearse, J. S. and A. H. Hines. 1987. Long-term population
dynamics of sea urchins in a central California kelp forest:
rare recruitment and rapid decline. Marine Ecology Progress Series 39: 275-283.
106

A Status Report

December 2001
Dungeness Crab
D
ungeness crabs (Cancer magister), also known as

market crabs or edible crabs, were rst taken commercially off San Francisco in about 1848. The shery blossomed early, and now the California harvest of this important marine resource occurs from Avila to the Oregon
border. Before the 1944-1945 season, the shery was centered in the San Francisco area, and average annual statewide production was only 2.6 million pounds. The shery
expanded into the Eureka-Crescent City area as World War
II ended. In the early 1940s, crab traps replaced the hoop
net, leading to signicantly increased landings with strong
contributions from northern California. Annual statewide
production since the 1945-1946 season has averaged about
10 million pounds and recent ex-vessel annual value has
been about $15 to 20 million. Approximately 75 percent
of the catch is sold as whole crab (live, fresh-cooked or
frozen) and the remainder is picked and vacuum packed.
The commercial shery for Dungeness crabs occurs in two
areas: northern and central California. Central California
shing areas include Avila-Morro Bay, Monterey, and San
Francisco-Bodega Bay. The Morro Bay and Monterey sheries have been of minor importance and San Francisco
has always been the center of this shery. Central California landings were relatively stable from 1945-1946
to 1955-1956, and peaked at 8.4 million pounds in the
1956-1957 season. The shery then steeply declined at a
rate of more than one million pounds per season until
1961-1962, when only 710,000 pounds were landed. The
central California shery remained seriously depressed
from 1962-63 through 1984-85 when annual landings averaged less than one million pounds. More recent landings
have averaged closer to two million pounds.
The central California shery utilizes an area of over 400
square miles, including the Gulf of the Farallones north to
the Russian River. The eet consisted of 200 to 230 boats
during the 1950s. When the shery declined in the 1960s,
a reduction in the number of boats followed and the eet
now consists of about 100 vessels. The central California
crab eet has evolved from, but still includes, some old
Monterey style vessels. Larger multiple purpose vessels
are now the norm.
The northern California shery increased substantially
after 1945. Landings reached an initial peak in the late
1950s but, unlike the central California shery, which
peaked and then experienced low production levels for
many years thereafter, the north coast shery then exhibited three 10-11 year cycles of production. In these
repeating cycles, about six years of good or outstanding
landings (a record 25.6 million pounds in 1976-1977) were
followed by about four years of poor or extremely poor
landings (as low as 350,000 pounds in 1973-1974). Since

December 2001
1982-1983, landings have uctuated much less dramatically

and have not been as clearly cyclic. Recent landings have
ranged from 2.2 to 13.1 million pounds and have averaged
about 6.7 million pounds.
Dungeness shing grounds off northern California are over
twice the size of those in central California. They extend
from Fort Bragg to the Oregon border with the prime
area between Eureka and Crescent City. The northern
California eet uctuated between 100 and 200 vessels in
the 1950s and 1960s, dropped to a low of 61 in 1973-1974,
then peaked at 410 during 1976-1977. Since then, effort
has been high, averaging 330 vessels per season. Before
the mid-1970s, most vessels were converted salmon trollers 30 to 60 feet in length; however, the complexion of
the eet changed during the record production years of
the 1970s. Vessels ranging in size from 22-foot dories to
trawlers in excess of 100 feet entered the shery.
Dungeness Crab
The dividing line for management of the northern and

central California areas is the Mendocino-Sonoma county
line. Both sheries are managed on the basis of simple
3-S principles sex, season, and size. Only male crabs
may be retained in the commercial shery (thus protecting the reproductive potential of the populations), the
shery has open and closed seasons, and a minimum size
limit is imposed on commercial landings of male crabs.
The central California season opens the second Tuesday
of November and continues through June 30, whereas
the northern California season opens December 1 and
continues through July 15. The summer-fall closed periods
are intended to prevent shing on male crabs when they
are soft-shelled. At this time, male crabs would be vulnerable to shery-related handling mortality and would have
market quality well below their potential. During open
seasons, male crabs should be in prime condition (greatest
meat content) for the market. The opening and closing
are two to three weeks earlier in central California
than in northern California, because crabs in central California molt earlier and achieve adequate market condition
earlier than in the north. The director of the department
Dungeness Crab, Cancer magister

Credit: DFG

A Status Report
107
1920
1930
1940
1960
1970
1980
1990
1999
may delay the northern California season opening to as

late as January 15, if market condition of crabs is not
sufciently high on December 1. Depending on crab condition, marketable crabs typically yield from 20 to 28
percent of their body weight as cooked meat.
Because California Dungeness crabs are caught almost

exclusively within three miles of shore and because California, Oregon and Washington often undertake coordi-
Commercial gear for Dungeness crab is essentially the

same throughout California. It consists of a circular steel
trap three to 3.5-feet in diameter weighing 60 to 120
pounds. Each trap is required to have two 4.25-inch diameter circular openings to allow sublegal male and small
female crabs to escape. These escape ports are remarkably effective in reducing handling of undersize crabs as
most male crabs that are retained are close to or exceed
the minimum size limit for males of 6.25-inches across the
back. Traps must possess a destruction device that causes
traps to open allowing crabs to escape should traps be
lost. The heavily weighted traps rest on the bottom and
each is buoyed independently to the surface. Traps are
left overnight or longer depending on shing conditions.
Most traps are shed at depths ranging from about 60 to
240 feet, but some traps are shed in shallower and in
deeper waters.

A Status Report
30
25
20
15
10
5
0
1916 1920
1930
1940
1950
1960
1970
1980
1990
1999
Northern California
Central California
Northern and Central California Landings Per Season

1916-1999, Dungeness Crab
Seasonal landings for northern California, including Eureka, Cresecent City, and Fort
Bragg Landing, and central California including Bodega Bay, San Francisco Area,
Monterey, and Morro Bay.
Note: data are recorded as seasonal landings, which differ from the DFG Catch Bulletin
and commercial landing receipt data, which are reported on an annual basis.
Data Source: Seasonal Landings determined from reported commercial landings
recorded by DFG Catch Bulletins and commercial landing receipts.
Dungeness Crab
millions of pounds landed per week
Almost all of the California Dungeness crab catch is landed

in the commercial trap shery. Trawl vessels are allowed
an incidental take of 500 pounds per trip during the
regular season, but only a few thousand pounds of trawlcaught crabs are landed annually in California. (Commercial trawling is prohibited within three miles of shore,
where the vast majority of Dungeness are captured.)
There is limited sport use of Dungeness crabs in central
and northern California. The sport size limit is 5.75 inches
across the back for either sex, and a limit of 10 crabs of
either sex may be possessed. The annual sport harvest is
believed to be less than one percent of the commercial
take, but there have not been any recent estimates of
total sport catch.
108
1950
Dungeness Crab
Dungeness Crab
Dungeness Crab
Commercial Landings
1916-1999, Dungeness Crab
40
35
30
25
20
15
10
5
0 1916
3.5
3.0
2.5
2.0
1.5
1.0
0.5
0.0
10
20
30
33
Pounds Landed Per Week 1997-1998 Season

Pounds Landed Per Week 1998-1999 Season
Commercial Landings by Week, Dungeness Crab

1997-1998 and 1998-1999, Dungeness Crab Catch data indicate consistent high early
season landings of Dungeness crab.
Data Source: Seasonal landings determined from reported commercial landings recorded
by DFG Catch Bulletins and commercial landing receipts.

December 2001
Thereafter, they are carried beneath the abdominal ap

of the female. The smallest females carry about 500,000
eggs and the largest from 1.5 to 2.0 million. Freshly
molted females carry larger numbers of eggs than do
gravid females that have missed a molt. Skip-molt
females that have extruded eggs but have not molted
recently must rely on stored sperm for fertilization of
their eggs. Females may store viable sperm for at least
2.5 years. The eggs range in diameter from 0.016 to 0.024
inches and are bright orange after extrusion, becoming
progressively darker as they develop. Hatching occurs
between November and February.
The newly hatched larvae pass through ve zoeal and

one megalops stage before metamorphosing into the adult
form. Larval development is inversely related to water
temperature, and in central California 105 to 125 days
are required to complete the larval stages. Zoeae are
hypothesized to have an offshore movement regulated by
factors such as depth, temperature, salinity and ocean
currents. They are found near the surface at night and as
deep as 80 feet in daytime. Megalopae are transported
to nearshore waters beginning in April. Metamorphosis
occurs from April to June. Estuarine areas such as Humboldt Bay and San Francisco Bay are important nursery
areas for young Dungeness crabs, but most rearing must
take place in nearshore coastal waters.
ungeness crabs range from the eastern Aleutian

Islands, Alaska, to perhaps Santa Barbara; however,
the species is considered rare south of Point Conception.
Temperature apparently determines the distribution, and
the 38 to 65 F surface isotherms are considered the
limits of the range. The geographic range of the species
probably depends more on the restricted thermal tolerance range of larvae than of adults. Optimal temperatures
for larval growth and development are 50 to 57 F.
This species has a preference for sandy to sandy-mud
bottoms but may be found on almost any bottom type.
Dungeness crabs may range from the intertidal zone to a
depth of at least 750 feet, but are not abundant beyond
300 feet.
The resource off California has been demonstrated by
tagging experiments to consist of ve subpopulations:
one each in the areas around Avila-Morro Bay, Monterey,
San Francisco, Fort Bragg, and Eureka-Crescent City. As
noted above, only the latter three are of commercial
importance. DFG surveys indicate the combined San Francisco and Fort Bragg populations are not as large as
the population extending from Eureka into Oregon. Little
or no intermixing occurs. Tagging studies have also demonstrated random movement by both sexes. At times, an
inshore or offshore migration is observed, but most movement is restricted to less than 10 miles. Travel up to 100
miles has been noted for individual males, but female movements seem much more limited.
Female molting and mating occur from February through
June in California. Male crabs are able to sense when
females are about to molt (presumably through detection
of pheremones released by females) and carry such
females in a protective pre-mating embrace for several
days until they molt. Hard-shelled males then mate with
the freshly molted, soft-shelled females. Sperm deposited
by males are stored in a spermatheca inside the female.
Fertilization of eggs takes place when internally-developing eggs are extruded between October and December.

December 2001
Dungeness Crab
nated management activities under the auspices of the

Pacic States Marine Fisheries Commission, the shery
has remained under effective state jurisdiction despite
repeated federal concerns regarding harvests beyond
three mile state jurisdictional authority. Although total
landings are not restricted by quota, beginning in 1995
California implemented a limited entry program that is
designed to achieve an eventual reduction in the number
of shery participants. As of March 2000, limited entry
permits have been granted to 604 California residents and
70 non-residents.
Growth is accomplished in steps through a series of discrete molts. In northern California, Dungeness crabs of
both sexes molt an average of six times during their
rst year and attain an average width of one inch. Six
more molts are required to reach sexual maturity at the
end of their second year, when they are approximately
four inches across. Once maturity is reached, growth of
females then slows as compared to males. Females molt
at most once per year after reaching maturity and rarely
exceed the legal size of males. Maximum female size is
about seven inches. Male crabs usually molt twice during
their third year and once per year thereafter. The average
size of males three, four and ve years of age is about six,
seven and eight inches, respectively. Males may undergo
a total of 16 molts during a lifetime, reaching a maximum
size of nine inches and age of six to eight years.
Dungeness crabs are opportunistic feeders not limited by
abundance or scarcity of a particular prey. Clams, sh,
isopods and amphipods are preferred, and cannibalism
is prevalent among all age groups. Predators on the various life stages of Dungeness crabs, especially pelagic
larvae and small juveniles, include octopuses, larger crabs
and as many as 28 species of sh, including coho and
chinook salmon, atshes, lingcod, cabezon and various
rockshes.

A Status Report
109
Dungeness Crab
ungeness crab populations in California have been

fully exploited for at least 40 years and intensity of
sheries is extreme. In most years, from 80 to 90 percent
of all available legal-sized male crabs are captured in the
sheries. Although such high exploitation rates on adult
males might give rise to concerns that female mating success might be reduced as a consequence, recent studies
have shown that essentially all molting females receive
attention from males in northern California. Usually one
or no more than two year-classes of male crabs dominate
annual landings. Thus, since about 1960, annual landings
provide a reasonable notion of abundance of legal-sized
males and also provide a strong signal of variation in yearclass strength of recruited crabs. The dramatic decline in
Dungeness crab catches in the central California shery
during the late 1950s focused considerable research attention on this resource during the 1970s. No denitive cause
for the decline in the central California shery has been
established although researchers have assessed the possible effects of changes in ocean climate on survival and
development of crabs eggs and larvae, the role of nemertean worm predation on egg survival, the effects of pollution on survival of juvenile crabs in San Francisco Bay,
and possibly unstable internal population dynamics. Of
these possible causes, a shift to warmer waters during
and following the decline during the late 1950s seems the
most plausible. If correct, the abundance of crabs in the
central California shery may improve over the next two
decades if California coastal water temperatures remain
cooler as a consequence of apparent ocean regime shifts.
The dramatic and periodic landings cycles that were
exhibited in the northern California shery from about
1945 to 1982 have caused this shery to receive even
greater attention from population dynamics modelers.
Possible causes for the uctuations in this shery have
included the nemertean egg predator, various internal
density-dependent processes reecting uctuations in the
abundance of unharvested females or cannibalism by
adults on juveniles, and combinations of internal density-dependent controls and variable oceanographic factors. There seems little doubt that crab populations, with
their extremely large fecundities and extremely vulnerable early larval stages, are prone to large natural uctuations in abundance and that variable oceanographic
factors (temperature, wind, currents) have important
impacts on survival of year-classes.
Although many crustacean sheries throughout the world
have been overexploited and are now at low abundance
levels compared to historic levels, Dungeness crab populations off northern California, Oregon and Washington have
produced landings that have uctuated around a fairly
110

A Status Report
stable long-term mean for more than 30 years. One

might therefore consider this resource to have a healthy
status. Compared to other sheries of similar importance
and economic value, however, the Dungeness crab has
received less attention than other species. Among other
things, no formal shery management plans or stock
assessments have been produced for any west coast populations. Fishery management has rested on the very
simple, though biologically sound, 3-S principles and typically restrictive shery regulations such as landings quotas
have never been imposed on this shery. A casual assessment of healthy status therefore rests on limited information.
Although imposition of limited entry in California should
prevent any further increases in the total number of vessels that participate in the Dungeness crab shery, it does
not prevent increases in shing effort numbers of traps
shed and the intensity with which they are shed. With
declines in abundance and allowable landings of salmon
and groundsh, many larger multipurpose vessels now
devote greater attention to the Dungeness crab shery
and sh upwards of 1,000 traps. In the early season,
these larger vessels sh continuously, day and night,
even in heavy seas. Total annual landings are largely unaffected by such increases in trap-days of shing effort,
but increased shing effort has produced substantial shifts
in the distribution of catch over time. Prior to about
1980, crab landings were normally spread throughout the
entire open season. In a typical recent season in northern
California, more than 80 percent of total landings are
made during the month of December.
Uncontrolled increases in the numbers of traps shed by
individual vessels and the resulting front-loading of annual
landings may have important consequences with respect
to allocation of shery income among limited entry permit
holders. Also, the shortened period of substantial crab
landings means that live Dungeness crab, the most valuable product, are available over a relatively short time
period, thus possibly diminishing total economic value of
the shery.
These shery economics issues are the subject of current
research efforts.
David Hankin
Humboldt State University
Ronald W. Warner

December 2001
Dungeness Crab
References
Hankin, D.G., T.H. Butler, Wild, P.W., and Q-L. Xue.
1997. Does intense shing on males impair mating success
of female Dungeness crabs? Can. J. Fish. Aquat. Sci.
54:655-669.
Higgins, K, A. Hastings, J. Sarvela, and L.W. Botsford.
1997. Stochastic dynamics and deterministic skeletons:
population behavior of Dungeness crab. Science, 276 p.
1431-1435.
Melteff, B.R. (coordinator). 1985. Proceedings of the symposium on Dungeness crab biology and management. University of Alaska Sea Grant Report 85-3. 424 p.
Pacic Marine Fisheries Commission. 1978. Dungeness crab
project of the state-federal sheries management program. 196 p.

December 2001

A Status Report
111
Rock Crabs
ock crabs are shed along the entire California coast.

The catch is made up of three species the yellow
rock crab (Cancer anthonyi), the brown rock crab (C.
antennarius), and the red rock crab (C. productus). The
commercial shery is most active in southern California
(from Morro Bay south), where 85 to 90 percent of the
landings occur, and of lesser importance in northern areas
(Monterey, Halfmoon Bay, and Eureka yield 10-15 percent),
where a shery for the more desirable Dungeness crab
takes place. A major recreational shery has not developed, but recreational crabbing is popular in many areas
and is often conducted in conjunction with other shing
activities.
In 1950, a separate reporting category for commercial
rock crab landings was established. Since then, landings
have risen from 20,000 pounds to over two million pounds
in 1986. Landings increased by 10 percent per year from
1957 to 1971, jumped nearly 50 percent in 1972, and
continued a steady increase to two million pounds in 1986.
Prior to 1987, a portion of the landings calculated wholecrab weights based on landings of claws only. Since then,
whole crabs and claws have been reported separately,
and whole crab landings have showed a commensurate
decline. Rock crab landings for 1999 were 790,000 pounds
and have averaged 1.2 million pounds per year since 1991,
including the landings of claws converted to whole weight.
Commercial crabbing has expanded from nearshore areas
around major ports such as San Diego, San Pedro, Santa
Barbara, and Morro Bay to more distant mainland areas
and the Channel Islands. Most rock crabs are landed alive
for retail sale by fresh sh markets. Often the crabs are
cooked and eaten on site and, depending on the tastes
of the consumer, muscle tissue, as well as other organs
(ovaries in particular) are consumed. Rock crab meat has
not been successfully marketed frozen or canned. During

1999, ex-vessel prices for whole rock crabs and crab claws
averaged about $1.25 per pound
Several trap designs and materials are used in the rock
crab shery. The most popular are single chamber, rectangular traps of two by four-inch or two by two-inch welded
wire mesh. Several types of molded plastic traps are used
by some shermen because the traps are collapsible or
nest together on a boat deck. Traps are set and buoyed
singly or, perhaps, in pairs if loss to vessel trafc is a
concern. Most trapping occurs in depths of 90 to 240 feet
on open sandy bottom or near rocky reef-type substrate.
Two hundred or more traps may be shed by one boat,
with a portion pulled up and emptied each day. Traps
are usually soaked for 48 to 96 hours prior to pulling.
Commercial crab boats are usually small, ranging from
skiffs to vessels of 40 feet or more.
Recreational gear ranges from a divers or shore pickers
hand to baited hoop nets, collapsible star traps, or traditional traps (north of Point Arguello) shed from piers,
jetties, and boats. Most of this effort takes place along
the shallow, nearshore open coast and in bays. Some
increased recreational take has occurred in central and
northern California in recent years as combination shing
and crab trips aboard commercial passenger shing vessels have developed. Traps, primarily targeting Dungeness
crabs, are set and pulled during these trips. However,
depending on location and season, rock crabs (brown and
red) are often taken as well.
Commercial regulations have been enacted to protect
crabs below reproductive size. Present regulations require
a minimum harvest size of 4.25-inch carapace width and
escape rings measuring 3.5 inches in diameter in each
trap. Due to the multi-species nature of the shery, the
minimum size was chosen to accommodate the different
characteristics of the three rock crab species. The recreational take is controlled by a four-inch minimum carapace
width and a personal bag limit of 35 crabs per day.
ellow rock crabs range from Humboldt Bay into southern Baja California, brown rock crabs from northern
Washington to central Baja California, and red rock crabs
from Kodiak Island to Central Baja California. All three
species inhabit waters from the low intertidal zone down
to depths of 300 feet or more. Although these species may
occur together throughout much of their range, yellow
rock crabs are most abundant in southern California,
brown rock crabs in central California and red rock crabs
in northern California. Yellow rock crabs prefer open sand
Yellow Rock Crab, Cancer anthonyi
Credit: DFG
112

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December 2001
Rock Crabs
Rock Crabs
2.5
2.0
1.5
1.0
0.5
0.0 1916
1920
1930
1940
1950
1960
or soft bottom habitat, while brown and red rock crabs

prefer rocky or reef-type substrate.
Rock crabs, like other crustaceans, grow in a step-wise
fashion with each molt of the external shell. Yellow and
brown rock crabs molt 10 to 12 times before reaching
sexual maturity at about three inches carapace width.
Crabs of this size may molt twice a year, while crabs as
large as six inches carapace width or more may molt once
a year or less. Growth-per-molt, as a percentage of size,
decreases as the crab increases in size and age. Males of
all three species attain sizes 10 to 15 percent larger than
females. Yellow rock crabs grow to exceed seven inches
in carapace width, brown rock crabs 6.5 inches, and red
rock crabs eight inches. While the longevity of rock crabs
is not well known, many crabs may reach ve or six years
of age.
Mating takes place after the females molt and are still
in the soft-shell condition. In southern California, mating
is most common in the spring, but occurs throughout the
year. About three months after mating, the eggs are laid,
then fertilized from a sperm packet left by the male
during mating. The developing eggs are carried in a mass
under the abdomen of the female. Depending on size and
species, nearly four million eggs may be carried by a
female rock crab. After six to eight weeks, the eggs hatch
into planktonic larvae, which undergo seven developmental molts before settling to the bottom as juveniles.
Rock crabs are both predators and scavengers, feeding
on a variety of other invertebrates. Strong crushing claws
allow them to prey on heavy-shelled animals such as
snails, clams, abalone, barnacles, and oysters. The olfactory sense of crabs is well developed and allows them to
detect and locate food at a distance.
1970
1980
1990
1999
Commercial Landings
1916-1999, Rock Crabs
Data Source: DFG Catch Bulletins and
to feed on rock crabs. Important invertebrate predators

include the octopus and certain sea stars. As rock crabs
grow larger, they become less susceptible to predators
except during the soft-shell post-molt period; however,
the sea otter is one animal that is an effective predator
on large rock crabs.
Rock crabs do not appear to migrate or to undertake
large-scale movements. Tagged adults have moved several
miles, but no pattern was apparent. Some local movements also may occur in relation to mating or molting.
Egg-bearing yellow rock crabs are known to congregate in
rock-sand interface habitats.
nformation is not available on stock sizes, recruitment

and mortality rates, the effects of different oceanographic regimes, or potential yield of rock crab populations. The commercial shery, however, has had a localized effect on crab abundance and size. Fishing areas
intensively exploited over an extended period show a
lower catch-per-trap and a reduced size-frequency distribution compared to lightly exploited areas. In Santa
Monica Bay, an area closed to commercial crab shing for
decades, experimental catch rates were higher, crab sizes
larger and size-frequencies broader than in adjacent areas
open to commercial trapping. Future research should be
aimed at a better understanding of shery-related rock
crab population parameters.
Rock crabs, especially juveniles, are preyed upon by a

variety of other marine organisms. Fishes such as cabezon,
barred sand bass and several species of rocksh are known

December 2001

A Status Report
113
Rock Crab
References

Carroll, J.S. 1982. Seasonal abundance, size composition,

and growth of rock crab, Cancer antennarius Stimpson, off
central California. J. Crust. Biol. 2:529-561.
David O. Parker
Carroll, J.C. and R.N. Winn. 1989. Species proles: life

histories and environmental requirements of coastal shes
and invertebrates (Pacic Southwest) -- brown rock crab,
red rock crab, and yellow crab. U.S. Fish Wild. Serv. Biol.
Rep 82 (11.117). U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, TR EL-82-4.
16 p.
Reilly, P.N. 1987. Population studies of rock crab, Cancer
antennarius, yellow crab Cancer anthonyi, and Kellets
whelk, Kelletia kelletii, in the vicinity of Little Cojo Bay,
Santa Barbara County, California. Calif. Fish and Game.
73:88-98.
Winn, R.N. 1985. Comparative ecology of three cancrid
crab species (Cancer anthonyi, C. antennarius and C. productus) in marine subtidal habitats in southern California.
Ph.D. dissertation. University of southern California, Los
Angeles. 235 p.
114

A Status Report

December 2001
Sheep Crab
U
ntil 1984, the sheep crab (Loxorhynchus grandis) was

of little commercial or recreational value. Before
that, they were occasionally landed as by-catch and were
also taken by some recreational divers. Santa Barbara shermen and processors began to experiment with marketing them and by 1984, 30,000 to 40,000 pounds of whole
crabs were landed. The shery for this underutilized species expanded rapidly, stimulated by development of a
market for claws. The shery peaked in 1988 with landings of 107,609 pounds of live crabs and 385,886 pounds
of claws (combination of sheep and rock crab claws; 75
percent and 25 percent respectively). The sheep crab was
the only shery in the United States with sizable landings
of claws and whole crabs. However, a 1990 California State
Initiative banned the use of gillnets in shallow water.
Subsequently, landings of sheep crab claws plummeted to
an average of only 5,000 pounds annually once gillnets
were completely phased out in 1994. During this same
period, landings of live, whole crabs remained fairly constant and relatively low, averaging approximately 75,000
pounds annually.
The California sheep crab shery is centered in the Santa
Barbara Channel and off the northern Channel Islands.
The bulk of the landings are in Santa Barbara and Ventura
counties although most of the crabs are marketed in
the San Pedro and greater Los Angeles area. The shery
primarily operates over sandy bottom, where gear is set
in shallow waters (30-70 feet) in spring and summer and
then moved to deeper waters (120-240 feet) in fall and
winter months. Both male and female adult crabs are
taken for the live, whole body shery. The claw shery is
supported solely by large adult male crabs, as the claws
of adult female crabs and small adult males do not reach
market size.
water and the subsequent decline in claw landings, the

retail value has substantially decreased. In 1999, the
retail value was approximately $310,000, with whole crabs
being sold for up to $4 per pound live and claws up to
$3 per pound.
An increase in claw landings seems unlikely given the
nature in which the shery was developed (i.e., to provide
some value to a by-catch species). In fact, prior to 1991,
rock crab and spider crab claw landings were combined
in the landings data, with spider crab claws comprising
75 percent of the landings. In 1991, a size limit went
into effect for rock crabs, and shermen were prohibited
from taking any part of those crabs. However, the
loss of supply of rock crab claws has not been compensated for by an increase in landings of spider crab claws.
This is most likely because implementation of the rock
crab regulations coincided with the banning of gillnets in
shallow water.
Sheep Crab
Fishing effort for, and landings of whole crabs remain

relatively low since shermen generally have to establish
their own live markets and be able to hold the crabs alive
for up to a week or more. In addition, because of the
heavily calcied carapace of the crab, processing the body
meat is presently uneconomical. Thus, current landing
patterns may increase if new marketing efforts expand
Crab and lobster trap shermen supply the bulk of live

crabs. Modied rock crab or lobster traps with an enlarged
funnel are used, permitting entry of large adult male
and female crabs. Set gill-netters supply the claw market,
usually killing the crab in the claw removal process.
Sheep crabs are a nuisance to gillnet shermen because
they become tangled in the gear and their removal from
the nets is time consuming, usually resulting in damage
to the animals. However, with the development of the
claw shery the crabs became a valuable resource for
gill-netters.
At the peak of the shery, the retail value of the combined catch was about $1.9 million per year, with claws
being sold for $5.75 per pound and whole crabs going
for $3 per pound live and $4.25 per pound cooked. Claw
landings and value far exceeded those of the whole body
shery. However, with the banning of gillnets in shallow

December 2001
the live markets or if processing of whole crabs becomes

Sheep Crab, Loxorhynchus grandis
Credit: Diane Pleshner
CA Seafood Council

A Status Report
115
Sheep Crab
Sheep Crab
120
100
Commercial Landings
1916-1999, Sheep Crab
Sheep crab landings are
recorded by DFG as spider
crab. Data Source: DFG Catch
landing receipts.
80
60
40
20
0
1916 1920
1930
1940
economically feasible. Such expansion seems likely given

the continued interest in the California shery and the
recent development of an experimental sheep crab shery
off Baja California.
heep crab is the common name of one species within a

family of crabs (Majidae), which collectively are often
called spider crabs. Consequently, the sheep crab is often
called a spider crab and is the largest member of the California majid crabs. They range from Cordell Bank (Marin
County) south to Cape Thurloe, Baja California, in depths
of 20 to 410 feet. It is not known whether the entire
resource consists of just one or of a number of different
populations. Sheep crabs are apparently most abundant
off southern California.
Longevity is currently unknown, but many adults appear
to be at least four years old. In contrast to most other
commercially important crustaceans, most majid crabs are
believed to cease molting upon reaching maturity. Studies
of molt staging, limb regeneration, and molting frequency
support the existence of a terminal molt in sheep crab.
After this molt, crabs do not increase in size nor do
they regenerate limbs. This phenomenon is an important
biological characteristic that may require development
of a management scheme different from those of other
California crab sheries.
Maturation is dened only in morphometric terms. At
maturity the relative width of the abdomen of females
and the length of the claw of males increase markedly
when compared to a standard measure of body size such
as carapace length. Females become morphometrically
mature between 4.2 and 6.8 inches carapace length (from
margin of orbit). Adult males range in size from 4.2 to 9.6
inches. However, morphometrically juvenile male crabs
116

A Status Report
1950
1960
1970
1980
1990
1999
can reach a length of 6.8 inches; thus, size alone is

insufcient to determine maturity. The presence of a gap
in the serrated gape of the claw of adult male crabs
distinguishes them from juvenile males. It is uncertain
how morphometric maturity relates to physiological and
behavioral maturity.
The abundance of berried females peaks in late spring and
remains high throughout the summer, although they can
be found throughout the year. Adult females are able to
mate when soft or hard shelled. Sperm storage allows
for multiple broods to be oviposited even in the absence
of males. Egg numbers probably increase with size of
brooding female crabs. Small broods contain 125,000 eggs,
whereas large broods can have as many as 500,000 eggs.
Laboratory observations suggest that sheep crabs feed on
a variety of prey. They readily eat dead sh, crushed
mussels, and kelp. Cannibalism of newly molted animals
occurs in the laboratory when crabs are not well fed. No
observations are available on foraging behavior in nature,
nor have gut contents been analyzed.
Predatory interactions have not been observed in the
eld either, but it is likely that small crabs are preyed
upon by cabezon, sheephead, octopus, sharks and rays.
Small sheep crabs disguise themselves by decorating their
carapace with algae, sponges, or other encrusting materials. Large crabs probably have few predators.
Two parasitic infections could potentially impact recruitment an undescribed species of nemertean or ribbon
worm and a rhizocephalan barnacle. The former consumes
the developing embryo in the egg. The latter eliminates
reproductive output and also inhibits growth of the crab.
Preliminary observations indicate that certain areas contain a high prevalence of individuals parasitized by the
rhizocephalan and that crabs are infected as juveniles.
Male crabs winter in deep water. Both sexes migrate
onshore in early spring, and piles of adult females have

December 2001
Sheep Crab
been observed in spring and summer. Large adult males

have been seen on the perimeter of these aggregations.
The biological signicance of the piles is apparently
related to mating, as the majority of females are gravid,
the males often exhibit competitive behavior for mates
and there are many obstetrical pairs (a mating behavior
where a male and female crab are hooked together
back-to-back by the males back limbs). Similar aggregate
mating phenomena have been reported for other
spider crabs.
he abundance of sheep crabs is unknown. Abundant

populations have been reported off Los Angeles and
San Diego. Furthermore, although this spider crab has
been a by-catch for many years, there is no evidence of
declining populations in the Santa Barbara Channel where
most shing takes place. However, some have reported a
decrease in overall crab size. Such a phenomenon could
be due to the immense shing pressure on large males
both for claws and whole body. Because this species
undergoes a terminal molt, removal of large crabs may
leave only small animals to contribute to the gene pool.
If the terminal molt is genetically regulated, this could
result in a population of smaller crabs.
Carolynn S. Culver and Armand M. Kuris
University of California, Santa Barbara
References
Anonymous. 1983. Guide to underutilized species of California. National Marine Fisheries Service Admin. Rept.
T-83-01. 29 p.
Culver, Carolynn S. 1991. Growth of the spider crab, Loxorhynchus grandis. M.A. Thesis, Univ. of Calif. Santa Barbara, California. 101 p.
Pleschner, D.B. 1985. Fish of the Month: Spider Crab.
Pacic Fishing Magazine. 8(6): 33-39 p.

December 2001

A Status Report
117
Ocean Shrimp
he commercial shery for ocean shrimp (Pandalus jordani), also called pink shrimp, started in 1952 after
commercial quantities were found by DFG research vessels
in 1950 and 1951. The California Fish and Game Commission established regulations for the new shery in 1952,
including net type with mesh restrictions and a season.
The rst catches were made later that same year. Three
regulation areas were also designated and catch quotas
established for each. The three regulatory areas were
Area A, Oregon border to False Cape; Area B, False Cape
to Pigeon Point; and Area C, Pigeon Point to the Mexican
border. In 1956, Area B was divided into two areas; B-1
extended from False Cape to Point Arena and B-2 from
Point Arena to Pigeon Point.
Catch quotas governed the shrimp take from 1952 to 1976.
Quotas were based on recommendations by DFG and were
set each year by the Fish and Game Commission. In 1976,
all quotas were dropped in favor of four criteria believed
to protect the resource. The criteria were: 1) a season
from April 15 through October 31, designed to protect eggbearing females; 2) a net mesh size of 1 3/8 inches, to
allow escapement of small zero- and one-year-old shrimp;
3) a count per pound of 170 or less, intended to protect
one-year-old shrimp; and 4) a minimum catch rate of 350
pounds per hour to protect shrimp when the population
is at a low level. If these requirements were not met,
the DFG had the option to close the shery. In 1981,
the regulations were changed again to bring them into
accord with an agreement with Oregon Department of Fish
and Wildlife and Washington Department of Fisheries to
have coast-wide uniform regulations. The new regulations
included a season from April 1 through October 31, a
maximum count per pound of 160, and a minimum mesh
size of 1 3/8 inches measured inside the knots. These
regulations are still in effect. From 1952 to 1963, shrimp
shermen were limited to the use of beam trawls with a

minimum mesh size of 1.5 inches between the knots. In
1963, shrimpers were permitted to use otter trawls with
the same size mesh. The mesh size was reduced from 1.5
inches to 1 3/8 inches in Areas A, B-1, and B-2 in 1975.
Prior to 1974, all shrimp boats in California pulled a single
rig of one net and two doors, but starting with the 1974
season, vessels towing a double rig from outriggers, one
on each side of the boat, entered the shery. The doublerigged vessels are approximately 1.6 times more effective
than single-rigged vessels.
During the rst year of the shery, only six boats participated. The number of boats increased to 27 by 1960, then
averaged 24 boats per season over the next 16 years.
The record catch in 1977 started a rapid inux of boats
into the shrimp shery and reached a high of 104 vessels
during 1980, but the number declined to 33 during 1983
when the catch fell to a low of 1,176,000 pounds. As
the catch recovered from that El Nio-induced low, many
boats reentered the shery. The number of vessels per
season averaged 88 from 1983 through 1999. A record-high
155 boats shrimped during the 1994 shery, the rst year
of a moratorium on new shrimp permits probably the
cause of the large increase in the number of vessels.
California landings have averaged 4,843,000 pounds annually from 1952 through the 1999 season, ranging from a
low of 206,000 pounds in 1952 to a high of 18,683,000
pounds in 1992. Average landings have increased each
decade since the start of the shery in the 1950s: 969,000
pounds in the 1950s, 1,810,000 pounds in the 1960s,
5,679,000 pounds in the 1970s, 5,871,000 pounds in the
1980s and 9,127,000 pounds in the 1990s. Area A has been
the most consistent producer and, since 1954, has had the
highest annual landings. The only exception was the El
Nio year of 1983, when Area C had the highest landings.
Since the inception of the shery, 86.8 percent of the
shrimp have been landed in Area A ports, 5.4 percent
in Area B-1, 2.9 percent in Area B-2, and 4.9 percent in
Area C.
The price paid to the shermen (ex-vessel price) has
ranged from a low of $0.07 per pound in 1955 to a high
of $0.87 per pound in 1987. The ex-vessel price remained
fairly constant at $0.10 per pound during the 1950s and
1960s, increased in price from $0.12 per pound to around
$0.30 per pound in the 1970s, and since has uctuated
around $0.50 per pound.
Catch of Ocean Shrimp, Pandalus jordani

Credit: DFG
118

A Status Report
The largest portion of ocean shrimp landed in California

is picked and individually quick-frozen. Small amounts are
sold fresh whole, as cooked picked meat or packed in
vacuum cans. Most of Californias shrimp catch was hand
picked until 1969, when machines were introduced in the
Eureka area. Shrimp machines have enabled the shrimp

December 2001
cean shrimp are found from Unalaska in the Aleutian

Islands to off San Diego, California, at depths from 150
to 1200 feet. In California, this species is generally found
from depths of 240 to 750 feet. Spawning probably occurs
throughout the range, but commercial harvest is limited
to the area between Vancouver Island, British Columbia,
and Point Arguello, California.
Concentrations of shrimp generally remain in well-dened
areas or beds from year to year. These areas are associated with green mud and muddy-sand bottoms. Although
there is some evidence of minor onshore-offshore and
coast-wide movement within the connes of a bed
throughout the year, no convincing evidence of migratory
behavior has been produced. Horizontal movements probably are governed by feeding activities and prevailing
currents. Ocean shrimp also exhibit vertical migrations.
These movements toward the surface during periods of
darkness appear to be associated with feeding on plankton. Adults from the different beds probably intermix
rarely, but the planktonic larvae undoubtedly intermingle,
as there are no indications of genetically distinct subpopulations. Genetic stock identication work on ocean shrimp
has failed to isolate any genetic differences between
ocean shrimp from off the coasts of California, Oregon,
Washington and British Columbia.
Ocean shrimp feed mostly at night on planktonic animals.
The stomach contents of shrimp taken at night indicated
that the most common food items were euphausiids and
copepods, while the stomachs of shrimp collected during
daytime contained little food. Identiable food items
included polychaete worms, sponges, diatoms, amphipods,
and isopods.
Many species of sh prey on ocean shrimp. Major sh
predators include Pacic hake, arrowtooth ounder, sablesh, petrale sole and several species of rocksh.
Ocean shrimp are protandric hermaphrodites; that is,
during their rst year and a half of life most will function
as males, then pass through a transitional phase to
become females. During some years, large percentages
(up to 60 percent) of the one-year-old shrimp become
females and never mate as males. Female shrimp usually
carry between 1,000 and 3,000 eggs. Small individuals in
their second year have been found carrying as few as 900
eggs, whereas larger shrimp in their third or fourth year of
life have been found with up to 3,900 eggs. Mating takes
place during September and October, and the external
fertilization of the eggs takes place when the females

December 2001
begin extruding eggs in October. The female carries the

eggs between the posterior swimming appendages until
the larvae hatch. The peak of hatching occurs during late
March and early April. Ocean shrimp go through a larval
period that lasts 2.5 to three months. The developing
juvenile shrimp occupy successively deeper depths as they
develop, and often begin to show in commercial catches
by late summer. Shrimp grow in steps by molting or shedding their shells. Growth rates for ocean shrimp vary
according to region and also by sex and year class. There
is a clear pattern of seasonal growth despite the variations mentioned, with very rapid growth during spring
and summer and slower growth over the winter. The
growth rate decreases as the shrimp age. Shrimp growth
rates increased markedly in Oregon after 1979, suggesting
a density dependent growth response to shing. Ocean
shrimp may reach 5.5 inches in total length, but the
average catch size is about four inches. In California, few
shrimp survive beyond their fourth year.
Ocean Shrimp
industry to pick much smaller shrimp than was possible

with hand picking.
Studies on natural mortality estimate that the survival

between shing seasons (over winter) is 46 percent, 76
percent, and 43 percent for ocean shrimp during their
rst, second, and third winters of life, respectively.
opulation estimates of the various shrimp beds were

obtained by department sea surveys from 1959 to
1964; catch quotas were set at one quarter of the estimated population. Area A sea survey continued until 1969.
The highest Area A population estimate from sea surveys
was 10,700,000 pounds in the fall of 1967. Because the
cost of sea surveys was quite high, another method of
estimating population was needed. A mathematical population model, designed by department statisticians, was
used to estimate the population size and set the quota
from 1969 until 1976, when the model was dropped and no
further attempts to estimate the population were made.
It was established that the ocean shrimp population abundance off California is determined by environmental conditions, which causes natural uctuations in recruitment
that are apparently unrelated or minimally related to
commercial shing effort. Since the abandonment of
quotas, the shrimp population, as evidenced by the commercial catch, has gone through two extreme highs (1977
- 15,600,000 pounds; 1992 - 18,683,000 pounds) and two
lows (1983 - 1,200,000 pounds - primarily in Area C; 1998
- 1,836,000 pounds). The population appears to be headed
up again since the 1998 low.
Investigations of the population dynamics of shrimp off
Oregon suggest shrimp are inherently resistant to overshing. Annual recruitment success has been shown to be

A Status Report
119
Commercial Landings
1916-1999, Ocean Shrimp
landing receipts. No commercial
landing are reported for ocean
shrimp prior to 1952.
Ocean Shrimp
Ocean Shrimp
20
15
10
5
0 1916
1920
1930
1940
linked to the strength and timing of the spring transition

in coastal currents immediately following larval release.
An early, strong transition produces large year classes.
Shrimp are short-lived and exhibit exible rates of sex
change that act to maintain a roughly balanced sex composition, despite highly variable mortality rates. Other
evidence also suggests that shrimp exhibit density-dependent growth. In combination, these biological traits
increase the shing pressure a stock can withstand without suffering decline. Nonetheless, some evidence has
been presented recently suggesting shrimp are periodically
recruitment-overshed in a manner that delays the stocks
rebound from El Nio-related recruitment failures. However,
overshing in such a short-lived resource has relatively minor
impacts on yield and changes in management await additional research on how shing is altering yield.
Patrick C. Collier
Robert W. Hannah
Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife
References
Dahlstrom, W.A. 1970. Synopsis of biological data on the
ocean shrimp Pandalus jordani Rathbun, 1902. FAO Fish.
Rep. 57(4):1377-1416.
1950
1960
1970
1980
1990
1999
with Pacic hake (Merluccius productus). Can. J. Fish

Aquat. Sci. 52:1018-1029.
Hannah, R. W., S.A. Jones and M. R. Long. 1995. Fecundity
of the ocean shrimp Pandalus jordani. Can. J. Fish. Aquat.
Sci. 52:2098-2107.
Hannah, R.W. 1993. The inuence of environmental variation and spawning stock levels on recruitment of ocean
shrimp (Pandalus jordani). Can. J. Fish. Aquat. Sci.
50(3):612-622.
Hannah, R.W. and S.A. Jones. 1991. Fishery induced
changes in the population structure of pink shrimp (Pandalus jordani). Fishery Bulletin. U.S. 89:41-51.
Hannah, R.W. and S.A. Jones. 1973. Status of the California ocean shrimp resource and its management. Calif.
Dept. Fish and Game, Mar. Resour. Tech. Rep. 14. 17 p.
Pacic Fishery Management Council. 1980. Draft of the
shery management plan and environmental impact statement for the pink shrimp shery off Washington, Oregon
and California. Pac. Fish. Mgmt. Council, 526 S.W. Mill St.,
Portland, OR. 191 p.
Pearcy, W.G. 1970. Vertical migration of the ocean shrimp,
Pandalus jordani: a feeding and dispersal mechanism.
Calif. Fish and Game, 56:125-129.
Rothlisberg, P. C. 1975. Larval ecology of Pandalus jordani
Rathbun. Ph.D. Dissertation, Oregon State University, Corvallis, Oregon. 117 p.
Hannah, R. W. 1999. A new method for indexing spawning

stock and recruitment in ocean shrimp, Pandalus jordani,
and preliminary evidence for a stock-recruitment relationship. Fish. Bull. 97:482-494.
Hannah, R. W. 1995. Variation in geographic stock area,
catchability and natural mortality of ocean shrimp (Pandalus jordani): some new evidence for a trophic interaction
120

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December 2001
Spot Prawn
T
he shery for spot prawn (Pandalus platyceros) originated nearly 68 years ago in Monterey when prawns
were caught incidentally in octopus traps. It was a minor
shery with landings averaging around 2,000 pounds annually until the early 1970s. In 1974, trawl shermen shing
out of Santa Barbara caught over 182,000 pounds. Trawl
landings steadily grew as more shermen entered this new
shery and new areas were explored reaching a peak of
more than 375,500 pounds in 1981. Landings fell drastically in the next few years causing concern by shermen
and DFG biologists. An area and season closure was instituted between Point Conception and Point Mugu during
the peak egg-bearing months of November, December and
January in 1984. Following the implementation of an area
closure, trawl landings remained low until 1993 averaging
about 54,000 pounds annually. The low catch rates for the
trawl eet were due in part to the development of other
sheries such as ridgeback prawn, sea cucumber and the
increased demand for fresh sh, which caused growth in
the groundsh trawl shery.
In 1985, a trap shery for spot prawn developed in the
Southern California Bight. The trap shery was concentrated around all of the Channel Islands and along coastal
submarine canyons in water depths between 600 and
1,080 fathoms. Fishing was now occurring in areas of
southern California that the trawl eet did not have access
to because trawling was not allowed within three miles
of the shore. The advent of the trap shery also meant
the start of a live prawn shery for the Asiatic community
locally and overseas. With traps, prawns could be kept
alive using holding tanks set at optimum water temperatures. Annual landings in the trap shery grew from 8,800
pounds in 1985 to over 247,000 in 1991. During this period,
trapping accounted for 75 percent of statewide landings;
trawling accounted for the remaining 25 percent.
trawl, northern California trap, southern California trawl

and southern California trap. From 1994 until 1998, statewide landings nearly doubled from 444,000 pounds to a
historic high of 780,000 pounds. All of the shery components showed some growth with the northern trawl shery
experiencing a 14-fold increase in landings while southern
trawl and northern trap showing a four-fold increase and
southern trap almost doubling its landings. There were
several reasons for this rise including increased market
demand, which raised the average price for live prawns
from $6 per pound to $8; increased effort by California
and Washington shermen displaced from other sheries;
changes in gear design, specically the use of large
rollers (rock hopper gear) on the groundline of the trawl
nets; and increased availability due to strong spot prawn
recruitment in 1996 and 1997.
Spot Prawn
The advent of rock hopper gear allowed shermen to sh

areas once off limits because of the rocky nature of the
bottom. These areas had previously acted as de facto
reserves, providing new recruits for adjacent areas traditionally worked by trawl vessels. The rise in the number
of participants and a 21 percent decline in statewide
1999 landings, prompted shermen once again to ask for
further regulation and a limited access plan. An ad-hoc
committee of trap and trawl shermen and department
biologists developed several management recommendations, which included a limit on the size of roller gear to
14-inches. In 2000, the Commission adopted some but not
all of the proposed regulations with slight modication.
Instead of a simultaneous closure for trap and trawl sheries north of Point Conception, a May to August closure for
the trap shery was selected by the Commission. While
northern California trappers can catch prawns during the
peak egg-bearing season, they are limited to 300 traps
within state waters. Other regulations adopted by the
Commission for this shery included a requirement for
bycatch reduction devices on trawl nets, and an observer
Two years of declining landings in the trap shery and

the continued low landing levels by the trawl eet lead
shermen and biologists once again to address management of Californias spot prawn resource. The Fish and
Game Commission, with the support of the trap and trawl
shermen, expanded the trawl area and season closure to
include the entire Southern California Bight in 1994. They
also instituted the rst regulations for the trap shery by
requiring a one inch by one inch trap mesh size, limiting
traps per vessel to 500, and initiating an area and season
closure for the same area and time period as the trawl
shery.
Following these management measures, the spot prawn
shery underwent signicant changes in composition and
statewide growth. The spot prawn shery was now comprised of four shery components: northern California

December 2001
Spot Prawn, Pandalus platyceros

Credit: DFG

A Status Report
121
Spot Prawn
Commercial Landings
1916-1999, Spot Prawn
landing receipts.
Spot Prawn
900
800
700
600
500
400
300
200
100
0
1916 1920
1930
1940
program for all components of the spot prawn shery. A

control date for limited entry was established, but the rest
of the plan was put on hold.
The 1999 price for live prawns ranged from $6 to $10
per pound, whereas dead (heads-on) prawns bring only
$4.50 to $5.50 per pound. Live prawns are now taken
by trap and trawl vessels and account for 95 percent of
landings. The change from a trap-only live shery follows
experimentation by trawl shermen on net design and tow
duration, which maximizes prawn catch while reducing or
eliminating incidental take of non-target species.
The trawler eet consists of approximately 54 vessels
operating coast-wide from Bodega Bay to the United
States-Mexico border. Most vessels operate out of Monterey, Morro Bay, Santa Barbara, and Ventura, although
a number of Washington-based vessels participate in this
shery during the fall and winter. The vessel length of
the trawl eet ranges from 28 to 85 feet with an average
vessel length of 47 feet. Standard gear is a single-rig
shrimp trawl of a semi-balloon, or Gulf Shrimp Act, design.
Occasionally, double-rig or paired shrimp trawls are used.
The body of the trawl net is typically composed of a single
layer of 2.5- to three-inch meshes with a 36-square inch
bycatch reduction device, and a minimum codend mesh
size of 1.5 inches. Many shermen prefer to use a double
codend composed of two- to three-inch mesh. A variety
of roller gear is added to the groundline of the trawl
net, which keeps the ground off the bottom and prevents
a variety of benthic invertebrates such as sea stars, sea
fans, and anemones as well as rocks from being scooped
into the net. Standard roller gear, which spins freely
around the groundline, varies in size from eight-inch disks
to 28-inch tires.
The spot prawn trap eet operates from Monterey Bay to
southern California. The northern trap shery continues to
produces prawns, although it has never reached the large
volume of the southern California shery. Monterey-area
122

A Status Report
1950
1960
1970
1980
1990
1999
boats are about 30 to 60 feet in length and usually sh

for salmon during the summer. Currently, there are about
six boats shing the Monterey Bay area, and they sh 10
months a year. The southern California trap eet ranges
between 30 and 40 boats depending on prawn availability.
These boats range in size from 20 to 75 feet with an average of 34 feet. Trap designs are limited either to plastic
oval-shaped traps or to the more popular rectangular wire
traps. The dimension of the single chamber plastic traps is
approximately 2.5 feet by 1.5 feet while the typical size of
the wire traps is 3.0 feet by 1.5 feet by 1.0 foot with two
chambers. Normally, a sherman will set 25 to 50 traps
attached to a single groundline (string) with anchors and
buoys at both ends. In both shing areas, traps are set at
depths of 600 to 1,000 feet along submarine canyons or
along shelf breaks.
pot prawns range from Alaska to San Diego, California,

in depths from 150 to 1,600 feet. Areas of higher
abundance in California waters occur off of the Farallon
Islands, Monterey, the Channel Islands and most offshore
banks. This species is a protandric hermaphrodite, beginning life as a male. Sexual maturity is reached during
the third year averaging 1.5 inches carapace length (CL).
By the fourth year, many males begin to change sex to
the transitional stage. By the end of the fourth year, the
transitionals become females averaging 1.75 inches CL.
Maximum observed age is estimated at over six years but
there are considerable differences in age and growth of
spot prawns between areas. Animals from Canada live no
longer than four years, whereas the prawns from southern
California can reach six years. Studies indicate that prawns
grow faster in a temperate environment than in a cold
environment.

December 2001
Spot prawns feed on other shrimp, plankton, small mollusks, worms, sponges, and sh carcasses. They usually
forage on the bottom throughout the day and night.
xploratory surveys conducted by the DFG during the

1960s revealed the presence of prawns along the
coast, but no estimates of population size were made.
During the 1980s, additional surveys were conducted in
southern California to further dene distribution and
range. The development of the southern California trap
shery in the mid-1980s detected sizable aggregations of
this species, which were previously unknown. The introduction of roller gear on trawl nets in the 1990s led to the
exploration of even more areas and location of additional
habitat suitable for spot prawns. Thus, it appears that this
species is more numerous and widespread than previously
believed as attested by the geographic expansion and rise
in total landings.
References
Butler, T.H. 1964. Growth, reproduction, and distribution
of pandalid shrimps in British Columbia. J. Fish. Res. Bd.
Canada. 21:1403-1452.
Butler, T.H. 1986. Growth and reproduction of spot prawns
in the Santa Barbara Channel. Calif. Fish and Game.
72:83-93.
Spot Prawn
Spawning occurs once a year, and each individual mates

once as a male and once or twice as a female. Females
spawn at a carapace length of 1.75 inches. Spawning takes
place at depths of 500 to 700 feet. September appears
to be the start of the spawning season, when the eggs
are extruded onto the females swimmerets. She carries
the eggs for a period of four to ve months before they
hatch. By April, only 15 percent of females still carry eggs.
Fecundity varies with size, ranging from 1,400 to 5,000
eggs for the rst spawning down to 1,000 eggs for the
second spawning. Eggs hatch over a 10-day period and the
larvae are planktonic. As they develop into the juvenile
stage, they begin to settle out at depths as shallow as 175
feet, but move deeper as they reach adulthood.
California Department of Fish and Game. 1980 to 1999.

Final Bulletin Tables for California Commercial Landings Table 15. The Resources Agency, State of California.
California Department of Fish and Game. 1995. Final Environmental Document - Spot Prawn Commercial Fishing
Regulations (Section 120 and 180, Title 14, California Code
of Regulations). State of California. Resources Agency. 131
pps + appendices.
Sunada, J.S. 1984. Spot prawn (Pandalus platyceros) and
ridgeback prawn (Sicyonia ingentis) sheries in the Santa
Barbara Channel. Calif. Coop. Oceanic Fish. Invest. Rep.
25:100-104.
Mary L. Larson

December 2001

A Status Report
123
Ridgeback Prawn
ntermittent catches of small numbers of ridgeback

prawns (Sicyonia ingentis) in Santa Barbara-area sh
trawls led to the development of regulations to allow the
take of prawns with small mesh trawl nets. Enactment of
these regulations in 1965 resulted in the landing of 30,200
pounds of prawns the following year; however, landings
quickly slumped when prawns proved difcult to market.
Annual landings were below 5,000 pounds from 1974 to
1977, except in 1975 when they were 28,000 pounds. The
catch increased to 356,000 pounds in 1979, but declined to
129,000 pounds three years later. In 1985, landings peaked
at nearly 900,000 pounds, but they subsequently declined
to 142,000 pounds in 1988 following several year-class
failures. Landings reached a low of 64,000 pounds in 1992,
but increased to 607,000 pounds in 1996. After a dip to
387,000 pounds in 1997, ridgeback prawn landings reached
a new high of about 1,391,000 pounds in 1999.
The shery is centered in the Santa Barbara Channel and
off Santa Monica Bay. In 1999, 32 boats participated in the
shery. Traditionally, a number of boats sh year round
for both ridgeback and spot prawns, targeting ridgeback
prawns during the closed season for spot prawns and
shing for spot prawn during the ridgeback closure. Most
boats typically use single rig trawl gear (only one boat was
noted to be using double rig gear in 1999). The average
trawler length is 45 feet with a range of 28 to 76 feet. Six
of these boats are over 50 feet in length.
Following the 1981 decline in landings, a summer closure
(June 1 through September 30) was adopted by the California Fish and Game Commission to protect spawning
female and juvenile ridgeback prawns. An incidental take
of 50 pounds of prawns or 15 percent by weight is
allowed during the closed period. During the season, a
maximum of 1,000 pounds of other sh may be landed
with ridgeback prawns. Any amount of sea cucumbers may
be landed with ridgeback prawns as long as the vessel
owner/operator possesses a sea cucumber permit. Other
Ridgeback Prawn, Sicyonia ingentis
regulations include a prohibition of trawling within state

waters (three-miles from the mainland shore and islands),
a minimum shing depth of 25 fathoms, a minimum mesh
size of 1.5 inches for single-walled codends or three inches
for double-walled codends and a logbook requirement.
Demand for this resource continues to be high, as its
sweet avor and low price make it a favorite among fresh
sh buyers. As this species does not freeze well, it is
primarily sold as fresh whole prawns; however, prawns
are often landed live to supply a secondary live prawn
market, and also to prevent discoloration from a black
pigment that forms after death, which lowers consumer
appeal. In 1999, live prawns accounted for 28 percent of
the landings, but have been as high as 68 percent in 1997.
The median ex-vessel price in 1999 for all ridgeback prawn
was $1.30 per pound. Live prawns sold for a median price
of $2 per pound, with a range of $1 to $5 per pound, while
fresh dead prawns sold for a median of $1 with a range of
$0.20 to $3.35 per pound.
idgeback prawns occur from Monterey, California to

Cedros Island, Baja California, at depths ranging from
less than 145 feet to 525 feet. Major concentrations occur
in the Ventura-Santa Barbara Channel area, Santa Monica
Bay, and off Oceanside. One study found ridgeback prawns
to be one of the most common invertebrates to appear
in its trawls, occurring in 59 percent of tows along the
mainland shelf within the Southern California Bight. Other
pockets of abundance are found off Baja California. This
species occurs on substrates of sand, shell and green
mud. As these animals are relatively sessile, little or
no intermixing occurs. Their maximum life span is ve
years and sexes are separate. Females reach a maximum
length of 1.8 inches carapace length (CL), and males 1.5
inches CL.
These shrimp are free spawners, as opposed to other
shrimps, which carry eggs. Both sexes spawn as early as
the rst year, but most spawn during the second
year at a size of 1.2 inches CL. The spawning period
is more seasonal than with other penaeid shrimp.
Studies suggest that this species undergoes multiple
spawning from June through October. Following spawning,
both sexes undergo molting and continue molting
throughout winter and spring. The number of eggs produced averages 86,000.
The food habits of the ridgeback prawn are unknown, but
it may be a detritus feeder like closely related species.
In Baja California, ridgeback prawns are preyed on by
several species of sea robins. In southern California, it is
presumed other groundsh such as rocksh and lingcod
Credit: David Ono, DFG
124

A Status Report

December 2001
Ridgeback Prawn
1.6
Ridgeback Prawn
1.4
1.2
1.0
0.8
0.6
0.4
0.2
0.0 1916
1920
1930
1940
1950
1960
prey on them as well. Other likely predators include octopus, sharks, halibut, and bat rays.
1970
1980
1990
1999
Commercial Landings
1916-1999, Ridgeback Prawn
early sea surveys between 1982 and 1991 documented

relative abundance and year-class strengths of juvenile
ridgeback prawns. Relative abundance in terms of numbers of animals per 15-minute tow began increasing from
66 animals per tow in 1982 to 1,200 animals per tow by
1984, but began to decline in 1985 when the catch fell to
132 per tow. These trends mirrored the rise and fall of
yearly commercial catches. The population of ridgeback
prawns in the Ventura area increased dramatically during
1983 to 1985, but then began declining.
John S. Sunada
Ridgeback prawn trawl logs, required since 1986, show

an average of 147 pounds of ridgeback prawn caught per
tow/hour, dropping to a low of 32 pounds per tow/hour in
1992, and steadily increasing to 213 pounds per tow/hour
in 1999. This increase is in addition to an increase in
the number of vessels (from 17 in 1992, a high of 43
vessels in 1995, to 32 in 1999), and more effort directed at
ridgeback prawns during the spot prawn closed season.
Allen, M.J., and S.L. Moore. 1997. Recurrent groups of

megabenthic invertebrates on the mainland shelf of southern California in 1994. pp. 129-135 in: S.B. Weisberg,
C. Francisco, and D. Hallock (eds.), southern California
Coastal Water Research Project Annual Report 1996.
southern California Coastal Water Research Project. Westminster, CA.
Potential causes for this increase are the effects of El

Nio, which may have provided optimum conditions for
growth and recruitment; reduced predator populations;
and regulatory restrictions on the shery. No population
estimates were available for any of the major shing
grounds, although the majority of catches consisted of
two- and three-year-old animals.
John B. Richards
Revised by Leeanne M. Laughlin
References
Anderson, S.L., L.W. Botsford, and W.H. Clark, Jr. 1985.

Size distributions and sex ratios of ridgeback prawns (Sicyonia ingentis) in the Santa Barbara Channel (1979-1981).
Calif. Coop. Oceanic Fish. Invest. Rep. 26:169-174.
Anderson, S.L., W.H. Clark, and E.S. Chang. 1985. Multiple
spawning and molt synchrony in a free-spawning shrimp
(Sicyonia ingentis: Sicyoniidae). Biol. Bull. 168:377-394.
Herkelrath, J.M. 1977. Some aspects of the growth
and temperature tolerance of ridgeback prawn, Sicyonia
ingentis (Burkenroad), in southern California waters. M.S.
thesis. Department of Biology, Whittier College.
Prez Farfante, I. 1985. The rock shrimp genus Sicyonia
(Crustacea: Decopoda: Penaeoidea) in the eastern Pacic.
Fish. Bull., U.S. 83:1-79.

December 2001

A Status Report
125
Ridgeback Prawn
126
Price, R.J., Tom, P.D., and Richards, J.B. 1996. Recommendations for handling ridgeback shrimp. UCSGEP 96-1,
Sea Grant Extension Program, University of California,
Davis, CA.
Schmitter-Sotol, J.J., and Castro-Aguirre, J.L. 1996. Trophic comparison among Triglidae (Pisces: Scorpaeniformes) off Baja California Sur, Mexico. International Journal of Tropical Biology and Conservation. 44(2).
Sunada, J.S. 1984. Spot prawn (Pandalus platyceros) and
ridgeback prawn (Sicyonia ingentis) sheries in the Santa
Barbara Channel. Calif. Coop. Oceanic Fish. Invest. Rep.
25:100-104.

A Status Report

December 2001
Red Rock Shrimp

T
he red rock shrimp (Lysmata californica) shery has

been sporadic and of small magnitude since the late
1950s. It has persisted, however, due to the relatively high
market value of this species for recreational shing bait.
Fishermen typically receive up to $25 a pound (about 100
shrimp per pound) when sold to retail bait stores. Bait
stores will then sell the shrimp either by the dozen or the
ounce at approximately twice the wholesale price. Red
rock shrimp are highly regarded by anglers as the bait of
choice for opaleye, black croaker, rubberlip surfperch, pile
perch and other sh found along breakwaters, jetties and
sea walls. In order to bring a premium price, the shrimp
must be delivered to the bait stores alive. This requires
special handling on the part of the sherman as well as by
the bait store. The shrimp are kept in aerated bait tanks
or in oating "receivers" by the sherman until delivery to
the store. The bait stores are able to keep the shrimp alive
for 24 to 48 hours by covering them with rags soaked in
seawater. Dead shrimp can be salted or sugar cured but
are then usually sold at a lower price. A secondary market
for the shrimp is the aquarium trade. Pet and aquarium
stores that sell marine sh will often buy red rock shrimp
to sell to their customers. Wholesale prices may range up
to ten dollars per shrimp. The shrimp must be in excellent
condition, which requires special care in handling.
The red rock shrimp shery is concentrated in shallow
waters along breakwaters and sea walls where the shrimp
congregate in rock crevices. This makes the shery ideally
suited to small shing boats, usually around 20 feet long. A
small boat is easier and safer to maneuver in the shallow,
rocky waters. However, sherman can only carry about 20
traps on a boat of that size. The traps are typically made
of 1 1/4-inch wood lath, spaced about 1/8-inch apart.
Traps measure about 18 inches on a side. A funnel-shaped
opening enters the trap from the bottom. About 20 pounds
of concrete, either poured or in the form of blocks,
is added to each trap to keep it rmly on the rocky
bottom. Fishermen have also experimented with pegboard
and berglass frames, which add strength while weighing
less than waterlogged wood. Additionally, modied metal
minnow traps have also been tried but catch rates rarely
equal those of the lath traps. Because the traps are set in
shallow water and are often visible from shore, vandalism
is a problem for the sherman. Up to 25 percent of traps
are vandalized per week of shing.
The traps are baited with whatever sh or sh trimmings
may be available to the shermen. Occasionally unbaited
traps will also have good catches since shrimp will enter
the traps for cover. Traps are usually left to soak for 24
to 48 hours. Catch rates average one pound per trap,
but occasionally a very good catch will be four to ve

December 2001
pounds per trap. Bycatch in the traps consists primarily

of octopus, rock snails, sea cucumber, and an occasional
clingsh. Purple sea urchins and Kellets whelks are often
found clinging to the underside of the traps.
The shery is seasonal, from October to April, for several
reasons, including: 1) market competition from more plentiful summertime baits, such as sand crabs; 2) higher rates
of trap vandalism due to increased shoreline recreational
shing activity during summer months; 3) participation
in other commercial sheries during the summer such as
barracuda, white seabass and tunas; and 4) decreased
shrimp availability in traditional trapping areas beginning
in the spring.
Red Rock Shrimp
The red rock shrimp shery is regulated by the Fish and

Game Commission. Prior to 1986, a tidal invertebrate
permit and a general trap permit were required. Regulations include marking traps with buoys, servicing traps
once every 96 hours, and trap destruct-devices to prevent
ghost shing of lost gear. Legislation enacted in 1986
generally restricted the use of trap gear for shrimp and
prawns to water 50 fathoms or greater. This included
the harvest of red rock shrimp. As a result, shermen
have had to apply to the Fish and Game Commission for
an experimental gear permit to harvest red rock shrimp.
Under this permit, a sherman has ve years to establish
a viable shery, with annual requests for renewal. In
recent years the commission has required shermen to
take onboard observers supplied by the Department of
Fish and Game, report their shing activity through submission of shing activity logs, including any bycatch,
and immediately returning all incidental species to the
sea. In addition to the experimental gear permit, shermen must also follow the general trap and tidal
invertebrate regulations.
ed rock shrimp occur from Santa Barbara, California,

south to Bahia Viscaino, Baja California. They are
often found in low intertidal pools and crevices and
extend subtidally to a depth of more than 180 feet.
They tend to occur in groups of several hundred, dispersing somewhat at night but regrouping in sheltered areas
during the day. It should be noted that since about 1990
a population of red rock shrimp has appeared annually
in the open ocean lter housing of the Monterey Bay
Aquarium (MBA). The MBA staff has conducted surveys
of the local intertidal and subtidal areas, but has not
discovered any other populations of red rock shrimp. The
exact mechanism for this occurrence north of the normal
range has not been determined but suggests that oceanographic events can signicantly affect the distribution of
this species.

A Status Report
127
Commercial Landings
1916-1999,
Red Rock Shrimp
landing receipts. Landing data
not available prior to 1993.
Red Rock Shrimp

Red Rock Shrimp
3.0
2.5
2.0
1.5
1.0
0.5
0.0
1916 1920
1930
1940
These shrimp grow to a length of about three inches. They

are conspicuously colored with longitudinal broken stripes
of red on a transparent body. Red rock shrimp may be
simultaneous hermaphrodites like several other species of
Lysmata. Captive berried females will continue to produce
viable clutches following removal of the larvae. Eggs on
ovigerous females are red following initial deposition on
the pleopods and turn pea green just before hatching.
Eggs have been noted as early as April but are more
common in May, June, and July. Preliminary examination
of berried females has shown that each female carries
about 4,000 eggs. Californias red rock shrimp is one of
the larger, but less specialized, of the cleaning shrimp.
They are often seen sharing crevices with, and cleaning,
California morays. They are also known to perform cleaning activities on divers hands when placed in their vicinity, paying particular attention to areas around ngernails
or scratches on the skin.
The cleaning activity does not seem to be highly evolved
and probably only supplements the diet. Most of the diet
seems to come from scavenging scraps of decaying tissue
on rocky surfaces or, when the opportunity arises, feeding
on carcasses of dead sh and invertebrates.

There are very few data available regarding population
size and distribution of red rock shrimp. At the present
time, the bait shery for red rock shrimp appears to have
little effect on the population. Diver observations suggest
that they are widespread throughout southern California.
Fishing effort, however, is very limited and concentrated
at only a few locations such as breakwaters and sea walls.
Since these shrimp are relatively short lived, there are
probably large uctuations in annual abundance.
128

A Status Report
1950
1960
1970
1980
1990
1999
Kevin Herbinson
Southern California Edison Co.
Mary Larson
References
Bauer, R. T. and G.J. Holt. 1998. Simultaneous hermaphroditism in the marine shrimp Lysmata wurdemanni (Caridea: Hippolytidae): an undescribed sexual system in the
decapod Crustacea. Marine Biology 117: 129-143.
Chace, Jr., Fenner A. and D. P. Abbott, 1980. Caridea:
The Shrimps. In Intertidal Invertebrates of California (ed.
R.H. Morris, D.P. Abbott and E. C. Haderlie), pp. 567-576.
Stanford: Stanford University Press.
Feder,H.M., C.H. Turner, and C. Limbaugh. 1974. Observations on shes associated with kelp beds in southern California. Calif. Dept. of Fish and Game, Fish Bull. 160:1-138.
MacGinitie, G. E., and N. MacGinitie. 1968. Natural history
of marine animals. 2nd ed. New York: McGraw-Hill. 523
pp.
Ricketts, E.F., and J. Calvin. 1968. Between Pacic
Tides. 4th ed. Revised by J. W. Hedgepeth. Stanford,
Calif.:Stanford University Press. 614 pp.

December 2001
Coonstripe Shrimp
he commercial shery for coonstripe shrimp (Pandalus

danae) occurs off Crescent City, California primarily
in depths ranging from 23 to 28 fathoms. This species,
also known as dock shrimp, is often caught incidentally in
ocean shrimp trawl nets and Dungeness crab traps along
the northern California coast. Early efforts to develop a
targeted commercial trap shery were unsuccessful prior
to 1995. The rst signicant commercial landings of 2,488
pounds were made in 1995. The developing live market
and high price led to effort yielding 79,269 pounds in
1997. Landings dipped to 64,718 pounds in 1998 and then
climbed to 75,540 pounds in 1999. Two vessels pioneered
this shery in 1995, while effort through 1999 ranged from
eight to 20 vessels per year. The initial ex-vessel value in
1995 was $1.50 per pound. However, since this species was
destined for the live market, coonstripe shrimp quickly
rose in value, averaging over $4 per pound in 1998. Coonstripe shrimp ranked eighth in single species value for the
Crescent City port during 1997 and 1998. The ex-vessel
value rose again in 1999 to an average of $4.22 per pound
with some businesses paying as much as $7.50 per pound.
The coonstripe shrimp trap shery uses various trap congurations. The most common design is a rectangular
trap covered in 1 3/8-inch mesh shrimp trawl webbing,
with two circular openings. The traps are set in areas of
high currents, such as along Saint George Reef from May
through October. The traps are set in strings composed
of between 20 and 30 traps per string. Fishermen report
using 300 to 400 traps during the shing season. Many
types of bait are used including small pelagic sh such as
herring, sardine, and mackerel.
To participate in the commercial shery, a sherman
must be a registered commercial sherman, have a commercial vessel registration and a general trap permit. In
addition, a commercial coonstripe shrimp trapper must
comply with all trap regulations regarding size of traps,
destruct devices, marking the trap, and trap servicing.
Currently, there are no other management restrictions on
this shery.
The developing commercial shery led to an interest in a
sport shery for this resource since the shrimp are close
to shore and are caught in small, lightweight traps. The
sport shing daily bag and possession limit was increased
from 35 shrimp to 20 pounds per day in 1997. Data are
not available on sport harvest, but take is thought to
be minimal.

December 2001
oonstripe shrimp, called dock shrimp in Oregon,

Alaska and Canada, are red-brown shrimp and derive
the name coonstripe from the irregular, black-edged
brown or red striping found on the abdominal area. The
surface of the species is nely pitted and has 10 to 12
median dorsal spines. The rostrum is a little longer than
the carapace. They range from Sitka, Alaska to San Luis
Obispo Bay, California in 10 to 100 fathoms, and prefer
sand or gravel substrate in areas of strong tidal current.
Exploratory trap surveys conducted in northern California
yielded catches off Tolo Bank, False Cape, Patricks Point
and the Saint George Reef. Coonstripes have also been
found in trawl surveys ranging in depth from 11 to 100
fathoms off the Eel River, Table Bluff, Humboldt Bay, Mad
River, Trinidad Head, Big Lagoon, Patricks Point, Redding
Rock, Klamath River and Point Saint George. This species
is a protandrous hermaphodite - initially maturing as male
and then undergoing transition to female. Egg bearing
females may be found throughout the year, but gravid
females primarily occur from November to April. Average
fecundity is 1,140 eggs, and a progression of ve larval
stages occurs near the place of hatching. Research off
British Columbia, showed that metamorphosis takes place
by late June. Growth is rapid until October, when most
shrimp mature as males at an average size of 0.50-inch
carapace length (CL). Primary females, those maturing
directly as females, also may be found. Some shrimp
remain as males for another year and average 0.68 inch
CL. Shrimp that transition to females over the rst winter
average 0.71 inch CL. Second year females average 0.85
inch CL. All shrimp are females by the third year and probably do not survive into the fourth year. Off Crescent City,
count per pound for trap-caught females taken during the
1997 spring period ranges from 25 to 30 and males from 40
to 65. Large shrimp attain a length of ve inches.
Coonstripe Shrimp
Data are lacking on the specic food habits of coonstripe

shrimp, but most likely their diet is similar to that of
other shrimp, feeding on planktonic and small benthic
organisms. It is assumed that various species of sh
such as lingcod, rocksh, ounder, hagsh, sole, or whiting, which prey on other shrimp species, are major predators. Like spot prawns, coonstripe shrimp undergo an
onshore-offshore spawning migration pattern; however,
along-shore movement within their range is unknown.

A Status Report
129
Coonstripe Shrimp
Coonstripe Shrimp
Commercial Landings
1916-1999,
Coonstripe Shrimp
Commercial landing for
Coonstripe Shrimp were not
reported prior to 1996. Data
90
75
60
45
30
15
0
1916 1920
1930
1940
1960
1970
1980
1990
1999
References
Berkeley, A. A. 1930. The post-embryonic development of

the common pandalids of British Columbia. Contributions
Canadian Biology., N.S., 6(6): 79-163.
ue to the recent development of this shery, there is

too little shery dependent data to determine what
effect the commercial shery has had on the coonstripe
shrimp population or on the size composition of the population. To date there has been no shery-independent
estimates of population or structure.
Butler, T. H. 1964. Growth, reproduction, and distribution

of Pandalid shrimps in British Columbia. Journal of the
Fisheries Research Board of Canada. 21(6): 1403-1452.
Butler, T. H. 1980. Shrimps of the Pacic coast of Canada.

Canadian Bulletin of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences. No.
202.

Nelson, N. E. 1971. Cruise Report 71-S-2. Prawns. California Department of Fish and Game.
Ronald W. Warner and Mary Larson

130
1950

A Status Report
Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife. 1994. Developmental Fisheries Program. Staff Report: 40-42.

December 2001
Sea Cucumbers
T
wo species of sea cucumbers are shed in California

the California sea cucumber (Parastichopus californicus) also known as the giant red sea cucumber, and
the warty sea cucumber (P. parvimensis). The warty sea
cucumber is shed almost exclusively by divers. The California sea cucumber is caught principally by trawling in
southern California, but is targeted by divers in northern
California. Sea cucumber sheries have expanded worldwide, and on this coast there is a dive shery for warty
sea cucumbers in Baja California, Mexico, and dive sheries for California sea cucumbers in Washington, Oregon,
Alaska, and the coast of British Columbia, Canada.
The rst recorded commercial landings of sea cucumbers
in California were made in 1978 at Los Angeles area ports.
Divers shing sea cucumbers at Santa Catalina Island
were the rst to make landings, but they were soon
joined by trawl vessels. Annual landings remained under
100,000 pounds until 1982 when the principal shing area
shifted to the Santa Barbara Channel. In that year, 140,000
pounds were landed with an ex-vessel value of about
$25,000. Recorded landings uctuated between 52,350 to
160,000 pounds over the next eight years, and in 1991
reached more than 577,390 pounds. Through the rst 18
years of the shery, trawl landings composed an average
of 75 percent of the annual sea cucumber harvest. In
1996, combined trawl and dive sea cucumber landings
reached an all time high of 839,400 pounds with an exvessel value of $582,370. Between 1997 and 1999, sea
cucumbers landed by divers accounted for more than 80
percent of the combined dive and trawl landings. During
that time period, trawl effort declined substantially, due
primarily to court cases pursued by the department which
ruled that 16 trawl shermen had fraudulently obtained
their sea cucumber permits. Those shermen were subsequently excluded from the shery. Diver effort and landings, in contrast, increased markedly during those three
years, driven by both a 1997 moratorium of the abalone
shery, a sea urchin shery depressed by El Nio conditions, and a poor Japanese export market. Beginning in
1997, many commercial sea urchin or abalone divers, who
also held sea cucumber permits, targeted sea cucumbers
more heavily than before.
Most of the California and warty sea cucumber product is
shipped overseas to Hong Kong, Taiwan, China, and Korea.
Chinese markets within the United States also purchase a
portion of Californias sea cucumber catch. The majority
are boiled, dried, and salted before export, while lesser
quantities are marketed as a frozen, pickled, or live product. The processed sea cucumbers can sell wholesale for
up to $20 per pound. In Asia, sea cucumbers are claimed
to have a variety of benecial medicinal or health

December 2001
enhancing properties, including lowering high blood pressure, aiding proper digestive function, and curing impotency. Studies of the biomedical properties of various sea
cucumber chemical extracts, such as saponins, and chondroiton sulfates, are being conducted by western medical
researchers investigating the efcacy of these substances
for pharmaceutical products.
There is no signicant sport shery for sea cucumbers in
California. Few sport shermen have shown an interest in
sea cucumber as a food item, and sport shing regulations
forbid their take in nearshore areas in depths less than
20 feet.
Sea Cucumbers
A special permit to sh for sea cucumbers commercially

was required beginning with the 1992-1993 shing season.
Qualications for the permit were based upon meeting a
minimum 50 pound landing requirement during a four-year
window period. In 1997, legislation was enacted that
imposed a new regulatory regime on the sea cucumber
shery. The major regulatory changes included creating
separate permits for each gear type, and limiting the
number of permittees in the sea cucumber shery. The
maximum number of permits allocated was based on the
number of permits issued during the 1997-1998 permit
year, and the meeting of a minimum landing requirement.
There are currently 113 sea cucumber dive permittees
and 36 sea cucumber trawl permittees. A permit transfer
procedure and transfer fee of $200 was also initiated
by the 1997 legislation. Sea cucumber dive permits can
be transferred only to other dive shermen, while sea
cucumber trawl permits can be transferred to either trawl
or dive shermen.
California Sea Cucumber, Parastichopus californicus

Credit: DFG

A Status Report
131
Commercial Landings
1916-1999, Sea Cucumbers
1916-1999, Sea Cucumber
No commercial landings are
reported for sea cucumber
prior to 1978.
and commercial landing receipts
Sea Cucumbers
Sea Cucumbers
900
750
600
450
300
150
0
1916 1920
1930
1940
ea cucumbers are long, soft-bodied, marine invertebrates in the class Holothuroidea. They are related to
other organisms in the phylum Echinodermata such as sea
urchins and sea stars. Their skeleton has been reduced to
small calcarious pieces (ossicles) in the body wall, which
have distinct species-specic shapes.
The California sea cucumber reaches a maximum length
of 24 inches and is red, brown or yellow in color with
red-tipped papillae. The warty sea cucumber is 12 to 16
inches in length and chestnut brown with black-tipped
papillae on the ventral surface. Size however, is difcult
to determine, as sea cucumbers can contract, making
length measurements unreliable, and they can take up
water, rendering body weights unreliable.
The California sea cucumber is distributed from Baja
California to Alaska. The warty sea cucumber is distributed from Baja California to Monterey Bay, although it
is uncommon north of Pt. Conception. The California sea
cucumber is found from the low intertidal to 300 feet and
the warty sea cucumber from the low intertidal to 90 feet,
generally in areas with little water movement.
Sea cucumbers are epibenthic detritivores that feed on
organic detritus and small organisms within sediments
and muds. Buccal tentacles trap food particles using an
adhesive mucus. Sea cucumbers are non-selective with
respect to grain size and ingest only the top few millimeters of sediment. One study of warty sea cucumbers
around Santa Catalina Island found that those living on
rock rubble were 27 percent smaller and seven times more
numerous than those residing on sandy substrates. The
detritus on rock rubble was found to have three times
more organic material per gram compared to the detritus
from the sand substrate, and sea cucumbers on the sand
ingested eight times more sediment.
132

A Status Report
1950
1960
1970
1980
1990
1999
Sea cucumbers can reach moderately high densities and

are thought to be important agents of bioturbation. During
feeding and reworking of surface sediments, sea cucumbers can alter the structure of soft-bottom benthic communities. The California sea cucumber crawls an average
of 12 feet per day with no directional bias, presumably
due to the even distribution of detrital food. Tagging
studies are difcult since external tags are frequently
lost and internal tags can be shed through the body
wall. Sea cucumbers are also known to have a predator
escape response involving a rapid creeping or swimming
behavior propelling the sea cucumber away. Water can
also be taken up in the respiratory tree and then forcefully discharged. Predators include sea stars, various shes
such as kelp greenlings, sea otters and crabs. Comparatively few studies have been done with sea cucumbers,
and as recently as 1986, a new species, P. leukothele,
was described that is distributed from Pt. Conception,
California to British Columbia, Canada.
Sea cucumbers are broadcast spawners with fertilization
in the water column. Sea cucumbers have a distinctive
spawning posture, detaching from the substrate and forming an S shape to release their gametes up and away
from the benthic boundary layer. There are separate
sexes and the sex ratio is one to one. Individuals do not
form spawning aggregations. Spawning is partially synchronous with a portion of the population spawning simultaneously. Triggers for spawning are largely unknown, however spawning is thought to coincide with phytoplankton
blooms during sunny days in late spring and summer.
Oocytes are light orange in color and surrounded by a
jelly coat. After fertilization, the embryo hatches into
the gastrula (64 hours) and starts to swim. A feeding
auricularia larva develops 13 days after fertilization and
begins ingesting phytoplankton. Auricularia develop into
doliolaria larvae (37 days post-fertilization) losing up to
90 percent of its body volume and rearranging its ciliary
bands. The nal doliolaria larval stage metamorphoses

December 2001
Both species of sea cucumber undergo visceral atrophy

each year. During atrophy the gonad, circulatory system,
and respiratory tree are resorbed and reduced in size, and
the gut degenerates. Feeding and locomotion stop prior
to visceral atrophy, which occurs in the fall. Following
the resorption of the visceral tissue, the animal loses 25
percent of its body weight. The weight of the body wall
cycles during the year, being the lowest early in the
year and the highest in early fall, prior to the start of
visceral atrophy. Within two to four weeks regeneration
begins, starting with the gut tube, then the respiratory
tree and circulatory system, and nally the gonad regrows
branched tubules. Juveniles also undergo yearly visceral
atrophy; however, they do not have gonads at this stage.
In the fall, animals may spontaneously eviscerate internal
tissues if handled roughly, although this is not a common
occurrence.
an established reserve in northern California (Cabrillo

Reserve) at depths of 150 to 180 feet revealed densities
averaging around 1,000 per acre. By comparison, densities
at a newly established reserve (Punta Gorda Ecological
Reserve) were much lower, ranging from 120 to 350 per
acre. Only the large size classes were observed in these
surveys, suggesting low levels of recruitment.
Sea Cucumbers
(51 to 91 days post-fertilization) into newly settled pentactula. Pentactula have ve primary buccal tentacles,
and attach to the substrate using a single pedicle. In the
eld, juveniles recruit to a variety of substrates including
rock crevices, polychaete worm tubes, and lamentous
red algae. Growth is slow in sea cucumbers. Juveniles
become reproductively mature at four to eight years.

Laura Rogers-Bennett and David S. Ono
here is presently very little known about populations

of California and warty sea cucumbers in California.
The distribution of these species on rocky or sandy substrates is characterized as patchy, without any apparent
seasonal aggregating, spawning, or feeding behavior. Sea
cucumbers undergo sporadic recruitment, have a relatively high natural mortality, and are slow growing. Species with these life history traits tend to have a low
maximum yield per recruit and are particularly vulnerable
to overshing.
The Channel Islands National Park Service has been monitoring warty sea cucumbers at 16 sites in the northern
Channel Islands and Santa Barbara Island since 1982.
These shery-independent data show that populations
of warty sea cucumber are variable but have been declining at shed sites since 1990. Meanwhile, sea cucumber
catches from the dive shery have increased at some of
these sites. Recent analytical work comparing population
trends at shed sites to those of two small reserves where
shing is prohibited indicate that the population at shed
sites range from 50 to more than 80 percent lower than
at protected sites.
Fishery-independent sea cucumber density estimates have
also been made using underwater video technology. Preliminary observations of California sea cucumbers in

December 2001
Density of Warty Sea Cucumber, 1982 to 1999
Density of warty sea cucumber from 16 Channel Islands National Park sites
at five of the northern Channel Islands, San Miguel Island, Santa Rosa Island,
Santa Cruz Island, Ancapa Island, and Santa Barbara Island from 1982 to 1999.
Data Source: California Department of Fish and Game

A Status Report
133
Sea Cucumbers
Representative of spawning and development through settlement and metamorphasis of P. californicus. Development does not deviate significantly from
that expected for an aspidochirote holothurian with planktotrophic larvae.
Drawing not to scale.
References
Anonymous. 1983.Guide to the underutilized species of
California. Natl Mar. Fish. Serv. Admin. Rept. No. T-83-01.
P.24.
Cameron, J.L. and P.V. Fankboner. 1986. Reproductive
biology of the commercial sea cucumber Parastichopus
californicus (Stimpson) (Echinodermata: Holothuroidea).
2. Observations on the ecology of development, recruitment, and the juvenile life stage. J. Exp. Mar. Biol. Ecol.
127: 43-67.
Lambert, P. 1997. Sea cucumbers of British Columbia,
southeast Alaska and Puget Sound. University of British
Columbia Press. 166 p.
134

A Status Report
Mottet. M.G. 1976. The shery biology and market preparation of sea cucumbers. Wash. Dept. Fish. Shellsh Program, Tech. Rep. 22. 57 p.
Muse, B. 1998. Management of the British Columbia sea
cucumber shery. Alaska Commercial Fisheries Entry Commission, Alaska. 19 p.
Phillips, A.C. and J.A. Boutillier. 1998. Stock assessment
and quota options for the sea cucumber shery. In (eds).
Waddell, B.J. Gillespie, G.E. and Walthers, L.C. Invertebrate Working Papers reviewed by the Pacic Stock
Assessment Review Comm. (PSARC) Can. Tech. Rep. Fish.
Aquat. Sci./ Rapp. Tech. Can. Sci. 2215: 147-165.
Schroeter, S.C., D. Reed, D. Kushner., J. Estes, and
D.S. Ono. 2000. The use of marine reserves for shery
independent monitoring: a case study for the warty sea
cucumber, Parastichopus parvimensis. mss in prep.

December 2001
Pismo Clam
H
umans and other predators have utilized the Pismo

clam (Tivela stultorum) resource for thousands of
years. The Pismo clam has been found in 25,000-year-old
Pleistocene (ice age) deposits and in American Indian
kitchen middens 200 to 2,000 years old. Indians used
the clam for food and the shells for digging, scraping and
ornaments. The name Pismo is derived from the Indian
word pismu meaning tar. Natural deposits of tar are found
in the Pismo Beach area.
Records of the commercial harvest of Pismo clams began
in 1916, and were kept through 1947 when the commercial
shery in California was prohibited. During that period,
approximately 3,137 tons were commercially harvested.
The majority was harvested from the Pismo Beach and
Morro Bay areas, with a small percentage from Monterey
Bay. Annual landings ranged from a high of 332.8 tons
in 1918 to a low of 13 tons in 1945. The average annual
harvest was approximately 98,600 clams (average two
pounds each) with a high of 334,700. The clams were
purchased by restaurants, were sold whole and canned in
markets, and were used as bait and animal food.
The importation of Pismo clams from Baja California
occurred as early as 1919 and most likely continues to
this day. After 1962, clam imports from Mexico into the
United States have not been identied by species. From
1919 through 1962, 232 tons of Pismo clam, mostly canned,
were imported into the United States. In Baja California
Norte, from 1990 through 1999 Pismo clam landings ranged
from a low of 411 tons in 1994 to high of 1,025 tons in
1992, with a 10-year average of 434 tons. In Baja California
Sur, from 1978 through 1995 landings ranged from a low
of 1,213 tons in 1984 to high of 6,505 tons in 1981, with a
18-year average of 3,234 tons.
Recreational clamming is regulated by bag limit (10), a

minimum size (5.0 inches north of and 4.5 inches south of
the San Luis Obispo/Monterey county line), the immediate
measuring and reburial of sub-legal clams, and closed
seasons and areas. The objectives of these regulations
are to prevent the depletion of the clam population and to
maintain a population of sexually mature clams that have
a chance to spawn several times before being harvested.
Pismo Clam
Status of the Biological Knowledge
he Pismo clam shell is thick, heavy, and strong, and

the outside is smooth with ne concentric growth
lines. The inside of the shell is white and the outside
has a varnish-like periostracum, usually yellowish, tan or
greenish. Shells of individual clams vary considerably in
both color and pattern, ranging from pale beige to brown,
occasionally with brown radiating marks running from the
umbo to the margin on a light background.
The historic range of the Pismo clam is Half Moon Bay,
California to Socorro Island, Baja California Sur, Mexico,
including two of the Channel Islands (Santa Cruz and
Santa Rosa Islands). However, it has not been found at
Half Moon Bay for decades and its present range extends
northward only to Monterey Bay. It is found in the intertidal zone and offshore to 80 feet on relatively at,
sandy beaches of the open coast. Occasionally, it is also
found in entrance channels to bays, sloughs and estuaries.
Because of its short siphons, the Pismo clam generally
lives close to the surface of the sand and seldom burrows
deeper than six inches, but it has been found eight to
12 inches deep in southern California. The clam characteristically orients vertically with the hinge and excurrent
siphon toward the ocean, the mantle edge and incurrent
The usual method of collection by recreational clammers

is by using a four- to six-tined garden fork. During a low
tide the clammer selects a section of beach with exposed
wet sand or water of wading depth and probes in the sand
until encountering a clam. Another method is to shufe
ones bare feet along the bottom until a siphon or shell
is felt. Pismo clams can also be found by looking for
the half-inch-long tufts of the commensal hydroid (Clytia
bakeri) which attaches to the shell and is exposed above
the sandy surface. Divers search for the clams by probing
with a knife or looking for exposed shells, siphons, or tufts
of hydroids.
Pismo clams have a distinctive and excellent avor; they
are prepared as chowder, seafood cocktail, fried or eaten
raw. Pismo clams have been implicated in several human
fatalities involving Paralytic Shellsh Poisoning (PSP). It is
advised that only the white meat be consumed and that
all dark meat and digestive organs be discarded.

December 2001
Pismo Clam, Tivela stultorum

Credit: DFG

A Status Report
135
Pismo Clam
siphon toward the beach, and the ligament at the center

of the hinge oriented up. Burrowing is accomplished by
moving the foot rapidly to loosen the surrounding sand.
Then jets of water eject the loosened sand up along the
shell sides, and the weight of the clam and pull of the foot
together drag the clam down through the sand.
The age of Pismo clams has been determined by observation of marked individuals and by growth rings on the
shell. In California, a growth ring is generally formed
during the winter months when water temperatures are
cool and food abundance is relatively low. In Baja California, most clams form a growth ring during the AugustOctober period, although some may form a ring at any
time of the year.
The Pismo clam is about 0.009 inch at metamorphosis and
may grow to more than 7.3 inches in length. Growth is
continuous throughout the clams life, with the average
length increasing by approximately 0.84 inch per year for
the rst three years. Increases in shell length are greatest
in spring, summer and early fall. Growth of older clams is
slower. At age 10, the increase in shell length is usually
not more than 0.2 inch per year. A 4.5-inch clam may be
from ve to nine years old. At Pismo Beach, clams reach
4.5 inches between ages seven and eight.
In California, the largest Pismo clam reported was 7.32
inches long and estimated to be 23 years old. The oldest
Pismo clam was estimated to be 53 years old. In Baja California, the largest Pismo clam reported was 7.36 inches
long and estimated to be 26 years old. Several Pismo clams
from Baja have been aged to be 43 years old. The smallest
Pismo clam reported from the wild was 0.24 inch long.
In the majority of Pismo clams, the sexes are separate
with equal numbers of males and females. Fertilization
occurs externally when the male releases sperm and the
female releases eggs into the surrounding water. Pismo
clams are mature at one year in southern California and
two years in central and northern California. The smallest
known mature clam in southern California was 0.7 inch
and in northern California was 0.5 inch.
Spawning can occur anytime, but the majority spawn from
June to September. The number of eggs per female
increases with increased shell size and ranges from 10
to 20 million eggs per female, with an average of 15
million per ve-inch female. In laboratory-held clams,
egg numbers were roughly proportional to clam size. The
number of eggs ranged from as many as 4.7 million in a
2.9-inch female to 0.4 million in a 1.2-inch female. Eggs
range in diameter from 0.00296 to 0.00324 inch.
The larvae metamorphose, settle to the sandy bottom,
and attach themselves to the sand grains by means of
byssal threads. After several months, when the clam is
more able to maintain a position on the sandy bottom, the
136

A Status Report
byssal threads degenerate. In laboratory culturing experiments, fertilized eggs hatched into larvae in approximately 48 hours. Larvae 60 to 72 hours old displayed
the behavior of settling to the bottom and remaining
benthic or near-benthic throughout larval development. If
larval Pismo clams in nature also exhibit a benthic phase,
larval transport by nearshore currents may be limited.
Larvae larger than 0.009 inch and 22 to 50 days old have
completed metamorphosis, developed a foot, and buried
themselves in the sand. At day 120, post-larval clams
(0.048 inch) have the triangular appearance of an adult.
No byssal threads were observed on laboratory-cultured
post-larval Pismo clams.
Little is known of post-larval conditions in nature; however, in laboratory cultures post-larval growth was relatively slow, and survival generally poor. Although spawning probably occurs every year, it is not always measurably
successful. In some years, virtually no young-of-the-year
clams settle on beaches. Recruitment success appears
to be inuenced by oceanographic conditions (water temperature, currents), which in turn inuence phytoplankton
availability. Unfortunately, the necessary conditions for
optimum spawning success are not known.
The Pismo clam is a lter feeder. Water taken in through
the incurrent siphon passes over the gills, where food particles are removed. Food includes organic and inorganic
particles such as phytoplankton, bacteria, zooplankton,
eggs, sperm, and detritus from the disintegration of plants
and animals. The inhalant siphon has a very ne net of
delicately branched papillae across the opening, forming
a screen that excludes the entrance of large particles but
permits the intake of water and food particles. Despite
this elaborate system, half of the stomach contents is
sand. An actively feeding three-inch clam lters as much
as 15 gallons of water per day.
Pismo clams have many predators, including moon snails,
rock crabs, sharks, rays, some surf shes such as the California corbina in southern California, gulls, sea otters, and
humans. Otters were estimated to have eaten 520,000
to 700,000 Pismo clams in one year at Monterey Bay.
A single sea otter was observed to eat 24 clams in 2.5
hours. The extension of the sea otters range to Monterey
Bay in 1972, Morro Bay in 1973 and Pismo Beach in 1979
has precluded the recreational shery for Pismo clams in
those areas.
Parasites of the Pismo clam include a polychaete worm
that bores into the clamshell, and larval cestodes, which
have been found inside the clam as 0.15-inch diameter
yellowish-white cysts. The cestodes can impair the clams
sexual development but are not harmful to man if eaten.
Trematodes have been reported in some clam populations. A commensal hydroid is often found attached to the
external shell of the clam, and commensal pea crabs are

December 2001
ismo clam populations have been highly variable over

the years and from beach to beach. Settlement and
recruitment have also been highly variable from year to
year. The Department of Fish and Game rst examined
Pismo clam recruitment in 1919, and annual surveys have
been conducted from 1923 to 2000 to obtain information
on age, recruitment, year class strength, and exploitation
trends. Through 1948, only Pismo Beach was surveyed.
Since 1948, beaches in Morro Bay, Cayucos, Monterey
County, and from Santa Barbara County to San Diego
County were subsequently included.
Christine A. Pattison
During the storms of 1982-1983, Pismo clam populations

along southern California beaches were severely depleted,
resulting in limited recreational sheries after 1983. The
Pismo Beach clam populations had three successive strong
year classes (1986, 1987, and 1988), resulting in the largest
number of sublegal clams ever recorded from surveys on
Pismo Beach. Because of the exceptional recruitment in
the Pismo Beach area and low abundance in southern
California, 10,000 clams were transplanted from the Pismo
Beach area to Huntington State Beach in 1989. The rst
follow-up survey found only 142 clams, the second only 14
clams and three partial shells. Biologists are uncertain as
to the fate of the clams. At the same time, approximately
1,000 clams were transplanted within the Channel Island
National Park.
Herrington, W.C. 1930. The Pismo clam: further studies of

the life history and depletion. Calif. Div. Fish and Game,
Fish Bull. 18. 69 p.
Pismo Clam
occasionally found in the mantle cavity and feed on food

particles collected by the clams gills.
References
Coe, W.R. 1947. Nutrition, growth and sexuality of the
Pismo clam, Tivela stultorum. J. Exp. Zool. 104(1):1-24.
Coe, W.R. and J.E. Fitch. 1950. Population studies, local
growth rates and reproduction of the Pismo clam (Tivela
stultorum). J. Mar. Res. 9(3):188-210.
Searcy-Bernal, R. 1989. Periodicity of internal growth

ring deposition in the Pismo clam (Tivela stultorum)
from Playa San Ramon, B.C., Mexico. Ciencias Marinas
15(3):45-56.
McLachlan, A., J. E. Dugan, O. Defeo, A. D. Ansell, D.
M. Hubbard, E. Jarmill, and P. E. Penchaszadeh. 1996.
Beach Clam Fisheries. Oceanography and Marine Biology:
an Annual Review 34, 163-232.
Weymouth, F.W. 1923. The life-history and growth of the
Pismo clam (Tivela stultorum Mawe). Calif. Fish and Game
Commission, Fish Bull. 7. 120 p.
In 1990, abundance of young Pismo clams appeared to

be a widespread phenomenon along southern and central
California from San Diego to Pismo Beach. Densities were
documented at Ventura County and Pismo Beach of ve
clams per square foot (one- to three-year olds) and 26
clams per square foot (one- to six-year olds), respectively.
From 1990 to the present, recreational shing for Pismo
clams continues on a few southern California beaches.
From 1990 to 1993 a recreational shery occurred in the
Pismo Beach area for the rst time since 1982. During this
period, sea otters were foraging off shore and in other
areas. In 1992, sea otters were again observed foraging in
the Pismo Beach area and in 1993 the last take of a legal
size Pismo clam was reported there. Pismo clam surveys
in the Pismo Beach and Morro Bay areas from 1992 through
2000 indicated low levels of recruitment.
No population estimates have been made for the total
Pismo clam resource in California. Whether successful
recruitment will result in ongoing recreational sheries in
light of continuing human growth and the expansion of the
sea otters ranges is unclear.

December 2001

A Status Report
137
Sand Crab
he rst complete commercial catch records for sand

crabs (Emerita analoga) were collected in 1963, when
4,673 pounds were landed. By 1967, reported landings
totaled over 8,300 pounds of sand crabs worth $17,152
to shermen. Since 1977, catch records indicate a greatly
reduced utilization of sand crabs for bait; the annual
catch has ranged from zero to 96 pounds averaging only
22 pounds per year. This reduced catch should not be
interpreted as a reduction in the size of the sand crab
population. Sand crab populations are still robust, though
they uctuate annually depending on oceanic and climatic
conditions. Instead, the reduced catch is probably due
to reduced harvest effort and replacement of sand crabs
with other bait such as ghost shrimp, clams and mussels.
Sand crabs are collected in 30 to 36-inch wire mesh nets
by sport and commercial shermen. Mesh size varies from
0.25 to 0.50 inch. The shermen wade into the surf
and place the net on the bottom as a wave begins to
recede. The backwash carries the sand crabs into the net,
from which they are removed and placed in a container
held on a belt around the shermans waist. Usually only
soft shelled crabs (those that have molted recently) are
saved. Commercial shermen usually sell sand crabs by
the dozen. The size of sand crabs varies widely depending
on season and location where they are taken. Because of
this, the price per dozen may go up or down based on the
size of the crabs available. Demand for sand crabs is often
higher through the winter months because of weatherrelated shifts in shing effort from offshore species to
nearshore species. The demand is also increased when
bait stores sponsor perch shing contests. In winter, when
soft-shelled sand crabs are difcult to nd, hard-shelled
crabs are also sold. These are often sold by the gallon
(further complicating commercial catch landing records).
Based on recent catch records, there appears to be potential for expanding the current market for sand crabs
as bait.
he sand crab occurs from British Columbia to Magdalena Bay, Baja California. Although found on nearly all
open-coast sandy beaches, there are gaps in this range
where no sand crabs can be found.
When feeding, sand crabs burrow tail-rst into the sand
leaving only the tip of their heads and their large, feathery antennae protruding. The antennae are extended into
the backwash of a receding wave and strain food particles
from the water. Food particles are transferred to the
mouth by wiping the antennae through the mouthparts.
The extended antennae produce characteristic V-shaped
ripple marks on the beach that indicates the presence of
sand crabs.
Mating occurs mostly in spring and summer, but some
mating and egg-bearing females are seen year-round.
Females are larger than males, reaching 1.5 to two inches
in length; males seldom exceed 0.75 inch. A two-inch
female may produce as many as 30,000 eggs. The number
of eggs varies with the size of the animal as well as with
temperature and food availability. The eggs are carried on
the females abdomen (pleopods) until hatched. It takes
the young two to four months to pass through nine to
ten larval stages before they resemble adults. During their
various larval stages the young Emerita drift at the mercy
of the currents and may be carried for long distances.
Shifting currents, which carry the larvae off course, may
account for population uctuations on a given beach. In
southern California, the megalops larvae arrive on the
beach in the greatest numbers from April to July. Sand
crabs reproduce during their rst year of life in southern
California, and may not live more than two or three years.
Sand crabs that settle in sub-optimal habitat may not
survive their rst winter. Sand crabs in colder waters
might not reproduce in their rst year.
Shore birds, sea gulls, surf scoters, otters and other
marine mammals include sand crabs in their diet. In
addition, many sh eat sand crabs, including surf sh such
as corbina, yellown croaker, spotn croaker and barred
surfperch. For this reason, they make excellent bait for
sport sh, especially for shing from sandy beaches. They
also make good bait for shing from rocky shores or
breakwaters for opaleye.
Sand Crab, Emerita analoga

Credit: DFG
138

A Status Report

December 2001
Sand Crab
Sand Crab
1.2
1.0
0.8
0.6
0.4
0.2
0.0 1916
1920
1930
1940
1950
1960
1970
1980
1990
1999
Commercial Landings
1916-1999, Sand Crab
landing receipts. Landings data
not available prior to 1992.

he reported harvest in 1967 was 8,303 pounds or about

two million sand crabs. Most of the catch came from
about 20 miles of beach in the southern part of the
state. Southern California has more than 200 miles of
sandy beaches, and the total population of sand crabs,
while undetermined, is extensive. Since only the recently
molted, soft-shelled sand crabs are usually taken and the
hard-shelled crabs are returned, there is little danger
of overshing. A high market demand for hard-shelled
crabs, however, perhaps for purposes other than bait,
could result in a shery that would be detrimental to
the population. Though extensive in range, sand crabs are
vulnerable to capture because of their habit of forming
dense aggregations near piers and jetties, especially at
night. Although population sizes are not well known, and
the number of sand crabs on any given beach may uctuate from year to year, the resource appears to be in good
condition. Although sand crab commercial landings have
been low in recent years, casual observations indicate
that the population is as strong as it was in the 1960s.
There does not appear to be any reason why annual
harvests could not equal the 8,000 pounds that were
harvested in 1967 when no apparent detriment to the
population was detected.
Kevin Herbinson
Southern California Edison Company
Mary Larson
References
Cubit, J. 1969. Behavior and physical factors causing
migration and aggregation of the sand crab Emerita
analoga (Stimpson). Ecology 50:118-23.
Dillery, D. G., and L. V. Knapp. 1977. Longshore movements of the sand crab, Emerita analoga (Decapoda, Hippidae). Crustaceana 18:233-40.
Dugan, J. E. and D.M. Hubbard. 1996. Local variation in
populations of the sand crab, Emerita analoga (Stimpson)
on sandy beaches in southern California. Revista Chilena
de Historia Natural. 69:579-588.
Dugan, J. E., D. M. Hubbard and A. M. Wenner. 1994.
Geographic variation in life history in populations of the
sand crab, Emerita analoga (Stimpson), on the California
coast: relationships to environmental variables. J. Exp.
Mar. Biol. Ecol. 181: 255-278.
Dugan, J. E., D. M. Hubbard and A. M. Wenner. 1991.
Geographic variation in the reproductive biology of the
sand crab, Emerita analoga (Stimpson), on the California
coast. J. Exp. Mar. Biol. Ecol. 150: 63-81.
Fusaro, C. 1978. Growth rate of sand crabs, Emerita
analoga (Hippidae), in two different environments. Fish.
Bull. 76:369-75.

December 2001

A Status Report
139
Wavy Turban Snail

he California commercial shery for wavy turban snails

(Megastrea undosa) is a small emerging shery that
began in the early 1990s. Today, turban snails are of commercial value in southern California and Baja California,
Mexico. Although still in its infant stages with a small
number of participants and a limited market, this shery
has the potential for rapid growth in light of the snails
increased market value and the closure and decline of
other dive sheries. Archaeological evidence suggests that
native peoples shed wavy turban snails prior to European
and Asian settlement of California.
Wavy turban snails are harvested by divers, and the shing
gear is identical to gear used in the commercial shery
for red sea urchins. Participants in the shery are also
commercial sea urchin harvesters. Recorded landings of
this species began in 1992 with overseas markets for
the meat (foot) and the shell (made into buttons). Landings peaked in 1993 and crashed the following year with
the loss of market demand. Landings uctuated between
1995 and 1997 with the development of new markets and
peaked again at a higher level in 1998. The snail shery
is centered in the area off San Diego with most of the
landings coming from Point Loma.
Current market demand for the species is for the foot,
which is processed and sold to restaurants as an abalone-like product called wavalone. Other potential markets occur in Mexico, where a shery for this species
caracol panocha has existed for years. In Mexico, the
wavy turban snail shery produces a canned meat product. Future expansion of the California shery may rely on
export of snails to Mexico for the canned product market.
In California, the wavy turban snail shery has virtually no
regulations governing the harvest of the species. Fishery
participants need only a valid California commercial sh-
ing license to harvest these snails. The only regulations

that restrict harvesting are the commercial tidal invertebrate regulations that prohibit the harvest of any snail
species within 1,000 feet of the low tide mark on shore.
This regulation has prevented expansion of the shery
from the San Diego area to the Channel Islands where most
of the snail habitat occurs within this restricted zone.
ittle is known about the biology of the wavy turban

snail. Its classication is problematic, as there have not
been analyses of related genera worldwide. This results
in a question of whether Megastraea is proposed as a
full genus, as we have done here, or is recognized as
a subgenus of Astraea. A closely related species is M.
turbanica, which was rst discovered on the outer coast of
Baja California, Mexico.
This species of snail is one of the largest turbinid gastropods living in California waters. Shells reach six inches in
diameter and have heavy, sculptured, undulating ridges.
The base of the shell is at and the operculum is hard,
thick, oval, and uncurved, with well-dened rough ridges.
The shell is covered with a brous periostracum that gives
the shell a light brown or tan color. The periostracum is
often covered with coralline algae and other epiphytes.
Wavy turban snails are commonly found on rock substrate
from Point Conception, California to Isla Asuncion, Baja
California. They range in depths from the intertidal zone
down to over 250 feet.
The wavy turban snail is a herbivorous generalist and
individuals have been observed feeding on kelp and coralline algae. Predators of this snail are likely the sea
stars and the Kellets whelks based on demonstrated
escape responses in laboratory experiments. Other predators include octopuses, lobsters, and shes.
Wavy turban snails exhibit differential distribution in size
and density by depth, which may be correlated with physical (water motion) and biological (intraspecic competition, predation) processes. Smaller snails are found in
shallow areas with a high density of individuals, and larger
snails are found in deeper depths at lower densities. In
extreme shallow (less than 10 feet) and deep portions
of the depth range, snail densities are also very low. To
escape predation within kelp forests wavy turban snails
crawl or migrate up into the canopy of the giant kelp
plants each night. Large snails can be found in deep water.
For example, a six-inch diameter snail weighing 2.7 pounds
was recently collected from Farnsworth Bank, near Santa
Catalina Island, in 120 feet of water.
Wavy Turban Snail, Megastrea undosa

Credit: DFG
140

A Status Report
A growth study on a population of wavy turban snails

at Santa Catalina Island indicates that these snails are

December 2001
Wavy Turban Snail

60
50
40
30
20
10
0
1916 1920
1930
1940
1950
1960
slow growing. Growth rates in this study varied both by

snail size and density. As is typical for many marine
invertebrates, growth rates are higher for smaller sized
snails and progressively slower as size increases. Aside
from a slow growth rate, this study also reports sexual and
seasonal variations in growth. Two different growing periods during the year were identied, a low growth period
in the spring and summer months and a high growth period
in fall and winter. Sexual differences in growth rate were
observed with females growing more slowly than males.
Studies on reproduction conducted in Baja California suggest that reproductive activity is year-round with major
peaks in the spring and fall. Immature gonads were
observed in juveniles less than 2.2 inches in shell diameter. Fully mature gonads were observed in females with
shell diameter greater than 3.5 inches and males greater
than 3.1 inches. Histological examination of gonad samples
showed that the snails might spawn either completely,
partially, incompletely, or not at all. In shallow water,
partial spawners were more abundant than in deeper
water (60 feet). Complete spawners were dominant. Three
reproductive phases occur during the year. Gonad growth
and maturity take place during the spring and early
summer, followed by spawning in late summer. Somatic
growth occurs during the fall and winter. Recruitment of
new juveniles has been observed from January to April.
lmost nothing is known about the population densities

of wavy turban snails in California. Estimates of population abundance of wavy turban snails are made periodically by the Channel Islands National Park Kelp Forest
Monitoring Program each year. These shery-independent
surveys from the northern Channel Islands and Santa Barbara Island have been conducted since 1982. Density surveys indicate interesting temporal patterns in abundance
with abundance in 1998 and 1999 the greatest in the
time series.

December 2001
1970
1980
1990
1999
Commercial Landings
1916-1999,
Wavy Turban Snail
Prior to 1996, there was no specific
species code for wavy turban snail
landings on the DFG Commercial
Landing Receipts. Therefore, wavy
turban snail data for 1992-1996
were derived from commercial landing receipts that were recorded under
the miscellaneous sea snail and commercial dive gear codes. Data Source:
DFG Catch Bulletins and commercial
landing receipts.
Wavy Turban Snail
70
Ian Taniguchi and Laura Rogers-Bennett
References
Alfaro, A.C. and R.C. Carpenter. 1999. Physical and biological processes inuencing zonation patterns of a subtidal
population of the marine snail, Astraea (Lithopoma) undosa
Wood 1828. J. Exp. Mar. Biol. Ecol. 240(2): 259-283.
Bea, A.G. and W.F. Ponder 1979. A revision of the species of
Bolma Risso, 1826 (Gastropod: Turbinidae). Records of the
Australian Museum 32: 1-68.
Belmar Perez, J., S.A. Guzman del Proo, and I. Martinez
Morales. 1991. Gonadic maturity and reproductive cycle of
wavy turban snail (Astrea undosa Wood, 1828: Gastropoda:
Turbinidae) in Bahia Tortugas, Baja California Sur. Anales
del Instituto de Ciencias del Mar y Limnologia, Universidad
Nacional Autonoma de Mexico. 18: 169-187.
German, F. and G. Torres. 1996. Age and growth of Astraea
undosa Wood. in Baja California, Mexico. Bull. Mar. Sci.
59(3): 490-497
Halliday, E.B.B. 1991. The natural history and ecology of
Astraea undosa in a southern California kelp forest. M.S.
Thesis, University of California , Santa Cruz.
McLean, J.H. 1970. New Eastern Pacic Subgenera of Turbo
Linnaeus, 1758 and Astraea Rding, 1798. The Veliger
13:71-72.
Morris, R.H., D.P., Abbott, and E.C., Haderlie. 1980. Intertidal Invertebrates of California. Stanford University Press,
Stanford California.

A Status Report
141
Rock Scallop
urple-hinge rock scallops (Crassadoma gigantea,

referred to in earlier literature as Hinnites multirugosus) are very popular among sport divers and shore collectors in California, Mexico, and the Pacic Northwest.
The shellsh is prized for its avorful, almost sweet, meat
(adductor muscle). No commercial taking of rock scallops
has been allowed in California. The California Department
of Fish and Game (DFG) determined several decades ago
that these mollusks were patchy in distribution and commercial exploitation would endanger their survival. Thus,
rock scallops have remained in the domain of the noncommercial collector. Large numbers of rock scallops are
taken by collectors at low tides and by divers near shore
or aboard sport diving vessels in southern California.
It is difcult to estimate landings of rock scallops since
many are taken incidentally. However, records of the DFG
1978-1987 indicate an average of 928 were taken per year
by divers from commercial passenger sport diving boats
operating largely at the Channel Islands.
The scallops are usually pried from their attachment surfaces with an abalone iron. The large adductor muscle is
easily shucked from the opened shells and separated from
mantle and viscera. Divers often eat the scallops fresh
from the shell, either underwater or above! As part of
a research program at San Diego State University, rock
scallop adductor muscle samples were analyzed by a professional taste panel, compared to common brands of
commercial scallops. By almost all criteria, rock scallops
ranked superior to others.
he purple-hinge rock scallop is distinctive, typically

having an irregular oval outline, a rather rugose upper
free shell (left valve) and a tentacle-bearing mantle, usually orange or gray. The interior aspect of the hinge line
on both valves bears a zone of purple pigment. Adults
typically are rmly attached to the substratum, in contrast
to most other scallops that live free on sand or mud
bottom. After passing a free-living juvenile life, attachment is achieved by temporary byssal threads. Permanent
attachment occurs once the young scallop reaches a size
of about one-inch through deposition of shell material by
the right valve in conformity to the microrelief of the
substratum.
Throughout its range from Sitka, Alaska, to Magdalena
Bay, Baja California, Mexico, the rock scallop is generally
found from the lower intertidal to depths as great as 100
feet. Offshore reefs are typically populated, but concrete
pier pilings and jetty rock at entrances to bays in southern
California have become favored habitats. Commonly this
142

A Status Report
shellsh measures ve to six inches in shell diameter, but

occasionally individuals exceeding eight inches are found.
Sexes are separate although cases of hermaphroditism
have been reported. An increase in number of females
relative to males among larger adults has suggested protandry (functioning early as males, but later becoming
females). Other possible explanations for this nding
include differential growth rates and/or survival. southern
California rock scallops exhibit a bimodal annual reproductive cycle with spawning periods in late spring-early
summer and again in mid-fall.
Rock scallops are lter feeders deriving the bulk of their
nutrition from phytoplankton. Dinoagellates appear to
dominate the diet. Detritus may also be utilized as food.
Predation may limit numbers of rock scallops chiey due
to losses of early free-living and newly cemented juveniles
to sea stars and crabs, but adults enjoy a high degree of
immunity to such activity by virtue of their ability to close
sharp margined valves quickly. However, sea otters may
succeed in breaking the shells of adult rock scallops using
their favored tools, cobble stones.
An intensive study of the biology and aquaculture potential of the rock scallop was undertaken in the mid-1970s
by researchers at San Diego State University, supported
by the UC Sea Grant Program. Basic biological information
was gained concerning reproduction, culture, foods, and
environmental requirements. Under the most favorable
conditions, growth rate of juveniles and young adults held
in the sea in suspended culture exceeded two inches per
year. It was established that the rock scallop could be
reared from the microscopic egg to marketable size (four
to ve inches) in about two and a half years.
Rock scallops proved intolerant of salinity reduction
greater than 30 percent. Thus, the species is not found
in estuaries and bays where freshwater dilutes the saline
water to levels below 25 parts per thousand. In areas with
well-circulated oceanic water, adults proved amazingly
hardy; survival from juvenile to adult stages was usually
close to 100 percent.
For many years, oyster farmers at Point Reyes have reared
rock scallops in pens for sale at a local retail market.
Juveniles set naturally among the oysters under cultivation in Drakes Estero are recovered and placed in submerged mesh cages for rearing to a size of about ve
inches (about two years). These scallops are sold for about
$1 each. The adductor muscle in scallops of that size
weighs about a tenth of a pound. Rock scallop meats,
therefore, were valued (1982) at $10 per pound.
While rock scallops in southern California show two spawning peaks during the year, some northern populations
spawn only once a year. Year-round spawning can be
achieved in the hatchery. Larvae are reared through their

December 2001
Through experiments conducted at San Diego State University, it was found that metamorphosing young rock
scallops may be collected from the plankton using spat
collectors developed in Japan for the Japanese sea scallop. The spat collectors, onion bags packed with monolament gillnetting, are now known to be attractive to larvae
of many species of scallops, regardless of adult habitat.
As an alternative to production of young in a hatchery
system, the simple placement of spat collectors at intermediate depths in the ocean for several months time
is an economic advantage. Several aquaculture groups in
California, Washington state, and British Columbia, have
tested the concept of rock scallop spat collection. The
principal difculties encountered so far are coincident collection of pink and spiny scallops and in northern waters,
and kelp scallops in southern waters, making separations
tedious. Typically, a single spat collection bag, approximately one cubic foot, immersed at a depth of 20 feet for
two months, will yield between 100 and 500 juvenile scallops, perhaps 25 percent being rock scallops. Until commercial hatcheries are developed to produce substantial
numbers of juvenile stock available to growers at a few
cents each, the use of spat collectors seems a preferred
practice. In addition, commercial hatcheries in Washington state and Alaska have produced commercial quantities
of seed for their own use. The seed is available to other
shellsh growers for purchase at reasonable prices.
his shellsh is locally common, especially on offshore

reefs, but in no case is it numerous. Heaviest take of
rock scallops occurs at spots frequented by sport diving
vessels. Larger adults are becoming rare in these locations
and individuals as small as two inches are being taken
in large numbers. The present bag limit is 10, but rock
scallops may benet from some size, bag, and seasonal
limitation.
Rock Scallop
planktonic stages (about ve weeks) and fed unicellular

algae until settlement and the onset of metamorphosis.
Early juvenile stages at 1/16- to 1/8-inch cling to the
substrate by byssal threads. These anchoring laments
may be detached by the young scallop, allowing swimming
for brief periods and relocation if necessary. When the
juvenile scallop reaches one-half to one inch (about six
months), attachment becomes permanent through cementation. Usually rm substrates such as rock and shell are
preferred in nature. Specially formed plastic surfaces are
provided for cementation in aquaculture.

David L. Leighton
Marine Bioculture and Carlsbad Aquafarm
References
Leighton,D.L. 1991. Culture of Hinnites and related scallops on the Pacic American coast. Chapter 7 in: Estuarine
and Marine Bivalve Mollusk Culture. W. Menzel, Ed. CRC
Press, Boca Raton, Florida.
Leighton, D.L. and C.F. Phleger. 1981. The Suitability of
the Purple-hinge Rock Scallop for Marine Aquaculture.
Univ. Calif. Sea Grant Program, Technical Series. San Diego
State University, Center for Marine Studies, Contribution
No. 50.
MacDonald, B.A., and N.F. Bourne. 1989. Growth of the
purple-hinge rock scallop, Crassadoma gigantea Gray, 1825
under natural conditions and those associated with suspended culture. Jour. Shellsh Res. 8(1): 179-186.
Generally, rock scallops have not been subject to problems associated with pollutants. The adductor muscle is
usually all that is consumed. That tissue is not a storage
organ for metabolites or toxins. A single case of paralytic
shellsh poisoning was reported in 1980 during a red tide
off northern California. In this instance, which was fatal, a
diver consumed viscera in addition to the adductor muscle
from several scallops. This unique case is thought to have
been exacerbated by alcohol consumed by the victim at
the same time.

December 2001

A Status Report
143
Commercial Landings - Nearshore Invertebrates

144
Commercial Landings Nearshore Invertebrates

Black
Abalone
Pounds
Green
Abalone
Pounds
Pink
Abalone
Pounds
Red
Abalone
Pounds
White
Abalone
Pounds
Unidentified
Abalone
Pounds
All
Abalone1
Pounds
Purple Sea
Urchin
Pounds
Red Sea
Urchin
Pounds
1916
---1917
---1918
---1919
---1920
---1921
---1922
---1923
---1924
---1925
---1926
---1927
---1928
---1929
---1930
---1931
---1932
---1933
---1934
---1935
---1936
---1937
---1938
---1939
---1940
---1941
---1942
---1943
---1944
---1945
---1946
---1947
---1948
---1949
---1950
---1951
---1952
---1953
---1954
---1955
---1956
660
1957
1,950
1958
---1959
---1960
---1961
---1962
---1963
---1964
---1965
---1966
---1967
200
1968
700
1969
4,991
1970
15,327
1971 46,650
1972 1,014,892
1973 1,912,519
1974 1,145,396
1975 684,793
1976 356,951
1977 463,301
1978 420,045
1979 331,489
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------9,958
8,367
4,186
5,852
1,223
1,225
14,002
47,880
905
560
455
526
3,710
33,319
97,273
12,129
145,420
106,545
427,135
157,263
270,200
1,089,706
424,808
156,804
121,563
170,927
120,489
97,457
92,987
61,166
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------2,019,710
2,719,381
3,587,636
3,439,657
2,703,219
2,189,039
1,845,006
2,804,111
2,545,709
2,375,531
1,572,096
1,678,275
1,717,271
1,502,639
1,612,376
2,071,242
2,162,941
1,619,746
2,270,108
1,900,206
1,408,921
347,983
403,709
371,352
455,324
458,235
431,143
318,494
287,052
156,491
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------1,431,071
1,352,317
1,182,022
1,412,948
1,394,595
1,996,511
2,428,393
2,566,813
1,677,404
2,180,658
2,693,857
2,873,628
2,462,200
2,807,920
2,369,564
2,490,875
2,656,408
2,697,610
1,776,054
1,564,205
1,194,788
1,193,948
1,104,462
663,919
751,060
742,769
739,621
537,450
488,800
439,476
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------5,075
---1,337
---------438
---4,100
845
28,009
11,212
36,741
143,819
83,112
113,765
71,821
81,907
17,603
3,633
502
762,001
637,780
602,919
759,203
806,716
1,481,170
1,523,394
1,555,134
2,241,812
2,352,861
2,060,770
2,816,530
2,066,243
3,438,858
3,176,513
3,262,166
2,817,345
2,756,188
3,223,492
3,870,921
3,302,195
2,863,175
2,121,468
1,804,440
1,724,084
1,002,330
164,462
680,274
1,630,402
2,429,312
2,095,762
2,669,285
3,195,852
3,599,998
------------108
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
762,001
637,780
602,919
759,203
806,716
1,481,170
1,523,394
1,555,134
2,241,812
2,352,861
2,060,770
2,816,530
2,066,243
3,438,858
3,176,513
3,262,166
2,817,345
2,756,188
3,223,492
3,870,921
3,302,195
2,863,175
2,121,468
1,804,440
1,724,084
1,002,330
164,462
680,274
1,630,402
2,429,312
2,095,762
2,669,285
3,195,852
3,599,998
3,460,739
4,080,065
4,773,844
4,858,457
4,099,145
4,186,775
4,288,061
5,420,754
4,224,018
4,561,824
4,266,408
4,553,766
4,183,181
4,343,878
4,079,213
4,574,684
4,964,769
4,428,201
4,474,842
3,654,698
2,900,448
2,715,189
3,093,558
3,192,730
2,594,993
2,135,839
1,733,147
1,435,172
1,293,058
989,389
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------200
76,457
3,594,695
7,101,815
7,567,154
11,106,426
16,536,295
14,427,547
20,558,950
Year

A Status Report

December 2001
Black
Abalone
Pounds
Green
Abalone
Pounds
Pink
Abalone
Pounds
Red
Abalone
Pounds
White
Abalone
Pounds
Unidentified
Abalone
Pounds
1980 518,619
1981 521,007
1982 633,400
1983 484,366
1984 436,620
1985 359,898
1986 273,927
1987 311,666
1988 203,443
1989 228,955
1990
94,193
1991
27,220
1992
37,714
1993
2,031
1994
---1995
---1996
---1997
---1998
---1999
----
63,234
64,003
88,696
56,910
31,945
24,152
25,943
28,985
23,521
20,150
27,333
8,162
10,304
10,858
992
1,073
56
----------
139,267
94,257
86,282
67,239
57,495
68,914
51,872
31,631
19,025
22,554
23,268
12,883
18,229
19,933
15,575
16,398
4
----------
516,304
429,922
430,902
230,973
300,173
368,689
267,709
396,705
324,461
475,264
378,915
330,975
448,841
428,591
285,990
245,524
233,816
124,808
-------
1,071
162
907
482
498
1,655
1,228
2
2
22
17
3
------47
37
-------------
---112
256
55
1,156
1,015
6,048
1,550
75
775
217
2,812
------15
---138
----------
Year
All
Abalone1
Pounds
1,238,566
1,109,494
1,240,455
840,074
827,966
824,329
626,787
770,546
570,526
747,719
523,942
382,057
515,088
461,414
302,664
263,079
234,020
124,808
-------
Purple Sea
Urchin
Pounds
Red Sea
Urchin
Pounds
------------2,575
2,260
1,430
------1,500
89,633
388,000
316,134
165,032
137,613
79,802
55,701
122,004
14,068
29,797
22,167,108
26,433,986
19,441,151
17,756,472
14,978,869
19,998,191
34,134,025
46,061,653
51,987,994
51,188,502
45,269,659
41,938,120
32,366,557
26,852,646
23,770,707
22,260,967
20,066,110
18,020,774
10,554,835
14,173,288
- - - - Landings data not available.

1
2
3
Prior to 1949 commercial abalone landings consisted primarily of red abalone. Since identification of species landed was not required prior to 1950, the data presented here indicates
that the species was unidentified. The Commercial abalone fishery was closed after 1997.
Sheep Crab landings data recorded by DFG as Spider Crab
Prior to 1996 there was no specific species code for wavy turban snail landings on the DFG Commercial Landing Receipts. Therefore, wavy turban snail data for 1992-1996 was
derived from commercial landing receipts that were recorded under the miscellaneous sea snail and commercial diving gear codes.
Data was compiled from DFG Catch Bulletins and DFG Commercial Landing Receipt data.

December 2001

A Status Report
Commercial Landings Nearshore Invertebrates, contd
145

146

Sea
Cucumber
Year
Pounds
1916
1917
1918
1919
1920
1921
1922
1923
1924
1925
1926
1927
1928
1929
1930
1931
1932
1933
1934
1935
1936
1937
1938
1939
1940
1941
1942
1943
1944
1945
1946
1947
1948
1949
1950
1951
1952
1953
1954
1955
1956
1957
1958
1959
1960
1961
1962
1963
1964
1965
1966
1967
1968
1969
1970
1971
1972
1973
1974
1975
1976
1977
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Dungeness
Crab
Pounds
Rock
Crab
Pounds
Sand
Crab
Pounds
Spider
Crab 2
Pounds
Spiny
Lobster
Pounds
Coonstripe
Shrimp
Pounds
Ocean
Shrimp
Pounds
Red Rock
Shrimp
Pounds
1,296,912
2,580,840
1,619,280
1,304,904
1,220,568
800,952
860,328
1,075,800
1,506,816
3,234,312
3,296,280
2,960,712
3,574,464
1,792,776
1,992,384
2,231,384
2,433,987
3,208,494
3,768,081
3,680,188
2,311,802
1,627,753
3,873,600
5,953,361
5,151,014
4,260,340
2,414,110
2,315,338
2,934,776
4,334,383
9,624,368
10,733,398
11,892,891
11,115,476
11,704,648
11,568,353
12,997,451
8,278,519
7,829,651
6,119,320
14,320,549
19,118,484
17,282,766
17,262,261
14,876,148
11,711,327
3,222,580
1,951,461
1,815,363
4,803,906
12,376,390
11,716,488
16,015,581
7,938,996
15,413,589
9,662,265
1,563,006
1,022,873
685,000
3,934,663
15,726,774
33,647,863
------------------------------------270
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------1,032
---------52
----------
250,632
355,259
195,750
256,894
247,156
334,271
376,310
384,381
294,356
432,059
442,198
508,123
355,800
396,764
374,450
383,697
319,307
380,014
366,651
371,661
414,183
393,242
308,378
376,928
281,102
357,334
168,641
298,377
512,490
478,619
690,272
593,401
563,520
834,658
933,449
824,611
807,070
749,245
901,293
855,416
735,869
647,281
632,618
505,947
351,032
412,453
515,816
584,192
446,655
480,325
489,088
449,874
312,483
309,472
225,399
224,486
398,217
233,179
190,950
201,412
292,534
251,568
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------205,485
287,410
296,797
838,656
1,168,519
1,376,641
1,728,680
1,785,228
2,026,787
2,002,709
1,782,955
2,093,063
1,100,147
1,422,364
1,190,197
1,412,513
2,274,770
2,947,563
4,047,589
3,080,583
2,489,970
1,239,976
2,387,366
4,998,369
3,500,788
15,871,332
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
12
56
145
14,818
24,570
12,817
16,202
1,710
3,847
3,984
3,460
2,645
80
---540
12,188
11,600
15,244
20,938
18,636
20,007
22,592
16,977
49,300
39,058
54,051
59,171
151,131
166,962
129,534
120,903
151,782
200,304
240,611
263,885
328,686
330,843
324,386
351,657
504,076
539,579
542,732
843,530
955,788
864,033
1,201,867
1,227,766
1,083,015

A Status Report

December 2001
Sea
Cucumber
Year
Pounds
Dungeness
Crab
Pounds
Rock
Crab
Pounds
Sand
Crab
Pounds
Spider
Crab 2
Pounds
Spiny
Lobster
Pounds
Coonstripe
Shrimp
Pounds
Ocean
Shrimp
Pounds
Red Rock
Shrimp
Pounds
1978
1979
1980
1981
1982
1983
1984
1985
1986
1987
1988
1989
1990
1991
1992
1993
1994
1995
1996
1997
1998
1999
9,362,197
12,978,505
15,934,778
10,435,441
6,973,679
5,301,828
5,340,088
6,210,272
7,758,277
6,857,118
11,297,300
5,717,145
10,367,719
4,246,029
8,327,150
11,958,039
13,491,363
9,236,191
12,331,365
9,908,520
10,692,760
8,713,702
956,874
953,590
1,083,957
1,375,227
1,277,872
1,397,109
1,676,298
1,739,835
2,097,408
1,567,138
1,237,934
1,302,687
1,784,135
1,594,010
1,468,309
1,287,378
1,002,397
935,535
1,040,812
1,181,159
1,234,160
790,437
------------------------------------------57
1,072
127
51
4
216
3
65
1,919
14,402
9,869
10,914
16,495
47,108
56,338
41,777
34,678
99,556
107,609
70,066
93,451
99,269
89,871
71,173
67,290
59,427
58,852
95,801
99,797
68,621
560,986
419,529
416,249
478,863
524,710
525,087
444,998
447,848
488,804
449,778
610,859
742,571
705,341
589,240
585,556
554,438
470,144
616,382
668,453
915,272
735,703
493,201
------------------------------------------------------10,142
79,173
64,718
75,540
13,887,379
5,182,703
3,868,214
4,164,495
4,543,806
1,132,742
1,628,992
3,381,117
6,757,818
8,023,390
11,236,298
13,351,218
8,700,916
10,364,782
18,682,775
7,126,933
11,225,390
5,784,944
9,351,086
13,983,357
1,843,246
4,241,744
---------------------------------------------2,564
27
186
94
12
63
308
8,780
69,438
23,060
---139,487
163,495
52,354
---77,967
107,678
159,106
160,011
147,284
581,974
549,191
646,210
646,926
589,888
839,382
452,640
770,679
600,875

1
2
3
Prior to 1949 commercial abalone landings consisted primarily of red abalone. Since identification of species landed was not required prior to 1950, the data presented here indicates
that the species was unidentified. The Commercial abalone fishery was closed after 1997.
Prior to 1996 there was no specific species code for wavy turban snail landings on the DFG Commercial Landing Receipts. Therefore, wavy turban snail data for 1992-1996 was
derived from commercial landing receipts that were recorded under the miscellaneous sea snail and commercial diving gear codes.

December 2001

A Status Report
147

148

Ridgeback
Prawn
Year
Pounds
1916
1917
1918
1919
1920
1921
1922
1923
1924
1925
1926
1927
1928
1929
1930
1931
1932
1933
1934
1935
1936
1937
1938
1939
1940
1941
1942
1943
1944
1945
1946
1947
1948
1949
1950
1951
1952
1953
1954
1955
1956
1957
1958
1959
1960
1961
1962
1963
1964
1965
1966
1967
1968
1969
1970
1971
1972
1973
1974
1975
1976
1977
1978
1979
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------4,015
28,522
3,130
2,972
45,716
356,715
Spot
Prawn
Pounds
---------------1,006
------------------------8,736
4,114
982
798
910
2,351
1,861
3041
3,285
4,271
2,361
5,357
---43
---1,452
5,175
1,687
2,771
3,952
5,790
2,694
3,016
2,723
2,695
1,182
1,233
767
911
---147
---694
8,445
5,775
697
3,575
2,590
7,239
5,073
22,259
11,773
20,970
24,384
218,167
173,498
112,069
53,838
67,547
83,778
Wavy
Turban Snail 3
Pounds
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ridgeback
Prawn
Year
Pounds
Spot
Prawn
Pounds
Wavy
Turban Snail 3
Pounds
1980 281,661
1981 192,637
1982 129,402
1983 153,779
1984 589,998
1985 896,816
1986 670,573
1987 241,872
1988 142,694
1989 165,527
1990 90,842
1991 128,732
1992
75,757
1993 80,532
1994 162,761
1995 414,660
1996 574,724
1997 387,549
1998 435,837
1999 1,392,370
213,826
370,536
302,268
109,096
50,464
63,941
102,486
88,535
166,670
189,878
317,655
311,431
225,441
347,792
444,354
394,986
527,581
761,605
787,857
613,129
------------------------------------324
17,777
1
4,640
1,571
2,414
65,605
24,276

1
2
3
Prior to 1949 commercial abalone landings consisted primarily of red abalone. Since
identification of species landed was not required prior to 1950, the data presented
here indicates that the species was unidentified. The Commercial abalone fishery was
closed after 1997.
Prior to 1996 there was no specific species code for wavy turban snail landings
on the DFG Commercial Landing Receipts. Therefore, wavy turban snail data for
1992-1996 was derived from commercial landing receipts that were recorded under
the miscellaneous sea snail and commercial diving gear codes.
----------------------

A Status Report

December 2001
bout 450 species of nsh occupy Californias nearshore ecosystem within the limits of the continental
shelf. The 60 plus species addressed in this chapter exhibit
a wide range of distribution, habitat preferences, movement patterns, reproductive characteristics, age, and
growth. Their contributions to the sheries of California
are varied as well. As a group these sh inhabit all available nearshore habitats (e.g., kelp forests, rocky intertidal, sandy bottom, open water) in the nearshore ecosystem at some stage in their life-cycle.
The kinds and distributions of sh occupying the nearshore

ecosystem off California are inuenced by several environmental factors, water temperature being perhaps the
most important. Californias lengthy coastline spans nearly
10 degrees of latitude resulting in waters varying from
cool-temperate in the north to warm-temperate in the
south. Warmer waters off southern California and Baja
California, Mexico, support several game sh and other
locally important sh that are found infrequently if at all,
north of Point Arguello, the northern reach of the Southern California Bight. By contrast, species common north
of Point Arguello may nd preferred water temperatures
to the south by moving deeper in the water column. In
addition, seasonal, annual, and decadal changes in water
temperature (e.g., El Nio) result in northerly movements
of sh that might otherwise be found mostly off Baja California, or southern California. Besides water temperature,
habitat preferences and general ecological requirements
control distributions.
Nineteen species, mostly rocksh, have been included
in the Nearshore Fisheries Management Plan required by
the Marine Life Management Act of 1998. These species
occur coast-wide, but some are rarely seen in southern
California (e.g., quillback, China and black rockshes, kelp
greenling and monkeyface prickleback), while others are
rare north of Point Conception (e.g., California sheephead,
California scorpionsh, calico rocksh and treesh). Collectively, these species are relatively long-lived, slowgrowing sh that take several years to reach maturity
and spawn. Most of the species were seldom harvested
commercially until the development of the live-sh shery
during the early 1990s. No estimates of abundance exist
on a coast-wide basis for any of the species. Managers,
shermen, and scientists are all concerned about the sustainability of the shery. These concerns have resulted in
the imposition of several recent management measures to
balance harvests with available resources, reduce sportcommercial conicts, and stabilize the nearshore shery
pending completion of a more comprehensive Nearshore

December 2001
Fishery Management Plan. The status of most nearshore

shes is still uncertain, and it is expected to take time
to determine the effects of current management of
individual stocks.
Non-rocksh species have differing afnities (generally
dened by their adult behavior) to the nearshore ecosystem habitats. They include the open-water, coastalmigratory species (e.g., yellowtail, California barracuda,
white seabass, and Pacic bonito); the nearshore sandybottom dwellers (e.g., California halibut, sanddabs, starry
ounder, Pacic angel shark, skates and rays); kelp and/or
rocky reef inhabitants (e.g., kelp bass, giant sea bass,
lingcod, opaleye and halfmoon); and those that spend
most of their lives in or near the surf-zone (e.g., California
corbina, surfperches, grunion, and the croakers). Most of
these species are commercially harvested, but a few have
been designated for sport sh use only (e.g., kelp bass,
barred sand bass, spotted sand bass, California corbina,
and spot and yellown croakers). Giant sea bass has been
managed under a moratorium on both commercial and
recreation take since 1982. While very little has been
done to assess the population size of most of these species, catch and landing trends can often be used to
gauge the health of the resource. For example, California
halibut catches have been remarkably stable over the last
two decades, and, while both lingcod and Pacic bonito
catches show precipitous declines in landings, California
barracuda sport sh catches have increased to the levels
of the 1950s. However, the status of most is uncertain.
This uncertainty stems from a lack of historic and current
sheries data useful in stock assessments, absence of
life history and recruitment data, as well as insufcient
understanding of habitat relationships and requirements,
and the probable effects of habitat alterations (including
pollution) on stocks.
Nearshore Ecosystem
Fish Resources:
Overview
Commercial sheries for these species utilize a variety of

gear, which has been made more efcient over the past
century through the introduction of modern net, line, and
Surf
Credit: Darrel Deuel
Californias Marine Living Resources:

A Status Report
149
trap materials, modied shing techniques and strategies,

improved deck machinery and hydraulics, and advances in
sh nding electronics. Some gear determined to be too
effective or not sufciently selective has been prohibited.
Historically and currently used commercial gear includes
ve general types as follows: 1) traps; 2) hook-and-line;
3) gill and trammel nets; 4) trawl nets; and 5) round
haul nets.
Traps: The nsh trap is a relative newcomer to nearshore
commercial sheries. During the late 1980s, nsh traps
were introduced into nearshore waters off southern California for taking several shallow-water species (including
California sheephead, cabezon, kelp and rock greenling,
California scorpionsh, several species of rocksh, and
moray eel). The nsh trap shery has since expanded in
number of participants and number of species harvested,
and has progressed northward to nearshore waters off
central and northern California. Traps accounted for about
seven percent of the statewide live/premium sh landings
during 1999. The nsh trap shery off southern California
has operated under a nsh trap permit as a limited entry
shery since 1996. North of Point Arguello a nsh trap
permit is not required, but a recent moratorium on issuing
general trap permits restricts entry pending evaluation of
comprehensive limited access measures.
Hook-and-Line: A variety of commercial hook-and-line
gear (vertical and horizontal setlines, troll lines, rod and
reel, and stick gear) is employed to take a variety of
nsh in the nearshore ecosystem. Of most immediate
interest (and concern) is the live sh hook-and-line shery
that employs primarily rod-and-reel and stick or pipe
gear. In general, this gear is used to harvest the same species of live/premium sh as nsh traps and is conducted
under the same nearshore shery permit. Seventy percent
of the statewide live/premium sh landings were caught
on hook-and-line gear. The number of nearshore hook-andline shery participants increased during the past decade,
with about 1,130 permits issued during 1999. This number
is expected to remain stable with recent adoption of the
moratorium on new permits. Commercial vessels using
shing lines within one mile of the mainland shore are
limited to a maximum of 150 hooks per vessel and 15
hooks per line. These restrictions were enacted in 1995
to address initial concerns for the rapidly expanding commercial hook-and-line shery that included some vessels
employing thousands of hooks. Other hook-and-line gear
include troll lines used to harvest California halibut in
the San Francisco Bay area and rod-and-reel used to take
redtail surfperch in northern California.
Gill and Trammel Nets: The use of gill and trammel nets to
harvest rocksh, California halibut, white seabass, California barracuda, soupn shark, angel shark, white croaker,
and other nearshore species, increased during the 1960s
150

A Status Report
and peaked during the 1980s (1,122 General Gill and Trammel Net Permits issued during 1985). However, these nets
have since been largely restricted to deeper waters from
one to ten miles offshore, and prohibited in the inshore
rocksh shery. They are also prohibited north of Point
Reyes, Marin County. Restrictions on the use of this gear
were enacted to address problems with accidental entanglement and drowning of seabirds and marine mammals
and to address sport-commercial shery allocation conicts. Gill and trammel net use in the nearshore ecosystem has declined since the mid-1980s (presently about 220
permits issued annually), but the gear is still used to varying degrees to take lingcod, white seabass, California barracuda, California halibut, and rocksh in waters seaward
of areas closed to its use. California halibut and rocksh
taken in gill and trammel nets have increasingly appeared
in the live/premium sh shery, while nets (trawl and gill
and trammel nets) accounted for about 23 percent of 1999
landings of live/premium sh. Restrictions on the use of
gill and trammel nets include minimum mesh sizes for
several species, limits on the length of net that may be
shed for various species, and several depth closures.
Trawl nets: Early commercial trawls such as paranzella
and beam trawls have been largely replaced by otter
trawls used to take bottom and midwater shes including
rocksh, lingcod, California halibut, and other atshes.
Trawl nets are presently authorized for use to take
nsh three or more nautical miles offshore, and to
take California halibut in the halibut trawl grounds off
southern California. Restrictions on trawl nets include
minimum cod-end mesh sizes to enable the release of
sub-adult shes.
Round Haul Nets: Round haul gear (purse seine and lampara) used during the 1920s to harvest millions of pounds
of white seabass, barracuda, and yellowtail is now prohibited for these species. Presently, smaller scale round haul
gear in the form of lampara and drum seines (bait nets)
is used to take white croaker, perch, and bait species that
include smelt, white croaker, and queensh, but this take
is relatively small.
Early recreational shing during the late1800s off California targeted giant sea bass, tuna, white seabass, and
yellowtail using handlines and early rod-and-reel shing
gear from private or chartered craft. During the 1920s and
1930s, early commercial passenger shing vessels (CPFV)
began to carry anglers to nearby popular shing grounds,
enabling catches of game shes that were not as readily
available to those shing from shing barges, piers, jetties, and beaches. Following World War II, the number
of CPFV increased dramatically to serve a public eager
to go shing. In southern California, the CPFV shery
expanded during the 1960s into winter shing for rocksh
and lingcod to make year-round what had been a spring-

December 2001
through-fall shery. Also, improved rod-and-reel shing

equipment, the introduction of skin and SCUBA diving
equipment, and accelerated private boat ownership beginning in the 1950s helped to increase the recreational
take of sh during the latter half of the 1900s. By the
1950s, ocean sport shing was becoming a recognized
factor in the potential over-harvest of some species, and
regulations affecting the take of popular nearshore shes
were promulgated along with commercial restrictions to
maintain stocks of shes in the nearshore ecosystem.
Other hook-and-line gear types include handlines that still
are seen occasionally on piers, and the poke pole used
in intertidal areas along the north coast to capture cabezon, greenling, and an occasional shallow water rocksh
or prickleback. Most commercial forms of nets and traps
are prohibited for sport use. However, baited hoop nets
are permitted for taking certain species, and beach nets
may be used to take surf smelt north of Point Conception.
Spears, harpoons, and bow-and-arrow shing tackle may
be used to take all varieties of skates, rays, and sharks
(except white shark) and grunion may be taken only by
hand. Recreational divers operating from shore or from
vessels use spearshing equipment with or without aid
of SCUBA gear. Anglers seeking game sh generally use
live bait when available (anchovy, sardine, squid, and
small croakers), but are often equally effective with the
extensive arsenal of articial lures available ranging from
shrimp ies to one-pound or greater hexagon steel bars
tipped with a single or treble hook (often used for lingcod). A variety of sand worms, sand crabs, mussels and
squid are favored bait for shore shing while squid is the
standard for most rockshes.
The outlook for sustaining healthy nearshore sh stocks
and sheries has generally improved in the eyes of managers with enactment of Californias recent landmark legislation, the Marine Life Management Act of 1998. Fishery
management plans for nearshore sh and white seabass
should be close to adoption by the California Fish and
Game Commission as this report nears publication date.
The draft master plan, which is also a required by MLMA,
calls for additional FMPs to be developed for California
halibut, skates and rays, surfperches, kelp bass and barred
sand bass.
Don Schultze

December 2001

A Status Report
151
154

A Status Report

December 2001
California Sheephead
A
lthough the commercial catch of California sheephead

(Semicossyphus pulcher) dates back to the late 1800s,
a renewed interest in this shery has developed only
recently. Today, it is exploited by sport divers, anglers,
and especially by a growing live sh commercial industry.
In the late 1800s, Chinese shermen took large quantities
of sheephead for drying and salting. Since that time,
except for brief periods, sheephead was not a targeted
species until the 1980s. In the recently developed live sh
shery, the sh are trapped and taken live to supply Asian
seafood restaurants. Because small sh, usually females,
are easier to keep alive in small aquaria, prereproductive
individuals have often been taken. A recent minimal size
limit of 12 inches should reduce this possibility.
The largest commercial catches of California sheephead
were from 1927 to 1931, peaking in 1928 at more than
370,000 pounds. During and shortly after World War II
(1943-1947), the sheephead catch increased from 50,000
to 267,00 pounds, probably because of easy availability
close to port. Since the 1940s and until the late 1980s, the
average annual landing has been about 10,000 pounds and
the price of this catch was under $0.10 per pound. During
the 1980s, the price and catch increased slightly until the
live sh market began in the late 1980s. The price of live
sh has reached as high as $9 per pound. Between 1989
and 1990, the catch quadrupled and reached a peak in
1997 of 366,000 pounds and a market value of $840,176.
During 1994 to 1999, the live catch varied between 87.8
percent and 73.7 percent of the total sheephead landings.
The catch has decreased from 1997 to 1999, but the
market value has remained high.
The estimated recreational catch of sheephead between
1983 and 1986 averaged 312,400 pounds with a maximum
estimate of 448,800 pounds for 1986. Commercial passenger shing vessel data from 1947 to 1998 indicate an
average take of 28,030 sh per year with a maximum in
1983 of about 69,000 sh. Using an average weight of two
pounds per sh (a low estimate) the sport catch, except in
the cited maximal periods, often exceeds the commercial
catch. During the 1930s, sheephead were considered junk
sh by most recreational anglers and were not kept
because of their soft esh. However, the large size, ne
avor, and use as a lobster substitute in salads and other
recipes has more recently made them a preferred and
even targeted species by anglers and divers.
family Labridae. All have protruding canine-like jaw teeth

and large cycloid scales. The sheephead is easily distinguished from the others by its color pattern, greater
body depth, and large size. Males have a black head and
tail separated by a reddish middle section. The chin is
white in both sexes but females are uniformly pinkish.
Young-of-the-year are bright reddish orange with a lateral
longitudinal white stripe and large black spots at the
rear of the dorsal n and upper caudal. Although the
sheephead ranges from Monterey Bay, California to the
Gulf of California, it is not common north of Point Conception. It is a protogynous hermaphrodite, beginning life
as a female with older, larger females developing into
secondary males. Female sexual maturity may occur in
three to six years and shes may remain female for up
to fteen years. Timing of the transformation to males
involves population sex ratio as well as size of available
males and sometimes does not occur at all.
Males have been aged at around 50 years, and can achieve

a length of three feet and a weight exceeding 36 pounds.
As growth rates are higher and mortality lower at the
northern end of the range, the sexual transformation
occurs later there and the males are larger. Batch spawning occurs between July and September, and estimates
of yolky oocytes present in the ovary vary from 36,000
to 296,000 for sh from eight to 15 inches. Larval drift
ranges from 34 to 78 days with two settlement patterns.
Most larvae settle at about 37 days, but some slow their
growth at this time and may continue as pelagic larvae
for another month. Settlement size remains between 0.5
and 0.6 inches. The sheephead has a broad diet with
crabs, barnacles, mollusks, urchins, polychaetes and even
bryozoa occasionally dominant. There appears to be no
evidence of its preference for abalone and lobster as cited
in earlier literature. Because of its large size of adult
males, there are few known predators. The sheephead is a
rocky reef, kelp bed species found to depths of 280 feet.
Adults are usually solitary, but sometimes are seen in large
schools, perhaps associated with spawning aggregations.
he California sheephead and two other common Southern California species, the rock wrasse and the senorita are members of the mostly tropical, worldwide wrasse

December 2001
California Sheephead (male), Semicossyphus pulcher

L.Sinclair
Miller & Lea

A Status Report
155
Commercial Landings
1916-1999,
landing receipts.
400
350
300
250
200
150
100
50
0
1916 1920
1930
1940
They are considered resident species and no systematic

movements have been described.
1950
1960
1970
1980
1990
1999
here has been no ongoing analysis of the status of

the California sheephead. Long-term studies at two
localities in southern California, Palos Verdes Point and
the King Harbor breakwater, have shown that the species
was not abundant in the cool period of the early 1970s.
The population increased at both sites with the onset
of the little El Nio of 1977-1978. At King Harbor, the
population peaked in 1978, decreased through the end of
the great El Nio of 1982-1983, and remained low until
the early 1990s when it again reached a large size (1994
and 1998). With the exception of 1982-1983 El Nio, the
population seems to increase during El Nio conditions
and this is reected in increased recruitment. At Palos
Verdes, the population peaked in 1981, then declined until
1983, but has remained relatively stable since. At maximum, the density of sheephead at the Palos Verdes kelp
bed was three times that of the King Harbor breakwater.
There is no evidence from these very limited data that the
population is threatened by existing shery practices. The
projected decrease in landings during 1999 may reect
the imposition of a minimum size limit.
John Stephens
Occidental College-retired
References
Cowen, R.K. 1991. Variation in planktonic larval stage
duration of Semicossyphus pulcher. Mar. Ecol. Prog. Series
69, 1-2:9-15.
Cowen, R.K. 1990. Sex change and life history patterns of
the labrid Semicossyphus pulcher across an environmental
gradient. Copeia 1990(3):781-795.
Cowen, R.K. 1985. Large scale patterns of recruitment
by the labrid Semicossyphus pulcher; causes and implications. J. Mar. Res. 43(3)1985:719-742.
Victor, B.C. 1987. Growth, dispersal, and identication of
planktonic labrid and pomocentrid reef sh larvae in the
Eastern Pacic ocean. Mar. Biol. 95(1):145-152.
Warner, R.R. 1975. The reproductive biology of the
protogynous hermaphrodite, Pimelometopon pulchrum
(Pisces:Labridae) Fish. Bull. U.S. 73:262-283.
thousands of fish landed
80
60
40
20
1947
1950
1960
1970
1980
1990
1999
Recreational Catch 1947-1999, California Sheephead

CPFV = commercial passenger fishing vessel (party boat); Recreational catch as reported
by CPFV logbooks, logbooks not reported prior to 1947.
156

A Status Report

December 2001
Cabezon
E
vidence exists for subsistence use of cabezon (Scorpaenichthys marmoratus) by prehistoric native Americans
along the central California coast. Cabezon represented
ve percent of the sh remains taken from exposed rocky
coastal archaeological sites.
As game sh, cabezon are prized by sport divers for
edibility, size, and ease of capture. The recreational take
aboard commercial passenger shing vessels (CPFVs) does
not comprise a large proportion of the catch, but those
that are taken are usually of a good size, averaging
around 3.5 pounds. In central California, cabezon generally account for less than one percent of observed annual
CPFV catches. Recreational landings data are available
from 1980 to 1999 for CPFV and private boat anglers as
well as shore and pier anglers from the National Marine
Fisheries Service Recreational Fisheries Information Network (RecFIN). RecFIN data from 1982 to 1999, for all four
modes of recreational shing showed a 40 percent decline
in average annual landings between the 1982 through 1989
and 1993 through 1999 periods, from 122 to 74 tons. Data
from RecFIN also suggest that cabezon are more common
in catches north of Point Conception and more frequently
caught by anglers shing on private boats and from shore
than on CPFVs.
Cabezon were taken incidentally in commercial catches
by boats shing for rocksh using hook-and-line or gillnets
until 1992. From 1916 to 1992, commercial landings only
exceeded 30,000 pounds in 1951 and again from 1979
to 1982, when reported landings reached 62,614 pounds.
Development of the live/premium shery in the late 1980s
resulted in increasing commercial catches of many species
occupying the nearshore environment in and around kelp
beds. The commercial catch of cabezon started increasing
in 1992 with the expansion of marketing live sh to markets and restaurants in Californias Asian communities.
Most of the initial increase in landings was from the Morro
Bay area, but by 1995, landings in most central and northern California ports had increased dramatically. Sampled
catches from the Morro Bay area from 1995 to 1998 suggested a large proportion of landings were immature sh.
Commercial landings continued to increase through 1998
with over 373,000 pounds reported, then declined slightly
in 1999 but remained over 300,000 pounds. Live sh are
taken primarily by trap and hook-and-line gear. About 90
percent of the catch is landed live. Markets demanded top
quality live sh, and shermen received premium prices
for their catches evidenced by the increase in average
price per pound from $0.85 in 1990 to $3.30 in 1998.
The estimated value of reported landings in 1998 was
$1,231,700.

December 2001
Concerns over the increased harvesting of nearshore species and potential impacts on shed populations led to
passage of legislation known as the Marine Life Management Act of 1998 (MLMA) which was enacted in January of
1999. Within the MLMA, minimum commercial size limits
were implemented for several nearshore species including
a 14-inch size limit for cabezon. Implementation of the
size limit may have been responsible for the decline in
landings between 1998 and 1999.
Cabezon
he cabezon is the largest member of the cottid family.

In Spanish, cabezon means bigheaded or stubborn and,
proportionally, the massive head is denitely the largest
feature of this sh. The specic name marmoratus refers
to the marbled or mottled appearance of the body, which
can be reddish, greenish, or bronze. Generally the belly
is a pale turquoise or white, and there are no scales on
the body.
Populations range along the eastern Pacic coast from
Point Abreojos, Baja California to Sitka, Alaska. They are
found on hard bottoms in shallow water from intertidal
pools to depths of 250 feet. Fish frequent subtidal habitats
in or around rocky reef areas and in kelp beds.
Cabezon may reach an age in excess of 20 years. The
largest recorded size is 39 inches in length and over 25
pounds. Limited information available on age at sexual
maturity in published literature suggests that in central
California males begin to mature in their third year and
all are mature by their fourth year. Average size of males
in their fourth year is 17 inches. Some females begin to
mature in their fourth year between 16 and 20 inches in
length, and all females are sexually mature by the sixth
year when they are 19 to 23 inches in length. These
data collected from 1950-1951 suggest a size of female 50
percent maturity greater than 16 inches. Unpublished DFG
data collected in the Morro Bay area from 1996 to 1999
indicates that half of females are mature at 14 inches.
Cabezon, Scorpaenichthys marmoratus

Credit: DFG

A Status Report
157
Cabezon
In California, spawning commences in late October, peaks

in January and continues until March, whereas in Washington, the spawning season begins in November and extends
to September with a peak in March and April. There is
some evidence that females may spawn more than once
in a season. Females spawn their eggs on subtidal, algaefree rocky surfaces, which can be horizontal or vertical in
orientation. Up to 152,000 eggs can be expected from a
large female (30 inches, 23 pounds). Masses of the pale
green or reddish eggs are up to 18 inches in diameter and
up to two to four inches thick. As the eggs develop they
change to an olive green color.
There have been several reports on the toxicity of cabezon roe. In the 1950s, the well-known ichthyologist Carl
Hubbs published a personal account of eating cabezon roe.
As part of an ongoing search for another caviar, Hubbs
and his wife consumed the roe and esh of a cabezon
for dinner. Four hours later they ... awoke in misery ...
and were violently ill throughout the rest of the night.
Laboratory evidence indicates that the roe is lethal to
mice, rats, and guinea pigs. Anecdotal information on egg
masses exposed at low tide suggests they are not preyed
upon by natural predators such as raccoons, mink, or
birds. Observations of captive cabezon have documented
a female eating her own eggs with no resulting ill effects.
Males fertilize the eggs after spawning by the female, and
the male guards the nest. Apparently the same nest sites
are used from year to year. Fish are very protective of
the nests for the two to three weeks it takes the eggs to
develop and hatch.
Pelagic juveniles are silvery when small, spending their
rst three to four months in the open ocean feeding on
tiny crustaceans and other zooplankton. At a size of about
1.5 inches, juveniles leave the open water and assume a
demersal existence. They appear in kelp canopies, tide
pools, and other shallow rocky habitats such as breakwaters from April to June in California.
Cabezon can be aptly described as lie-in-wait predators.
Their mottled coloration lets them blend in with the surroundings, as they lie motionless to wait for their next
meal. With large, robust pectoral ns set low on the body
and a powerful tail, they quickly lunge after unwary prey,
engulng it in their large mouth.
Their diet consists mainly of crustaceans, although large
and small cabezon have different diets. Adult sh eat
crabs, small lobsters, mollusks (abalone, squid, octopus),
small sh (including rockshes), and sh eggs. Small juveniles depend mainly on amphipods, shrimp, crabs, and
other small crustaceans.
Juveniles are eaten by rockshes and larger cabezon, as
well as by lingcod and other sculpins. Large cabezon may
be preyed upon by harbor seals or sea lions.
158

A Status Report
Cabezon normally occur nearshore, except as larvae. Usually solitary, juveniles and adults are common on rocky
bottom areas with dense algal growth. They are often in
the vicinity of kelp beds, jetties, isolated rocky reefs or
pinnacles, and in shallow tide pools.
Most of their time is spent lying in holes, on reefs, in
pools, or on kelp blades beneath the canopy. As sh get
older and larger they tend to migrate to deeper water. In
shallower water, they migrate in and out with the tide to
feed. Their habit of lying motionless makes them an easy
target for sport divers.
imited information is available on population biology

or changes in biomass over time. Recent increases in
commercial shing pressure on cabezon have intensied
efforts to learn more about their life history characteristics, population biology, and to assess stock size.
Recreational landings have declined concurrent with the
increase in commercial shing efforts and reported commercial landings. As shing effort increases, it is likely
that populations living in heavily utilized areas will decline
further.
Deborah Wilson-Vandenberg and Robert Hardy
References
Fuhrman, F.A., G.J. Fuhrman, D.L. Dull, and H.S. Moser.
1969. Toxins from eggs of shes and amphibians. J. Agric.
Food and Chem. 17:417-424.
Gobalet, K.W. and T. L. Jones, 1995. Prehistoric Native
American sheries of the central California coast. Trans.
Amer. Fish Soc. 124:813-823.
Lauth, R.R. 1989. Seasonal spawning cycle, spawning frequency, and batch fecundity of the cabezon, Scorpaenichthys marmoratus, in Puget Sound, Washington. Fish. Bull.,
U.S. 87:145-154.
OConnell, C.P. 1953. The life history of the cabezon
Scorpaenichthys marmoratus (Ayres). Calif. Dept. Fish and
Game, Fish Bull. 93. 76 p.

December 2001
Cabezon
Cabezon
400
350
300
250
200
150
100
50
0
1916 1920
1930
1940
1950
1960
1970
1980
1990
1999
Commercial Landings
1916-1999, Cabezon
landing receipts.
Cabezon
30
25
20
15
10
5
0
1947
1950
1960
1970
1980
1990
1999
Recreational Catch 1947-1999, Cabezon


December 2001

A Status Report
159
California Scorpionfish
he California scorpionsh (Scorpaena guttata) is a

valuable commercial sh in southern California. For
many years, the shery experienced a long decline, with
peak catches of 223,000 pounds in 1925 and uctuating
catches thereafter. However, the rise of the live sh
shery in the 1990s led to the sherys resurgence, as this
species bright red color and hardiness after capture has
made it a favorite target. Today, about 85 percent of the
commercial California scorpionsh catch goes to the live
sh shery. Catches in 1998 totaled about 75,000 pounds
valued at $175,000. Most sh are taken in traps or by
hook-and-line.
California scorpionsh are a moderately important part
of the sport shery in southern California. They are
taken primarily from party boats and private vessels, and
occasionally from piers and jetties, mostly from Point
Mugu southward.
alifornia scorpionsh are easily distinguished from

most other California shes. They are a relatively
heavy-bodied species, with strong head and n spines,
ranging in color from red to brown, often with purple
blotches and always covered with dark spots. They reach
a length of 17 inches.
California scorpionsh live from tide-pool depths to about
600 feet (usually in about 20-450 feet) from Santa Cruz to
southern Baja California, and in the northern part of the
Gulf of California. Preferring warmer water, the species
is common as far north as Santa Barbara. While they are
most abundant on hard bottom (such as rocky reefs, sewer
pipes and wrecks), they are also found on sand.
California scorpionsh grow to 17 inches and some live
at least 21 years. After four years of age, females grow
faster than males and reach a larger size. Although a few
sh mature at six inches (one year), over 50 percent are

mature by seven inches (two years) and all reproduce by
nine inches (four years). Spawning occurs from April to
August, peaking in June and July. Scorpionsh are oviparous, have external fertilization, and females produce
eggs imbedded in the gelatinous walls of hollow, pearshaped egg-balloons. These paired structures, each ve
to 10 inches long, are joined at their small ends. The walls
of these balloons are about 0.1 inch thick, transparent
or greenish in color, and contain a single layer of eggs.
Each egg is about .05 inch in diameter. The egg masses
oat near the surface and the eggs hatch within ve
days. Very young sh live in shallow water, hidden away
in habitats with dense algae and bottom-encrusting organisms. Small crabs are probably the most important food
of California scorpionsh, although other items, such as
small shes, octopuses, shrimps and even pebbles are
sometimes eaten. These animals are primarily nocturnal
and feed at night. Octopuses prey on small individuals.
California scorpionsh make extensive spawning migrations in late spring and early summer, when most adults
move to 12 to 360 foot depths, forming large spawning
aggregations on or near the bottom. During spawning,
these aggregations rise up off the bottom, sometimes
approaching the surface. Spawning occurs in the same
areas year after year, and it is likely that the same
sh return repeatedly to the same spawning ground.
When spawning ends, the aggregations disperse and many
(though not all) of the sh move into shallower waters.
The sharp spines on the dorsal, anal and pelvic ns are
poisonous. The toxin is produced in glands that lie at
the base of each spine and run up to the tip through a
groove. A wound, although painful, is seldom fatal, and
bathing the wound in hot water can reduce the pain. The
heat alters the toxins structure making it harmless. One
should be careful not to make the water so hot as to
damage tissue.
o population estimates exist for California scorpionsh. However, data from trawl studies conducted
by the Los Angeles County Sanitation Districts, Southern
California Coastal Water Research Project and the Orange
County Sanitation District from 1974-1993 show that there
are substantial short-term uctuations in California scorpionsh abundance within the Southern California Bight.
California Scorpionfish, Scorpaena guttata

Credit: DFG
160

A Status Report

December 2001
200
150
100
Commercial Landings
1916-1999,
landing receipts.
50
0
1916 1920
1930
1940
1950
1960
1970
Milton Love
References
Love, M. S., B. Axell, P. Morris, R. Collins and A. Brooks.
1987. Life history and shery of the California scorpionsh, Scorpaena guttata, within the southern California
Bight. Fish. Bull. US 85(1):99-116.
1990
1999
250

1980
250
200
150
100
50
0
1947
1950
1960
1970
1980
1990
1999
Recreational Catch 1947-1999, California Scorpionfish

CPFV = commercial passenger fishing vessel (Party Boat); Recreational catch as reported
Stull, J. K. and C.-L. Tang. 1996. Demersal sh trawls off

Palos Verdes, southern California, 1973-1993. Calif. Coop.
Oceanic Res. Rep. 37:211-240.

December 2001

A Status Report
161
Black Rockfish
lack rocksh (Sebastes melanops), also known as black

snapper and black bass, are a minor to moderate
component of nearshore commercial and recreational sheries, with increasing importance from the San Francisco
area northward. The Eureka area accounts for 80 percent
to 90 percent of all commercial landings in the black
rocksh market category (which may contain other species, most commonly blue rocksh). Annual statewide
landings in the 1990s ranged from 189,000 to 277,000
pounds, except in 1993 when only 86,000 pounds were
landed. Landings from port areas south of San Francisco
have never comprised more than 10 percent of total landings in the market category. In the San Francisco port
area, black rocksh landings increased fteen-fold from
1989 to 1992. The majority of black rocksh in commercial
sheries are landed dead but a small portion are now
landed live in the recently expanded live sh shery,
primarily from Morro Bay north to Fort Bragg. They are
also taken incidentally in the commercial salmon troll shery. Black rocksh also comprise minor to signicant proportions of other market categories, in particular blue
rocksh, small rocksh, and unspecied rocksh.
Black rocksh are an important recreational species, particularly in northern California. Long-term monitoring of
the recreational skiff shery in the Eureka/Crescent City
area showed them as the most frequently taken species
every year in the 1990s; in 1997, for example, black
rocksh comprised 58 percent of the observed catch.
During the period from 1981 through 1986, the Marine
Recreational Fisheries Statistical Survey (MRFSS) showed
that in Humboldt and Del Norte Counties (northern California), black rocksh comprised from 15 to 31 percent
annually of the estimated total marine recreational catch
for all shing modes combined. South of the Eureka
area, black rocksh gradually decrease in importance
in the recreational catch and are infrequently observed
south of Santa Cruz. They are often among the top 10
species observed annually in commercial passenger shing
vessel (CPFV) catches from Fort Bragg south to the San

Francisco/Princeton area. Black rocksh also are important to divers. In a 1972 survey in northern and central
California, black rocksh comprised approximately eight
percent of all sh taken by divers, and were primarily
taken in northern California.
A six- to seven-fold increase in estimated annual landings
of black rocksh in the recreational shery occurred
between 1957 through 1961 and 1979 through 1986, which
reects a substantial increase in shing effort between
the two periods. Since then, estimated total recreational
catch has been variable and has not continued to increase
steadily. During the 1990s, the annual estimated take of
black rocksh in the recreational shery was fairly similar
to that of the commercial shery.
In 1992, DFG initiated a voluntary catch-and-release program in recreational and commercial sheries for black
rocksh less than 14 inches in total length in response
to concerns over the lack of larger sh in sampled recreational catches, particularly in the San Francisco/Half
Moon Bay area. The program was unsuccessful in the
primary target area (Bodega Bay to Santa Cruz) and was
not continued due to two factors: 1) increased recruitment of sub-adult sh to the shery (i.e., recreational
anglers were unwilling to return a substantial portion of
their catch to the water); and 2) perceived competition
for the same resource from non-cooperative shermen.
lack rocksh range from Amchitka Island, Alaska to

Santa Monica Bay in southern California, but are
uncommon south of Santa Cruz. They frequently occur in
loose schools ten to twenty feet above shallow (to 120
feet) rocky reefs, but may also be observed as individuals
resting on rocky bottom, or schooling in midwater over
deeper (to 240 feet) reefs. They may attain a maximum
length of 25.5 inches in California, although individuals
over 20 inches are rarely observed today. Average size
observed in commercial and recreational sheries now is
14 to 15 inches in northern California and 11 to 13 inches
in central California.
Black rocksh have a relatively fast growth rate. First
year growth is usually 3.5 to 4.0 inches. Most individuals
become available to the shery by the time they have
reached three to four years of age and are approximately
10 to 11.5 inches. They are larger at equal age then blue
rocksh; four-to-seven-year old black rocksh may average
from 11.5 to 13.8 inches, while blue rocksh range from 10
to 12 inches within that age range. By age ve, growth
rate of female black rocksh surpasses that of males, and
Black Rockfish, Sebastes melanops

Credit: DFG
162

A Status Report

December 2001
As with all members of the genus Sebastes, fertilization

and development of embryos takes place within the
females body. Black rocksh mating generally occurs
between September and November. Females store the
sperm until their eggs mature in December or January, at
which time the eggs are fertilized by the stored sperm.
The larvae develop within thirty days, at which time
black eyespots become visible to the naked eye. The eyed
larvae are released into the water from late January to
May, peaking in February off of California.
Larvae may remain in the oceans surface waters for
three to six months where they are dispersed by currents,
advection, and upwelling. They begin to reappear as
young-of-the-year (YOY) in shallow, nearshore waters by
May, but the major recruitment event usually occurs from
July to August. YOY black rocksh generally recruit to the
shallower portions of kelp beds (15- to 40-foot depth) as
well as semi-protected sandy areas of the coast. As newly
settled YOY (approximately 1.5 inches) they most closely
resemble yellowtail rocksh YOY. As they grow, YOY black
rocksh more closely resemble YOY blue rocksh in pigmentation but lack the mottling on the sides, which are
a uniform tan to light brown. As juveniles and adults,
black rocksh are frequently mistaken for blue rocksh.
The best characteristics that separate black from blue
rocksh are a wide, unmottled, light blue-gray area along
the lateral line, a relatively large mouth, the shape of the
anal n, and black speckling in the dorsal n.
Although black rocksh may occur with blue rocksh, particularly in central and northern California, they are not
considered to be competitors because their diets share
little in common. Juvenile and adult black rocksh primarily consume crab megalopae, amphipods, isopods, and
other shes, including YOY rockshes,.
Major predation occurs on all rockshes from the moment
of larval release throughout the rst year by a variety of
shes and invertebrates, as well as marine birds. Larger
black rocksh are preyed upon by lingcod and marine
mammals such as sea lions.
Black rocksh are commonly associated with other nearshore sh species, particularly other rockshes. A statistical technique, cluster analysis, was used to partition
CPFV catch data from 1987 to 1992 in the Monterey area
based on the frequency of occurrence of species in the
sampled catch. Interestingly, no other schooling rocksh
was closely associated statistically with black rocksh,
but three benthic species (gopher, China, and brown rock-

December 2001
Black Rockfish
At six years, or about 14 inches, half of all males are

sexually mature. At seven to eight years, or about 16
inches, half of all females are sexually mature.
600
500
400
300
200
100
0
1947
1950
1960
1970
1980
1990
1999
Recreational Catch 1947-1999, Black Rockfish

Data Source: RecFin data base for all gear types; data not available for 1990-1992
Black Rockfish
by age 15, female black rocksh may average 2.4 inches

longer than males.
shes) showed an afnity to the same habitat and depth

range as black rocksh. It is commonly known among
shermen that black rocksh in central California are characterized by localized areas of relatively high abundance
in the nearshore area.
The DFG has conducted limited tagging studies on juvenile
and adult black rockshes. Between 1978 and 1985, 89
black rocksh were tagged in central California. Four tags
were returned from sh which had been at liberty from
18 to 552 days; all sh were recaptured in the same areas
where they were released.
lthough no shery-independent population estimates

have ever been made of black rocksh stocks in California, substantial information exists on relative abundance and length frequency from shery-dependent surveys. Data from the 1981-1986 MRFSS survey showed
a 23 percent decline in the average weight of black
rocksh taken compared with sh harvested from 1958
through 1961.
Onboard observations from CPFVs in the San Francisco
area documented a signicant change in the length frequency of the sampled catch from 1989 to 1990. During
that period, the occurrence of larger adult black rocksh
(greater than 15 inches) declined precipitously. This
occurred during a time when nearshore commercial hookand-line shing effort and landings were expanding, as
mentioned previously. Mean length in the sampled catch
from the San Francisco area declined from 14.3 inches
in 1988-1989 to 12.1 inches in 1990-1991, and has ranged
from 11.4 to 12.6 inches annually from 1993 to 1998. This
is well below the average length at 50 percent sexual
maturity. Since 1993, all other CPFV port areas from
Fort Bragg south to Morro Bay have yielded similar low
mean lengths.
Results from commercial shery sampling are consistent
with the above. For example, 296 black rocksh sampled
from the Morro Bay area commercial nearshore shery
from 1993 to 1997 averaged 12.2 inches. Coincident with

A Status Report
163
Black Rockfish
these observed declines in mean length were increased

harvest rates (catch per angler hour) observed in the
CPFV shery in central California, particularly from 1994
to 1997. Thus, the observed decline in mean length is
partially related to stronger recruitment, and, in spite
of increased shing effort on black rocksh in recent
decades, localized populations of adults still must be present in California to provide this recruitment.
Paul Reilly
References
Sullivan, M.S. 1995. Grouping of shing locations using similarities in species composition for the Monterey Bay area
Commercial Passenger Fishing Vessel shery, 1987-1992.
Calif. Dept. Fish and Game, Mar. Resour. Tech. Rep. No.
59. 37 p.
VenTresca, D.A., J.L. Houk, M.J. Paddack, M.L. Gingras,
N.L. Crane, and S.D. Short. 1996. Early life-history studies
of nearshore rockshes and lingcod off central California,
1987-92. Calif. Dept. Fish and Game, Mar. Resour. Div.
Admin. Rep. 96-4. 77 pages.
Wyllie Echeverria, T. 1987. Thirty-four species of California
rockshes: maturity and seasonality of reproduction. Fish
Bull., U.S. 85:229-250.
Hallacher, L.E. and D.A. Roberts. 1985. Differential utilization of space and food by the inshore rockshes (Scorpaenidae: Sebastes) of Carmel Bay, California. Environ. Biol.
Fishes. 12(2):91-110.
Karpov, K.A., D.P. Albin, and W.H. Van Buskirk. 1995.
The marine recreational shery in northern and central
California: a historical comparison (1958-86), status of
stocks (1980-86), and effects of changes in the California
current. Calif. Dept. sh and Game, Fish Bull. 176. 192 p.
Lea, R.N., R.D. McAllister, and D.A. VenTresca. 1999.
Biological aspects of nearshore rockshes of the genus
Sebastes from central California with notes on ecologically
related sport shes. Calif. Dept. Fish and Game Fish Bull.
177. 109 p.
Miller, D.J. and J.J. Geibel. 1973. Summary of blue rocksh and lingcod life histories; a reef ecology study; and
giant kelp Macrocystis pyrifera, experiments in Monterey
Bay, California. Calif. Dept. Fish and Game, Fish Bull. 168.
137 p.
Miller, D.J., J.J. Geibel, and J.L. Houk. 1974. Results of
the 1972 skindiving assessment survey. Pismo Beach to
Oregon. Calif. Dept. Fish and Game, Mar. Resour. Tech.
Rep. 23. 61 p.
Miller, D.J, and D. Gotshall. 1965. Ocean sportsh catch
and effort from Oregon to Point Arguello, California, July
1, 1957-June 30, 1961. Calif. Dept. Fish and Game, Fish
Bull. 130. 135 p.
Miller, D.J. and R.N. Lea. 1972. Guide to the coastal
marine shes of California. Calif. Dept. Fish and Game,
Fish Bull. 157. 235 p. [reprinted in 1976 with Addendum,
249 p.]
Reilly, P.N., D.Wilson-Vandenberg, D.L. Watters, J.E. Hardwick, and D. Short. 1993. On board sampling of the
rocksh and lingcod Commercial Passenger Fishing Vessel
Industry in northern and central California, May 1987 to
December 1991. Calif. Dept. Fish and Game, Mar. Resour.
Div. Admin. Rep. 93-4. 242 p.
164

A Status Report

December 2001
Blue Rockfish
T
he blue rocksh (Sebastes mystinus), also known as

bluesh, blue perch, blue bass, priestsh, and reef
bass, is most commonly caught from the northern Channel
Islands (in the Southern California Bight) to the Oregon
border. Although only a small portion of blue rocksh
landings is from the commercial shery, those landings
have increased in the past decade. During the 1987-1989
period, landings in the blue rocksh market category
(which may include other morphologically similar rockshes) averaged 25,670 pounds; in 1998 landings were
approximately 92,000 pounds. Based on market sampling
in the Morro Bay area, total landings of the species blue
rocksh are signicantly greater than those of the market
category blue rocksh. For example, in 1998 in this
port area, estimated total landings for the species were
19,300 pounds, yet total reported landings for the market
category were only 2,100 pounds. The former estimate
is based on the percentage of blue rocksh in various
sampled market categories and the total landed weight
of all market categories. Blue rocksh are often landed
as unspecied rocksh or group small rocksh, both
frequently used market categories.
Blue rocksh have become a minor component of the
live sh shery, which developed during the 1990s in
California. For example, in the Morro Bay area during the
1996-1998 period, less than one percent of the live sh
landings were blue rocksh, and about four times as many
blue rocksh were landed dead than alive. In 1998, the
ex-vessel value of all sh landed statewide in the blue
rocksh market category was $57,700.
The blue rocksh is one of the most important recreational species in California. It is usually the most frequently caught rocksh north of Point Conception for
anglers shing from skiffs and Commercial Passenger Fishing Vessels (CPFVs). It is also an important species for
skin and scuba divers using spears, and is occasionally
caught by shore anglers shing in rocky subtidal areas.
In a 1981-1986 survey of sport sh taken between the
southern boundary of San Luis Obispo County and Oregon,
an estimated 800,000 blue rocksh were harvested annually - more than any other species. This represents a
doubling of the estimated annual harvest from a similar
survey conducted in 1957-1961.
In every complete year sampled by the department, from
1988 through 1998, blue rocksh has been among the
three most frequently observed species caught on CPFVs
in every major port area from Morro Bay to Fort Bragg.
Based on the Department of Fish and Games (DFG)
onboard observations and log book summaries, estimated
annual take of blue rocksh by CPFV anglers ranged from
199,000 to 546,000 sh for the period 1988 to 1995 and

December 2001
averaged 335,000 sh. This species truly has been the

bread and butter of the nearshore recreational angler in
northern and central California.
In a survey of divers conducted in 1972 in northern and
central California, blue rocksh ranked second in importance to lingcod with 10.5 percent of all sh landed and
was the most common rocksh taken, comprising 29.6
percent of all rockshes. Preliminary data from a 1999
survey of Monterey Bay area divers revealed that blue
rocksh was the fourth most abundant species harvested,
after California halibut, kelp rocksh, and lingcod.
Blue Rockfish
For more than 25 years, the recreational harvest of rocksh was limited to 15 sh per day, with 15 blue rocksh
allowed within that limit. Effective January 1, 2000, the
bag limit was reduced to 10 rocksh overall, with 10 blue
rocksh allowed within that limit. The National Marine
Fisheries Service considers the blue rocksh a nearshore
species. Effective January 1, 2000, very restrictive limits
on the commercial harvest of nearshore rockshes have
been imposed by the National Marine Fisheries Service
upon recommendation of the Pacic Fishery Management
Council. In addition, the DFG now requires a special
permit for the commercial harvest of nearshore shes,
and it is likely that a restricted access program will be
developed for the nearshore commercial nsh shery
in California.
lue rocksh range from the Bering Sea to Punta Baja,

Baja California, and from surface waters to a maximum
depth of 300 feet. They are less common south of the
northern Channel Islands and north of Eureka, California.
They are a medium-sized species among all rockshes; the
largest known specimen was 21 inches, although individuals exceeding 15 inches are uncommon in central and
southern California. Average size in California recreational
sheries today is 11 to 13 inches. In central and southern
California, larger blue rocksh are now common only in
areas distant from shing ports or in larger kelp beds
which are practical to sh only from the edges.
Blue Rockfish, Sebastes mystinus

Credit: DFG

A Status Report
165
1.75
1.50
1.25
1.00
0.75
0.50
0.25
0.00
1947
1950
1960
1970
1980
1990
1999
Recreational Catch 1947-1999, Blue Rockfish

Age at rst spawning is protracted for both sexes. Only

about 10 percent spawn for the rst time at three years
of age. At ve years, or about 10 to 10.5 inches, half of
all males are sexually mature. At six years, or about 11
inches, half of all females have spawned.
During their rst few months on nearshore reefs, larval

and YOY blue rocksh are preyed upon by most large
piscivorous shes. As adults, their predators include lingcod, harbor seals, sea lions, and, occasionally, larger rockshes, especially bocaccio.
In males, the gonads increase in size from May to July, but

in females the eggs begin maturing from July to October.
Males transfer sperm to the females in October, but the
embryos do not begin to develop until December when
the eggs are fertilized by the stored sperm. Embryos
develop within the female and hatch immediately upon
being released into the water; larval release usually peaks
in mid-January. Larvae live in the surface waters for four
to ve months, where they may be carried many miles
by ocean currents. Young-of-the-year (YOY) blue rocksh
begin to appear in the kelp canopy and shallow rocky
areas by late April or early May when they are about 1.2
to 1.4 inches in length. However, they are not considered
fully recruited each year until July due to the variability in
the planktonic period. As YOY, they are mottled reddishblue in color upon settlement and may appear in massive
swarms in certain years in inshore areas, especially in
kelp beds.
Adult blue rocksh are common in kelp beds, where food

is plentiful and the kelp provides protection from predators, but they also occur on deeper rocky reefs between
100 and 300 feet deep. In kelp beds they form loose to
compact aggregations. Under dense kelp canopies, they
will sometimes form columns at least 30 wide and 80 feet
deep and may be extremely compact. In deeper waters,
they form aggregations that may extend from the surface
to the bottom, but they are usually at or below mid-depth.
After more than two decades of estimating relative abundance of blue rocksh in central California, DFG biologists
have shown a positive statistical correlation with blue
rocksh recruitment and annual upwelling index. Continuing research is directed towards the mechanisms by which
YOY rocksh recruit to nearshore areas, and the relationship between spawning areas and recruitment areas, as
inuenced by current patterns and oceanographic events.
Feeding habits vary considerably depending upon life history stage, depth, and locality. Larval and YOY blue rocksh consume primarily planktonic crustacea. Adult shes
in deeper water feed almost entirely on macroplankton
consisting of tunicates (salps), scyphozoids (gonadal material of jellysh), and crustaceans. In shallow areas and
kelp beds, blue rocksh feed on the same types of macroplankton as those in deeper water, but they also feed on
algae, small shes, hydroids, and crustaceans, including
amphipods and crab larvae.
166
2.00
Blue Rockfish
millions of fish landed
Blue Rockfish
Rockshes in general are considered to be slow-growing

shes. However, blue rocksh are among the faster growing rockshes. First year growth may vary from 3.0 to 4.5
inches (central California average about 4.25 inches), and
after two years blues may reach six inches. An occasional
two- or three-year old blue rocksh may be caught by
anglers, but most do not recruit to the sport and commercial sheries until four to seven years of age when
they range from eight to 10 inches. Females grow at a
slightly faster rate than males. Maximum age is about
24 years.

A Status Report
Blue rocksh are commonly associated with other nearshore sh species, particularly other rockshes. A statistical technique, cluster analysis, was used to partition CPFV
catch data from 1987 to 1992 in the Monterey area based
on the frequency of occurrence of species in the sampled
catch. In a broad area along the entire Monterey Peninsula
extending out to 240 feet deep, blue rocksh were the
predominant species and were in close association with
olive, yellowtail, starry, and rosy rockshes. This statistical relationship has been supported with observations
using scuba and submersibles.
The DFG has conducted marking studies on all size ranges
of blue rocksh from 1.8 to 18 inches. A population study
using freeze branding as a marking technique resulted
in more than 80,000 recently-settled blue rocksh being
marked in a ve-week period. These sh showed very
little movement from an isolated reef 100 x 150 feet and,
in fact, showed very little movement from one part of the
reef to another.
Tagging studies of adult blue rocksh indicate they do
not migrate laterally along the coast. Between 1978 and
1985, over 1500 blue rocksh were tagged and released in
central California waters by DFG biologists. Eighteen tags
were subsequently returned, with the sh being at liberty
from 11 to 502 days; all were recaptured in the same
locations where they were tagged. The longest recorded
movement of a blue rocksh from any tagging study was
15 miles. While these studies show adult blue rocksh

December 2001
References
See black rocksh reference list.
lthough no shery-independent population estimates

have ever been made of blue rocksh stocks, it
appears that they have withstood considerable shing
pressure over the last four decades and continue to be
healthy, at least north of Point Conception. There is
evidence of a decline in blue rocksh stocks off southern
California since the 1970s. There is a well-documented
difference in the population structure between northern
and central California stocks. Northern stocks are generally characterized by a wider size range of adults, a
higher proportion of adults greater than 15 inches and
a correspondingly greater mean length, less variability
in annual recruitment, and most likely a higher growth
rate. These attributes are likely a result of a combination
of greater shing pressure and a greater inuence of
anomalous oceanic conditions such as El Nio events in
central California. Greater variability in annual recruitment results in occasional strong year classes which cause
strong length-frequency modes in the sampled catch;
this occurred four times in recreational shery samples
obtained from 1959 to 1983 in central California. It is
believed that the last exceptionally strong year class of
blue rocksh in central California occurred in 1988, which
is cause for concern. However, a relatively strong year
class also was observed in 1999. In 1993, when the
majority of the 1988 year class had become available to
recreational anglers, mean lengths in the sampled catch
declined substantially in central California. For example,
mean length of blue rocksh sampled from Monterey area
CPFVs declined from 11.9 inches in 1992 to 11.0 inches
in 1993. In heavily shed and well-sampled populations of
rockshes, changes in annual mean length from one year
to the next are commonly less than 0.5 inches.
Blue Rockfish
populations are more or less discrete at each shing port,

it is not known how much larval drift occurs between
shing areas.
The total number of blue rocksh caught in recreational

sheries increased substantially from the late 1950s to
the mid-1980s, concurrent with increased effort. However
in the past 15 years recreational shing effort has been
variable but has not shown a consistent increase; the
recreational catch of blue rocksh has shown the same
pattern. However, increased commercial shing in the
nearshore area during the same period has put additional
stress on blue rocksh populations. Fishery managers have
increased monitoring efforts for this keystone species of
nearshore ecosystems.
Paul Reilly

December 2001

A Status Report
167
Olive Rockfish
Olive rocksh (Sebastes serranoides) form a minor part
of the commercial shery in central and southern California, where they are primarily taken by hook-and-line. A
relatively small number nd their way into the live sh
shery. Historically, olive rocksh have been common in
the recreational shery as far north as Fort Bragg and
were particularly important from central California to the
northern Channel Islands. As late as the 1980s, olives
were a very important recreational species throughout
much of southern California. However, a combination of
overshing and poor juvenile survival brought about by
changes in oceanographic conditions led to a steep decline
(83 percent) in southern California party vessel catches
between 1980 and 1996. In addition, while they were
still commonly taken in the central California recreational
catch, olive rocksh also declined there in the late 1990s.

Olive rocksh are streamlined sh with almost no head
spines. Their body color is dark brown or dark greenbrown on the back and light browns or greenbrown
on sides. There are a series of light blotches on the
back. The ns range from olive to bright yellow, and
olives are often mistaken for yellowtail rocksh. Olive
rocksh are somewhat drabber in appearance, and yellowtail rocksh have red-brown ecking on the scales.
They reach a maximum length of two feet.
Olive rocksh occur from southern Oregon to Islas San
Benitos (central Baja California) from barely subtidal
waters to 570 feet (the latter based on a trawl
specimen collected by the Southern California Coastal
Water Research Project). They are common from about
Cape Mendocino to Santa Barbara and around the Northern Channel Islands from surface waters to about 396 feet.
Olives appear to be uncommon off much of both southern
California and Baja California.
From April to September, young-of-the-year olive rocksh,

around 1.2 to 1.6 inches long, settle out of the plankton
to kelp beds, oil platforms, surfgrass and other structures
at depths as shallow as 10 feet. During the day, young
sh aggregate in the water column, occasionally with blue
and black rocksh. They spend the night near or on the
bottom, sheltering under algae or among rocks. Young
olives also are found under drifting kelp mats. Olives
about 2.5 inches long become more active at night, but
it is not clear whether adult olives are nocturnal. They
do feed commonly on octopuses, which are more available
at night. Sub-adult and adult olives live over high relief
reefs, as well as around the midwaters of oil platforms.
In shallow waters, they are found throughout the water
column and occasionally rest on the bottom. They form
small to moderate-sized schools and a few often are mixed
with blue rocksh schools. From tagging studies, most
olive rocksh move relatively little; a maximum movement
of 20 miles has been reported.
Olive rocksh live at least 25 years. Females grow larger,
and, beginning at maturation, tend to be longer at a given
age. Males reach maximum length earlier. Throughout
California, males mature at a somewhat smaller size and
a slightly greater age than females, however the difference is not large. Off central California, a few sh were
mature at 10.6 to 11.2 inches (three years), 50 percent
were mature at 12.9 to 13.7 inches (ve years), and
all were mature by 15.2 inches (eight years). Females
release larvae once a year from December through March,
peaking in January. Females produce between 30,000 to
490,000 eggs per season. Small juveniles are planktivorous, feeding on copepods, gammarid amphipods, cladocerans, euphausiids, other crustaceans and sh larvae. As
they grow, their diet shifts to shes, such as juvenile
rockshes, squids, octopuses, isopods, polychaete worms
and krill.
here has been no stock assessment of this species.

However, there is clear evidence that olive rocksh
have declined in abundance south of Pt. Conception.
Milton Love
Olive Rockfish, Sebastes serranoides

Credit: DFG
168

A Status Report

December 2001
Olive Rockfish
Olive Rockfish
350
300
250
200
150
100
50
0
1947
1950
1960
1970
1980
1990
1999
Recreational Catch 1947-1999, Olive Rockfish

References
Lea, R. N., R. D. McAllister and D. A. Ventresca. 1999.
Sebastes from central California. Calif. Dep. Fish Game,
Fish Bull. 177.
Love, M. S. 1980. Isolation of olive rocksh, Sebastes
serranoides, populations off southern California. Fish. Bull.
U.S. 77:975-983.
Love, M. S., J. E. Caselle and K. Herbinson. 1998. Declines
in nearshore rocksh recruitment and populations in the
southern California Bight as measured by impingement
rates in coastal electrical generating stations. Fish. Bull.
96:492-501.
Love, M. S., J. E. Caselle and W. V. Buskirk. 1998. A
rocksh (Sebastes spp.) catch in the southern California
Bight, 1980-1996. Fish. Bull. 39:180-195.
Love, M. S. and W. V. Westphal. 1981. Growth, reproduction, and food habits of olive rocksh, Sebastes serranoides, off central California. Fish. Bull. U.S. 79:533-545.
Pearson, D. E. 2000. Data availability, landings, and
length trends of Californias rocksh. NMFS Adm. Rep.
SC-00-01.

December 2001

A Status Report
169
Brown Rockfish
rown rocksh (Sebastes auriculatus), commonly

referred to as bolina by shermen and markets, have
long been an important component of the marine recreational shery and a relatively minor but important component of the nearshore commercial shery in California,
especially north of Point Conception. In the commercial
shery freshly caught whole brown rocksh are sold either
dead or alive in the fresh sh markets. Brown rocksh
have not been reported separately from other rockshes
in catch statistics, but comprise the majority of the
market grouping called bolina, which also includes other
similar-looking rocksh species, such as copper or quillback rocksh, that are sold at the same price. In samples
obtained from 1999 landings, brown rocksh comprised 70
percent by weight of the bolina category. Brown rocksh
are also mixed into other market categories, such as the
red rocksh group (19 percent by weight in 1999 landings).
Commercial catches were made in the past with hook-andline gear and, to a lesser extent, gillnets until gillnets
were excluded from state waters in 1991. Today, brown
rocksh are primarily taken with hook-and-line gear,
which includes mainly rod-and-reel and horizontal longline
gear, along with some vertical longline (stick) and troll
longline gear. In most port areas of the state, the majority
of bolina group catch is made by rod-and-reel, although,
in the San Francisco area, the longline eet accounts for
over 70 percent of bolina taken. The species is targeted
directly in both nearshore and offshore ocean environments. In the San Francisco area, the brown rocksh was
estimated to be the third most common rocksh species
landed by weight in the hook-and-line commercial shery
through the 1990s. The 1999 and 2000 catch estimates
suggest that they are now equal to line-caught landings
of chilipepper and the two are the most common species
in nearshore catches. Since the early 1990s, the brown
rocksh has been the most common rocksh species sold

live in San Francisco markets and comprised nearly 50
percent of the live rocksh catch in 1999.
The number of vessels landing brown rocksh peaked
in the early 1990s, when over 250 hook-and-line vessels
made an average of over 1,300 landings per year statewide, usually ranging from 60 to just over 100 pounds
per landing. Total landings of brown rocksh peaked in
1991, decreased through the mid-1990s, and increased
again during the late 1990s coincident with an increasingly
active nearshore premium and live sh shery. Though
landings have uctuated over the last two decades, the
value of the catch has continued to increase, particularly
during the last decade, as rocksh quotas have been
reduced and demand has continued to remain high. Markets in areas such as San Francisco (especially those in
Chinatown) sell their brown rocksh whole and preferably
live. Dead-landed sh obtain an ex-vessel price of $1 to
$2 per pound, whereas live brown rocksh have demanded
an ex-vessel price from $2 to $4 per pound. With the
recent management-related reductions in supply, prices
have increased to over $6 to $8 per pound at times in
1999 and 2000.
Sport anglers regularly catch brown rocksh with rod-andreel either from the shore, commercial passenger shing
vessels (CPFVs), or private/rental boats (PRBs), especially
in nearshore reef habitats (depths of less than 175 feet).
Brown rocksh are most common in sport catches near
San Francisco. In a sport sh survey conducted from 1980
through 1986, brown rocksh were among the top ve
species of rocksh caught and composed up to 6.6 percent
of the estimated sport catch. Inside San Francisco Bay,
they are the most common sport-caught rocksh species.
Although catches south of Point Conception are lower,
brown rocksh have comprised up to one percent of rocksh take and have remained among the top 15 species of
rocksh caught during the last 20 years. These represent
a seven-fold increase by number in statewide take relative
to a 1958 to 1961 survey of recreational shing. Substantial
increases in take have occurred in all modes of shing,
especially by shore shing, pier shing, and PRBs.
B
Brown Rockfish, Sebastes auriculatus
Credit: DFG
170

A Status Report
rown rocksh are found along the Pacic Coast of

North America from the northern Gulf of Alaska to
central Baja California. They live in shallow subtidal
waters and bays, and have been found at depths of just
over 400 feet, although they most commonly reside above
175 feet. Brown rocksh are typically found associated
with sand-rock interfaces and rocky bottoms of articial
and natural reefs. In shallow waters, they may be found
in small aggregations associated with rocky areas and kelp

December 2001
Group Bolina (Brown Rockfish)

200
150
100
50
0
1916 1920
1930
1940
1950
1960
Brown Rockfish
400
350
300
250
200
150
100
50
0
1947
1950
1960
1970
1980
1990
1999
Recreational Catch 1947-1999, Brown Rockfish

beds, whereas they stay near the rocky bottom when

in deeper waters. The sub-adults migrate into both high
and low relief reefs and are strongly residential to their
home sites.
Distinguishing characteristics of brown rocksh include
orange-brown or dark brown mottling, especially on the
back, and a prominent dark brown blotch on the gill cover.
Little sexual dimorphism is evident between male and
female brown rocksh in relation to growth or maturity
rates. Recent studies found maturity as early as three
years, and 100 percent maturity at six years, or roughly
12.2 inches total length (TL). Half of the population was
mature at 3.9 and 4.2 years of age, measuring 9.8
and 10.4 inches TL in males and females, respectively.
Brown rocksh grow to a maximum size of 22 inches,
and live less than 25 years. This is a relatively short
life span compared with most offshore rocksh species,
though many nearshore rocksh species have a similar or
shorter lifespan.
As with all members of the genus Sebastes, brown rocksh
are ovoviviparous. A 12-inch TL female may produce
approximately 42,500 eggs, while an 18-inch TL female
may produce as many as 266,000 eggs. Peaks in larval
release occur in the pelagic environment in both December-January and May-June. Larvae live in the upper zoo-

December 2001
1970
1980
1990
1999
Commercial Landings
1916-1999,
Brown Rockfish
Group Bolina (Brown) rockfish
landings were aggregated as rockfish
prior to 1979. DFG market sampling
indicates that 75 percent of the
Group Bolina rockfish market
category is made up of brown
rockfish, the remaining 25 percent
consists primarily of widow rockfish.
Data Source: DFG Catch Bulletins and
Brown Rockfish
250
plankton layer for approximately a month before metamorphosing into pelagic juveniles as part of the plankton
and micronekton, and subsequently settling out into
shallow nearshore waters. Although brown rocksh reproduce on the open coast, young-of-the-year sh commonly
migrate into bays and estuaries for use as nursery habitat,
which is an uncommon practice for rocksh species. They
may remain in the bay around rubble, piers and other
structures in areas of higher salinity for one to two years
before returning to the open coast.
Brown rocksh feed on increasingly larger prey as they
grow. They shift from small crustaceans, amphipods, and
copepods as juveniles, to an adult diet of crabs and sh.
Little is known about predation on brown rocksh, but it
is thought to be similar to that of other nearshore rocksh
species: Most predation on the brown rocksh presumably
occurs during the larval and juvenile stages, with less
predation occurring on the adults.
hile there have been studies of local abundance

in certain coastal areas and within bays, the population size and structure of this species has not been comprehensively assessed. Evidence of stress on brown rocksh stocks in California exists, however, and some relative
changes in the population have been identied. Commercial and recreational catches have steadily increased
during the last 40 years, while the average length and
weight of brown rocksh in landings have declined. When
recreational statistics collected during the last 20 years
were compared to results from a 1958 through 1961 recreational survey, brown rocksh showed a 49 percent
decrease in average weight per sh over 30 years. Mean
length of brown rocksh obtained from CPFVs and PRBs in
northern California declined by 18 percent and 21 percent
respectively over 40 years. In southern California, mean

A Status Report
171
Brown Rockfish
length in the CPFV catches declined by 31 percent during

the same period. In relation to the length at which 50
percent of males and females are mature, recreational
landings data indicate that from 1958 to 1961, most brown
rocksh taken had reached sexual maturity. By the 1980s,
however, few sh taken from shore or from the bays,
and about half taken from PRBs were sexually mature.
Lengths of brown rocksh sampled from commercial landings during the last decade also reect that half of the
sh were at or below the size at which 50 percent of the
population is sexually mature, and few larger adult sh
are being landed compared to historic values. The decline
in size of sh in these sheries does not seem to be
associated with incoming year classes, but instead with a
depletion of larger adults due to shing pressure. Although
nearly half of the sh landed statewide are adults that
can replenish the population, there are now few large
adults above the length of the median-sized sh recorded
in the 1958 through 1961 survey. The brown rocksh has
been identied as a species vulnerable to severe localized
depletions in other geographic areas; in Washington state,
the Puget Sound stock of brown rocksh was recommended for listing as a threatened species in 1999.
Susan E. Ashcraft and Mark Heisdorf
References
Adams, P.B. 1992. Brown Rocksh. In: Californias Living
Marine Resources and Their Utilization, W.S. Leet, C.M.
Dewees, and C.W. Haugen, eds. California Sea Grant
Extension Publication UCSGEP-92-12: 127.
Baxter, R. 1999. Miscellaneous Species: Brown Rocksh.
In: Report on the 1980-1995 Fish, Shrimp and Crab Sampling in the San Francisco Estuary, California, J. Orsi, ed.
Interagency Ecological Study Program for the SacramentoSan Joaquin Estuary, Technical Report 63: 443-452.
Karpov, K.A., D.P. Albin, W.H. VanBuskirk. 1995. The
marine recreational shery in northern and central California: A historical comparison (1958-86), status of stocks
(1980 - 86), and effects of changes in the California current. California Department of Fish and Game Fish Bulletin
176: 192 pp.
Love, M.S., J.E. Caselle, and K. Herbinson. 1998. Declines
in nearshore rocksh recruitment and populations in the
southern California Bight as measured by impingement
rates in coastal electrical power generating stations. Fish.
Bull. 96: 492-501.
Love, M.S. and K. Johnson. 1999. Aspects of the life
histories of grass rocksh, Sebastes rastrelliger, and brown
rocksh, S. auriculatus, from southern California. Fish.
Bull. 97 (1):100-109.
Matthews, KR. 1990. A comparative study of habitat use
by young-of-the-year, sub-adult, and adult rockshes on
four habitat types in central Puget Sound. Fish. Bull. 88
(2): 223-239.
172

A Status Report

December 2001
Copper Rockfish
T
he copper rocksh (Sebastes caurinus) is a highly

variable species in terms of coloration, and due to
this characteristic it has been known by several names,
depending to some degree upon locality. These include
copper rocksh, whitebelly rocksh, gopher, white gopher,
and bolina (this name is most commonly applied to the
brown rocksh). Copper rocksh is most widely used and
is the recommended vernacular name. Historically, copper
rocksh was considered a common nearshore species.
Over the past 20 years, copper rocksh have become a
less frequent component of the nearshore environment.
Commercially, copper rocksh are landed in a number of
market categories including copper rocksh as well as red,
bolina, and gopher rocksh groups. It is sold as llets by
the market names rocksh or red rocksh and often whole
as red rockcod; it is considered an excellent food sh.
Copper rocksh is one of the species taken in the live-sh
shery. They have been an important component of the
recreational catch in both skiff and commercial passenger
shing vessel sheries, especially off central and northern
California. Due to its relatively large size, known to reach
22.9 inches in length, copper rocksh has been considered
one of the premium species in the recreational anglers
catch and a prime target for the sport diver.
he copper rocksh was one of the rst species of

rockshes to be described from the Pacic Coast,
having been scientically named in 1845 by John Richardson from Sitka, Alaska. For many years, the copper and
whitebelly rocksh were considered as separate species
but morphological and biochemical analyses in the 1980s
have shown these two nominal forms to be conspecic,
a highly variable-colored but genetically unique species.
The copper rocksh is broadly distributed geographically,
known from the Gulf of Alaska to off central Baja California, Mexico. It also has a broad bathymetric distribution,
known to occur from the shallow subtidal to 600 feet.
As with all rockshes, coppers are viviparous and highly
fecund. A 13.4-inch female is capable of producing
215,000 ova and an 18.5-inch sh of producing 640,000
ova. The largest individuals may well produce over one
million larvae. The larvae are released during winter
months (Jan.-March). Young-of-the-year copper rocksh
are pelagic and recruit into the nearshore environment
at about 0.8 to 1.0 inch during April and May off central
California. The newly recruited copper rocksh initially
associate with canopy-forming kelps such as Macrocystis,
Cystoseira, and Nereocystis. After several months, and at
about 1.6 inches, the juveniles settle to the bottom on

December 2001
rocky reef as well as sandy areas and are referred to as

benthic juveniles. Copper rocksh in the early juvenile
stage are morphologically similar to two closely related
species, gopher rocksh and black-and-yellow rocksh,
and the three species at this life stage are extremely
difcult to distinguish. Upon settling, color patterns and
morphological characteristics develop and the three species become separable.
Copper rocksh are an important component of the nearshore rocky reef system and are frequently encountered
by scuba divers in this environment. Submersible observations of the biotic community off the Big Sur coast
revealed copper rocksh between depths of 70 and 325
feet. The majority of sightings were of individual (solitary) sh occurring over rocky reef or boulder elds
and most frequently in areas of high relief. Occasionally,
an individual was observed over sand. Coppers are
considered epibenthic, normally occurring slightly above
the substrate.
Copper Rockfish
Tagging studies indicate that copper rocksh, for the most

part, show little movement once they have settled to the
bottom. Movement of up to one mile has been noted but
the majority of tagged and recaptured copper rocksh
are from the locality where they were originally taken.
This life history characteristic makes species with high
site delity susceptible to local depletion. In areas close
to shing ports and higher rates of utilization, fewer and
smaller copper rocksh are caught.
Copper rocksh reach sexual maturity at about 11.6 inches
total length (TL) for females and 14.6 inches TL for males.
This is at about ve years of age for females and seven
years for males. Size and age for copper rocksh from off
central California for the rst ve years are as follows: age
zero, 3.6 inches TL; age one, 3.7 to 5.9 inches TL; age two,
4.2 to 9.4 inches TL; age three, 7.0 to 11.5 inches TL, and
age four, 8.9 to 13.2 inches TL. There appears to be no
signicant difference in the growth rates between sexes.
Copper Rockfish, (Sebastes caurinus) and a sea anemone

Credit: CA Sea Grant Extension Program

A Status Report
173
Copper rocksh feed on a wide variety of prey items.

Crustaceans form a major part of their diet; these include
Cancer crabs, kelp crabs, and shrimps. Squid of the
genus Loligo and octopuses are also important food items.
Fishes, which include young-of-the-year rockshes, cuskeels, eelpouts, and sculpins are important forage for
larger individuals. Juvenile copper rocksh feed primarily
on planktonic crustaceans.
Hybridization of copper rocksh with brown rocksh has
been suspected in Puget Sound, but this has not been
noted from anywhere else within their range.
500
Copper Rockfish
Copper Rockfish
Off central California, copper rocksh have been aged to

28 years for a 22.1-inch individual. Copper rocksh from
Puget Sound have been aged to 34 years.
400
300
200
100
0
1947
1950
1960
1970
1980
1990
1999
Recreational Catch 1947-1999, Copper Rockfish

Phillips, Julius B. 1939. Rocksh of the Monterey wholesale

sh markets. Calif. Fish and Game 25(3):214-225.
Phillips, Julius B. 1958. Rocksh review. In The marine
sh catch of California for the years 1955 and 1956 with
rocksh review. Calif. Dept. Fish and Game, Fish Bull.
105:7-25.
here has been no stock assessment of this species

in California. However, there is compelling evidence
that copper rocksh populations have severely declined
in many areas and large individuals are noticeably less
common than in past decades. Due to their solitary
nature, high habitat specicity, and the size they can
enter the shery (as juveniles), the copper rocksh is a
prime candidate for local depletion.
Robert N. Lea
References
Karpov, K. A., D. P. Albin, and W. H. Van Buskirk. 1995.
California: a historical comparison (1958-86), status of
Current. Calif. Dept. Fish and Game, Fish Bull. 176, 192 p.
Lea, R. N., R. D. McAllister, and D. A. VenTresca. 1999.
related sportshes. Calif. Dept. Fish and Game, Fish Bull.
177, 109 p.
Love, M. S., J. E. Caselle, and W. Van Buskirk. 1998. A
rocksh (Sebastes spp.) catch in the southern California
Bight, 1980-1996. CalCOFI Reports 39:180-195.
Miller, D. J. and D. Gotshall. 1965. Ocean sportsh catch
and effort from Oregon to Point Arguello, California July
1, 1957-June 30, 1961. Calif. Dept. Fish and Game, Fish
Bull. 130, 135 p.
174

A Status Report

December 2001
Canary Rockfish
rior to 1944, the primary gear used for the capture of

rocksh was the hook-and-line (primarily vertical longline). Soon after World War II, the balloon trawl became
the dominant gear used to capture rocksh. Canary rocksh (Sebastes pinniger) became the largest component in
the trawl shery landings in northern California. From
the 1940s to the late 1960s, rocksh landings began to
increase steadily, due in part to Asian market demands.
Estimated canary rocksh landings for this time period
indicate annual catches of 550 to 2,200 tons, the majority
being landed in northern California with trawl gear. The
exact amounts harvested during this time period are not
known since rocksh landings were not recorded separately until 1981. During the 1970s, total landings of
canary rocksh in California decreased slightly to between
440 and 990 tons. Trawl gear continued to dominate
the total catch (60-70 percent), with recreational catches
(15-30 percent) and commercial hook-and-line (5-15 percent) accounting for the rest.
In 1982, the trawl catch of canary rocksh in California
accounted for 77 percent of the total canary rocksh
catch (1,200 tons), with most of the sh being landed in
Eureka and Fort Bragg. Recreational and commercial hookand-line catches accounted for 21 percent and 2 percent
of the total in 1982. During the 1980s, a new gear, the
setnet or gillnet entered the shery. Gillnet catches began
to replace hook-and-line catches for a few years, but
accounted for less landings compared to the recreational
and trawl catches. The trawl remains the dominant gear
type for harvesting canary rocksh to this day, but has
experienced declines to levels nearly matching the hookand-line catches. Since 1982, the total harvest of canary
rocksh in California has declined dramatically to 250
tons in 1998. The trawl, commercial hook-and-line, recreational, and setnet catches account for 50 percent, 42
percent, 8 percent, and less than 1 percent of the total
canary rocksh landings in 1998. Canary rocksh are currently being managed through bi-monthly trip limits.
anary rocksh, referred to as orange rocksh in

older reports, occur from Baja California to southeast
Alaska. Their center of distribution is the WashingtonBritish Columbia area, and in California they have commercial importance only as far south as Bodega Bay. Electrophoretic differences indicate that canary rocksh may
have two separate subpopulations: one north, the other
south of central Oregon. A recent assessment of these
two portions of the canary rocksh resource suggests the
southern area may be receiving population enhancements
from the northern spawned sh. Canary rocksh have
been caught at depths below 1,000 feet, but are taken in
abundance only to 500 feet.
Canary Rockfish
Canary rocksh grow rapidly until they reach maturity at

about 17 inches, then more slowly to a maximum age of
70 years and a maximum length of 24.5 inches for females
and 21 inches for males. For example, at one year, females
average 5.4 inches and males 4.3 inches; at four years
both females and males average about 11.7 inches; by age
12, females average 20.2 inches and males 19.1 inches. By
age 50 they have added little length (females, 24.4 inches;
males, 20.9 inches). Most populations have few individuals
older than 20 years.
Females begin to mature sexually at 10.6 inches, reaching
50 percent maturity at 17.3 inches, and 100 percent maturity at 21.2 inches. Males begin to mature at 11 inches,
reaching 50 percent maturity at 15.7 inches, and 100
percent maturity at 17.7 inches. A 10.6-inch female carries
about 69,000 eggs; a 17.3-inch female about 489,000 eggs;
and a 21.2-inch female about 1,113,000 eggs.
Canary rocksh are viviparous, meaning that the females
bear free-living young and contribute some energy to their
young while they are inside the mother. Males fertilize
the females around December, and the females hold their
young until December to March. Pelagic juveniles occur
in the upper 100 feet of the surface waters from April
to June. It is assumed that the juveniles descend to
Canary rocksh is an important component of the commercial passenger shing vessel (CPFV) recreational catch
from central and northern California. This species was
consistently one of the top ten species landed by CPFV
anglers shing in the San Francisco area north to the
Eureka area. Average length of canary rocksh caught by
CPFV anglers is small and usually involves immature sh
(less than 50 percent maturity).
Canary Rockfish, Sebastes pinniger

Credit: DFG

December 2001

A Status Report
175
Canary Rockfish
benthic habitats after mid-June. Juvenile canary rocksh,

like most rockshes, tend to settle in the shallower
depths of their range and move to deeper waters as they
grow older.
Adult canary rocksh feed primarily on euphausiids. Next
in importance as prey are sh, mainly myctophids and
adult shortbelly rocksh which are most abundant in the
fall and winter diet. Gelatinous zooplanktors and associated hyperiid amphipods are common prey but are a minor
part of the diet. Pelagic juvenile canary rocksh feed on
copepods and euphausiid eggs and larvae.
Predation on canary rocksh is most severe during the
pelagic larval and juvenile stages. Juveniles (one to three
inches) are commonly found in the stomach contents
of chinook salmon. Undoubtedly, other predators of juvenile sh (other shes, mammals and birds, including the
common murre) prey on juvenile canary rocksh. After the
juveniles descend to the benthos and become adults they
are much less vulnerable to predators.
References
Crone, P.R., K.R. Piner, R.D. Methot, R.J. Conser, and
T.L. Builder. 1999. Status of the canary rocksh resource
off Oregon and Washington in 1999. In Pacic Fishery
Management Council. 1999. Appendix: status of the Pacic
coast groundsh shery through 1999 and recommended
acceptable biological catches for 2000: stock assessment
and shery evaluation. Portland, Oregon.
Williams, E.H., S. Ralston, A.D. MacCall, D. Woodbury,
and D.E. Pearson. 1999. Stock assessment of the canary
rocksh resource in the waters off southern Oregon and
California in 1999. In Pacic Fishery Management Council.
1999. Appendix: status of the Pacic coast groundsh shery through 1999 and recommended acceptable biological
catches for 2000: stock assessment and shery evaluation.
Portland, Oregon.
he canary rocksh population has declined since the

early 1970s, particularly in the waters north of California. The population size of age three and older canary
rocksh for California was estimated to be approximately
4,700 tons in 1973 and had decreased nearly 60 percent
to 1,900 tons in 1998. The mean length of canary rocksh
has declined 13 percent since 1980 in the trawl shery,
indicating the removal of larger, older sh from the population. Off the coast of Washington and Oregon age two
and older sh were estimated at 73,700 tons in 1967; in
1999 the estimate was 12,100 tons. The spawning population of canary rocksh has seen even more dramatic
declines, with estimates of 1999 spawning population sizes
of 6-23 percent of historically unshed levels. In 1999, the
canary rocksh resource off the entire U.S. West Coast
was declared overshed. Recent predictions of population
trends indicate the population may take many decades
to recover to shable levels. Attempts to decrease shing
pressure on canary rocksh are resulting in severe restrictions for many other West Coast sheries.
Erik H. Williams and Peter B. Adams
176

A Status Report

December 2001
Quillback Rockfish
Q
uillback rocksh (Sebastes maliger) are a minor component of the commercial passenger shing vessel
(CPFV) shery and in general are only observed from the
ports of Monterey northward. Only in the Eureka area does
this species rank among the 10 most frequently observed
benthic sport shes caught by CPFV anglers. In the Fort
Bragg area, quillback rocksh ranked between 13 and 17
among benthic sport shes caught by CPFV anglers, and
their importance in the shery diminishes with decreasing
latitude. A survey of all recreational sport shing modes
from 1981 to 1986 indicated an average annual harvest of
approximately 9,000 sh.
Commercial landings of the quillback rocksh market
category are signicant only from the San Francisco area
northward. However, historical landings are difcult to
determine because of the low frequency of quillback
rocksh and confused identication with other similar
species. Statewide landings in this market category in
1999 comprised less than 0.3 percent of all rockshes.
Since 1992, this market category has not been used
every year and when used, may have consisted of several
different species.
he quillback rocksh was rst described by Jordan and

Gilbert in 1880. Also referred to as orange-spotted,
yellow-back, or stickleback rocksh, it is part of central
and northern Californias nearshore benthic assemblage.
Quillback rocksh are relatively small, and are of stout
morphology; a characteristic common among nearshore
Sebastes found in close association with the bottom. They
are usually orange-brown to black in color with a yellow
or orange pale area between the eye and pectoral n.
This pale area is also present as a saddle on the rst
few dorsal spines and as speckling on the mid-dorsal
surface. A characteristic that helps distinguish this species
from similar species is its long dorsal spines and deeply
notched forward dorsal n membranes. Copper rocksh
and other nearshore shallow dwelling rocksh also have
deeply notched rst dorsals but not so much as quillback.
quillback to be residential (no movement) or to show

movement of less than six miles. They have also demonstrated homing ability and day-night movement patterns.
In California, quillback rocksh have been aged to 15
years, but are known to live longer, as they have been
aged to 76 years in Canada. Quillback can grow to 24
inches, and growth rates differ along its range. In California, size for a 12-year-old quillback is approximately
7.1 inches. Size at rst maturity for males is 8.7 inches
(four years), and for females is 10.2 inches (six years).
In California, size at 50 percent maturity for males and
females was found to be the same as for rst maturity.
Quillback Rockfish
As with all Sebastes, quillback have internal fertilization

and produce live young. In California, mating takes place
in the late winter and early spring, with birth occurring
from April through July. After roughly one to two months
in the plankton (0.7 to 2.8 inches), they begin to settle
near shore.
As planktonic larvae and after they settle, quillback rocksh feed on other planktonic animals and eggs. As adults
they feed on a variety of prey such as crustaceans, especially shrimps; small sh, including rockshes and atshes; clams; marine worms; and sh eggs.
Quillback rocksh larvae are subject to predation by jellysh and arrow worms. As juveniles, they are preyed upon
by shes, including larger rockshes, lingcod, cabezon and
salmon. Various marine birds and pinnipeds eat juvenile
quillback as well. Adults are also subject to predation by
larger shes including some sharks, as well as sea lions,
seals, and possibly, river otters.
Juveniles inhabit very nearshore bottom areas and are
found over both low and high rocky substrate. They are
sometimes found among sponges and algae that provide
shelter. Adults are most often found in deeper water
and are solitary reef-dwellers living in close association
with the bottom. They are often seen perched on rocks
or taking shelter in crevices and holes. Adults have also
been noted to retreat to eelgrass beds at night. Quillback
Quillback rocksh are known from the Gulf of Alaska

to Anacapa Passage in southern California, and are considered common between southeast Alaska and northern
California. They are found from near the surface to a
depth of 900 feet and can be common at depths of several
hundred feet.
Like other Sebastes of shallow, benthic habit, individual
quillback rocksh are not known to range far. Tagging
studies in central California and Washington have shown

December 2001
Quillback Rockfish, Sebastes maliger

Credit: L. Sinclair
Miller and Lea

A Status Report
177
Quillback Rockfish
are also associated with the rock-sand interface, but are

rarely seen in the open away from suitable cover.
Love M.S. and R.N. Lea. 1997. Range Extension of the quillback rocksh, Sebastes maliger, to the southern California
Bight. California Fish and Game 83(2):78-83.
hile no stock assessment has been done for quillback

rocksh in California, length-frequency data exist on
their occurrence in the recreational shery in northern
and central California, as well as in the commercial shery from the same region. Between the late 1980s and
mid-1990s, quillback rocksh experienced increased take
by the commercial shery as the market demand for
premium, live sh increased, yet no signicant trend was
noted in the average size of sh. Fishing pressure has
relaxed somewhat in recent years because of restrictions
placed on the shery. Concern over sustainability of the
commercial and recreational nearshore shery has made
this species of particular interest to managers.
Moser, H.G. 1996. Scorpaenidae: scorpionshes and rockshes. In: H.G. Moser (Editor), The early stages of shes
in the California Current region, California Cooperative
Oceanic Fisheries Investigations, Atlas No. 33, p 733-795.
Allen Press, Inc., Lawrence, Kansas.
Roberts, D.A. 1979. Food Habits as an ecological partitioning mechanism in the nearshore rockshes (Sebastes) of
Carmel Bay, California. M.A. Thesis, San Francisco State
University. 77 p.
Yamanaka, K.L. and A.R. Kronlund. 1997. Inshore rocksh

stock assessment for the west coast of Canada in 1996 and
recommended yields for 1997. Canadian Technical Report
of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences No. 2175, 80 p.
30
Quillback Rockfish
Matthews, K.R. 1990. An experimental study of the habitat

preference and movement patterns of copper, quillback,
and brown rockshes (Sebastes spp.). Environmental Biology of Fishes 30:161-178.
Wylie Echeverria, T. 1987. Thirty-four species of California

rockshes: maturity an seasonality of reproduction. Fishery Bulletin 85(2):229-250.
David A. Osorio and Richard Klingbeil

25
Yoklavich, M.M., V.J. Loeb, M. Nishimoto, and B. Daly.

1996. Nearshore assemblages of larval rockshes and
their physical environment off central California during
an expected El Nino event, 1991-1993. Fishery Bulletin
94(4):766-784.
20
15
10
5
0 1947
References
1950
1960
1970
1980
1990
1999
Recreational Catch 1947-1999, Quillback Rockfish

178

A Status Report

December 2001
Calico Rockfish
C
alico rocksh (Sebastes dalli) are taken in the southern

and central California sport sheries for nearshore
rockshes. During the 1980s, the estimated annual calico
rocksh sport catch averaged 8,900 sh with a high of
21,000 sh taken in 1985. An onboard study of the southern California commercial passenger shing vessel (CPFV)
or partyboat shery from 1985 through 1987, ranked calico
rocksh among the top 20 species taken during two of
the three years surveyed. The same study also showed
that CPFV anglers discarded large numbers of calico rocksh at sea each year in a practice commonly known as
high grading. In high grading, only the largest sh were
retained by anglers as part of their bag limits, and the
smaller sh were selectively discarded. For calico rocksh,
the estimated number of discards on CPFVs exceeded
the number of calico rocksh that were kept by anglers
each year. This illegal practice has been widespread at
times in the past and has been difcult to curtail. A
more recent estimate of annual California sport catches of
calico rocksh averaged 5,700 sh per year between 1993
and 1999, with a high of 8,000 calico rocksh caught in
1995 and in 1998.
Calico rocksh comprise a very minor portion of the
states commercial catch. Their small size and scattered
distribution probably preclude them from being targeted.
Calico rocksh, however, may be one of several small rocksh species, including squarespot, honeycomb, halfbanded
and starry rockshes, that are caught and subsequently
discarded at sea as an unmarketable bycatch in nearshore
hook-and-line, trap, or trawl sheries. The quantity of
calico rocksh bycatch in these sheries is currently
undetermined.
phins have also been known to feed on juvenile and adult

calico rocksh.
Calico rocksh up to 10 inches long and 1.25 pounds
in weight have been measured. They have been aged
to between 11 and 12 years. Male calico rocksh rst
become sexually mature at age seven and females reach
sexual maturity at age nine. Spawning occurs in southern
California between January and May, with peak spawning
activity occurring in February. Fertilized eggs are present
in November and December. The range of fecundity
observed for calico rocksh was 1,700 to 18,000 eggs
per female. The pelagic larval stage lasts from one to
two months, and the post-larvae then settle out of the
plankton between 0.08 and 0.1 inches in length.
Calico Rockfish
here are currently no estimates of abundance for

calico rocksh in California. There were more calico
rocksh landed annually by sport anglers in the 1980s
than in the 1990s, which may have been a reection of
the abundance of that species during two strong El Nio
events that occurred in the 1980s. Whether the reduced
calico rocksh catch during the 1990s was a result of
changing oceanic conditions or was due to actual depletion of calico rocksh stocks by sport and commercial
sheries is not known. Because of the relatively small
size of adult calico rocksh, they are not usually targeted
by either sport or commercial shermen but are caught
incidentally when other nsh species are targeted. Calico
rocksh appear as bycatch in prawn trawls and other
nearshore sheries in southern California and are caught
by sport anglers on CPFVs and private boats when they are
shing for other, larger benthic species.
alico rocksh range from Sebastian Viscaino Bay, Baja

California to San Francisco within a depth range of 60
to 840 feet. They are small, colorful rocksh that inhabit
nearshore areas of southern and central California. Calico
rocksh are distinguished by having a greenish yellow
background color overlaid with dark-brown oblique bars
on the side, and a black spot on the edge of the gill
cover. Juvenile calico rocksh are found in areas of soft
sand-silt sediment, and on articial reefs. Adults inhabit
rocky shelf areas where there is a mud-rock or sand-mud
interface with ne sediments. They are usually associated
with structures that provide vertical relief and sheltered
habitat, including articial reefs. The main diet of calico
rocksh is pelagic crustaceans, including calanoid copepods. They are preyed upon by larger rocksh species,
lingcod, cabezon, and salmon. Sea birds, sharks, and dol-

December 2001
Calico Rockfish, Sebastes dalli

Credit: L. Sinclair, Miller and Lea

A Status Report
179
Calico Rockfish
Calico Rockfish
References
30
25
20
15
10
5
0
1947
1950
1960
1970
1980
1990
Recreational Catch 1947-1999, Calico Rockfish

Data Source: RecFin data base for all gear types; data not available for 1980 &
1990-1992
David Ono
1999
Ally, J. R., D.S. Ono, R. B. Read, M. Wallace. 1991. Status

of major southern California marine sport sh species with
management recommendations, bases on analysis of catch
and size composition data collected on board commercial
passenger shing vessels from 1985 through 1987. Calif.
Dept. Fish and Game. Marine Resources. Admin. Rept.
#90-2. 376 p.
Haldorson, L. and M. Love. 1991. Maturity and fecundity
in the rockshes, Sebastes spp., a review. Marine Fisheries
Review 53(2):25-31.
Love, M.S., P. Morris, M. McCrae, and R. Collins. 1990.
Life history aspects of 19 rocksh species (Scorpaenidae:
Sebastes) from the Southern California Bight. NOAA Technical Report No. 87, 38 p.
Love, M.S., L. Thorsteinson, C.W. Mecklenburg, and T.A.
Mecklenburg. 1996. A checklist of marine and estuarine
shes of the Northeast Pacic, from Alaska to Baja California. National Biological Service. Located at Web site
www.ucsb.edu/lovelab/home.html
Moser, H.G. and J.L. Butler. 1981. Description of reared
larvae and early juveniles of the calico rocksh, Sebastes
dallii. California Cooperative Oceanic Fisheries Investigations Reports. 22:88-95.
Moser, H.G. 1996. Scorpaenidae: scorpionshes and rockshes. In: H.G. Moser (Editor), The early stages of shes
in the California Current region, California Cooperative
Oceanic Fisheries Investigations, Atlas No. 33, p 733-795.
Allen Press, Inc., Lawrence, Kansas.
RecFIN MRFSS Sample Data, 1980-1989 and 1993-1999.
Pacic States Marine Fisheries Commission. Located at
Web site: www.PSMFC.org
180

A Status Report

December 2001
he monkeyface prickleback (Cebidichthys violaceus)

is a nearshore sh that is a minor component of
the recreational and commercial catch. It is frequently
referred to as monkeyface eel and blenny eel due to its
eel-like appearance. However, it is more closely related
to bass-like shes (Perciformes) than to true eels. It is a
member of the prickleback family, Stichaeidae, of which
17 species occur in California. Its elongate body shape
is an adaptation for living in cracks, crevices, and under
boulders, primarily in the intertidal zone. Monkeyface
prickleback have been found in coastal Indian middens
of California along with cabezon and rockshes and were
undoubtedly exploited as a food resource in historic and
prehistoric times.
A specialized recreational shery by shore anglers shing
in rocky intertidal and shallow subtidal habitat exists for
this species. The most common shing method is poke
poling, which normally consists of shing with a long
bamboo pole, a short piece of wire, and a baited hook.
The bait is placed in front of or in holes or crevices in the
rock. Skin and scuba divers also spear them.
The monkeyface prickleback did not rank among the top
fteen species observed in either beach/bank or jetty/
breakwater shing categories in a 1980 through 1986
Marine Recreational Fisheries Statistics Survey (MRFSS)
in California. The most recent (1999) MRFSS total catch
estimate for northern California from all recreational shing categories was 2,000 sh; however, the standard error
of the estimate was much higher than the estimate.
Commercial landing records in California date from 1928.
Catch since then can best be described as of minor signicance. Since 1991, annual landings have ranged from 12 to
935 pounds, primarily from the port areas of San Francisco
and Santa Barbara. However, catch statistics may include
California moray, rock prickleback, wolf-eel, and other
eel-like shes or true eels.
he monkeyface prickleback ranges along the Pacic

coast from San Quentin Bay, Baja California, Mexico
to central Oregon. It is most common off central California from San Luis Obispo County to Sonoma County, and
is uncommon south of Point Conception. They normally
occur in the intertidal zone with a depth range extending
from the high intertidal to a reported depth of 80 feet.
Typical habitat for monkeyface prickleback includes rocky
intertidal areas with ample crevices, boulders, and

December 2001
The coloration of the species is a uniform light brown to

dark green, often with several rust-colored blotches on
the sides of the body. Two dark stripes radiate behind the
eye. Adults have a lumpy ridge on top of the head. The
coloration of both sexes is similar.
25
Monkeyface Prickleback
algal cover, including high and low tide pools, jetties

and breakwaters, and shallow subtidal areas, particularly
rocky reefs and kelp beds. Juveniles are particularly
adapted for living in the high intertidal zone. The species
is capable of living out of water under algae for extended
periods and has air-breathing capacity. It is considered
to be a residential species, moving short distances from
crevices or under rocks to foraging sites. It appears to
occupy a small home range of several meters and is
primarily active during periods of a ooding tide.
Monkeyface
Prickleback
20
15
10
5
0
1947
1950
1960
1970
1980
1990
1999
Recreational Catch 1947-1999, Monkeyface Prickleback

Monkeyface prickleback grow slowly, particularly after the

rst few years of life. A 12-inch sh is approximately three
years old, while a 24-inch sh will be 15 to 17 years old.
Monkeyface prickleback have been aged to 18 years using
the otolith and opercular bone, but the largest specimens
have not been aged. The maximum reported size is 30
inches in total length; 18 to 24 inch individuals are not
uncommon.
Information available on age at sexual maturity suggests
that both sexes begin to mature in their third or fourth
year at a total length range of 11.0 to 14.2 inches, while
50 percent maturity occurs at approximately 15.4 inches
at ve years of age. Fertilization is internal and spawning
activity occurs from January to May, with the peak spawning period from February to April. Females are oviparous,
depositing their eggs on subtidal, rocky surfaces. Fecundity is known to range from 17,500 eggs for a 16-inch,
seven-year old sh to 46,000 eggs for a 24-inch, 11-yearold sh, with smaller sh producing fewer eggs. Nest
guarding behavior has been observed but it is unclear
Monkeyface Prickleback, Cebidichthys violaceus

Credit: PSMFC

A Status Report
181
Commercial Landings
1916-1999,
No commercial landing are
reported for monkeyface
prickback prior to 1990. Data
1.2
1.0
0.8
0.6
0.4
0.2
0.0 1916
1920
1930
1940
if the female, male, or both sexes guard the egg mass.

Larval length at hatching is unknown; larvae begin to
settle out of the plankton at 0.7 to 0.9 inches.
The diet of monkeyface prickleback shifts from carnivorous to herbivorous with an increase in size. As early
juveniles, up to 3.1 inches, prey items are predominantly
zooplankton and include copepods, amphipods, isopods,
mysids, and polychaetes. At approximately three inches,
they then become almost exclusively herbivorous. Over
sixty species of algae have been recorded as food items.
Despite this wide array, they appear to feed selectively
on eight to 10 species of red and green algae, mostly in
the genera Ulva, Porphyra, Mazzaella, Microcladia, and
Mastocarpus. Adults appear to prefer annual red and green
algae to perennial red algae. This preference is determined to some degree by ocean season and availability.
Predators of monkeyface prickleback include piscivorous
birds, such as great egrets and red-breasted mergansers,
and shes such as cabezon and grass rocksh. Predation
is primarily on the earlier life stages of this species;
large juveniles and adult sh most likely evade or outgrow
these predators.
Other intertidal boulder and crevice-dwelling eel-like
shes, such as the rock and black pricklebacks and penpoint and rockweed gunnels, are possible competitors
with monkeyface prickleback for space and food resources.
o information is available on the status of stocks

of monkeyface prickleback. The primary source of
shing mortality is from recreational poke polers and
commercial anglers shing from shore or the shallow subtidal, with a lesser number taken spearshing by free
and scuba divers. Historically, both recreational and commercial landings are considered to be low.
182

A Status Report
1950
1960
1970
1980
1990
1999
Robert N. Lea and Paul N. Reilly
References
Fitch, J.E. and R.J. Lavenberg. 1971. Marine Food and
Game Fishes of California. University of California Press.
179 p.
Horn, M.H., K.L.M. Martin, and M.A. Chotkowski [eds.]
1999. Intertidal Fishes: Life in Two Worlds. Academic
Press. 399 p.
Horn, M.H., S.N. Murray, and T.W. Edwards. 1982. Dietary
selectivity in the eld and food preferences in the laboratory for two herbivorous shes (Cebidichthys violaceus
and Xiphister mucosus) from a temperate intertidal zone.
Marine Biology 67:237-246.
Love, M. 1996. Probably More than You Want to Know
about the Fishes of the Pacic Coast. Really Big Press,
Santa Barbara, California, 381 p.
Marshall, W.H. and T. Wyllie Echeverria. 1992. Age, length,
weight, reproductive cycle and fecundity of the monkeyface prickleback (Cebidichthys violaceus). California Fish
and Game 78(2):57-64.
Miller, K.A. and W.H. Marshall. 1987. Food habits of large
monkeyface prickleback, Cebidichthys violaceus. California
Fish and Game 73(1):37-44.
Ralston, S.L. and M.H. Horn. 1986. High tide movements
of the temperate-zone herbivorous sh Cebidichthys violaceus (Girard) as determined by ultrasonic telemetry. Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology 98:35-50.

December 2001
Kelp Greenling
K
elp greenling (Hexagrammos decagrammus) are shed

primarily for sport. The commercial shery has historically been based largely on catch incidental to the lingcod
or nearshore rocksh sheries, although their importance
in the commercial catch has increased since 1997 with
the emergence of a nearshore live sh shery. Because
of their abundance in nearshore rocky areas, they are frequently caught by people shing from shore or small boats
and are a common target for spear shermen underwater.
Sport shing surveys made from 1958 to 1961 showed that
kelp greenling were the most frequent catch of shore
shermen north of San Francisco, where in some areas
they made up more than 30 percent of the total catch.
In California, during those years, an average of 54,000
kelp greenling were caught by hook-and-line shermen
and another 2,000 by spear shermen. In later surveys
conducted from 1980 to 1999, the estimated sport catch
averaged 106,650 sh per year, with 103,000 of those
taken between Monterey County and the Oregon border.
It should be noted that the two sport shing surveys used
different sampling designs, so results may not be comparable. By comparison, the commercial catch reported from
1981 to 1999 averaged about 8,500 sh per year. This
average is somewhat exaggerated by exceptionally large
numbers of sh landed commercially in recent years by
the nearshore live sh shery mentioned above. From
1981 to 1996 average commercial catch was only around
5,500 sh per year, while from 1997 to 1999 that average
increased to 27,400 sh per year. Until recently most of
these sh were sold in the fresh-sh market, although
now many are sold live to restaurants. Though llets
from kelp greenling are not as large as those from their
more popular relative, the lingcod, texture and taste are
comparable.
elp greenling range from San Diego to the Aleutian

Islands, but are common only north of Morro Bay.
Here they are one of the most conspicuous shes in
rocky nearshore habitats occurring often in and around
kelp beds. The male and female look so different that they
were rst described as separate species. The body color is
variable in both sexes, ranging from light gray to brown.
Males, however, have large irregular blue patches anteriorly, while females are uniformly covered with smaller
dark spots.
These solitary sh are common at depths between 10
and 60 feet, and range down to 150 feet. Sport catches
indicate that larger sh live in deeper water. For example,
sh caught at 80 to 100 feet range from 12 to 18 inches

December 2001
long while those caught at 20 to 40 feet tend to be eight

to 13 inches long. Kelp greenling grow faster than most
nearshore shes during their rst three years. After the
third year, growth slows, especially in males (as it does
in lingcod), so that by the fth or sixth year males are
smaller than females. The maximum reported age and size
is 16 years and 21 inches. At age three, males average 10.6
inches and females 9.1 inches. By age ve, the males average 12.6 inches while females are 14.7 inches. Ten-yearolds average 15.5 and 16.4 inches, respectively. These
data are from Puget Sound, Washington.
Kelp Greenling
The reproductive behavior of greenling is similar to that of

the lingcod. Females are mature by their fourth year and
spawn adhesive egg masses on the sea bed and encrusting
biota within the territories of courting males. In Puget
Sound, females deposit egg masses that range from golfball to tennis-ball size, with an average of about 4,000
eggs per cluster. Females are batch spawners, capable of
producing multiple clutches of eggs per spawning season.
Males fertilize the eggs and guard the nests until larvae
about one third of an inch long emerge four to ve
weeks later. Often, males guard more than one egg
mass at a time, each possibly produced by a different
female. Studies done in British Columbia and California
showed some nests did contain egg masses from multiple
females. Hatching occurs from December through February in northern California and gets progressively earlier
to the north, November through January in Puget Sound
and August through September in Alaska. Larvae and early
juveniles feed on small copepods and spend about one
year in the pelagic environment before entering the nearshore benthic community.
After they settle in the nearshore environment, kelp
greenling have exible food habits. During most of the
year, they consume a variety of prey that are consistently
available in the habitat, including crabs, amphipods, polychaetes and ascidians. There are brief periods when
organisms such as juvenile shes or herring spawn become
exceptionally abundant, and kelp greenling shift their food
habits to take advantage of these opportunities.
Kelp Greenling, Hexagrammos decagrammus

Credit: DFG

A Status Report
183
Kelp Greenling
The primary predators of adult greenling are lingcod and

harbor seals. As juveniles they are probably prey to many
nearshore predators.
here are no estimates of abundance for kelp greenling

in California. The yearly sport catch remained relatively constant during the rst ten years (1980-1989) it
was surveyed, but has declined steadily from 1993 to 1999.
Since decline in catch is one symptom of overshing, this
may be an indication that current levels of shing are
having adverse effects on the population, although no
population data are available at present to conrm this.
Spear shermen could oversh local populations, however,
because they can select individual targets, and greenling
are particularly vulnerable to spears when guarding their
nests. Also, although commercial catch has been traditionally very low compared to recreational catch, the
increased shing pressure in recent years by the nearshore
live sh shery could have a much broader impact on the
kelp greenling population in California.
References
Barker, M. W. 1979. Population and shery dynamics of
recreationally exploited marine bottomsh of northern
Puget Sound. Ph.D. Dissertation, University of Washington,
Seattle, 152p.
Crow, Karen D., D.A. Powers, and G. Bernardi. 1997. Evidence for multiple maternal contributors in nests of kelp
greenling (Hexagrammos decagrammus, Hexagrammidae).
Copeia 1: 9-15.
Demartini, E. E. 1986. Reproductive colorations, paternal
behavior, and egg masses of kelp greenling, Hexagrammos
decagrammus, and whitespotted greenling, H. stelleri.
Northwest Science 60(1):32-35.
Gorbunova, N. N. 1970. Spawning and development of
greenlings (family Hexagrammidae). In: Rass, T. S. (ed.),
Greenlings: taxonomy, biology, interoceanic transplantation. (Trans. from Russian) Isr. Progr. Sci. Transl. No. 5553,
p. 121-185.
Rothrock, G. C. 1982. Age-length, weight, fecundity, and
meristics of the kelp greenling (Hexagrammos decagrammus) off California. Masters Thesis, University of California
of Davis, 95 p.
Dan Howard
Revised by:
Kelly R. Silberberg
Kelp Greenling
150
120
90
60
30
0
1947
1950
1960
1970
1980
1990
1999
Recreational Catch 1947-1999, Kelp Greenling

184

A Status Report

December 2001
istorically, many of the nearshore rockshes have

been taken primarily by recreational anglers shing
from boats, the shore, or by diving. Kelp rocksh (Sebastes
atrovirens), gopher rocksh (Sebastes carnatus), blackand-yellow rocksh (Sebastes chrysomelas), China rocksh
(Sebastes nebulosus), grass rocksh (Sebastes rastrelliger),
and treesh (Sebastes serriceps) have been minor components of recreational and commercial sheries. Gopher
rocksh is the only species of these six that comprised
a signicant proportion of recreational landings and was
common enough in commercial landings to have a market
category prior to 1994. Gopher rocksh have comprised
up to 13 percent annually of commercial passenger shing
vessel (CPFV) observed landings from the Morro Bay area.
A review of the marine recreational shery statistics
survey (MRFSS) catch data from 1980 to 1999 indicated
recreational catches of grass rocksh, China rocksh,
gopher rocksh and kelp rocksh have declined since the
late 1980s and landings of treesh were higher from 1993
to 1999 than 1980 to 1989. While the MRFSS provides catch
information for shore and vessel-based angling, divers are
not represented. The private/rental boat method contributed the highest proportion of the gopher rocksh
recreational catch for all of California. China rocksh have
accounted for up to three percent of CPFV observed
catches from San Francisco north. Both China rocksh and
gopher rocksh are most frequently observed in CPFV
and private boat catches. Grass rocksh, kelp rocksh,
black-and-yellow rocksh and treesh are more frequently
caught by anglers shing from private boats than by
anglers shing from CPFVs or from shore.
Development of the live/premium shery in the late 1980s
resulted in increasing commercial catches of many species
occupying the nearshore environment in and around kelp
beds, including these six rockshes. Live sh are taken
primarily by line gear and pot and trap gear, but other
gear types are used. The shery serves mainly Asian American markets that demand top quality (live) sh. Fishermen receive premium prices for their catches ranging
from $2 to $10 per pound, compared to $1.50 per pound or
less previously. Grass rocksh command the highest prices
up to $4.84 average price per pound in 1998. With the
exception of treesh, these nearshore rocksh species are
caught primarily north of Point Conception.
Historically, commercial landings have been recorded by
both specic (gopher rocksh) or nonspecic (gopher
group) market categories and until 1994 there were no
specic market categories for any of these nearshore species except gopher rocksh. Annual total landings by spe-

December 2001
cies are difcult to determine due to the inexact nature of

recording landings. Market categories are often comprised
of multiple species; for example, sampled market categories from the Morro Bay area from 1993 to 1998 revealed a
wide range of placement of the six species in both
group and single species categories. Gopher and grass
rocksh appeared most frequently in nine other market
categories than their own. The most common classication error seemed to occur between gopher and blackand-yellow rockshes with 34.4 percent of the black-andyellow market category being made up of gopher rocksh.
The gopher group contained up to 61 percent gopher
rocksh. While species misidentication does occur, sh
are often grouped by price rather than by species complicating specic landing estimates. Based on DFG CMASTER summaries of reported landings, landings of gopher
and grass rockshes and the gopher group peaked at
31,255 pounds ($35,740 value) in 1994, 109,003 pounds
($506,670) in 1995, and 221,018 pounds ($521,163) in
1996, respectively.
Other Nearshore Rockfishes
Other Nearshore
Rockfishes
The live sh market demand is mainly for sh in the one

to two pound size range, and up to four pounds for grass
rocksh. For gopher, black-and-yellow, grass, and China
rockshes, this size range is above the size of sexual
maturity, although in the development of the shery all
sh were kept regardless of size. Due to concerns over the
harvest of immature sh, legislation passed in late 1998,
the Marine Life Management Act, implemented minimum
commercial size limits on grass, gopher, kelp, black-andyellow, and China rockshes. The new size limits are
12 inches for grass and China rockshes, and 10 inches
for gopher, kelp, and black-and-yellow rockshes. The
shallow, nearshore nature of this shery renders it very
weather dependent. Poor weather, combined with lower
overall allowable catches, implementation of minimum
size limits, and a lack of a market north of Bodega Bay
resulted in reduced catches from 1997 to 1999.
Several of these species are also important in non-consumptive uses. Colorful, accessible, or both, treesh and
Gopher Rockfish, Sebastes carnatus

Credit: DFG

A Status Report
185
kelp, black-and-yellow, gopher, and China rockshes are

frequently observed and photographed by divers. In addition, individuals are taken for the aquarium trade.
elp, black-and-yellow, gopher, and grass rockshes are

relatively well studied, while treesh and China rocksh are, to differing degrees, less well-known. Most of
these species occupy restricted ranges of geography or
habitat. The treesh is most common in depths of less
than 100 feet or so on rocky reefs, and is restricted largely
to the region south of Point Conception. Kelp, black-andyellow, and gopher rockshes are not abundant north
of Sonoma County (or farther south, for kelp rocksh),
and range south to the region of Point Eugenia, Baja

California. Each has a restricted habitat, with kelp rocksh
occurring almost exclusively in kelp forests, black-andyellow rocksh occurring in high-relief rocky bottom at
depths shallower than about 60 feet, and gopher rocksh
occurring on rocky reefs from 40 feet to perhaps 150
feet. The geographical range of the grass rocksh extends
throughout California and into southern Oregon, but its
habitat is restricted to rocky areas shallower than about
20 feet.
The China rocksh is abundant into Washington, British
Columbia, and southeastern Alaska, declining in abundance south into California. It is quite rare south of Point
Conception, and seems to inhabit progressively deeper
water in the southern part of its range. The ranges for
some of these species have changed in the last 15 to
500
China Rockfish
Kelp Rockfish
100
80
60
40
20
0
1947
1950
1960
1970
1980
1990
Grass Rockfish
Black & Yellow Rockfish

80
60
40
20
1947
1950
1960
1970
1980
1990
1950
1960
1970
1980
1990
1999
80
60
40
20
1947
1950
1960
1970
1980
1990
1999
Recreational Catch 1947-1999, Grass Rockfish

70
Treefish
500
Gopher Rockfish
1947
100
1999
Recreational Catch 1947-1999, Black & Yellow Rockfish

400
300
200
100
1947
1950
1960
1970
1980
1990
1999
Recreational Catch 1947-1999, Gopher Rockfish

186
100
120
100
200
Recreational Catch 1947-1999, China Rockfish

120
300
1999
Recreational Catch 1947-1999, Kelp Rockfish

400

A Status Report
60
50
40
30
20
10
0 1947
1950
1960
1970
1980
1990
1999
Recreational Catch 1947-1999, Treefish


December 2001
Five of the six species are relatively small for rocksh. The
grass rocksh, at about 20-22 inches, reaches the largest
size of the six species. The largest individuals of the other
ve species rarely exceed 15-17 inches; among the ve,
the China rocksh reaches slightly larger sizes than the
others, followed in rough order by treesh, kelp rocksh,
gopher, and black-and-yellow rockshes. Treesh have not
been aged, but at least one study of age and growth
has been conducted on kelp, black-and-yellow, gopher,
grass, and China rockshes. The greatest ages recorded
in each of these ve species are between 20 and 26
years. However, because the largest individuals observed
in each species have typically not been aged and
because aging to date has been based largely on
readings of whole otoliths, greater maximum ages may be
possible. Different studies have
produced different estimates of age at rst maturity,
perhaps because of differences in goals and methodology.
In the ve species that have been aged, many studies
suggest that rst maturity occurs in the range of
three to four years, although one study indicates
later maturity.
Treesh and kelp, black-and-yellow, gopher, and China
rockshes appear to reproduce once per breeding season.
Grass rocksh may reproduce only once per season, but
some contradictory data exist. There are no data on
spawning seasonality in treesh, but the other ve species
appear to spawn in winter through spring. Grass rocksh
seem to reproduce the earliest, giving birth primarily in
December through February (except for an observation in
August), China rocksh reproduce slightly later, black-andyellow and gopher rockshes slightly later still (spawning
through early spring), and kelp rocksh the latest, spawning through May and June.
The adult movement of most of these species may be even
more restricted than other rockshes. Individual blackand-yellow, gopher, and kelp rockshes have been shown
to inhabit restricted home ranges, and it is likely grass
rocksh, China rocksh, and treesh share this behavior.
Aggressive behavior has been observed in all except grass
rocksh (for which observations are limited), and gopher
rocksh and black-and-yellow rocksh are denitely territorial. However, some evidence from articial reefs sug-

December 2001
gests that typically sedentary individuals may occasionally

wander indeterminate distances, on the order of tens of
meters, from their home ranges.
Available data suggest that diets of juvenile sh of all
six species include primarily crustacean zooplanktors such
as barnacle cyprids. Overall adult diets are more varied.
Crustaceans and small sh are common diet items for
adult sh of all six species. Kelp rocksh also eat cephalopods, gastropods, polychaetes, and tunicates. Cephalopods and gastropods are consumed by gopher rocksh
as well, along with ophiuroids (brittle stars) and polychaetes. Black-and-yellow rocksh and China rocksh also
consume ophiuroids. A variety of mollusks are consumed
by China rocksh including cephalopods, gastropods, chitons, and nudibranchs. Small sh consumed by these rockshes include juvenile rocksh (mainly blue rocksh), sculpins, juvenile surfperch, kelpshes, and plainn midshipman. Information on diet of treesh is limited.
20 years. Black-and-yellow rocksh and kelp rocksh abundance have declined since the early 1970s in the northern
Channel Islands, and probably throughout the Southern
California Bight. Little has been documented on northward
range expansion for these species, and nothing has been
documented regarding changes in the ranges of gopher,
China, and grass rockshes. The treesh seems to be more
abundant now in the Monterey area than in the 1980s.
These changes in distribution seem to be related to ocean
warming that began in 1977.
hile there have been several studies of local abundance in some of these species (particularly blackand-yellow, gopher, and kelp rockshes), there is no comprehensive assessment of their populations. Each species
is probably subject to local depression in abundance and
average size where diving, skiff shing, party boat activity, or commercial shing is concentrated. The low fecundity, restricted habitats, and limited movements of these
species make them vulnerable to local shing pressure.
Statewide, the limited geographic ranges and restricted
habitats of these species suggest that they have small
populations in comparison to more widespread species
that have traditionally been the targets of commercial
shing. These species have limited depth distributions
so that all of the spawning population is vulnerable to
shing and few natural refugia probably exist. Because
good recruitment years are infrequent there is the
danger of removing too many spawners even with limited
shing pressure.
Ralph J. Larson
San Francisco State University
Deborah A. Wilson-Vandenberg

A Status Report
187
References
Haaker, P. L. 1978. Observations of agonistic behavior in
the treesh, Sebastes serriceps (Scorpaenidae). California
Fish and Game 64:227-228.
Hallacher, L. E., and D. A. Roberts. 1985. Differential
utilization of space and food by the inshore rockshes
(Scorpaenidae: Sebastes) of Carmel Bay, California. Environmental Biology of Fishes 12:91-110.
Larson, R. J. 1980. Territorial behavior of black and yellow
rocksh and gopher rocksh (Scorpaenidae, Sebastes).
Marine Biology 58: 111-122. 1980.
related sport shes. Calif. Dept. Fish and Game Fish Bull.
177. 109 p.
Love, M. S., and K. Johnson. 1998. Aspects of the life
histories of grass rocksh, Sebastes rastrelliger, and brown
rocksh, S. auriculatus, from southern California. Fish.
Bull. 87:100-109.
Pattison, C. 1999. Nearshore Finshes, In Review of some
California sheries for 1998, CalCOFI Reports 40:16-18.
Wilson-Vandenberg, D. A., P. N. Reilly and L. Halko. 1995.
Onboard sampling of the rocksh and lingcod Commercial
Passenger Fishing Vessel Industry in northern and central
California, January through December 1993. Calif. Dept.
Fish and Game, Mar. Resour. Div. Admin. Rep. 95-2. 122 p.
188

A Status Report

December 2001
Vermilion Rockfish
V
ermilion rocksh (Sebastes miniatus), though highly

desirable because of their brilliant color and the aky
texture of their esh when cooked, are only of moderate
importance in Californias commercial and sport sheries.
It is difcult to accurately determine what percent of
the commercial catch is comprised of vermilion rocksh,
because individuals in reported landings are often misidentied or combined with other red and orange-colored
rockshes in the market category of rocksh, Group
Red. From 1991 to 1993, vermilion rocksh landings were
less than 2,000 pounds annually, statewide. This may be in
part because, prior to 1994, there was no printed market
category for vermilion rocksh on landing receipts; thus,
they were only designated by species when shermen
added the category. Since 1994, Rocksh, vermilion has
been a printed market category on landing receipts. From
1994 to 1999, pounds landed for both market categories
progressively declined. During this period annual landings
quotas became more restrictive. Commercial landing in
the San Francisco area in 1994 and 1995 accounted for 59
percent of statewide landings. From 1996 through 1998,
this percentage declined to 44, 28, and 17, respectively.
From 1996 through 1998, the Eureka area reported the
highest landings within the state (54 percent average for
the three-year period).
Vermilion rocksh comprised less than two percent of
all landed shes observed on commercial passenger shing vessels (CPFV) from Fort Bragg to Monterey from
1992 through 1995. During this same period, they constituted between six and eight percent of all landed shes
observed on CPFVs from Port San Luis and Morro Bay and
averaged 14 inches in length. Along lightly shed areas
of the central coast, sh of comparable size comprised
eight percent of the total CPFV catch. Fish taken north of
Monterey by CPFV anglers were slightly larger on average.
In a survey of southern California CPFVs from 1985 through
1987, vermilion rocksh ranked third in species composition and represented eight percent of the total observed
rocksh catch. Between 1983 and 1988, they ranged from
two to ve percent of the observed commercial catch of
rocksh landed south of Point Conception.
skinned, and deep-fried. They are also delicious when

baked with vegetables in the oven or microwave. As with
most other members of the family, the esh is white, ne
in texture, and mild in avor.
ermilion rocksh are found from the San Benito

Islands, Baja California, to Prince William Sound,
Alaska, and occur over rocky bottoms from the shallow
subtidal to 1,400 feet. Large sh are more common at
depths greater than 100 feet due to the combined shing
pressure in shallower waters from commercial and recreational shermen. Vermilion rocksh generally remain on
the same reef system on which they settle during their
rst year. Tagging studies have shown no movement of
sh at liberty for one to three years. Vermilion rocksh
are extremely long-lived. A 20-inch individual weighing 5.4
pounds was aged, using surface aging, at 25 years. Lengths
up to 30 inches have been reported. Vermilion rocksh
have lengthy juvenile life stages. Fifty percent of the
population is mature at eight years and these sh average
14 inches. The slow growth and long juvenile period make
vermilion rocksh very susceptible to overshing. Once
large individuals are removed from a reef system they are
replaced only by larval settlement.
Vermilion Rockfish
Peak spawning months are September in central and

northern California and November in southern California.
The number of developing eggs increases from 63,000 in
a sh 12.5 inches long to about 1.6 million in a 21.5-inch
sh. Females are fertilized internally by males. In October
of 1997, while conducting population scuba surveys of
subtidal shes in Point Lobos Ecological Reserve, Monterey
County, California, several vermilion rocksh courtship
displays were observed and videotaped by divers from
California Department of Fish and Game. The absence
of previously published description of vermilion rocksh
mating or courtship may be due to the scarcity of mature
individuals in habitat shallow enough to allow routine
observations. Newly released larvae are free swimming
and lead a pelagic existence for three to four months,
The average size of observed vermilion rocksh taken

by recreational hook-and-line anglers shing from Point
Pios to Yankee Point in Monterey County, based on creel
surveys at the Monterey Harbor, declined from 1981 to
1999. The average size was 18.8 inches in 1981, 16.1 inches
in 1983, 15.5 inches in 1985, and 14.3 inches in 1987. In
1999, the average size rose to 15.5 inches.
Vermilion rocksh are marketed primarily in a fresh
dressed form. Because the esh has a short freezer life,
it is rarely frozen. These rocksh are best when lleted,

December 2001
then settle to the bottom. Juveniles are not strong swimVermilion Rockfish, Sebastes miniatus
Credit: DFG

A Status Report
189
Vermilion Rockfish
mers and tend to be very secretive, often taking refuge

in dense algae.
The pelagic young of vermilion rocksh feed primarily
upon crustaceans, while adults feed on octopus, squid,
and small shes such as anchovies and blue lanternsh.
At times, macroplanktonic organisms such as euphausiids,
pelagic red crabs, and pyrosomes (pelagic colonial tunicates) are found in their stomachs.
n 1995, mean total length of observed vermilion rocksh

taken during CPFV trips in central and northern California were consistently above the size of sexual maturation.
Larger individuals and higher catch per-angler-hour were
generally observed when shing occurred in deep water
and greater than 10 nautical miles from ports. Based
on adjusted logbook data from San Simeon, Port San
Luis, and Morro Bay, an estimated 23,000 vermilion rocksh were landed by CPFV anglers in 1995. This total is
2.7-fold higher than the combined estimate (8,530) from
the remaining central and northern California ports.
David A. VenTresca
References
Boehlert, G.W. and M.M. Yoklavich. 1984. Reproduction,
embryonic energetics, and maternal-fetal relationship in
the viviparous genus Sebastes (Pisces, Scorpaenidae). Biol.
Bull. 167:354-370.
Gingras, M.L., D.A. VenTresca, M.D. Donnellan, and J.L.
Fisher. 1998. First observations of vermilion rocksh courtship are from a harvest refuge. Calif. Fish and Game
84(4):176-179.
Sebastes with notes on ecologically related species. Calif.
Dept. Fish and Game Fish Bull. 177:109 p.
Reilly, P., D. Wilson-Vandenberg, C. Wilson, and K. Mayer.
1998. Onboard sampling of the rocksh and lingcod commercial passenger shing vessel industry in northern and
central California, January through December 1995. Calif.
Depart. of Fish and Game, Mar. Res. Admin. Rept.
98-1:110 p.
Singer, M.M. 1985. Food habits of juvenile rockshes
(Sebastes) in a central California kelp forest. Fish. Bull.
83:531-541.
VenTresca, D.A., J.L. Houk, M.J. Paddack, M.L. Gingras,
N.L. Crane, and S.D. Short. 1996. Early life history studies
of nearshore rockshes and lingcod off central California,
1987-92. Calif. Depart. of Fish and Game, Mar. Res. Admin.
Rept. 96-4:77 p.
Wyllie-Echeverria, T. 1987. Thirty-four species of California rockshes: maturity and seasonality of reproduction.
Fish. Bull. 85(2):229-250.
190

A Status Report

December 2001
Lingcod
T
he lingcod (Ophiodon elongatus) has long been an

important source of food for people living along the
West Coast of North America, although current catches
are low due to overexploitation of the stock. Archaeological studies of native American habitations along the central California coast indicate that between 6200 BC and
AD 1830, large inshore species such as rockshes, lingcod,
and kelp greenling comprised more than half of the shes
caught on the open coast. American Indians used spears,
nets, weirs, traps, and lures of wood with bone hooks to
catch lingcod. Early Caucasian settlers caught lingcod as
well. Fishing methods in the 1800s were similar to the
hook-and-line techniques currently used to catch lingcod
in the small boat jig shery.
Catches of lingcod have been reported as a separate
category since 1916 in California. Commercial landings
from 1916 through 1929 ranged from 400,000 pounds to 1.2
million pounds. Landings in the rst half of the century
reached a peak in 1930 at 1.3 million pounds, and then
declined to a low of 314,000 pounds in 1942. The California lingcod shery grew again from 1943 through 1950,
as landings ranged from 719,000 pounds to a high of 2.1
million pounds in 1948, due primarily to strong markets for
liver oil and seafood. For the next two decades, landings
averaged 1.2 million pounds per year, and then began to
increase in the 1970s, due to the burgeoning west coast
trawl shery.
During this period of rapid shery growth, lingcod landings
in California almost tripled. From 1972 through 1982,
commercial landings of lingcod averaged almost three million pounds per year. After a decline in the mid-1980s,
landings rebounded to a high level again in 1989. Since
then, however, commercial catches have rapidly declined,
partly due to management restrictions enacted to rebuild
depressed stocks. In 1999, commercial landings were only
313,000 pounds, valued at $283,000.
The character of lingcod sheries has changed greatly
in the past 30 years. In the 1970s, about 85 percent of
the commercially landed lingcod were caught with trawls;
however, hook-and-line gear now account for half of the
commercial landings. In addition, the recently developed
nearshore shery that delivers live sh to markets and restaurants landed an average of more than 40,000 pounds
per year in the 1990s. There has also been a shift in
the lingcod shery away from commercial and towards
recreational catches. Recreational landings as a percentage of total lingcod landings increased from 20 percent in
the 1970s to about 50 percent in the late 1990s. This was
because recreational shing effort in California increased
by 65 percent between the time periods 1958 through
1961, and 1980 through 1986. Average annual landings in

December 2001
the California recreational shery almost doubled during

that period, from 510,000 pounds per year to 890,000
pounds per year. The increase was due largely to an
increase in the private boat shery. In 1961, 61 percent
of the recreational landings came from commercial passenger shing vessels. Now, 70 percent of the recreational
landings come from the private boat shery. In both the
commercial and recreational sheries, landings occur predominately in central and northern California.
Lingcod
Stock assessments conducted by the Pacic Fishery Management Council (PFMC) have indicated large population
declines for lingcod along its entire range. For the
management areas that include California and Southern
Oregon (the Eureka, Monterey, and Conception management areas), the current estimate of female spawning
biomass is 13 percent of the unshed level. Consequently,
shery regulations have become more stringent, as shery
managers try to rebuild the stock.
With the implementation of the PMFCs Groundsh Plan
in 1983, the combined Acceptable Biological Catch (ABC)
for the Eureka, Monterey, and Conception management
areas was 4.8 million pounds, or more than 1.5 million
pounds higher than the commercial landings. In 1995, the
combined quota for these areas was reduced by about
50 percent, and a 22-inch commercial size-limit was instituted. A monthly commercial boat-limit of 20,000 pounds
per month was established along with a trawl trip-limit
of 100 pounds under the 22-inch size-limit. By 2000, the
combined ABC for the Eureka, Monterey, and Conception
International North Pacic Fisheries Commission (INPFC)
areas was reduced in half again to less than 1.2 million
pounds. The monthly boat limit was reduced to 1,000
pounds and the commercial size-limit was increased to
24 inches.
Prior to 1980, there was a recreational catch limit of 10
lingcod per angler. This bag limit was reduced to ve sh
in 1980, and a 22-inch size-limit was introduced in 1981. In
1996, the bag-limit was reduced to three sh to conform
to Oregon and Washington regulations, and the size-limit
Lingcod, Ophiodon elongatus

Credit: L. Sinclair, Miller and Lea

A Status Report
191
Lingcod
4
3
2
1
0
1916 1920
1930
1940
was increased to 24 inches. In 1999, the bag-limit was

reduced to two sh. In 2000, the size-limit was increased
to 26 inches. Also, the lingcod shery was closed south
of Lopez Point, Monterey County during the months of
January and February and from Lopez Point north to Cape
Mendocino during March and April.
he lingcod is the largest member of the Hexagrammidae family. The scientic name Ophiodon is a combination of two Greek words meaning snake and tooth, a
reference to the lingcods large teeth. The name elongatus
is of Latin origin and refers to the elongated body. Lingcod
are found only off the West Coast of North America. They
are distributed in nearshore waters from northern Baja
California to the Shumagin Islands along the Alaskan Peninsula. Their center of abundance is off British Columbia,
and they become less common toward the southern end
of their range.
Lingcod lack a swimbladder and thus will rest on the
bottom or actively swim in the water column. They are
found over a wide range of substrates at depths from 10
to 1,300 feet, but most occur in rocky areas from 30 to
330 feet. Typically, larger lingcod occupy rocky habitats;
larger animals are found on deeper banks and reefs,
whereas smaller animals live in shallower waters. Adult
lingcod are strongly residential, tending to remain near
the reefs or rocky areas where they live. Large-scale
conventional tagging studies have found that the vast
majority of mature lingcod are recaptured within six miles
of where they were tagged, however acoustic tagging
studies have indicated frequent short-term movements.
Juveniles tend to disperse and travel over a wider range
than adults.
192

A Status Report
1950
1960
1970
1980
1990
1999
Individuals grow to a maximum length of 39 inches for

males and 59 inches for females. Maximum age is thought
to be 25 years. Although there is large variation in length
at age, the average one-year-old sh is 13 inches long, and
a two-year-old is 17 inches long. After age two, females
begin to grow faster than males. The average length of a
four-year-old female is 24 inches, of an eight-year-old is
32 inches, and of a 12-year-old is 35 inches. The average
length of a four-year-old male is 22 inches, of an eightyear-old is 29 inches, and of a 12-year-old is 32 inches. In
California, the oldest lingcod on record is a 19-year-old,
45-inch female, and the longest is a 51-inch female.
Lingcod length and age at sexual maturity vary with latitude; lingcod in the northern part of their range are larger
and mature later than sh in the southern part of the
distribution. As with most shes, fecundity increases with
size of sh. In the northern end of the lingcod range,
females can produce 50,000 eggs at a length of 24 inches,
124,000 eggs at a length of 32 inches, and 170,000 eggs
at a length of 36 inches. This level of fecundity is low
compared to many other marine species in the eastern
Pacic, but high for a species that guards eggs.
Lingcod exhibit an interesting spawning behavior, which
includes a spawning migration into nearshore habitats for
120
Lingcod
Commercial Landings
1916-1999, Lingcod
landing receipts.
Lingcod
100
80
60
40
20
0
1947
1950
1960
1970
1980
1990
1999
Recreational Catch 1947-1999, Lingcod


December 2001
After spawning, males guard the nests from predation

until the eggs hatch. On occasion, males have been found
guarding two nests if they were close together, and sometimes if the male is removed, a new male will assume
the guardian role. The nest guarding behavior of lingcod
make them susceptible to targeted shing during the
spawning period. Males guarding nests are territorial and
will aggressively strike at bait or lures that come close to
the nest. Targeted shing during the spawning season can
thus directly increase lingcod mortality by increasing catch
rates. It can also indirectly increase mortality by dislodging animals from the nest, resulting in increased egg
mortality. Fish predators such as kelp greenling, striped
seaperch, and small sculpins will eat lingcod eggs if a
guardian male is removed from the nest. Invertebrates
such as sea urchin, sunower star, and snails also feed on
lingcod eggs, but are not chased away by males guarding
the nest. The eggs generally hatch about seven weeks
after they are laid, but incubation can last from ve to
11 weeks. Hatching may continue for 24 to 48 hours, after
which the guardian male leaves.
Egg hatching is generally synchronous, with most eggs
hatching within two to seven days of each other. Newly
hatched larvae are 0.25-0.4 inches in length, and grow
about 0.06 inches per day. The larvae are pelagic for
about three months from early March to early June and
settle to the bottom when they are about three inches
long. Newly settled juveniles reside in shallow bays and
on nearshore sand and mud bottoms from the beach to
333 feet in depth. Juveniles occur over a wide range of
habitats including mud, sand, gravel, and eelgrass, but by
age two occupy similar habitats as adults.
young lingcod have a very large mouth for their body size,
allowing them to feed on prey much larger than other sh
of their age and size. For large juvenile and adult lingcod,
sh is the dominant prey, accounting for about 80 percent
(by volume) of the stomach contents. In California waters,
juvenile rockshes are the most important prey.
Lingcod
the deposition of eggs in gelatinous masses, termed nests,

on rocky substrates. Males establish territory as early as
a month before females lay eggs, and remain on guard at
the nest until eggs are hatched. Preferred nest sites are
rocky areas in shallow water where there are strong currents. Males move on to spawning grounds rst, followed
by large females, who spawn earlier than smaller females.
After a female chooses a male and a spawning site, she
swims over the site and deposits a layer of several eggs.
The male then swims over the site and fertilizes the eggs.
This process is repeated until spawning is completed,
after which the female immediately leaves the spawning
grounds. The eggs become rmly cemented to each other
within the gelatinous mass in 24 to 48 hours. A relatively
strong current is necessary to oxygenate the egg mass and
prevent death of the embryos.
Most predation on lingcod occurs during the egg stage,

and predation becomes less common with age. On rare
occasions, pelagic juvenile lingcod (1.5 to 2.6 inches) are
found in the stomachs of chinook salmon. Other predators
of juvenile sh, such as seabirds and marine mammals
also prey on juvenile lingcod. Small benthic lingcod are
probably eaten by adult lingcod and marine mammals,
but have few other predators. Because of their large
size, large juvenile and adult lingcod escape all but the
occasional predator.
ingcod harvest has been higher than generally

accepted population replacement rates for the last
twenty years. Recent lingcod stock assessments have concluded that the lingcod stock is seriously depleted, and
that California populations appear to be less than 25 percent of their pre-1970s level. By federal law, this level of
stock depletion requires a management plan that rebuilds
lingcod populations. The rebuilding plan is intended to
restore the lingcod stock within 10 years. The substantial
reduction in ABC after 1997 and resulting reduced shery
harvest was triggered by that rebuilding plan. Low levels
of ABC and harvest will continue until lingcod populations
show signs of rebounding. California lingcod appear to be
highly productive, however, and there is good potential for
rapid population increases given appropriate decreases in
shing effort.
Peter B. Adams
Richard M. Starr
University of California
During the pelagic juvenile stage there is a gradual transition from a diet of small copepods to one of larger
copepods, crab larvae, amphipods, euphausiids, and herring larvae. As small benthic juveniles, lingcod feed on
herring, atshes, shiner perch, and other shes. Even

December 2001

A Status Report
193
Lingcod
References
Adams, P., E. Williams, K. Silberberg, and T. Laidig. 1999.
Southern lingcod stock assessment in 1999. Appendix In:
Status of the Pacic coast groundsh shery through 1999
and recommended acceptable biological catches for 2000.
Pacic Fishery Management Council, Portland.
Cass, A.J., R.J. Beamish, and G.A. McFarlane. 1990. Lingcod (Ophiodon elongatus). Can. Sp. Pub., Fish. and Aquat.
Sci. 109. 30 p.
Fitch, J.E. 1958. Offshore shes of California. Calif. Dept.
Fish Game. 80 p.
Jagielo, T.H. 1990. Movement of tagged lingcod Ophiodon
elongatus at Neah Bay, Washington. Fishery Bulletin 88(4):
815-820.
Karpov, K.A., D.P. Albin, W.H. Van Buskirk. 1995. The
marine recreational shery in northern and central California. A historical comparison (1958-86), status of stocks
(1980-86), and effects of changes in the California current.
California. Calif. Dept. Fish and Game, Fish Bull. 176.
192 p.
LaRiviere, M.G., D.D. Jessup, and S.B. Mathews. 1981.
Lingcod, Ophiodon elongatus, spawning and nesting in
San Juan Channel, Washington. Calif. Fish and Game
67:231-239.
Miller, D.J. and J.J. Geibel. 1973. Summary of blue rocksh and lingcod life histories; a reef ecology study; and
giant kelp, Macrocystis pyrifera, experiments in Monterey
Bay, California. Calif. Dept. Fish and Game, Fish Bull. 158.
137 p.
194

A Status Report

December 2001
California Halibut
C
alifornia halibut (Paralichthys californicus) is an important atsh species in both the commercial and recreational sheries of central and southern California. The
highest recorded commercial landing of halibut was 4.7
million pounds in 1919, which was followed by an overall
decline to a low of 950,000 pounds in 1932. Since 1932, the
average annual catch has been 910,000 pounds, with ve
notable peaks in landings: 1936 (1.58 million pounds), 1946
(2.46 million pounds), 1964 (1.28 million pounds), 1981
(1.26 million pounds), and 1997 (1.25 million pounds).
The decline in commercial halibut landings after 1919 has
been attributed to increased shing pressure during World
War I and to overshing. Fishing restraints during World
War II may have allowed halibut stocks to increase, resulting in peak landings in the late 1940s, followed by low
catches in the 1950s. Increased landings in the mid-1960s
followed warm water (El Nio) years in the late 1950s.
The lowest landings occurred in the early 1970s, with the
lowest recorded catch in 1970 of 257,000 pounds. Landings
increased during the late 1970s to a peak again in 1981
and 1997. Since 1980, landings of California halibut have
remained relatively constant, averaging more than one
million pounds annually.
Historically, halibut have been commercially harvested by
three principal gears: otter trawl, set gill and trammel
net, and hook-and-line. The California halibut trawl shery
evolved late in the 19th century in the San Francisco
Bay area. Since then, the boats used to tow this gear
across the ocean bottom have gone from sail to steam
to gasoline, and nally to diesel powered engines. Today,
trawling is permitted in federal waters (three to 200
nautical miles offshore) using trawl nets with a minimum
mesh size of 4.5 inches. Trawling is prohibited within
state waters, except in the designated California halibut
trawl grounds, which encompass the area between Point
Arguello and Point Mugu in waters greater than one nautical mile from shore. Bottom trawls used in this area
must have a minimum mesh size of 7.5 inches, and
trawling is closed from March 15 to June 15 to protect
spawning adults.
A decade after the introduction of the trawl shery to San
Francisco Bay, set gill and trammel nets were shed statewide along the coast. Historically, set nets have been the
gear of choice for commercial halibut shermen because
of the restrictions on bottom trawl gear in state waters.
In southern California, gill and trammel nets with 8.5-inch
mesh and maximum length of 9,000 feet are the principal
type of gear used. Today, gill and trammel net shing
is prohibited in Santa Monica Bay, shallow coastal waters
north of Point Sal, and is subject to many other area,
depth, and seasonal closures throughout the state. A

December 2001
Marine Resources Protection Zone (MRPZ) was established

in 1990 extending three miles off the southern California
mainland coast from Point Conception to the Mexican
border and within one mile or 70 fathoms (whichever is
less) around the Channel Islands. Gill and trammel nets
have been prohibited in the MRPZ since Jan. 1, 1994.
Historically, commercial catches of halibut by hook-andline gear have been insignicant when compared to the
total pounds landed annually by the trawl and set gillnet
sheries. However, over the last decade, catches of California halibut by hook-and-line have ranged from 11 to 23
percent of the total pounds landed annually. A majority of
those landings were made in the San Francisco Bay area
by salmon shermen mooching or trolling slowly over the
ocean bottom.
California Halibut
Catches by commercial passenger shing vessels (CPFV)

displayed trends similar to the commercial landings from
1947 through 1974, with two peaks in 1948 (143,000 halibut) and 1964 (141,000 halibut). Following the 1948 peak,
annual landings plummeted below 11,000 sh by 1957. The
expansion of the CPFV eet and no size limit restriction
for the take of California halibut can be attributed to the
13-fold decrease in landings between 1948 and 1958. While
the commercial catch increased in the late 1970s and
steadied in the 1980s, the recreational catch remained low
and variable with an average annual catch of 8,600 sh
from 1971 to 1989. By 1995, CPFV landings surged to a
26-year high of 19,600 sh, declining to 14,200 sh in 1999.
Since 1994, CPFVs operating in the San Francisco Bay area
have landed a majority of the halibut statewide.
To assist with the restoration of the California halibut
resource through the protection of sub-adult sh, a regulation was adopted in 1971 that set a minimum size limit
of 22 inches for sport-caught California halibut. Commercial landings increased slowly after this legislation,
whereas recreational landings remained low and did not
recover to former catch levels.
Although California halibut range from the Quillayute
River, Washington to Almejas Bay, Baja California, the
California Halibut, Paralichthys californicus

Credit: DFG

A Status Report
195
California Halibut
commercial shery is concentrated from Bodega Bay in

the north to San Diego in southern California, and across
the international border with Mexico. The contribution to
California landings of halibut captured in Mexican waters
has varied but has generally been insignicant since 1966.
Historically, the shery was centered off southern California and Baja California, but over the past twenty years,
the greatest landings have oscillated between ports in
southern and central California. A majority of the halibut
landings made in central California occurred in the San
Francisco Bay area. A limited amount of shing occurs
around the Channel Islands of southern California, with
a catch of substantially larger halibut (average length =
27 inches) than those caught in the nearshore mainland
shery (average length = 24 inches).
Commercial shing laws prohibit the sale of California
halibut less than 22 inches in total length, unless the
weight is at least four pounds whole, 3.5 pounds dressed
with the head on, or 3 pounds dressed with the head
off. Four halibut less than the legal minimum size may be
retained for personal use.
Recreational regulations also require a minimum size limit
of 22 inches, in addition to a daily bag limit of ve California halibut when shing south of Point Sur, Monterey
County, and only three halibut per day when shing north
of Point Sur. Halibut can be taken in recreational sheries
using hook-and-line, spear, or hand.
dult California halibut inhabit soft bottom habitats in

coastal waters generally less than 300 feet deep, with
greatest abundance at depths of less than 100 feet. Adults
spawn throughout the year with peak spawning in winter
and spring. Pelagic eggs and larvae occur over the shelf,
with greatest densities in water less than 250 feet deep
and within four miles of shore. Halibut larvae appear
to move inshore as they approach metamorphosis. Early
larval stages (about 0.1 to 0.3 inches) occur in midwater
more than one mile offshore, whereas transforming larvae
occur within 0.6 mile of shore and occupy the neuston
(surface zone) at night and the bottom during the day.
California halibut have a relatively short pelagic larval
stage (less than 30 days), transforming and settling to
the bottom at a small size (0.35 to 0.5 inches). Newly
settled and larger juvenile halibut are frequently taken in
unvegetated shallow-water embayments and infrequently
on the open coast, suggesting that embayments are the
important nursery habitats. However, settlement either
in bays or along the open coast varies yearly and may
reect variability in nearshore currents that inuence the
onshore transport of larvae. The advantages of bays as
nursery areas are probably a decrease in the risk of
196

A Status Report
mortality of newly-settled juveniles and an increase in

the growth rate of larger juveniles that feed upon the
abundant small shes in the bays. Juveniles emigrate from
the bays to the coast at about one year of age and 6.9 to
8.7 inches in length.
Tagging studies have indicated that California halibut do
not tend to move extensively. Most sublegal halibut tagged
and released from CPFVs in southern California were
recovered within ve miles from their tag sites; only
12 percent were found 10 miles or more from where
they were tagged. Larger halibut appear to travel the
greatest distances. One large tagged halibut (33 inches)
was recovered 64 miles away 39 days after release.
California halibut may live to 30 years and reach 60 inches
in length. The maximum-recorded weight is 72 pounds.
Male halibut mature at one to three years and eight to
twelve inches, whereas females mature at four to ve
years and 15 to 17 inches. Female halibut attain larger
sizes at age than males and represent a greater fraction
of the commercial landings (60 to 80 percent). Female
halibut reach legal size (22 inches) at ve to six years of
age, about a year before males.
California halibut are ambushing predators. Adults prey
primarily upon Pacic sardine, northern anchovies, squid,
and other nektonic nearshore sh species. Small juvenile
halibut in bays primarily eat crustaceans, including copepods and amphipods, until they reach about 2.5 inches.
They are then large enough to eat gobies that are found
commonly in bays but not on the open coast. Juvenile
halibut become increasingly piscivorous with size. On the
coast, adult halibut feed primarily on Pacic sardine,
anchovies, and white croaker.
bundance of larval California halibut in plankton surveys is correlated with commercial landings of halibut,
suggesting that this species has a cycle of abundance
approximately 20 years in length. However, the size of
the halibut population may be limited by the amount of
available nursery habitat, as juvenile halibut appear to
be dependent on shallow water embayments as nursery
areas. The overall decline in California halibut landings
corresponds to a decline in shallow water habitats in
southern California associated with dredging and lling of
bays and wetlands.
Recreational and commercial shermen are in conict
over the California halibut resource in southern California.
A differential minimum size limit of 22 inches for the
recreational shery and 26 inches for the commercial
shery was investigated as a possible management tool.
This strategy would allow recreational anglers to harvest

December 2001
California Halibut
4
3
2
1
0
1916 1920
1930
1940
1950
1960
halibut between 22 and 26 inches in length before sh

had grown large enough to recruit to the commercial
shery. Yield-per-recruit (Y/R) analysis indicated that: 1)
differential size limits would provide an increased Y/R for
the recreational shery, whereas the commercial shery
would experience a loss; 2) overall shing effort was
about twice the optimum level; and 3) Y/R would probably
increase with diminished shing effort.
The total California biomass of the halibut resource
obtained from virtual population analysis (VPA) estimates
California Halibut
150
1980
1990
1999
population estimate was 3.9 million halibut for southern

California, and 700,000 halibut for central California.
Sharon H. Kramer
MBC Applied Environmental Sciences
John S. Sunada
120
90
Revised by:
Stephen P. Wertz
60
30
0
1970
Commercial Landings
1916-1999,
California Halibut
landing receipts.
California Halibut
1947
1950
1960
1970
1980
1990
1999
Recreational Catch 1947-1999, California Halibut

in the late 1980s was 5.7 to 13.2 million pounds, with

annual recruitment of sh at age one estimated to be
between 0.45 and 1.0 million sh. The number of juvenile
halibut emigrating from southern California bays to the
open coast (age one) estimated from beam trawl surveys
ranged between 250,000 and 400,000 in the late 1980s.
In the early 1990s, a swept-area trawl survey was conducted to better understand California halibut population
dynamics. This shery-independent survey produced a
biomass and population estimate for halibut in southern
and central California. The survey results indicated a halibut biomass of 6.9 million pounds for southern California
and 2.3 million pounds for central California, while the

December 2001

A Status Report
197
California Halibut
References
Allen, L.G. 1988. Recruitment, distribution, and feeding
habits of young-of-the-year California halibut (Paralichthys
californicus) in the vicinity of Alamitos Bay-Long Beach
Harbor, California, 1983-1985. Bull. Southern Calif. Acad.
Sci. 87:19-30.
C.W. Haugen (ed.). 1990. The California halibut, Paralichthys californicus, resource and sheries. Calif. Dept. Fish
Game, Fish Bull. 174.
Domeier, M.L., and C.S.Y. Chun 1995. A tagging study
of the Calfornia halibut, Paralichthys californicus. California Cooperative Oceanic Fisheries Investigations Reports
36:204-207.
Reed, R.R. and A.D. MacCall. 1988. Changing the size

limit: How it could affect California halibut sheries. Calif.
Coop. Oceanic Fish. Invest. Rep. 29:158-166.
Valle, C.F., J.W. OBrian, K.B. Wiese. 1999. Differential
habitat used by California halibut (Paralichthys californicus), barred sand bass (Paralabrax nebulifer), and other
juvenile shes in Alamitos Bay, California. Fishery Bulletin,
U.S. 97(3).
Wertz, S.P., and M.L. Domeier. 1997. Relative importance
of prey items to California halibut. California Fish and
Game 83(1):21-29.
Kramer, S.H. 1990. Habitat specicity and ontogenetic

movements of juvenile California halibut, Paralichthys californicus, and other atshes in shallow waters of southern California. Ph.D. thesis, Univ. Calif. San Diego, 266 p.
198

A Status Report

December 2001
Starry Flounder
P
rior to the late 1980s, the starry ounder (Platichthys

stellatus) was a common species in both the commercial and recreational sheries of northern and central
California. Though seldom targeted, it was often taken by
commercial shers seeking more valuable species such
as petrale sole or California halibut. Historically, most of
the commercial catch was made by bottom trawl. During
the 1980s, many starry ounders were also taken by gill
and trammel nets in central California. During the late
1980s, commercial landings declined sharply and remained
at relatively low levels through the 1990s. From 1992
through 1999, landings averaged only 62,225 pounds, ranging from a low of 25,353 pounds in 1995 to a high of
100,309 pounds in 1999. This is in contrast to annual landings of more than a million pounds during the 1970s and
half a million pounds in the 1980s.
The recreational catch of starry ounders is from piers,
boats, and shore, usually in estuarine and adjacent coastal
waters. The estimated annual recreational catch for this
species in California from 1981 to 1989 averaged 40,000
sh and ranged from less than 12,000 in 1985 to 63,000
sh in 1987. Estimated recreational catches, like commercial landings, declined dramatically during the 1990s.
Catch estimates from 1993 through 1999 averaged 6,000
sh per year, and ranged from a high in 1998 of 15,000 sh
to lows in 1994 and 1996 of 3,000 sh.
he starry ounder is probably the most easily recognizable of Californias atshes. The dorsal and anal
ns are prominently marked with alternating yellow or
orange and dark bars. The body surface is rough owing
to modied star-shaped scales that give rise to the names
starry and roughjacket, as this sh is often called by
shermen. It is very good at assuming the coloration of
the substrate upon which it nds itself. Starry ounders
in California are about equally divided between left-eyed
and right-eyed sh, while those of Japan are nearly all
left-eyed.
Starry ounders range from Korea and Japan, north to the
Bering and Chukchi Seas and the Arctic coasts of Alaska
and Canada, and southward down the coast of North
America to southern California, although they are uncommon south of Point Conception. It is primarily a coastal
species, living on sand and mud bottoms, and avoiding
rocky areas. Though found to depths of 900 feet, they
are much more common in shallower waters. They are
frequently found in bays and estuaries, often one of commonest shes in these settings. They are tolerant of
brackish and even fresh water.

December 2001
Tagging studies have not demonstrated extensive migrations, although there is some movement along the shore.
There are also thought to be seasonal inshore-offshore
movements of these sh, possibly related to spawning.
Most spawning occurs in shallow waters near the mouths
of rivers and estuaries during the winter. In central California, December and January are the peak months of
spawning. The number of eggs produced by each female
depends upon her size. A 27-inch sh may produce about
11 million eggs. Fertilization is external.
Starry Flounder
Eggs of the starry ounder are pelagic, oating near the

oceans surface. Under laboratory conditions, eggs held
at 51 F hatched in 4.5 days, while those held at 54.5 F
hatched in 2.8 days. Newly hatched larvae are less than
one-tenth inch long. Metamorphosis occurs 39 to 75 days
after hatching. Newly settled juveniles less than one-half
inch long are common in low-salinity estuarine waters,
although settling also occurs along the open coast.
Females grow faster and reach larger sizes than do males.
In central California, most males are sexually mature at
two years averaging 14.5 inches, most females at three
years and 16 inches. The maximum size reported is
36 inches.
Larval starry ounders feed on planktonic organisms.
Newly metamorphosed sh feed largely on copepods and
amphipods. As they grow, their diet changes. Five-inch sh
have developed jaws and teeth that allow them to crush
small clams and pull worms from their burrows. At 10 to 12
inches, they tend to graze on tips of siphons of clams too
large to be ingested whole. Crabs and polychaete worms
are also taken. Sand dollars, brittle stars, and sh are
included in the diets of larger starry ounders.
Wading and diving seabirds such as herons and cormorants, as well as marine mammals such as harbor seals,
feed on juvenile starry ounders in estuaries. However,
sea lions and harbor seals feeding on sh caught in gillnets
will pass up a dozen starry ounders to eat a more
Starry Flounder, Platichthys stellatus

Credit: DFG

A Status Report
199
Commercial Landings
1916-1999,
Starry Flounder
Starry flounder were aggregated under the landing classification unspecified flounders
between 1970 and 1982. Data
Starry Flounder
Starry Flounder
1.2
1.0
0.8
0.6
0.4
0.2
0.0
1916 1920
1930
1940
valuable California halibut, much to the consternation of

the sherman.
On occasion, a sh is caught that displays physical characteristics intermediate between a starry ounder and an
English sole and may be a hybrid of those species.
o studies have been conducted to determine population size of the starry ounder; however, the commercial landing and the recreational catch trends suggest
the California population is now at extremely low levels.
The circumstance could arise from either a relocation of
adult sh associated with the 1976-1977 oceanic regime
shift or a rapid decline in the abundance of spawning
adults due to shing pressure. The large population
decline suggested by shery trends is substantiated by
a shery-independent trawl survey conducted by the California Department of Fish and Game within the San Francisco estuary from 1980 through 1995. Their results show
age-zero and age-one-plus starry ounder abundance and
catch-per-unit-effort dropping dramatically during the late
1980s and remaining at low levels through the 1990s.
There is very little or no yearly lag between the precipitous drop in the shery harvest and the drop in abundance of age-zero sh in the San Francisco estuary survey,
200

A Status Report
1950
1960
1970
1980
1990
1999
which suggests that adult sh were no longer present in

the areas where sheries normally operate, and were no
longer spawning in areas that had previously resulted in
higher levels of young-of-the-year within the San
Francisco estuary. Recruitment is largely determined
by survival of larval and juvenile sh. Given the
importance of bays and estuaries to the young of
this species, the continued environmental health of
these areas may be the most important factor in
maintaining healthy populations of starry ounder.
Charles W. Haugen and Dave Thomas
References
Orcutt, H.G. 1950. The life history of the starry ounder,
Platichthys stellatus (Pallas). Calif. Dept. Fish and Game,
Orsi, J. (editor) 1999. Starry Flounder. Pages 404-415 In:
Report on the 1980-1995, Shrimp, and Crab Sampling in
the San Francisco Estuary, California. The Interagency
Ecological Program for the Sacramento-San Joaquin Estuary. Tech. Rept. 63.

December 2001
Sanddabs
A
lthough not as important to California sheries as

other atshes, sanddabs are nevertheless highly
prized by the commercial industry and recreational
anglers for their excellent edibility. Four species of
sanddabs are found in California waters Pacic sanddab
(Citharichthys sordidus), longn sanddab (Citharichthys
xanthostigma), speckled sanddab (Citharichthys stigmaeus), and gulf sanddab (Citharichthys fragilis). Commercial sanddab landings and recreational catches consist
predominantly of the two largest species, Pacic sanddab
and longn sanddab. Pacic sanddab is the most abundant
and makes up the bulk of the landings in central and
northern California waters, whereas Pacic sanddab and
longn sanddab are caught in southern California. Because
of their smaller size, speckled and gulf sanddabs are not
important to the sheries.
Recorded sanddab landings were highest (2.6 million
pounds) in 1917. In 1918, landings decreased to 1.8 million
pounds, and from 1919 to 1921 they remained less than 0.8
million pounds. In 1922, annual landings increased, reaching approximately two million pounds in 1925. From 1930
to 1974, annual landings were below a million pounds.
Since 1975, landings have uctuated between 1.4 million
pounds and 0.6 million pounds annually. During the last
decade, landings have been above the historical annual
average, except for 1983 and 1984, the period of a strong
El Nio event. Landings rebounded in 1985 and have
increased since then. Approximately 1.44 million pounds
were landed in 1990, but landings crashed in 1992 (also an
El Nio year) to 0.6 million pounds, and then rebounded
to more than 2.0 million pounds in 1997 and 1999. In the
1990s, ex-vessel value ranged from $0.46 to $0.80 per
pound (1990 and 1999, respectively). Value increased from
$0.46 to $0.70 per pound from 1990 to 1993, dropped to
$0.51 per pound in 1995 and 1996, and then increase to a
high of $0.80 per pound in 1999.
Since 1970, most of the commercial sanddab landings have
been in northern and central California, with the largest
landings at Eureka and San Francisco Bay and less at
Monterey Bay. The commercial catch of sanddabs is mainly
by otter trawls and some by hook-and-line, especially in
the Monterey Bay area.
Many recreational anglers target them, mostly from small
boats and commercial passenger shing vessels (CPFVs).
Sanddabs are one of a few sh groups for which there is
no catch limit. Sanddab catches from CPFVs were small
during the 1990s, with reported catches reaching 2,200
sh in 1990 and dropping to about 100 sh in 1998 (a
strong El Nio year). About 70 percent of these were taken
in southern California between Long Beach and Newport
Beach. Sanddabs comprise an unknown, but probably large

December 2001
part of the unspecied atsh catch, which has decreased

from about 14,000 sh in 1990 to 4,000 sh in 1998.
As an El Nio event is more likely to have an immediate
affect on the abundance of sanddab larvae than on harvestable adults, the immediate drop in sanddab catches
during some El Nio years may be due in part to a shift in
shing effort to more desirable species.
Sanddads
anddabs belong to the family Paralichthyidae (sometimes included as part of Bothidae - left-eye ounders). Biogeographically, Pacic sanddab and speckled
sanddab are temperate species whereas longn sanddab
and gulf sanddab are warm-temperate to tropical species.
Pacic sanddab ranges from the Bering Sea to Cape San
Lucas, Baja California Sur, Mexico; speckled sanddab from
Point Montague Island, Alaska to Magdalena Bay, Baja California Sur, Mexico; longn sanddab from Monterey Bay to
Costa Rica; and gulf sanddab from off Ventura, California
to Cape San Lucas, Baja California Sur, and the Gulf of
California. Speckled sanddab and Pacic sanddab occur
throughout the state, with speckled sanddab occurring
from the surface to a depth of 1,200 feet, and Pacic
sanddab at 30 to 1,800 feet. Maximum depths of both species are suspect as the speckled sanddab seldom occurs
deeper than 300 feet and Pacic sanddab seldom deeper
than 600 feet. Longn sanddab occurs at depths from
seven to 660 feet, but usually less than 450 feet, and gulf
sanddab from 59 to 1,140 feet. Most species are found on
muddy to sandy mud bottoms but speckled sanddab occurs
commonly on sandy bottoms.
Pacic sanddab is the largest species, reaching 16 inches,
and up to two pounds. Most, however, are smaller than 10
inches and weigh, at most, 0.5 pound. The next largest
species is longn sanddab at 10 inches, followed by gulf
sanddab at nine inches, and speckled sanddab at seven
inches. Pacic sanddab live to a maximum of 10 years
whereas speckled sanddab live to about 3.5 years. Pacic
sanddabs mature at about three years, whereas the speck-
Pacific Sanddab, Citharichthys sordidus

Credit: DFG

A Status Report
201
Sanddabs
Commercial Landings
1916-1999, Sanddabs
landing receipts.
Sanddabs
3.0
2.5
2.0
1.5
1.0
0.5
0.0
1916 1920
1930
1940
led sanddab matures at one year. Spawning begins in

July, peaks in August, and ends sometime in September
for Pacic sanddab and extends from spring to fall for
speckled sanddab. Females may spawn twice during a
season. In contrast, most northern atsh species spawn
during late winter to early spring.
Sanddab larvae are pelagic and may be found near the
surface and out to many miles offshore. Sanddab larvae
transform and settle to the bottom at lengths of 0.6
to 1.6 inches. Juveniles and adults feed near or on the
bottom on a variety of nektonic and benthic prey, including shrimp, crabs, marine worms, squid, octopus, eggs,
and small shes. Speckled sanddab feed largely on mysids
and amphipods, but small Pacic sanddabs feed on copepods and polychaetes. Adults feed more on euphausiids
and squid. Sanddabs, in turn, are preyed upon by larger
shes, diving birds, and marine mammals.
ommercial landings indicate that sanddab populations

are in good condition and currently are not being overharvested. The Pacic Fishery Management Council has
not recommended a change in the minimal acceptable
biological catch of incidentally caught Other Flatsh
(which includes sanddabs) during the past decade, indicating a stable and likely reasonably utilized resource.
M. James Allen
Southern California Coastal Water Research Project
1950
1960
1970
1980
1990
1999
References
Allen, M. J. 1976. Addition of Citharichthys fragilis Gilbert
to the California fauna. Calif. Fish Game 62(4):299-303.
Allen, M. J. 1982. Functional structure of soft-bottom sh
communities of the southern California shelf. Ph.D. dissertation. Univ. Calif., San Diego, La Jolla, CA. 577 p.
Arora, H.L. 1951. An investigation of the California sand
dab, Citharichthys sordidus (Girard). Calif. Fish and Game.
37:3-42.
Ford, R.F. 1965. Distribution, population dynamics, and
behavior of a bothid atsh, Citharichthys stigmaeus.
Ph.D. dissertation. University of California, San Diego. La
Jolla, CA.
Hensley, D. A. 1995. Paralichthyidae: Lenguados. Pages
1349-1380 In: W. Fischer, F. Krupp, W. Schneider, C.
Sommer, K. E. Carpenter, and V. H. Niem (eds.), Guia
FAO para la identication de especies para los nes de
la pesca Pacico Centro-oriental, Vol. III, Vertebrados
Parte 2. United Nations, Food and Agriculture Organization, Rome, It.
Kramer, D. E., W. H. Barss, B. C. Paust, and B. E. Brachen.
1995. Guide to Northeast Pacic atshes: families Bothidae, Cynoglossidae, and Pleuronectidae. Alaska Sea Grant
College Program, Marine Advisory Bull. No. 47. 104 p.
Moser, H. G., and B. Y. Sumida. 1996. Paralichthyidae:
lefteye ounders and sanddabs. Pages 1325-1355 In: H. G.
Moser (ed.), The early stages of shes in the California
Current Region. Calif. Coop. Oceanic Fish. Invest. Atlas
No. 33.
Robert Leos
202

A Status Report

December 2001
Other Flatfishes
S
everal atsh species are taken incidentally in commercial groundsh sheries. These include the rock
sole (Pleuronectes bilineatus), butter sole (Pleuronectes
isolepis), fantail sole (Xystreurys liolepis), sand sole (Psettichthys melanostictus), slender sole (Eopsetta exilis),
bigmouth sole (Hippoglossina stomata), California tonguesh (Symphurus atricauda), curln turbot (Pleuronichthys
decurrens), hornyhead turbot (Pleuronichthys verticalis),
spotted turbot (Pleuronichthys ritteri), C-O turbot (Pleuronichthys coenosus), diamond turbot (Hypsopsetta guttulata), arrowtooth ounder (Atheresthes stomias), and
Pacic halibut (Hippoglossus stenolepis). Some of these,
notably the Pacic halibut, diamond turbot, and rock sole,
are taken by recreational anglers as well, but most are
caught primarily by commercial boats. Arrowtooth ounder and Pacic halibut are considered as minor atshes
in California atsh sheries because they are landed
in relatively small quantities. However, both species are
major components in the atsh sheries in northern
waters from Oregon to Alaska.
Landings of most of these atshes are difcult to extract
from landings data for the early years (beginning in 1916),
because many were combined with other categories of
atsh. For example, prior to 1931 turbots were included
with soles. Also, some species such as Pacic halibut are
included in California landings, even though most were
landed elsewhere and shipped to California ports. Starting
in the early 1950s, some of these atsh landings, primarily arrowtooth ounder (1950) and soles (1953), were listed
separately in the catch data.
Generally, incidental atsh catches have contributed
only a small amount to the annual statewide commercial
landings. From 1953 to 1999, these annual atsh landings
averaged about 0.1 percent of the total statewide landings. During this period, ounders (mostly arrowtooth
ounder) comprised 49.2 percent of incidental atsh
landings, soles 41.2 percent, turbots 8.0 percent, and
Pacic halibut 1.6 percent. Starting in the 1960s, commercial landings of minor atsh, as a group, have declined,
although not all species showed this trend.
Since 1950, arrowtooth ounder landings averaged
278,300 pounds per year with peak years occurring in 1956
(1,070,700 pounds), 1960 (1,007,700 pounds), and 1961
(1,100,900 pounds). These high landings were due, in part,
to the less desirable shes, such as arrowtooth ounder,
nding a market with the animal food industry, primarily
as mink food. Arrowtooth ounder no longer is used for
mink food, but is processed for human consumption. Incidental sole landings since 1953 averaged about 244,000
pounds per year, with a peak in 1979 when 839,000 pounds
were landed. After 1979, there was a general decline

December 2001
in the annual landings of sole. Turbot landings averaged

about 47,000 pounds per year from 1953 to 1999, with
a peak of 176,000 pounds in 1954, and another good
year occurring in 1959 (129,000 pounds). Since 1964 there
has been an overall general decline in commercial turbot
landings. Landings in 1999 were approximately 8,000
pounds, the lowest since 1953. Pacic halibut contributed
heavily to the minor atsh shery prior to the mid-1950s.
The last good year for Pacic halibut landings was 1952,
when 242,600 pounds were landed. Landings then began
a rapid downward trend. From 1969 to 1988, no landings
were recorded, except for three years: 1971, 1972, and
1986 (25, 235, and 34,500 pounds, respectively). From
1989 to 1999, landings did increase somewhat, averaging
approximately 4,600 pounds per year.
Other Flatfishes
History of The Fishery
Most of the incidental atsh are taken by otter trawls.

The exception is Pacic halibut, where set longline is the
dominant gear used. Trammel nets are used to catch
some atsh in central and southern California waters,
and many small-boat commercial shermen use hook-andline. Recreational anglers occasionally catch soles or turbots while shing for sanddabs, starry ounder, or California halibut. Diamond turbots are sought by recreational
anglers in quiet coastal waters, bays, and sloughs.
n general, atsh spawn during late winter and early

spring. Arrowtooth ounder, however, spawn as late as
August in the southeast Bering Sea and Gulf of Alaska,
where the greatest concentrations of this species are
found. The larvae are pelagic and undergo metamorphosis
to the adult form. After atsh settle on the bottom,
they eat small crustaceans, polychaetes, and mollusks. As
they grow, they eat larger food forms of the same groups.
Some, such as sand sole, arrowtooth ounder, and Pacic
halibut, include sh in their diet.
Diamond Turbot, Hypsopsetta guttulata

Credit: DFG

A Status Report
203
Commercial Landings
1916-1999,
Arrowtooth Flounder
Arrowhead
flounder were aggregated
under the landing classification
unclassified sole prior
to 1950. Data Source: DFG
Catch Bulletins and commercial
landing receipts.
Arrowtooth Flounder
Other Flatfishes
1.2
1.0
0.8
0.6
0.4
0.2
0.0
1916 1920
1930
1940
1950
1960
1970
1980
1990
1999
1916 1920
1930
1940
1950
1960
1970
1980
1990
1999
Commercial Landings
1916-1999, Turbot
landing receipts.
Turbot
200
150
100
50
0
As a group, minor atsh species range from the Gulf of

California/Baja California to the Bering and Chukchi Seas
off Alaska. Within this overall range some species are
quite restricted while others are found throughout most
of this range. They occur from shallow water to depths in
excess of 3,000 feet (Pacic halibut).
ajor uctuations of commercial landings of ounder,

soles, and turbot have occurred since 1950. Despite
these uctuations and declining commercial landings that
started in the 1960s, market sampling and commercial
landing records indicate that these populations remain
in good condition and currently are not being over-harvested. Arrowtooth ounder stock assessment work conducted in 1993 by the Washington Department of Fisheries
indicated that the status of the population, at that time,
was in good condition because there was no decline
in shery catch-per-unit-effort (CPUE) between 1987 and
1992 and no trend in triennial bottom trawl survey CPUE
from 1977 to 1992. Current catch levels remain well below
the level of acceptable biological catch (ABC) established
204

A Status Report
by the Pacic Fishery Management Council (PFMC). The

densities of arrowtooth ounder are low south of Cape
Blanco, Oregon. Pacic halibut landings in California have
declined since the peak years during the 1930s; however,
the species is considered uncommon in California waters.
Pacic halibut are monitored extensively by the International Pacic Halibut Commission (IPHC) and recent stock
assessment analysis indicates that while abundance in
numbers is still quite high relative to the levels of 1975 or
1980, the prospect for a decline in the biomass in waters
north of California is a possibility.

December 2001

Robert Leos
References
Best, E. A. 1961. The California animal food shery,
1958-1960. Pacic Marine Fisheries Commission, Bulletin.
5:5-15.

December 2001
Kramer, D. E. et al. 1995. Guide to Northeast Pacic

Flatshes. University of Alaska Sea Grant College Program,
Marine Advisory Bulletin No. 47.
Nitsos, R.J. and P.H. Reed. 1965. The animal food shery
in California, 1961-1962. Calif. Fish and Game. 51:16-27.
Pacic Fishery Management Council. 1999. Status of the
Pacic Coast Groundsh Fishery Through 1999 and Recommended Acceptable Biological Catches for 2000. Pacic
Fishery Management Council, Portland, Oregon.
Other Flatfishes
Ripley, W.E. 1949. Bottom sh. Pages 63-75 in The commercial sh catch of California for the year 1947 with an
historical review 1916-1947. Calif. Div. Fish and Game, Fish
Bull. 74.

A Status Report
205
White Seabass
line shing takes place during the early spring, when large
seabass are available.
hite seabass (Atractoscion nobilis) have been

favored by California anglers and consumers for at
least a century. Coastal Indian middens have yielded
many seabass ear bones (otoliths) suggesting that this
sh was highly regarded for food and possibly used for
ceremonial purposes.
Commercial landings of white seabass have uctuated
widely over the nearly 85 years of record keeping. Almost
three million pounds were reported in 1922, 599,000 in
1937, 3.5 million in 1959, and 58,000 in 1997. Since 1959
the trend has been one of decline, although landings have
been over 100,000 pounds for the years 1984 through 1991
and 1998-1999. Although there was a commercial shery
in the San Francisco area from the late 1800s to the mid1920s, landings of sh caught north of Point Conception
rarely exceeded 20 percent of the total California catch.
Today, catches of white seabass are concentrated along
the coast from Point Conception to San Diego and around
the Channel Islands. The frequency of sh caught north
of Point Conception has increased in the past few years,
although the pounds landed still represent less than 20
percent of the total California catch. Before 1982, California commercial shermen landed thousands of pounds
of white seabass taken in Mexico. Often these landings
comprised more than 80 percent of the annual catch.
Since then, the Mexican government has denied access
permits to U.S. shermen, and the shery is concentrated
in California.
During the early years of the shery, commercial catches
were made using gillnets, hook-and-line, and round haul
nets such as lamparas and purse seines. Purse seining was
curtailed in the late 1920s because decreasing catches
made it uneconomical. Since all round haul nets were
prohibited in the early 1940s, gillnets have been the major
commercial shing gear. Set gillnet shing for white seabass within state waters was completely disallowed beginning in 1994. Therefore, drift gillnetting is the primary
shing method utilized today. Some commercial hook-and-
White Seabass, Atractoscion nobilis

Credit: DFG
206

A Status Report
Although the legal size limit for white seabass is 28 inches

(about seven pounds), the average commercially caught
sh is nearly 40 inches (about 20 pounds). Because of consumer demand, seabass has always commanded relatively
high prices. In 2000, commercial shermen were typically
paid $2.25 per pound for whole sh. At the retail level the
sh are sold fresh, primarily as llets and steaks.
Recreational shing for white seabass began around the
turn of the century. Because of their size and elusive
nature, seabass are popular with anglers. Historical
records show that anglers on commercial passenger shing
vessels (CPFVs), shing in California waters, landed an
average of 33,400 sh annually from 1947 through 1959.
The catch steadily declined to an average of 10,400 sh
in the 1960s, 3,400 sh in the 1970s, and 1,200 sh in
the 1980s, but increased to 3,000 sh in the 1990s. In
fact, the 1999 recreational catch of white seabass from
California waters was greater than 11,000 sh and appears
to be as high for 2000. Additional seabass are caught
by anglers aboard private boats, but accurate catches by
private boat anglers are difcult to estimate.
Today, sport anglers catch white seabass that are generally between seven and 25 pounds. This was not true
in the past. While the 28-inch size limit also applies to
recreational anglers, most of the catch prior to the 1990s
(kept and released) was between 20 and 24 inches. In a
survey of private boaters at launch ramp facilities from
1978 through 1982, biologists found that only six to 16
percent of the white seabass kept were of legal size. In
a similar survey aboard CPFVs from 1985 through 1987,
biologists reported that 16 to 25 percent of the seabass
caught were legal. However, this has changed dramatically
with the apparent increase in the abundance of legal-size
white seabass. During the period from 1995 through 1999,
data collected from private boat anglers revealed 77 percent of the sh were legal size while data from CPFV
anglers showed 80 percent of the sh were legal size.
White seabass are more often caught with live bait than
with dead bait or lures, but all are effective when the sh
are actively feeding. Seabass can sometimes be brought
to the surface by heavy chumming with live bait. Anglers
shing around Santa Catalina Island have reported consistently good catches using blacksmith and silversides
as bait. However, when available, live squid and Pacic
sardines are popular baits. Spearshing for large seabass
by free divers (without SCUBA) is successful in kelp beds.
Regulations covering white seabass have been in effect
since 1931, and have included a minimum size limit, closed
seasons, bag limits, and shing gear restrictions. Such
regulations are in effect today, with slight variations. A

December 2001
White Seabass
3
2
1
0
1916 1920
1930
1940
1950
1960
shery management plan for white seabass is presently

being adopted and the need for additional regulations will
be considered.
hite seabass is the largest member of the croaker

family (Sciaenidae) in California. Fish weighing
nearly 90 pounds with lengths of ve feet have been
recorded, but individuals larger than 60 pounds are
seldom seen. White seabass range from Magdelena Bay,
Baja California, Mexico to the San Francisco area. They are
also found in the northern Gulf of California. During the
strong El Nio of 1957-1959, seabass were reported as far
north as Juneau, Alaska and British Columbia, Canada.
The center of the white seabass population presently
appears to be off central Baja California. Recent genetic
research of seabass populations shows that some mixing of
sh from California and Mexico does occur. However, there
may be local subpopulations of sh that do not mix regularly. While the question of population continuity remains
unresolved, there is evidence that each summer the sh
move northward with warming ocean temperatures (as
demonstrated by catches). Biologists believe the movement is probably spawning-related.
White Seabass
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0 1947
1950
1960
1970
1980
1990
1999
Recreational Catch 1947-1999, White Seabass


December 2001
1970
1980
1990
1999
Commercial Landings
1916-1999,
White Seabass
landing receipts.
White Seabass
Spawning occurs from April to August, with a peak in the

late spring to early summer. Fecundity (egg productivity)
for this species has not been determined, but a maturity
study in the late 1920s reported that females begin maturing when four years old (nearly 24 inches), and some
males were sexually mature at three years (20 inches). All
white seabass have probably spawned at least once by age
six (nearly 32 inches).
The eggs, which are the largest of any croaker on the
west coast (approximately 0.05 inch in diameter), are
planktonic. The larvae, which are darkly colored, have
been collected from Santa Rosa Island, California to Magdelena Bay, Baja California. Most are found in the inshore
areas of Sebastian Viscaino and San Juanico Bays, Baja
California, indicating that major spawning occurs off central Baja California.
Young-of-the-year white seabass, ranging in length from
0.25 inch to 2.25 inches, inhabit the open coast in waters
12 to 30 feet deep. They associate with bits and pieces
of drifting algae in areas of sandy ocean bottom. Some
time between the ages of one and three years old, they
move into protected bays where they utilize eelgrass communities for cover and forage. Older juveniles are caught
off piers and jetties and around beds of giant kelp. Adult
seabass occupy a wide range of habitats including kelp
beds, reefs, offshore banks, and the open ocean. Adult
white seabass eat Pacic mackerel, Pacic sardines, squid,
pelagic red crabs, and Pacic herring.
Laboratory spawning of white seabass was rst induced in
1982. Beginning in 1983, the California Department of Fish
and Game initiated the Ocean Resources Enhancement
and Hatchery Program (OREHP) to test the feasibility of
raising seabass for population enhancement. That goal was
achieved in the rst 10 years of the program and the goals
of the program have been expanded to test the feasibility
of enhancing marine sh populations through the stocking
of cultured sh. By 1999, more than 375,000 juvenile

A Status Report
207
White Seabass
white seabass had been released off southern California,

and it is estimated that 17,500 of those may have
survived to legal size or larger. Additionally, valuable
life history information has been gathered during this
program through ecological surveys, tagging, and genetic
studies. However, more work is necessary to determine
if articial propagation is successful in enhancing the
seabass population.
he range of the white seabass population has contracted since the early part of this century, and few
are found regularly north of Point Conception. Few data
are available concerning the status of seabass in Mexico,
and it is difcult to determine whether the decline in
California waters indicates an overall population decline.
Population estimates have not been made. Fishery biologists have been concerned about the decline in landings
since the late 1920s. Today, this concern still exists within
the scientic community, commercial shing industry, and
with the angling public. Human-induced changes, such
as pollution, overshing, and habitat destruction have
probably contributed to this long-term population decline.
However, natural environmental changes can also inuence the population. The large numbers of small seabass
caught in recent years suggests that the warm water
period beginning with the 1982-1983 El Nio helped to
increase young sh survival. Young sh surveys conducted
in southern California, as part of OREHP, showed a dramatic increase in the number of sh taken in research
gillnet sets. During research work in 1997 over 600 juvenile sh were captured, in 1998 approximately 700 sh
were taken, and in 1999 slightly over 1,300 juveniles were
captured. Anecdotal evidence from commercial and sport
shers conrms this dramatic increase in juvenile white
seabass. It is unknown whether this increase in juveniles
will subsequently enhance the adult spawning population.
References
Allen, L.G. and M.P. Franklin. 1988. Distribution and abundance of young-of-the-year white seabass, Atractoscion
nobilis, in the vicinity of Long Beach Harbor, California in
1984-1987. Calif. Fish and Game 74:245-248.
Clark, F.N. 1930. Size at rst maturity of the white seabass
(Cynoscion nobilis). Calif. Fish and Game 16:319-323.
Moser H.G., D.A. Ambrose, M.S. Busby, J.L. Butler, E.M.
Sandknop, B.Y. Sumida, and E.G. Stevens. 1983. Description of early stages of white seabass, Atractoscion nobilis,
with notes on distribution. Calif. Coop. Oceanic Fish.
Invest. Rep. 24:182-193.
Skogsberg, T. 1939. The shes of the family Sciaenidae
(croakers) of California. Calif. Div. Fish and Game, Fish
Bull. 54. 62 p.
Thomas, J.C. 1968. Management of the white seabass
(Cynoscion nobilis) in California waters. Calif. Dept. Fish
and Game, Fish Bull. 142. 34 p.
Vojkovich, M. and R.J. Reed. 1983. White seabass, Atractoscion nobilis, in California-Mexican waters: status of the
shery. Calif. Coop. Oceanic Fish. Invest. Rep. 24:79-83.
Marija Vojkovich and Steve Crooke

208

A Status Report

December 2001
Giant Sea Bass

ecause giant sea bass (Stereolepis gigas) grow slowly

and mature at a relatively old age, they are susceptible to overshing. As a consequence, they have suffered
a serious decline in numbers. Commercial landings from
U.S. waters peaked in 1932 near 200,000 pounds before
declining. Mexican waters were more productive (peaking
at over 800,000 pounds in 1932) and did not permanently
sink below 200,000 pounds until 1964. A few hook-and-line
shermen targeted giant sea bass, but they were
also caught incidentally by gillnets set for halibut and
white seabass.
Recreational landings, reported in numbers of sh rather
than pounds, show a similar trend of peaking and permanently declining. The peak in California landings occurred
in 1963 while Mexican landings peaked in 1973. That these
recreational sheries peaked after the commercial shery
is due to the later development of the recreational shery
rather than a reection of the giant sea bass population. A
few boats developed a special recreational shery targeting spawning aggregations during the summer months.
Trips made in July to certain reefs between Point Abreojos
and Magdalena Bay, Baja California, consistently produced
70 to 100 giant sea bass. One trip produced 255 in three
days. Once these aggregations were exploited the shery
disappeared with the sh.
In 1981, a law was passed that prohibited the take of
giant sea bass for any purpose, with the exception that
commercial shermen could retain and sell two sh per
trip if caught incidentally in a gillnet or trammel net. This
law also limited the amount of giant sea bass that could be
taken in Mexican waters and landed in California. A vessel
could land up to 1,000 pounds of Mexican giant sea bass
per trip but could not land more than 3,000 pounds in a
calendar year. The law was amended in 1988, reducing the
incidental take to one sh in California waters. Although
this law may have prevented commercial shermen from
selling giant sea bass in California, it did not prohibit
shing over habitats occupied by this species and probably
did little to reduce the incidental mortality of giant sea
bass, as giant sea bass that were entangled in the nets
were discarded at sea. The 1981 rule changes were more
effective in protecting giant sea bass in Mexico, since
large landings had been historically made by hook-and-line
shermen targeting grouper, cabrilla, and giant sea bass
off the Pacic coast of Baja California. The banning of
inshore gillnets displaced the California shery from the
majority of areas inhabited by giant sea bass; it is reasonable to assume that this closure signicantly reduced the
incidental mortality of giant sea bass in California.
lthough this species is most frequently referred to

as black seabass in California, the American Fisheries
Society has designated the common name as giant sea
bass. Black seabass is an unrelated Atlantic coast species.
Giant sea bass were originally assigned to the grouper
family, Serranidae, but later placed in a new family,
Percichthyidae. Although family placement has still not
been resolved, similarities between larvae of wreckshes
and giant sea bass seem to support placement in the
family Polyprionidae.
Giant Sea Bass
Small juveniles are bright orange with large black spots.

As they grow they lose the orange coloration and take on a
bronzy purple color. The spots slowly fade as the sh gets
larger and darker, with large adults appearing solid black
to gray with a white underside. Giant sea bass are capable
of rapid and dramatic color changes. Large sh retain the
ability to display large black spots, can take on a bicolor
appearance (light below, dark above), white mottling, jetblack or light gray. As implied by the name, the most
dramatic feature of giant sea bass is their large size. The
International Game Fish Association world record for this
species is 563.5 pounds, caught at Anacapa Island in 1968.
Giant sea bass reach lengths in excess of seven feet, and
are nearly as big around as they are long.
Despite the conspicuous size and protected status of giant
sea bass, there are no published scientic studies to provide details of the biology and habits of this creature. In
the eastern Pacic, giant sea bass range from Humboldt
Bay to the tip of Baja California, and occur in the northern
half of the Gulf of California. Some authors have stated
that this species is also found along the coast of northern
Japan and the Sea of Japan, but this may be a case
of mistaken identity. Within California it is rarely found
north of Point Conception. Adult giant sea bass seem to
prefer the edges of nearshore rocky reefs. These reefs
are relatively shallow (35 to 130 feet) and often support
thriving kelp beds. Although the kelp may disappear due
to a strong El Nio or overgrazing by sea urchins, giant
sea bass remain at the reef. At certain times of the year,
Giant Sea Bass, Stereolepis gigas

Credit: DFG

December 2001

A Status Report
209
Giant Sea Bass (total commercial landings)

Giant Sea Bass
Commercial Landings
1916-1999, Giant Sea Bass
Data reflects catch from both
California and Mexican waters
landed in California. Data
source: DFG Catch Bulletins and
1.0
0.8
0.6
0.4
0.2
0.0
1916 1920
1930
1940
Giant Sea Bass

800
700
600
500
400
300
200
100
1916 1920
1930
1940
1950
1960
1970
1980
1990
1999
California Waters
MexicanWaters
Giant Sea Bass

number of fish landed
Commercial Landings by Location 1916-1999, Giant Sea Bass

Landings separated by location of catch. All landings were recorded at California ports.
Data Source: DFG Catch Bulletins and commercial landing receipts.
900
800
700
600
500
400
300
200
100
0 1947
1950
1960
1970
1980
1990
1999
California Waters
MexicanWaters
Recreational Catch 1947-1999, Giant Seabass

Data derived from commercial passenger fishing vessel (party boat); Recreational catch
as reported by CPFV logbooks, logbooks not reported prior to 1936; no data available
for 1941-1946; data separated by location of catch. Catch Data was not available
for 1999.
adults can be found well away from the reef foraging for
squid over a sandy bottom.
The orange juvenile phase has been reported among drifting kelp scattered over the bottom in 20 to 35 feet of
water, over the soft muddy bottom outside of the Long
Beach breakwater, and over at sandy bottom in Santa
Monica Bay. Larger juveniles up to 31 pounds have been
210
1960
1970
1980
1990
1999
found over at sandy bottom and are sometimes caught

over deep ridges (230-265 feet) off the coast of Del Mar by
anglers targeting rocksh.
900
1950

A Status Report
Given their depressed population and protected status,

it is unlikely an aging study of giant sea bass will be
completed in the near future. Although aging data are
sparse, it is safe to say these sh grow slowly and live a
long time. Estimated growth-rates are six years to reach
30 pounds, 10 years to reach 100 pounds, and 15 years to
reach 150 pounds.
Spawning has never been observed in nature, but gonad
examinations suggest that it occurs between July and
September. Male sh have been observed to be mature
at 40 pounds, and females at 50 to 60 pounds. Anecdotal
information suggests that giant sea bass aggregate at specic locations and times to spawn. Because of the large
size of this species, females are capable of producing
enormous numbers of eggs. The ovaries of a 320-pound
specimen contained an estimated 60 million eggs. Fertile,
hydrated giant sea bass eggs are relatively large for a
marine species, measuring about 0.06 inch in diameter.
The eggs oat to the surface and hatch in about 24 to 36
hours. The larvae drift and feed in the plankton for about
a month before settling to the bottom and beginning their
lives as juveniles. Giant sea bass have spawned in captivity
several times, most recently at the Long Beach Aquarium
of the Pacic where a single pair spawned in two successive years, nearly weekly beginning in June and ending in
August or September.
Examinations of sh caught in Mexico indicate that the
principal prey items are sting rays, skates, lobster, crabs,
various atsh, small sharks, mantis shrimp and an occasional kelpbass or barred sandbass. Earlier analyses found
blacksmith, ocean whitesh, red crab, sargo, sheephead,
octopus and squid. Giant sea bass are not built for speed,
and the majority of their prey consists of organisms that

December 2001
Except for the short period of time they spend as planktonic larvae, giant sea bass live in close association with
the bottom. This way of life may become a problem for
this species. The sediments along the coast of southern
California carry high loads of toxins. In fact, an area off
the Palos Verdes peninsula is thought to contain higher
levels of DDE (a breakdown product of DDT) than anywhere else in the worlds oceans. PCB is another pollutant
that is prevalent along the coast of southern California.
Many forms of invertebrates live in these sediments,
ingesting the pollutants along with the organic material
they feed on to survive. These organisms occupy very
low trophic levels, and the toxins are passed up the food
chain in increasing concentrations. Long-lived, top level
predators accumulate the highest levels of toxins. Giant
sea bass caught in southern California have been found to
have high body burdens of DDE and PCB. Fish collected
200 miles south of the Mexican border were found to be
free of toxins. Thus, California populations of giant sea
bass may suffer from more than just overshing. These
two toxins have been found to affect reproduction in
other species of sh, as well as in amphibians, reptiles,
and birds.
It is presumed that giant sea bass migrate to specic sites
to spawn. This was almost certainly the case prior to
the exploitation of the spawning aggregations, but it is
not known how far individuals traveled to participate in
the aggregation, or whether these migrations take place
today. The process of site selection for spawning aggregations is not well understood, but experimental manipulation of small aggregating reef species suggests that once
a site is selected young sh learn its location from older
sh. In this way, the same traditional spawning aggregation sites are used by subsequent generations of sh.
Once the learning cycle has been broken it is not known
how a new (or the same) spawning aggregation may form.
The population may have to reach a particular density
before the process of forming annual spawning aggregations becomes a possibility. Giant sea bass have been
found in groups year round at a few locations in southern
California. Although anglers that come across these areas
and hook several giant sea bass in one day may be led to
believe that this species is thriving, giant sea bass remain
absent from the vast majority of our coast. It is likely that
the sh are gregarious, and after heavy exploitation, the
population has collapsed to a very few focal points where
they can be found in healthy numbers.

December 2001
he California population of giant sea bass is well below

historical highs. Anecdotal information suggests that
numbers may be beginning to rebound under current measures. No hard data exist that provide actual or relative
numbers of giant sea bass.
Giant Sea Bass
live on the bottom. The vacuum produced when the huge

mouth is rapidly opened draws such organisms into their
mouth. Giant sea bass themselves are eaten by a variety
of shes and marine mammals when they are small. In
addition to humans, large sharks prey on adults.
Michael L. Domeier
Peger Institute of Environmental Science
References
Domeier, Michael L. and Patrick L. Colin. 1997. Tropical
reef sh spawning aggregations: dened and reviewed.
Bull. Mar. Sci. 60 (3):698-726.
Eschmeyer, W.N., E.S. Herald, and H. Hammann. 1983.
A eld guide to Pacic Coast shes of North America.
Houghton Mifin Company. Boston, MA. 336 p.
Shane, M. A., W. Watson, and H. G. Moser. 1996. Polyprionidae: giant sea basses and wreckshes. Pages 873-875
In: H. G. Moser (ed.), The early stages of shes in the
California Current Region. Coop. Fish. Invest. Atlas No. 33.
Allen Press Inc., Lawrence, KS. Calif.

A Status Report
211
Yellowtail
port and commercial sheries for yellowtail (Seriola

lalandi) have existed off California since the late 1800s.
Commercial or subsistence shing is the older of the two,
with modern hook-and-line sport shing getting its start
in 1898 at Santa Catalina Island. Prior to 1898, sportsmen
used handlines, a practice which faded with the advent
of hickory rods, functional reels, and linen line. Both the
sport and commercial sheries in California are conned
to the area south of Point Conception. The shery usually
occurs in nearshore areas, often adjacent to kelp beds.
During the summer, sh may be found offshore under
oating mats of kelp.
Commercial landings of yellowtail have uctuated greatly
in the past, ranging from a high of 11.5 million pounds in
1918 to a low of 9,769 pounds in 1995. Market conditions
appear to dictate landings more than does the health of
the resource. When market demand for fresh yellowtail
was high or the canneries needed sh because tuna were
unavailable, the price to the sherman was great enough
to encourage trips for the sh.
The commercial shery for yellowtail was restricted to
small live bait boats working off southern California or the
Coronado Islands, Baja California, Mexico, until 1933. At
that time, purse seiners began shing in Mexican waters,
as the supply of yellowtail off California had decreased
and it was illegal to seine them north of the international
border. Gillnet boats also started landing yellowtail taken
incidentally to white seabass landed commercially in California. However, nearshore gillnet shing was banned
beginning in 1994. This greatly reduced the amount of sh
landed by commercial shers since only hook-and-line gear
and gillnets shed outside three miles are legal methods
of take.
Data from commercial passenger shing vessel (CPFV) logs
provide a general indication of the magnitude of the
sport shery for yellowtail in southern California. During
years when the water was warm, CPFVs have landed
over 450,000 sh. When the water was cold, yellowtail
catches were sometimes less than 10,000 sh. Prior to the
early 1950s, CPFVs were responsible for most of the sport
Yellowtail, Seriola lalandi

Credit: DFG
212

A Status Report
catch. However, in the 1950s private boaters began taking

a signicant number of sh. During some years, private
boaters land more yellowtail than do CPFV anglers.
For instance, during 1997, private boat anglers shing
off California, landed 472,000 sh compared to 163,000
recorded by CPFV anglers. The increase in the number
of private boat anglers may impact the yellowtail
resource more than continued effort by CPFV anglers or
commercial shermen.
Major shing areas for CPFV and private boat anglers
include the Channel Islands, Santa Monica Bay, Dana Point
to Oceanside, La Jolla, San Clemente Island, Santa Catalina Island, and the Coronado Islands. Long-range CPFVs
sh primarily from Cedros Island south. They often concentrate on the offshore banks, especially in the Magdalena Bay area. The commercial shery is conducted in the
same areas as the sport shery.
ellowtail are found from British Columbia, Canada to

Mazatlan, Mexico. They are present in the Gulf of California, occurring as far north as the Bay of Los Angeles.
Most yellowtail spawn during the summer months, June
through September. During this period, adults move offshore and form spawning aggregations. Some two-year-old
females may spawn, but all females over three years of
age are capable of spawning. Young sh spawn only once
during the season, while those seven years of age (20
pounds) and older are capable of multiple spawnings. A
20-pound sh is capable of producing 940,000 eggs during
a single season.
Yellowtail are opportunistic daytime feeders. Off southern
California, yellowtail stomachs contain sardines, anchovies, jack mackerel, Pacic mackerel, and squid. Fish
taken off Mexico frequently are full of pelagic red crabs.
Age and growth studies conducted on yellowtail indicate
the sh are relatively slow growing. They gain approximately three to four pounds a year during most of their
lives, although very large individuals may gain only one to
two pounds per year. Growth can vary considerably from
year to year and also between and within geographical
areas. The largest recorded individual weighed 80 pounds.
The average sizes at selected ages are: age one, 20 inches
and 3.8 pounds; age two, 25 inches and 7.4 pounds; age
three, 28 inches and 9.9 pounds; age four, 31 inches and
13.2 pounds; age ve, 33 inches and 15.9 pounds; age 10,
44 inches and 35 pounds.
Within southern California and at the Coronado Islands,
sport anglers generally land yellowtail that weigh four to
12 pounds. Long-range CPFV anglers shing off central
Baja California usually catch 12 to 18 pound sh. Com-

December 2001
Yellowtail
Yellowtail
14
12
10
8
6
4
2
0
1916 1920
1930
1940
1950
1960
mercial gillnet shermen generally land 10 to 20 pound

yellowtail because of the selective nature of the nets.
Commercial hook-and-line shermen usually land four to
12 pound sh, although none can be less than 28 inches
long, measured in fork length.
Results of a tagging study conducted by the California
Department of Fish and Game indicate there are two
stocks of yellowtail off Baja and southern California. One
group occurs south of Cedros Island, Baja California, while
the second group occupies the area from Cedros Island
northward. There is some interchange of sh between
the two groups around Cedros Island. Because of limited
mixing between the two stocks, the southern California
shery is wholly dependent on sh recruited from the
northern population.
The number of yellowtail available to southern California
shermen in any given year is dependent on whether
warm water conditions exist off northern Baja California.
Excellent yellowtail catches have occurred during years
when water temperatures were at least three to ve
degrees F above normal in the spring. Conversely, periods
of cool water produce low catches. When sh are available, they usually are found nearshore in the spring and
fall but offshore during the summer months.
Yellowtail
500
400
300
200
100
0
1947
1950
1960
1970
1980
1990
1999
Recreational Catch 1947-1999, Yellowtail

Data Source: DFG, Commercial Passenger Fishing Vessel logbooks.

December 2001
1970
1980
1990
1999
Commercial Landings
1916-1999, Yellowtail
landing receipts. Yellowtail
landings include fish caught in
waters south of the state but
landed in California.
Status of Population
hile no population estimate is available for the

northern stock of yellowtail, the resource appears
to be healthy. The stock is probably not as large as it
was in the early 1950s, but it can support signicant
sport and commercial sheries when oceanic conditions
are favorable.
Data collected during the 1970s and early 1980s indicate
that the northern population has undergone a shift in sh
size. Two and three year olds now dominate the catch,
whereas six to nine year olds made up the majority of the
catch in the past. The shift in size could be an indicator of
either population stress or good recruitment.
Because more of the northern stock is available to
sport anglers during warm water conditions, CPFV catches
during El Nio events provide an indication of the health
of the resource. The El Nio event of 1997, which proved
to be the strongest of many events beginning with 1983,
pushed many young yellowtail north into southern California. The 1996 year class dominated the sport shery
during the summer of 1997 as one-year-old sh. The 1996
year class remained off southern California during the
winter of 1998 and again dominated the shery as twoyear-olds. During 1998, the commercial shery harvested
almost a quarter million pounds of yellowtail since most
of the 1996 year class sh reached legal size midway
through the summer. This commercial catch represented
a four-fold increase from 1997. With the cooling of ocean
waters off southern California in 1999 and 2000, sport
and commercial yellowtail catches dropped. However, the
1996 year class continued to dominate the sport shery
during both years. Based on data from the MRFSS, the
1996 year class was the strongest in recent history. Over
1.0 million yellowtail from the 1996 year class were landed
by CPFV and private boat anglers between 1997 and 2000.

A Status Report
213
Yellowtail
The department initiated a minimum size limit on sport

caught yellowtail during 1998 in an effort to reduce the
catch of one-year-old sh. The 10 sh limit was retained,
but a 28-inch FL size limit was adopted with sport anglers
allowed to retain ve sh less than 28 inches FL.
References
Radovich, J. 1961. Relationship of water temperature to

marine organisms of the northeast Pacic, particularly
during 1957 through 1959. Calif. Dept. Fish and Game, Fish
Bull. 112. 62 p.

Baxter, J.L. 1960. A study of the yellowtail Seriola dorsalis

(Gill). Calif. Dept. Fish and Game, Fish Bull. 110. 96 p.
Crooke, S.J. 1983. Yellowtail, Seriola lalandei Valenciennes. Calif. Coop. Oceanic Fish. Invest. Rep. 24:84-87.
Stephen J. Crooke
214

A Status Report

December 2001
Pacific Bonito
T
he Pacic bonito (Sarda chiliensis) is an economically

important commercial species from Magdalena Bay
in southern Baja California, Mexico to Point Conception,
California, and in most years is ranked as one of
the top 15 species sought by recreational shermen in
As a result of the expansion of the commercial passenger
shing vessel (CPFV) industry after World War II, Pacic
bonito catches by CPFVs increased from 36,500 in 1947
to over one million sh in 1960. Most of these sh were
caught between Malibu Beach and the Coronado Islands.
CPFV logbook landings of bonito remained high during the
1960s, with more than one million sh taken in 1964,
1968, and 1969. However, in the 1970s and 1980s, CPFV
landings dropped and then stabilized with decadal averages for the 1970s and 1980s at 313,200 and 372,700 sh,
respectively. In the 1990s, the number of sh taken by
CPFVs dropped again. Logbook landings ranged between
2,880 and 263,000 sh with a decadal average of 101,700.
The 1999 landings were the lowest annual catch on record
and the decadal average the lowest since the 1940s.
During the 1980s, more then one-half of the bonito catch
was made from private boats as this method of angling
became increasingly popular. A similar trend was observed
in the 1990s with private boats landing between 33 percent and 57 percent of the recreational catch. Private
boat landings in the 1990s ranged between 1,200 and
128,400 sh with a decadal average of 49,600. This was
signicantly lower than the 1980s decadal average of
560,000 sh.
Recreational catches can be impacted by the availability
of other desirable species. In the 1980s and 1990s, highly
desirable species such as yellown tuna, bluen tuna,
and albacore occasionally were available in large numbers.
The reductions in recreational landings of bonito can be
attributed in part to a shift in targeted effort from bonito
to these more desirable species.
Changes in regulations can also impact recreational
catches. In 1982, a 24-inch size limit was imposed on
bonito. Part of the reduction in sport landings after 1982
was probably due to this size restriction, but the impact
of this regulation was probably limited because of a ve
sh tolerance for undersized bonito that was included
with the size restriction.
Pacic bonito is well known for its ghting ability and

quality as a food sh. Bonito can be caught recreationally
with live anchovies and sardines or by casting or trolling
with metal lures and feather jigs. Off California, recreational anglers typically catch bonito year round south
of Point Conception with the highest catches in summer.
North of Point Conception, recreational anglers usually
take bonito during the fall months.
Pacific Bonito
Bonito are taken commercially by troll gear, gillnets, and

pole and line gear, but the landings of sh caught by these
methods usually average less then two percent of the total
catch. The primary commercial shing gear for bonito
is the purse seine. The purse seine eet consists of
two general groups: the local wetsh vessels with sh
load capacities of 30 to 100 tons, and the larger tuna seiners capable of carrying 150 to 500 tons. Wetsh boats harvest mackerel and sardines, but seasonally target bonito,
squid, and bluen tuna. Nearly all of these wetsh seiners
are based in San Pedro and sh in the Santa Barbara
and San Pedro Channels. The large tuna seiners, now
all but absent from California, operate primarily in the
tropical waters off Mexico and Central and South America. Although the primary target for these seiners is yellown tuna, these vessels take bonito during their return
trips to the United States to help compensate for small
tuna catches.
Off California, commercial shing for bonito occurs year
round south of Point Conception with the largest catches
in late summer and early fall. North of Point Conception,
commercial shing for bonito occurs primarily in the
summer and fall.
Over the last 80 years, commercial landings of bonito
have ranged between 127,600 pounds (1956) and 31.9 million pounds (1975). During the rst half of the twentieth
century, landings of bonito gradually increased from about
500,000 pounds in 1916 to around 10.9 million pounds in
1941. Landings briey peaked again after World War II, but
dropped during the 1950s and early 1960s. Landings then
showed a major upward trend from the mid-1960s through
the mid-1970s, increasing more than four-fold between
1965 and 1975. Starting in the late 1970s, this trend
reversed with landings dropping in the 1980s to a decadal
The bulk of the recreational catch consists of one-year

bonito approximately 18 inches long. During fall and
spring migrations, larger two-year sh become available to
anglers. About ve to 10 percent of the landings consist of
sh larger then 24 inches.
Pacific Bonito, Sarda chiliensis
Credit: DFG

December 2001

A Status Report
215
Pacific Bonito
Commercial Landings
1916-1999, Pacific Bonito
landing receipts.
Pacific Bonito
35
30
25
20
15
10
5
0
1916 1920
1930
1940
average of eight million pounds (compared to 9.7 million

pounds for the 1960s and 17.7 million pounds for the
1970s). In the 1990s, landings for this sh ranged between
157,000 and 9.58 million pounds with a decadal average
of 1.9 million pounds. This average was higher than that
observed in the 1950s (1.8 million pounds) but lower than
those from the previous three decades.
In the 1990s, bonitos ranking among the other commercial species also dropped. By total weight, bonito ranked
among the top 20 species landed by California sheries for
most of the 1980s. In contrast, during the 1990s, this sh
ranked among the top 20 species only in 1990 and 1998.
The amount of bonito landed is impacted by its availability, the availability of other desirable species, market
demand, and price. Off of California, the availability of
bonito can vary considerably between seasons and years.
Some of this variation can be attributed to the migratory
movements of these sh and some to oceanic changes. For
instance, during El Nio events, more of the stock may
move northward, becoming more available to California
sheries, while during La Nia events, fewer sh may
move into California waters.
The availability of bonito also can be impacted by shing
restrictions. During the years from 1943 to 1958 and 1975
to 1978, at least 50 percent, and often more than 90
percent, of the landed bonito were taken off Baja California, Mexico. During the last two decades, Mexico has
restricted access to foreign vessels shing in its nearshore
waters and California landings originating from Mexico
have declined to less than 10 percent of the total landings.
In addition, the availability of bonito in California waters
can be impacted by the amount of sh taken by the commercial shery in Mexican waters. Mexican commercial
landings of bonito over the last several decades show
sharp periodic increases in the take of this sh. This
pattern suggests that the Mexican commercial shery for
216

A Status Report
1950
1960
1970
1980
1990
1999
bonito is a pulse shery. When bonito become more abundant, either from a gradual increase in the population or
from the recruitment of a strong year class, then some
of the commercial shing effort in Mexican waters shifts
to this species. The resource is harvested until the sh
are no longer abundant. Effort then is redirected to other
species until such time as the bonito resource becomes
abundant again.
The availability of other desirable species can have a
profound impact on the landings of bonito. Lower availability of other more desirable species due to environmental changes or management changes can increase the
amount of bonito landed. For instance, bonito were targeted during seasonal yellown tuna closures in the 1970s
because an incidental take of the more valuable yellown
tuna was allowed while shing for bonito. On the other
hand, high availability of more desirable species can
reduce the amount of bonito landed. This was likely the
case in the 1980s and 1990s when a number of more
desirable species including yellown tuna, skipjack tuna,
albacore tuna, and bluen tuna were at times quite abundant. In 1986, for example, high availability of bluen
tuna with a value of $1,550 per ton resulted in the
wetsh seiners shifting their effort toward that species;
as a result, bonito landings in 1986 dropped to a low of
533,000 pounds.
Market demand for bonito has been low over the last
two decades. Commercial bonito landings are primarily
purchased by canneries that process bonito for human
consumption with the offal utilized for pet food or for
reduction to shmeal. Cannery orders for this sh in
recent years have been limited. Higher demand exists
for yellown tuna, skipjack tuna, albacore, and bluen
tuna for human consumption; for Pacic mackerel and
jack mackerel as pet food; and for northern anchovy as
shmeal. Bonito also are sold fresh or frozen or are processed by curing or smoking. The market for this product

December 2001
acic bonito is a rapidly growing piscivorous sh. In

one year this sh can reach roughly 20 inches in fork
length, and weigh about four pounds. At two years of age,
bonito average roughly 25 inches in fork length and weigh
about eight pounds. Their growth slows in the latter half
of life with the sh reaching 32 to 35 inches and 17 to
22 pounds at six years. The California angling record is a
22-pound sh caught off Malibu Beach in 1978, but larger
sh are occasionally reported.
Swimming is continuous to maintain orientation and respiration, and is powered by richly oxygenated red muscle
tissues near the tail. As the sh grow, the proportion of
red muscle tissue increases; hence, larger sh become
relatively more powerful swimmers. At a continuous-maintenance swimming speed, aquarium-held sh averaging 22
inches in length swim as much as 43 miles daily.
Bonito is a temperate epipelagic schooling sh with a
discontinuous distribution in the eastern Pacic Ocean. It
ranges from Chile to the Gulf of Alaska, but is absent from
the central coast of Mexico south to Panama. The northern population typically is centered between southern
California and central Baja California, but this distribution
can shift northward during warm-water years. This species
migrates approximately 600 miles along the United States
- Mexico coastline, moving southward from southern California in the winter and northward from Baja California
in the summer. This migration probably is a response to
changing sea temperatures since these sh appear to be
impacted by local variations in sea temperature. Individuals tagged and released within warm-water discharges
from electrical generating stations have been recaptured
near their release site up to three years later. These
tagging studies suggest that some bonito do not move
southward in the winter and instead overwinter in the
Southern California Bight.
There is no external anatomical differences between the
sexes. However, behavioral and visual cues can be used to
distinguish males from females. During courtship of bonito

December 2001
Sexual maturity differs between males and females.

Pacic bonito females begin to mature at two years of age
and are fully mature at 24 inches. Males are more precocious. About 44 percent of the one-year males spawn,
and all are mature at two years of age or 20 inches in
length. Spawning begins in January and continues for a
ve-month period. Peak spawning occurs off central Baja
California, but may take place in southern California late
in the season or during El Nio episodes. Some localized
spawning may also take place near warm-water discharges
from electrical generating stations. Individuals may spawn
more than once during a season. A 6.6-pound female
releases an estimated 0.5 million eggs in one season.
Bonito consume prey equaling about six percent of their
body weight per day. Northern anchovies are common
prey, but market squid, highly vulnerable to predation
while spawning, sometimes become a major part of the
diet. Pacic sardines may also be a signicant food source.
arm water conditions in the 1980s and 1990s may

have provided good conditions for bonito survival,
but large catches have been sporadic and the trends
in both commercial and recreational landings continue
downwards. This downward trend may be due in part
to a shift in targeted effort from bonito to other more
desirable species and to low market demand. It also may
be due to changes in the distribution and migration of this
northern population in response to oceanographic changes
that have taken place over the last two decades. However,
1.4
Pacific Bonito
Prices for bonito have generally showed an upward trend

over time. Between the 1960s and early 1980s, the price
of bonito increased from $50 to $90 per ton to $550 per
ton. The price then declined to $200 to $300 per ton
in the mid-1980s but increased again in the 1990s to an
average of $990 per ton. While the 1990s average price is
the highest reported for bonito, it is still lower than that
paid for desirable sh such as bluen tuna which usually
sells for four to ve times the price of bonito.
observed in an aquarium, females swim with a wobble

while males use color barring on their bodies to show
their interest and aggressive nature. This aggressive vertical barring coloration in males has also been observed in
aquarium-held bonito at feeding time. During courtship,
males will follow directly behind the displaying female,
jockeying for position. The successful male and female
then pair and synchronize the release of gametes at the
onset of a tight circle swim. Gametes are broadcast into
the seawater where fertilization takes place.
Pacific Bonito
is currently small, but is growing due to the changes in

Californias demographics.
1.2
1.0
0.8
0.6
0.4
0.2
0.0
1947
1950
1960
1970
1980
1990
1999
Recreational Catch 1947-1999, Pacific Bonito


A Status Report
217
Pacific Bonito
this downward trend may well be due to a decline in

stock abundance. If this is the case, then current shing
practices may make it difcult for this stock to rebuild.
Jeffrey Smiley, Deborah Aseltine-Neilson,
Ken Miller and Marija Vojkovich
References
Black, G. 1979. Maturity and spawning of the Pacic
bonito, Sarda chiliensis lineolata, in the eastern North
Pacic. Calif. Dept. Fish and Game, Mar. Resour. Tech.
Rept. 41. 60 p.
Campbell, G. and R.A. Collins. 1975. The age and growth
of the Pacic bonito, Sarda chiliensis, in the eastern North
Pacic. Calif. Fish and Game 61:181-200.
Collette, B.B. & C.E. Nauen. 1983. FAO species catalogue
vol. 2: Scombrids of the world. An annotated and illustrated catalog of tunas, mackerel, bonitos and related
species known to date. FAO Fisheries Synopsis (125) Vol
2. 137 p.
Collins, R., D. Huppert, A. MacCall, J. Radovich, and
G. Stauffer. 1980. Pacic bonito management information
document. Calif. Dept. Fish and Game, Mar. Resour. Tech.
Rept. 44. 94 p.
Goldberg, S. R., and D. Mussiett. 1984. Reproductive cycle
of the Pacic bonito, Sarda chiliensis (Scombridae), from
northern Chile. Pacic Science 38:228-231.
Magnuson, J.J. and J.H. Prescott. 1966. Courtship, locomotion, feeding, and miscellaneous behaviour of Pacic
bonito (Sarda chiliensis). Anim. Behav. 14:54-67.
Squire, J.L., Jr. 1982. Catch temperatures for some important marine species off California. NOAA Tech. Rept. NMFS
SSRF-759. 27 p.
Yoshida, H.O. 1980. Synopsis of biological data on bonitos
of the genus Sarda. NOAATech. Rept. NMFS Circ. 432. 50 p.
218

A Status Report

December 2001
California Barracuda
T
he California barracuda (Sphyraena argentea), also

known as the Pacic barracuda, has played a signicant role in the growth and development of Californias
commercial and sport shing industries. Taken primarily
off southern California and northern Baja California,
Mexico, barracuda gured prominently in the development
of the purse seine shery. Additionally, they have long
been a major component of the southern California sport
sh catch.
Annual records of commercial barracuda landings date
back to 1889, but only nine years of intermittent records
exist through 1915, and these are not specic as to catch
areas. Commercial landings of barracuda in 1889 were
0.5 million pounds, and by 1915 they were up to 3.6 million pounds. Since 1916, landing records have differentiated barracuda caught in California waters (essentially off
southern California) from those caught in waters south of
the international border with Mexico (northern Baja California). By 1916, The southern California purse seine eet
consisted of at least seven vessels by 1916. Inuenced by
the economic impetus of World War I, the commercial barracuda shery grew concurrently with the rapid development of the purse seine eet.
Attempts to manage the barracuda shery began in 1915
with a minimum size limit of 18 inches for hook-and-line
caught barracuda. Since then, many commercial and sport
regulations on gear, seasons, weight, size, and bag limits
have been enacted, modied, or repealed. Today, most
commercially caught barracuda are taken by gillnets with
3.5-inch mesh, although some are taken by hook-and-line.
The minimum size limit is 28 inches. May and June are
usually the peak months of commercial shing activity
for barracuda.
Between 1915 and 1970, commercial landings of barracuda
harvested from Californias nearshore waters averaged 2.1
million pounds annually, despite a gradual decline in landings since 1925. Landings have remained relatively low
since 1970, averaging about 113,500 pounds annually. Prior
to 1926, California barracuda harvested south of the international border exceeded those catches made in California. Barracuda harvest from Mexican waters remained an
integral part of the California shery until 1969, averaging
over one million pounds annually. But over the past 30
years, landings have been insignicant, averaging only 600
pounds annually. The major cause for the decline was the
imposition of increasingly restrictive commercial shing
regulations by Mexico which became increasingly restrictive to California shermen over the years.
In general, commercial barracuda prices are a function
of supply and demand. Historically, the price paid to

December 2001
shermen has been low. In 1999, commercial shermen

received an average price of $0.70 per pound.
The popularity of California barracuda as a game sh goes
back to at least the mid-1920s, as is evident from photographs and newspaper accounts. However, the California
Department of Fish and Game (DFG) did not begin collecting records of commercial passenger shing vessel (CPFV)
sport sh landings until 1936. Records from 1936 through
1940 reveal that CPFV barracuda landings (in numbers
of sh) exceeded those of other sport shes, and that
they often equaled or exceeded commercial landings (in
weight) for barracuda taken in California waters. Annual
landings for these ve years averaged about 630,000 sh.
Records were not kept from 1941 through 1946 due to
shing restraints during World War II. As interest in marine
sport shing grew in the post-World War II era, the sport
take of barracuda greatly exceeded that of the commercial eet in California waters. Between 1946 and 1971,
CPFV barracuda landings ranged from 87,600 to 1.2 million
sh, for an overall annual average of 447,000 sh. In
1971, the current 28-inch minimum size limit for all sportcaught barracuda became effective, causing an 86 percent
decline in CPFV barracuda landings from the previous year.
Since 1971, CPFV landings of barracuda have been increasing,
ranging between 26,300 and 446,000 sh annually.
The Marine Recreational Fisheries Statistics Survey has

shown that, on average, 54 percent of the total barracuda
catch is from CPFVs, 45 percent is from private and
rental boats, and one percent is from shore. In the late
1980s, a DFG study determined that roughly 60 percent of
CPFV-caught barracuda are released (almost all of which
are less than 28 inches). The study also indicated Los
Angeles County accounted for 58 percent of the CPFV
barracuda landings.
Sport anglers, especially aboard CPFVs, usually use live
anchovies or sardines to sh for barracuda. Anchovies and
sardines are also used to chum and hold barracuda schools
close to the boat. Metal or plastic articial lures in a
variety of shapes and colors are also popular. Sport-caught
barracuda are taken mainly near the surface. Most shing
activity occurs from May through September, when surface
water temperatures range between 62 and 70F.
California Barracuda, Sphyraena argentea

Credit: DFG

A Status Report
219
he California barracuda is a nearshore, epipelagic,

schooling sh found from Cabo San Lucas, Baja California to Kodiak Island, Alaska. Catch origins indicate
the population is centered between San Quentin, Baja
California and Point Conception, California. During warm
water oceanic events, such as El Nios, a portion of
the population may shift northward into central California. Frequently seen at the surface, barracuda have been
taken at depths of 120 feet.
Growth in length is most rapid during the rst year of
life. Barracuda reach a total length of 14 inches at one
year. At two years, they have grown to 20 inches and
weigh about one pound. However, the maximum growth
by weight of nearly one pound per year is achieved by
four- and ve-year-old sh. The minimum size limit of
28 inches, approximately a three-pound sh, is near the
average size for a four-year-old. At this age, females are
about 0.75 inches larger than males, and the difference
increases to about 2.5 inches in sh over six years old. The
oldest sh aged was an 11-year-old measuring 41 inches
and weighing about nine pounds. Larger and presumably
older sh include the state angling record of 15 pounds 15
ounces and a 17-pound sh caught off Carpenteria in 1958
that measured 46.5 inches.
California barracuda produce pelagic eggs and larvae. Fertilization takes place externally as the sexes simultaneously release their gametes. At two years, almost all males
and 75 percent of females are sexually mature. All are
mature at three years of age. Full sexual maturity occurs
in males at a length of 20 inches and in females at
22 inches. In a single spawning, a two-year-old female
may produce 50,000 eggs, increasing to about 400,000 by
age six. Individuals may spawn more than once during a
spawning season. Off southern California, spawning takes
place from April to September, peaking in June.
Feeding habits of California barracuda are not well documented, but some potential prey species can be mentioned. During pelagic schooling movements, barracuda
may feed on other open water schooling shes such as
1.4
1.2
1.0
0.8
0.6
0.4
0.2
0.0
1947
1950
1960
1970
1980
1990
1999
Recreational Catch 1947-1999, California Barracuda

220

A Status Report
northern anchovy, Pacic sardine, Pacic mackerel, jack

mackerel, and Pacic saury. In association with kelp beds
or shallow water habitats, they may feed on topsmelt and
California grunion. Opportunistic feeding on market squid
made vulnerable during their spawning activity is likely.
Previous references to the predators that feed on California barracuda have listed sea lions, seals, porpoises, and
giant sea bass. Analyses of the gut contents and scat
from marine mammals have failed to discover barracuda
remains. Observations of California sea lions and harbor
seals opportunistically feeding on barracuda injured or
entrapped by shing gear are common, but these animals
more typically feed on the same size prey as adult barracuda. Giant sea bass are more likely predators on juveniles
and adult barracuda.
California barracuda have an inshore distribution during
their early life history. Fish a few inches long are observed
in protected bays and marinas. Larger young-of-the-year
sh school below the canopy of semi-protected kelp-bed
habitats. Older juveniles and adults form large schools
that disperse widely in the open-water environment.
Movements of California barracuda have been studied by
tagging. Fish tagged during May 1959 at locations off
northern Baja California and off southern California were
recovered at intermixed locations, indicating a single population. Movements of up to 100 miles north and south
occurred during the summer, but a portion of the recoveries were at the release sites. However, a general migration pattern that was distinctly northward during the
summer and less distinctly southward during the fall was
indicated. Movements are presumably a response to sea
temperature, and warm overwintering temperatures off
southern California reduce the southward return. High
catch success during spring and summer off southern California has been correlated with warm sea temperatures
the preceding winter.
he status of the California barracuda population

is unknown, because data concerning catch, shing
effort, and age composition are scarce. Barracuda catches
off California are variable for many reasons, one of which
is that barracuda are migratory with a preference for
warmer waters. During an El Nio event, when warmer
than normal water masses move up the coast, barracuda
are caught far north of their normal range and in greater
than average numbers off southern California, suggesting
a higher population level. This was apparent during the
1957-1959 El Nio event, one of the most intense on
record. However, during the similarly intense 1982-1983
and 1997-1998 El Nio events, barracuda catches did not

December 2001
3
2
1
0
1916 1920
1930
1940
1950
1960
increase appreciably. Assuming shing effort and the percentage of the population migrating northward were similar, the difference suggests that the barracuda population
was depressed during the latter El Nio periods. Since the
late 1980s, catches have increased but remain well below
those reported prior to 1970. This is due to the fact
sport anglers may no longer keep short barracuda as they
were allowed to do prior to 1971. Only during one threeyear period, 1958 though 1960, has the number of barracuda off southern California been estimated by the DFG.
Estimates ranged from 1.6 to 2.9 million sh.
Because of uncontrollable factors such as migration,
water temperature, and Mexicos management policies,
the DFGs management policies for this species probably
have a limited effect on its population level. Nevertheless,
the regulations are intended to reduce the likelihood of
overshing this valuable resource.
1970
1980
1990
1999
Commercial Landings
1916-1999,
landing receipts.
9
8
7
6
5
4
References
Ally, J.R.R., D.S. Ono, R.B. Read, and M. Wallace. 1991.
Status of major southern California marine sport sh species with management recommendations, based on analyses of catch and size composition data collected on board
commercial passenger shing vessels from 1985 through
1987. Calif. Dept. Fish and Game, Mar. Resour. Div., Admin.
Rep. 90-2. 376 p.
Orton, G.L.1955. Early developmental stages of the California barracuda, Sphyraena argentea Girard. Calif. Fish and
Game. 41:167-176.
Pinkas, L. 1966. A management study of the California
barracuda Sphyraena argentea Girard. Calif. Dept. Fish
and Game, Fish Bull. 134. 58 p.
Schultze, D.L. 1983. California barracuda life history, sheries, and management. Calif. Coop. Oceanic Fish. Invest.
Rep. 24:88-96.
Walford, L.A. 1932. The California barracuda Sphyraena
argentea. Calif. Div. Fish and Game, Fish Bull. 37. 122 p.
J.R. Raymond Ally and Ken Miller

Updated by Stephen P. Wertz

December 2001

A Status Report
221
Kelp Bass
elp bass (Paralabrax clathratus) are popularly referred

to as calico bass and represent one of the most important nearshore, recreational species in the waters off
of southern California. This important species has been
the target of southern California anglers and commercial
shermen since the early 1900s. In the early years of
the shery, catch statistics grouped kelp bass and the
two other Paralabrax species, barred sand bass and spotted sand bass, into a single rock bass category. Based
on recent information, it is very likely that kelp bass
comprised most of this catch category early on. The largest commercial landings of rock bass occurred during
the 1920s and 1930s; annual landings averaged 500,000
pounds. A sharp decline in shing activity occurred during
and after World War II and landings never exceeded
150,000 pounds from 1941 through 1953. The general
decline of the rock bass resource prompted conservation
measures, which in 1953 made commercial shing for rock
bass illegal in California waters. Legally sold sh imported
from Mexico dwindled to insignicant levels since the late
1950s. Sport anglers using light hook-and-line tackle catch
kelp bass while shing from piers, beaches, private boats,
and commercial passenger shing vessels (CPFVs). Sport
catch records for rock bass taken by CPFVs have been
available since 1935, but only CPFV records since 1975
reliably differentiated kelp bass catches from the other
rock bass. Early sport anglers considered the kelp bass a
nuisance when attempting to catch more desirable gamesh. Only the largest bull bass were sought. In 1939,
a limit on sport sh catches in California, 15 total sh
in an aggregate of several species, was the rst management attempt to prevent depletion of popular sport
sh populations.
Intense shing immediately after World War II may have
caused a progressive decrease in the size of landed bass,
and the popular kelp bass shery was deteriorating. The
California Department of Fish and Game (DFG) instituted
comprehensive studies in 1950 that resulted in size and
Kelp Bass, Paralabrax clathratus

Credit: DFG
222

A Status Report
bag limits for sport caught kelp and sand bass combined.
The new size limit began at 10.5 inches and was increased
several times until the 12-inch limit was reached in 1959.
The kelp bass catch has uctuated greatly since the 1960s.
The largest CPFV catches occurred during the mid-1980s,
estimated at over 1,000,000 sh annually. Since 1980,
the CPFV kelp bass catch has ranged from 273,000 to
2,795,000 sh in 1988 and 1986, respectively, and averaged about 1,000,000 kelp bass per year. CPFV landings of
kelp bass typically peak in the late spring and early fall.
The recent Federal Marine Recreational Fishery Statistics
Survey estimated that since 1990 the catch from shore,
pier, and private boat anglers averages about 900,000
kelp bass per year which exceeds that of CPFV shermen
(about 800,000 sh per year). The CPFV landings of kelp
bass steadily declined each year from 1993 to 1999.
The most productive shing areas for kelp bass in recent
years have been off the Coronado Islands, Baja California,
Mexico; Point Loma and La Jolla in San Diego County;
Dana Point and Huntington Beach in Orange County; Santa
Catalina Island and Horseshoe Kelp in Los Angeles County;
and around the Channel Islands in Santa Barbara and
Ventura Counties.
elp bass have ranged historically as far north as the

mouth of the Columbia River and south to Bahia Magdalena, Baja California, Mexico. However, they are rare
north of Point Conception. They are abundant in southern
California waters including the shores of all the Channel
Islands. They are typically found in shallow water (surface
to 150 feet) being closely associated with high relief structure, including kelp. Kelp bass range throughout the water
column, but seem to concentrate between eight and 70
feet. In general, they live solitary lives but form assemblies to spawn and to feed on small schooling sh. Early
tag and release studies showed little movement for the
majority of kelp bass and concluded that if they move at
all, it is to nearby rocky reefs or short distances to gather
into breeding assemblages. More recently, tagging studies
in the northern portion of the Southern California Bight
from Point Conception south the northern Channel Islands
indicated the kelp bass were quite mobile with some sh
traveling as far as 50 miles.
Kelp bass have the broad diet of a generalized carnivore
consisting of small shes (including anchovies, sardines,
surfperch, queensh), squids, octopuses, crabs, shrimps,
and amphipods. They forage primarily in the midwater,
but occasionally feed on the bottom. Young kelp bass
feed on small crabs, copepods, and plankton. They
feed lightly in the winter and most heavily during May
through September.

December 2001
Kelp Bass
600
500
400
300
200
100
0
1947
1950
1960
1970
1980
1990
1999
Recreational Catch 1947-1999, Kelp Bass

by CPFV logbooks. Prior to 1973, Kelp Bass and Barred Sand Bass CPFV catch data
were aggregated.
Kelp bass mature between seven and 10.5 inches in length

and about three to ve years and form breeding aggregations in deeper water off of kelp heads and rocky headlands, generally, in depths down to 150 feet. Several
hundred ripe adults may aggregate in a small area during
spawning. During spawning, high-contrast, black and white
individuals with yellow-orange snouts are usually males,
and sh with golden hues and yellow chins and jaws are
usually females. Spawning occurs primarily around the
full moon from April through November peaking in the
summer months. Kelp bass produce pelagic eggs (0.04
inches in diameter) which enter the plankton in coastal
waters. Larvae remain in the plankton for 28 to 30 days at
which time they settle out in shallow water in attached,
as well as drift algae including kelps. Young-of-year kelp
bass grow to a length of about two inches in the rst
90 days of life.
Kelp bass are known to grow to 28.5 inches and 14.5
pounds. The oldest known kelp bass was 34 years old
and 25 inches long. Juvenile kelp bass can be ve to six
inches after one year and are about 12 inches (legal size)
at ve years. The average 10 year-old kelp bass is about 18
inches in total length. As with most shes, growth is highly
variable with the largest sh not necessarily being the
oldest. The world record kelp bass (14.5 pounds) caught
off Newport Beach in 1995 was 27 years old while a 9.5
pound sh caught at San Clemente Island in 1993 was 34
years old.
n the 1970s and 1980s, the kelp bass was among the top
three species taken by the average angler per hour of
shing (along with barred sand bass and Pacic mackerel).
In 1986 and 1989, kelp bass were the most commonly
taken species in the CPFV eet. Throughout the 1980s,
kelp bass have consistently ranked among the top ve
shes caught by CPFV anglers. DFG surveys indicate the
estimated total catches of kelp bass have increased since
the mid-1970s. Low periods of kelp bass landings in the

December 2001
mid-1970s and early-1980s may be attributed to El Nio

events that provide anglers with alternative species to
catch. Peak landings have followed each El Nio event.
DFG surveys of the CPFV industry in the 1970s and 1980s
indicated a stable spawning population is being maintained because of the large number of age classes that
are caught and kept by anglers. Approximately 85 percent
of the kelp bass kept by CPFV anglers measure between
11.4 to 15.9 inches, representing up to seven age classes.
However, the alarming decline of recreational catch from
all sources that has occurred in the 1990s is a major cause
for concern.
Kelp Bass
700
Larry G. Allen
California State University, Northridge
Tim E. Hovey
References
Status of major southern California marine sportsh species with management recommendations, based on analyses of catch and size composition data collected on board
1987. Calif Dept. Fish and Game, Mar. Resour. Div. Admin.
Rept. 90-2: May, 1991.
Cordes, J.F., and L.G. Allen. 1997. Estimates of age,
growth, and settlement from otoliths of young-of-the-year
kelp bass (Paralabrax clathratus). Bull. So. Calif. Acad. Sci.
96:43-60.
Love, M.S., A. Brooks, and J.R.R. Ally. 1996. An analysis of
commercial passenger shing vessel sheries for kelp bass
and barred sand bass in the southern California Bight. Calif
Dept. Fish and Game 82(3): 105-121.
Love, M.S., A. Brooks, D. Busatto, J.S. Stephens, Jr. and
P.A. Gregory. 1996. Aspects of the life histories of the
kelp bass (Paralabrax clathratus) and barred sand bass (P.
nebulifer) from the southern California Bight. U.S. Fish.
Bull 94: 472-481.
Young, P.H. 1963. The kelp bass (Paralabrax clathratus)
and its shery, 1947-1958. Calif. Dept. Fish and Game,
Fish. Bull. 122.67 p.

A Status Report
223
Barred Sand Bass

arred sand bass (Paralabrax nebulifer) are commonly

caught by anglers in California. Since the late 1970s,
this species has consistently ranked among the top 10
species in the southern California marine sport sh catch.
The major barred sand bass shing sites include the Silver
Strand, Del Mar, San Onofre, Huntington Flats area off
Orange County, the inshore portion of northern Santa
Monica Bay off Pacic Palisades and Santa Monica in Los
Angeles County, and the Ventura Flats area off northern
Ventura County. Barred sand bass are targeted exclusively
by sport anglers; the commercial harvest of this species
has been illegal since 1953. Throughout the 1930s and
early 1940s, sand bass, as well as kelp bass, were not considered to be quality angling fare but gained tremendously
in popularity as game shes by the mid-1950s. At that
time, concern about the resource by sport shermen and
shery managers resulted in the initiation of life history
studies and the formulation of conservation measures. By
1959, a 10-sh bag limit and a 12-inch minimum size limit
had been imposed on all three kelp and sand bass species,
measures designed to counteract the declining numbers,
and shrinking size composition of the bass catches. The
commercial passenger shing vessel (CPFV) bass shery
responded positively to this management regime, and
landings of kelp and sand bass increased substantially
through the 1960s and early 1970s. From 1975 through
1989, the CPFV barred sand bass catch expanded threefold
to a peak of 400,000 sh in 1988. Although lacking some
of the sporting qualities of kelp bass, barred sand bass
are much more susceptible to hook-and-line gear and are
somewhat easier to catch. When CPFV skippers target
barred sand bass aggregations, they can usually produce
substantial catches for their passengers, even for novice
anglers possessing minimal shing skills. In 1985, 1987 and
1988, barred sand bass was the leading bass species in the
CPFV catch exceeding kelp bass landings for the rst time
since 1961 when kelp bass and sand bass landings were
rst reported separately. Estimates of annual barred sand
bass landings from all sport shing activities (shore, pier,
private boat, CPFVs, etc.) ranged as high as 1,940,000 in

1988. The CPFV landings of barred sand bass remained
stable at around 600,000 sh from 1993 to 1996, but
declined dramatically thereafter. On average, landings of
barred sand bass in the 1990s were about 40 percent
lower than those in the 1980s.
arred sand bass range from Santa Cruz south to Bahia

Magdalena, Baja California, Mexico. They are rare
north of Point Conception. Sand bass chiey inhabit the
shallow waters near the southern California mainland, but
have been captured at depths as great as 600 feet, but
the greatest concentrations are found in depths less than
90 feet. Young sand bass are abundant in very shallow
water (ve to 30 feet). The name sand bass is somewhat
unfortunate since they are usually closely associated with
sand/rock interfaces of deep reefs and articial structures
and are rarely found out over sandy expanses.
Barred sand bass feed mainly on small shes (including
anchovies, sardines, midshipman), and invertebrates such
as crabs, clams, and squid. The largest barred sand bass
on record measured 26 inches in length, and the maximum-recorded weight was 11.1 pounds. Like their sympatric congener the kelp bass, barred sand bass are also
relatively slow growing. A juvenile barred sand bass is
approximately six inches long after one year, and reaches
sexual maturity between seven and 10.5 inches in length
and about three to ve years. The oldest known barred
sand bass was found to be 24 years old.
Barred sand bass form large breeding aggregations over
sandy bottoms at depths of 60-120 feet in the summer
months. Spawning occurs in these aggregations from
April through November, usually peaking in July. During
spawning, high-contrast, gray and white individuals with
large golden-yellow crescents under their eyes are usually
males. Sand bass produce a large number of small pelagic
eggs that enter the plankton in coastal waters. Young-ofthe-year sand bass begin appearing in shallow, nearshore
waters in the early fall.
DFG tagging studies have revealed that barred sand bass
are capable of movements of from ve to 40 miles. In the
early 1970s, evidence was presented that tumors, deformities, and other anomalies found in barred sand bass may
have been linked to industrial and domestic wastes discharged into the nearshore environment. Reports of such
abnormalities have decreased in the past two decades.
Barred Sand Bass, Paralabrax nebulifer

Credit: DFG
224

A Status Report

December 2001
Barred Sand Bass

he barred sand bass catch rose steadily in importance

from 1975 to late 1989, to the point where sand bass
are rivaled only by kelp bass in the nearshore recreational
catch off southern California. From 1975 to 1978, barred
sand bass ranked in the top ten in CPFV catch. By 1986
to 1989, barred sand bass consistently ranked in the top
three species and was the top ranked species in CPFV
catch in 1988. CPFVs and private boats take the majority
of sand bass while shing the summer spawning aggregations. Several factors seem to account for the upward
trend. Most signicantly, CPFVs, which account for the
greatest portion of the barred sand bass catch, have
begun to target them more frequently, especially during
the summer spawning period. The sh are concentrated at
that time, usually in well-dened areas along the coast.
Also, new barred sand bass spawning sites have been discovered over the last 20 years and are now being exploited
by CPFVs and private boats. As shing effort targeting
barred sand bass has increased, there has been concern
that the stock may become over-exploited. Although,
more information must be collected before the impacts of
this intense shing on barred sand bass populations can be
determined, landings have recently begun to decline and
there is cause for concern.
700
600
500
400
300
200
100
0
1947 1950
1960
1970
1980
1990
1999
Recreational Catch 1947-1999, Barred Sand Bass

by CPFV logbooks. Prior to 1973, Barred Sand Bass abd Kelp Bass CPFV catch data
were aggregated.
Barred Sand Bass
References
Status of major southern California marine sportsh species with management recommendations, based on analyses of catch and size composition data collected on board
1987. Calif Dept. Fish and Game, Mar. Resour. Div. Admin.
Rept. 90-2: May, 1991.
Love, M.S., A. Brooks, and J.R.R. Ally. 1996. An analysis of
commercial passenger shing vessel sheries for kelp bass
and barred sand bass in the southern California Bight. Calif
Dept. Fish and Game 82(3): 105-121.
Larry G. Allen
Tim E. Hovey

December 2001

A Status Report
225
Spotted Sand Bass

he spotted sand bass (Paralabrax maculatofasciatus)

has quickly gained popularity with nearshore anglers
for its aggressive behavior and ghting ability. Recreational angling for the spotted sand bass has seen a
dramatic increase in the last 10 years, resulting in angling
tournaments that target spotted sand bass exclusively.
Not considered quality-angling fare in the 1930s and the
early 1940s, the spotted sand bass began to gain in popularity with shore and bay anglers in the mid-1950s. During
that period, almost all landings were made from shore or
by small skiff anglers shing within the bays of southern
California. Concern regarding the growing pressure on this
little-known resource by sport anglers resulted in the
formulation of conservation measures for the spotted sand
bass. These measures include the restriction on commercial exploitation of the genus Paralabrax in 1953, and
in 1959, the adoption of a 10-sh bag-limit and a 12-inch
size-limit on kelp bass and barred sand bass, as well as
the spotted sand bass. Unfortunately, early landing data of
spotted sand bass were either lumped in with the other
Paralabrax landings or not adequately reported. For these
reasons, accurate landings numbers for this species are
difcult to obtain and no substantial data were recorded
until the mid-1970s.
Surveys conducted by the Department of Fish and Game
on skiff shing estimated that the annual catch of spotted
sand bass in southern California waters ranged from 12,790
to 23,933 sh between 1976 and 1981. Additional estimates
of sport catch, based on data from boat and shore shing,
indicated that between 53,000 and 170,000 spotted sand
bass were taken per year from 1980 to 1989. No landing
data were recorded from 1990 to 1993; however, from
1994 to 1999 between 37,000 to 347,000 spotted sand bass
were landed either by shore or small skiff shermen, a
substantial increase from the landings numbers recorded
in the 1980s. This rise in landings can be attributed to
an increased interest in recreational shing in shallow
nearshore waters and consequential increase of angling
pressure on the resource. Additionally, with the introduction of oat-tube technology and the popularity of ocean
Spotted Sand Bass, Paralabrax maculatofasciatus

Credit: DFG
226

A Status Report
kayaks, the accessibility to spotted sand bass habitat has

opened up dramatically. This accessibility has generated
interest in the spotted sand bass as a challenging recreational shery.
Although the annual catch of spotted sand bass for the
record keeping period has been considerably lower than
the catches of the kelp bass and the barred sand bass, the
increase in shing pressure and landing numbers is cause
for concern due to their restricted habitat in southern
California waters. Early DFG shore surveys revealed that
due to its restricted bay habitat and geographically localized populations (San Diego Bay, Mission Bay, Newport
Bay, Anaheim Bay), the spotted sand bass shery may have
been viewed as a less important sport shery by the public.
However, recent increases in landing numbers, indicate that
this view may be changing.
he spotted sand bass has an historic range from Mazatlan, Mexico to Monterey, California. However, this species is rarely seen north of Santa Monica Bay. Included
within that range are substantial populations in the Gulf
of California. Southern California populations are typically
restricted to sandy or mud bottom habitat within shallow
bays, harbors and coastal lagoons that contain eelgrass,
surfgrass and rock relief. These areas act as warm-water
refuges for this generally subtropical species.
Spotted sand bass grow rapidly during their rst two
years. Some specimens may reach as much as 8.8 inches
at the end of their rst year and there is no signicant
difference in growth rates between males and females.
Spotted sand bass spawn in the warm summer months,
from late May to early September and the presence of
multiple sized oocytes in gravid females indicates that this
is a multiple spawning species.
During the spawning season, spotted sand bass form
breeding aggregations at or near the entrances of bays in
southern California. Observations on spawning in the wild
have shown that females initiate the spawn by leaving the
bottom and entering the water column to release eggs. At
the time of release, multiple males may dart in to fertilize
the eggs. The observed episode was extremely brief and
once completed all participants return to the bottom.
The eggs and larvae are pelagic and enter the plankton in
the coastal waters, settling out of the water column at 25
to 31 days. Juvenile spotted sand bass (greater than two
inches) have several dark stripes running longitudinally
along their sides, making them similar in appearance to
juvenile barred sand bass. Juveniles of this species occupy
eelgrass beds and can share these nursery environments
with their sympatric juvenile relatives, the barred sand

December 2001
In California waters, adult spotted sand bass have a diet

that consists primarily of crabs and clams, with shes
forming a relatively small component of their overall food
compliment. The crab component consists of brachyuran
crabs, and the dominant bivalve in the diet is the jackknife clam.
While spotted sand bass can reach 14 years-of-age, most
have a maximum life span of about 10 years. The current
world record spotted sand bass is an individual caught in
1995, which measured 23 inches and weighed 6.7 pounds.
This record sh was 10 years old.
Signicant morphological and genetic differentiation has
occurred among spotted sand bass populations throughout
their geographic range. The Gulf of California populations
appear to be distinct from those on the Pacic coast.
Those populations in southern California also appear to be
genetically distinct from those in the mid-Baja, Pacic coast.
This subpopulation structure indicates that spotted sand bass
exhibit limited dispersal from their restricted habitats.
he spotted sand bass shery has received a dramatic

increase in angling pressure in the last 10 years, and
it is unclear how the increased pressure will effect the
limited, and genetically distinct, southern California populations. Studies indicate that most of the spotted sand
bass caught by recreational anglers are released. The
restrictive, limited environment inhabited by spotted sand
bass tends to amplify the adverse effects of environmental changes and of recreational shing pressure. Factor in

December 2001
Spotted Sand Bass

The spotted sand bass appears to have a complex mating

system. Individual populations within southern California
display varied patterns of reproduction. In San Diego Bay,
protogynous hermaphroditism, where individuals start
their lives as females and after a period of time change to
males occurs. In Anaheim and Newport Bays, gonochorism,
a pattern where the individuals do not change sex is
found, resulting in an essentially equal distribution of
males and females throughout the age and size class in
the population. During the spawning season, male and
female spotted sand bass exhibit a denite sexual color
dimorphism. Males will display a whitish chin color and an
overall high-contrast, body coloration, while females will
display a yellow chin and a darker body. Male spotted sand
bass mature at 7.8 inches and about 1.4 years and females
mature at about 6.7 inches and about one year of age.
The impact of potential sex change, if any, on these values
is unknown.
600
500
400
300
200
100
0
1947
1950
1960
1970
1980
1990
1999
Recreational Catch 1947-1999, Spotted Sand Bass

Data Source: RecFin data base for all gear types; catch data not available for 1989-1992
Spotted Sand Bass
bass and the kelp bass. Adults usually occupy a depth of

two to 30 feet, however specimens have been taken from
waters as deep as 200 feet in the Gulf of California.
sporadic recruitment by spotted sand bass, and the future

of this shery may depend on such a policy.
What effect ever-increasing development in the attractive
bay communities will have on the spotted sand bass populations is unknown. Waterfront development may permanently alter nursery habitat, water quality and may negatively impact recruitment, resulting in a negative impact
on certain populations.
Environmental conditions such as sea surface water temperatures may inuence recruitment as well. Spotted sand
bass have been shown to have a substantial increase
in recruitment success during elevated sea surface temperatures occurring nearshore in southern California just
after El Nio episodes. In other years, recruitment has
been poor. This sporadic recruitment pattern may have
an adverse effect on a population that is subjected to an
increase in angling pressure.
Management Recommendations
Tim E. Hovey
Larry G. Allen
References
Allen G. L, T.H. Hovey, M.S. Love and J.T.W. Smith 1995.
The life history of the spotted sand bass (Paralabrax
maculatofasciatus) within the southern California bight.
CalCOFI 1995: 193-203.
Hovey T.E., and L.G. Allen 2000. Reproductive patterns of
six populations of the spotted sand bass, Paralabrax maculatofasciatus, from Southern and Baja California. Copeia
2000(2): 459-468.
Miller J.D., R.N. Lea 1972. Guide to the coastal marine
shes of California. Calif. Dep. Fish and Game Bull. 157,
249 pp.

A Status Report
227
California Corbina
he California corbina (Menticirrhus undulatus) is a

nearshore croaker that is reserved for the recreational
shery. It has been illegal to take corbina with nets since
1909, and illegal to buy or sell them since 1915. This
wary species is a challenge to anglers. Sometimes corbina
can be seen in small schools, swimming slowly along the
bottom seeking food. While feeding in this manner, it
seldom takes bait. The corbina is considered one of the
most difcult sh to catch in southern California, although
on occasion it takes an anglers bait without hesitation. Its
temperamental behavior, ne ghting qualities, and tasty
esh make it a popular sport sh.
Corbina can be taken throughout the year, but shing is
best in summer and early fall. Most corbina are caught
along sandy surf-swept beaches, but they are also taken
from piers and jetties; anglers on private and rental
boats, and commercial passenger shing vessels seldom
take them. A 1965-1966 survey estimated that 30,000
corbina were taken by southern California shore anglers
along the open coast, making it the third most abundant
species accounting for 13 percent of the surf-anglers
creel. Anglers use conventional, spinning, and y-shing
gear. The best baits are soft-shelled sand crabs, mussels,
bloodworms, and clams.
The annual number of corbina caught by anglers has
been quite variable. Marine Recreational Fishery Statistics
Survey annual catch-estimates for 1980 through 1998
ranged between 17,000 and 75,000 sh; the average was
44,600. Annual catch estimates were much lower in the
1990s than during the 1980s; however, catches-per-uniteffort were similar.
he California corbina is a slender croaker with a gray

to bluish back and a white attened belly. It has a
short, stiff chin barbel and may have wavy oblique lines
on its sides. The corbina ranges from Point Conception,
California to the Gulf of California. It is found along sandy
beaches and shallow bays to depths of 45 feet, but is most
common in about six feet of water. It is usually found in
small groups of several individuals, with larger sh being
more solitary.
Corbina can grow to 30 inches and weigh 8.5 pounds; a
veried specimen measuring 28 inches and weighing seven
pounds, four ounces was caught in 1955. Females grow
faster than males, especially after two years, and reach
a larger size. A three-year-old female is about 15 inches
whereas a three-year-old male is about 13 inches. Apparently, corbina residing in bays grow much faster than
those on the open coast. A 23-inch female corbina caught
on the open coast was eleven years old, whereas similarly
sized females from the bay were aged at six years. More
than 50 percent of females are mature at 12 inches (two
years) and all are mature at 15 inches (three years). Males
mature at about 10 inches (two years). The spawning
season is from May through September and is heaviest
from June through August. Spawning apparently takes
place offshore, since running-ripe sh are not often found
in the surf zone; eggs are pelagic. Small (1.5 to 3 inches)
corbina have been captured inside the surf zone to 30
feet of water.
The corbina feeds predominantly on benthic organisms.
Individuals may be seen feeding in the surf, at times in
water so shallow their backs are exposed. They scoop up
mouthfuls of sand and separate out food by pumping sand
through their gill openings. The diet of juveniles consists
of clam siphons and small crustaceans. As they grow, they
consume larger parts of clams and sand crabs.
Limited tagging studies indicate that the corbina does
not move around much; it has no discernible migratory
pattern. The greatest distance traveled was 51 miles.
California Corbina, Menticirrhus undulatus

Credit: DFG
228

A Status Report

December 2001
References
Baxter, J.L. 1966. Inshore shes of California. Calif. Dept.

of Fish and Game. 80 p.
opulation size, recruitment, and mortality of California

corbina are unknown. Beach seine hauls along the
open coast from 1994 through 1997 yielded slightly lower
but similar numbers of corbina to those obtained during a
similar study from 1953 through 1956. In addition, similar
angler catch-per-unit efforts during the 1980s and 1990s
indicate that the population is sustaining itself under present recreational harvest levels.
Carlisle J.G., Jr., J.W. Schott, and N.J. Abramson. 1960.

The barred surfperch (Amphistichus argenteus Agassiz) in
southern California. Calif. Dept. Fish and Game, Fish Bull.
109. 79 p.
Joseph, D.C. 1962. Growth characteristics of two southern California surfshes, the California corbina and spotn
croaker, family Sciaenidae. Calif. Dept. Fish and Game,

OBrien, J.W. and C.F. Valle. 2000. Food habits of California corbina in southern California. Calif. Fish and Game,
86(2):136-148.
Charles F. Valle and Malcolm S. Oliphant (retired)

Pinkas, L., M.S. Oliphant, and C.W. Haugen. 1968. Southern California marine sport shing survey: private boats,
1964; shoreline, 1965-1966. Calif. Dept. Fish and Game,
California Corbina

Bull. 54. 62 p.
Starks, E.C. 1919. The shes of the croaker family (Sciaenidae) of California. Calif. Fish and Game. 5:13-20.

December 2001

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229
Spotfin Croaker
he spotn croaker (Roncador stearnsii) is a nearshore

croaker reserved for the recreational shery. It has
been illegal to take them with nets since 1909, and illegal
to buy or sell them since 1915. Anglers can experience
good shing when there are croaker runs and when
croaker holes are found. Most of the spotn croaker
catch consists of smaller sh (one to three pounds).
Its ghting spirit and delicate taste make it a prized
sport sh.
Spotn croaker can be taken throughout the year, but
shing is best in late summer. Most spotn croaker are
caught from shore on piers and jetties along beaches and
in bays; they are occasionally taken by private and rental
boats but are rarely taken by commercial passenger shing
vessels. Anglers use conventional and spinning gear. The
best baits are marine worms, clams, and mussels.
Annual landings of spotn croaker have uctuated greatly.
Marine Recreational Fishery Statistics Survey (MRFSS)
annual catch estimates for 1980 through 1998 ranged
between 1,000 and 46,000 sh; the average was 14,900.
Catch-per-unit effort has remained relatively low and
stable since 1980, but started to increase in the
late 1990s.
he spotn croaker is a medium-bodied croaker with a

bluish gray back, brassy sides, and a silver to white
belly. It has a large, distinctive black spot at the base
of its pectoral n. The spotn croaker ranges from Point
Conception, California to Mazatlan, Mexico. In California,
it is most common south of Los Angeles Harbor. It lives
along beaches and in bays over sandy to muddy bottoms
at depths from four to 50 feet. Most spotn croaker
are found in 30 feet of water or less, preferring depres-
sions and holes near shore. These croaker holes are

well known to surf anglers. Spotn croaker aggregate
in small groups or schools of usually fewer than 50
sh; however, schools containing several hundred sh are
occasionally encountered.
Spotn croaker can grow to 27 inches and weigh 14
pounds. A sh weighing 10.5 pounds was eight or nine
years old, and a 26.5-inch long individual was at least 15
years of age. During the breeding season, females develop
blackish streaks on their bellies, while larger males have
golden pectoral and pelvic ns, and are commonly called
golden croaker. Apparently, most males are mature at
nine inches (two years), and most females are mature at
12.5 inches (three years); all are mature at 14.5 inches
(four years). Spawning occurs from June to September. It
probably occurs offshore, since few ripe sh have been
captured in the surf zone. Small (two- to four-inch) spotn
croaker have been captured inside the surf zone to 30
feet of water.
The spotn croaker is a bottom feeder. The diet of
juveniles consists of small crustaceans and clam siphons.
Larger individuals use their strong pharyngeal teeth
to crush shells and consume whole clams, mussels,
and polychaetes.
A limited tagging program showed that the spotn croaker
moves around considerably, especially from bay to bay,
without a discernible pattern. Fish tagged in Los Angeles
Harbor were later recaptured as far south as Oceanside.
outhern California is on the northern fringe of the spotn croaker population. Their population size, recruitment, and mortality are unknown. Modications of bay
and nearshore environments, including development, land
lls, and dredging, have had an adverse effect on the
habitats of this species. Beach seine hauls along the
open coast from 1994 through 1997 yielded many fewer
spotn croaker than during a similar study from 1953
through 1956. However, catch-per-unit effort estimates
from MRFSS data and gillnet sets inside bays and along the
open coast indicate that spotn croaker populations were
increasing in the late 1990s.
Spotfin Croaker, Roncador stearnsii

Credit: DFG
230

A Status Report

December 2001
References

Baxter, J.L. 1966. Inshore shes of California. Calif. Dept.

of Fish and Game, 80 p.
Charles F. Valle and Malcolm S. Oliphant (retired)

Joseph, D.C. 1962. Growth characteristics of two southern

California surfshes, the California corbina and spotn
croaker, family Sciaenidae. Calif. Dept. Fish and Game,
Bull. 54. 62 p.
Spotfin Croaker
Starks, E.C. 1919. The shes of the croaker family (Sciaenidae) of California. Calif. Fish and Game. 5:13-20.

December 2001

A Status Report
231
Yellowfin Croaker
he yellown croaker (Umbrina roncador) is a nearshore

croaker that has been reserved for the recreational
shery since 1915. It is primarily caught by anglers shing
from sandy beaches, piers, jetties, harbors and bays from
Santa Barbara south to the U.S.- Mexico border. This
croaker is among the most common sh caught from many
of southern Californias piers and sandy beaches during
summer months. It is important to many anglers because
they can be readily caught from shore with minimal investment in shing gear and time. Yellown croaker are typically caught with light spinning gear using a variety of
popular baits, including live and dead anchovies, mussels,
blood worms, and ghost shrimp. About 80 percent of the
catch occurs from May-October. Anglers shing from piers
and breakwaters account for 35 percent of the total catch,
whereas anglers shing from private skiffs and beaches
account for 35 percent and 25 percent, respectively. The
commercial passenger shing vessel (CPFV) eet accounts
for approximately ve percent of the total catch. CPFV
catches uctuated from a high of over 8,000 sh in 1947
to less than 100 sh in 1958. Catches are relatively low
because the CPFV eet rarely targets shallow (< 25 feet)
sandy areas where yellown croaker are most abundant.
ellown croaker have a series of yellow-brown stripes

on their back, mostly yellow ns, and a pronounced
chin barbel. Yellown croaker range from Point Conception to the Gulf of California, but are most abundant south
of the Palos Verdes Peninsula. They occur in small schools
over soft bottom habitats from shore to 125 feet, but
are most commonly found in waters less than 30 feet.
Yellown croaker are also common in harbors and bays
and occasionally frequent kelp beds.
Although very little is known about their basic life history,

it appears that spawning occurs during summer months.
Young-of-the-year have been found near the entrance of
embayments during late fall and offshore in 30 feet of
water during winter. They have been reported to reach 18
inches in length and weigh over ve pounds, however sh
over two pounds are uncommon. The current California
state record is three pounds and 14 ounces. Preliminary
ageing estimates indicate that a 10-inch sh is about
4 years old and a 15-inch sh is about 10 years old.
Yellown croaker are opportunistic predators that feed
during day and night. Their diet consists of a broad variety
of prey, however California grunion eggs, mysids, and
pelecypods are the most important components. Small sh
feed primarily on mysids, whereas large sh concentrate
on bivalves. Yellown croaker eggs, larvae, and small
juveniles are preyed upon by many shes; larger individuals are preyed upon by seals, sea lions, halibut and other
large shes.
o population estimates exist for yellown croaker, and

stock structure has not been examined. The population appears healthy despite potentially damaging impacts
associated with recreational shing, contaminants from
urban run-off, and shoreline habitat modications such as
development, dredging, lling, and erosion control projects. In fact, the population may be increasing; catchper-unit-effort data from the Marine Recreational Fishery
Statistics Survey have increased during each of the past
ve years. In addition, a shery independent study found
a much greater abundance of yellown croaker in the
mid-1990s than a similar study conducted during the mid1950s. Increased sea surface temperatures caused by several El Nio events during the 1990s have probably beneted yellown croaker, since they are a warm temperate
species whose center of abundance is in warmer waters
off Baja California. However, without regular monitoring
of catch and effort data it is difcult to accurately assess
the status of the shery.
John W. OBrien and Malcom S. Oliphant (retired)
Yellowfin Croaker, Umbrina roncador
Credit: DFG
232

A Status Report

December 2001
Yellowfin Croaker

(croakers) of California. California Department of Fish and
Game, Fish Bulletin 54.
6
4
Starks, E.C. 1919. The shes of the croaker family (Sciaenidae) of California. California Fish and Game. 5:13-20.
2
0
1947 1950
1960
1970
1980
1990
1999
Recreational Catch 1947-1999, Yellowfin Croaker


December 2001

A Status Report
Yellowfin Croaker
References
10
233
White Croaker
lthough not a highly prized species, the white croaker
(Genyonemus lineatus) has been an important constituent of commercial and sport sheries in California.
Before 1980, most of the catch was in southern California.
However, since 1980, the majority of the catch has been in
central California. The changes in shing methodology and
area of greatest landings since 1980 are due primarily
to the entrance of Southeast Asian refugees (mainly Vietnamese) into this shery. Many of these refugees who
settled in Californias coastal areas were gillnet shermen
in their homelands and sought to earn their living here
by that method of shing. The underutilized white croaker
resource (especially in central California) and moderate
start-up costs required for gillnetting (small to mediumsize boats and moderate gear costs) offered many of
them an opportunity to enter the commercial shing business. In contrast, most of the sport catch is in southern
California. Anglers shing from piers, breakwaters, and
private boats account for about 90 percent of the catch.
Prior to 1980, white croaker landings averaged 658,000
pounds annually and exceeded one million pounds in several years. Peak landings in 1952 (88 percent in southern
California) were probably in response to the total collapse
of the sardine shery that year. From 1980 through 1991,
total landings have averaged 1.1 million pounds and were
above one million pounds in all but four years. Since 1991,
landings have averaged 461,000 pounds and have steadily
declined to an all time low of 142,500 pounds in 1998.
Before 1980, the commercial catch of white croakers was
primarily by round haul net (mainly lampara), although
some were taken by trawl, gillnet, and hook-and-line.
After 1980, most white croakers have been taken by gillnet
and hook-and-line. Most of the commercial catch is sold
in the fresh sh market, although a small amount is used
for live bait. Kingsh is the most common name seen
in markets. Also, small quantities of another croaker, the
queensh, are included in the commercial landing records,
mostly for southern California.
Landings of white croaker by recreational anglers aboard
commercial passenger shing vessels, were highest in the
White Croaker, Genyonemus lineatus

Credit: DFG
234

A Status Report
late 1940s and early 1950s, averaging about 70,000 sh per

year. Since 1954, however, they have averaged well below
30,000 sh per year, with one exceptional peak in 1988 of
about 120,000 sh. Landings from 1990 through 1998 have
averaged about 12,000 sh per year, with approximately
96 percent of the landings from southern California.
hite croaker is one of eight species of drums, from

the family Sciaenidae, recorded off of California.
Genyonemus is a combination of two Greek words, genys,
meaning lower jaw, and nemus, meaning barbell. The
species name lineatus is a Latin word meaning striped.
White croaker are often sold in sh markets under the
name kingsh, and they are often called tomcod, tommy,
roncador, or ronkie by sportshermen.
White croakers have subfusiform compressed bodies, inferior mouths with a subterminal lower jaw, falcate pectoral
ns, thoracic pelvic ns, and a truncate caudal n. They
are typically silvery to brassy colored, with a small, but
prominent black spot at the base of each pectoral n
and a cluster of minute barbells on the membranes underneath the lower jaw.
The white croaker is an abundant, nearshore species in
California, usually found over soft, sandy-mud substrata.
They range from Vancouver Island, British Columbia to
Magdalena Bay, Baja California, but are not abundant
north of Point Reyes, California. They usually swim in
schools, and are found from the surf zone to depths
as great as 780 feet and in shallow bays, sloughs, and
lagoons. Most of the time, they occupy nearshore areas
at depths of 10 to 100 feet, but sometimes are fairly
abundant to a depth of 300 feet.
The maximum recorded length for white croaker is 16.3
inches; however, sh larger than about 12 inches rarely
occur. Fish up to four pounds have been reported, but
those weighing over two pounds are extremely rare. White
croakers live to about 15 years and over 50 percent of both
sexes are sexually mature by one year (about 5 1/2 inches
for males, six inches for females). By three or four years
and 7.5 inches, all white croakers are mature.
In southern California, white croakers spawn mainly from
November through April, with peak months being January
through March. In central California, they spawn all year
and may have winter and summer spawning peaks (ovary
weights were found to be highest in January and September and lowest in May). Females may spawn about once
every ve days and about 18 to 24 times each season,
depending upon their size and age. Batches of eggs range
from an estimated 800 eggs in a six-inch female to 37,200
in a 10-inch female. The fertilized eggs are pelagic and

December 2001
White Croaker
White Croaker
4
3
2
1
0
1916 1920
1930
1940
1950
1960
occur in depth ranges from about 25 to 120 feet. The

larvae initially are pelagic and most abundant in ocean
depth ranges from about 50 to 75 feet. As the larvae grow,
they descend toward the bottom and migrate towards
shore. Juveniles occur near the bottom where ocean
depth is about 10 to 20 feet. As they mature, they migrate
to somewhat deeper water.
White croaker are omnivores, their diet including a variety
of worms, shrimps, crabs, squid, octopuses, clams, small
shes, and other items, living or dead. They feed primarily at night and on the bottom, although some midwater
feeding occurs during the day. They are preyed upon by
seals, sea lions, halibut, giant sea bass, bluen tuna, and
other shes.
White Croaker
140
1980
1990
1999
he size of the white croaker population is not known.

Although previous catch data indicated that the overall population was healthy and sustaining itself under shing pressure, recent declines in commercial catches imply
that future monitoring may be needed.
Shelly L. Moore
Paul W. Wild
120
100
80
References
60
40
20
0
1970
Commercial Landings
1916-1999, White Croaker
landing receipts.
1947 1950
1960
1970
1980
1990
1999
Recreational Catch 1947-1999, White Croaker

White croakers that live near marine waste discharges may

concentrate toxic materials such as pesticides (DDT, DDE,
etc.), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), metals (zinc,
selenium, mercury, etc.), and petroleum products in their
bodies at levels that are considered hazardous for human
consumption. Some white croakers in these areas are diseased and malformed and some show reproductive impairment. Current health guidelines advise against human
consumption of white croakers from southern California
waters in Santa Monica Bay, off the Palos Verdes Peninsula, and the Los Angeles-Long Beach Harbor area.

December 2001
Love, M.S., G.E. McGowen, W. Westphal, R.J. Lavenberg,

and L. Martin. 1984. Aspects of the life history and shery
of the white croaker, Genyonemus lineatus (Sciaenidae),
off California. Fish. Bull., U.S. 82:179-198.
Moore, S.L. 1998. Age and growth of white croaker (Genyonemus lineatus (Ayres)) off Palos Verdes and Dana Point,
California. M.S. Thesis. California State University, Long
Beach. 87 p.

A Status Report
235
Surfperches
General
ment line, and a standard two-hook surf leader with size

six hooks, is ideal for shore based surfperch shing.
he surfperches, family Embiotocidae, are a small abundant assemblage of 23 species found predominantly in
temperate eastern North Pacic waters, two which are
found in the Sea of Japan. Nineteen of the 20 species
found in California occur in inshore coastal waters. Tuleperch (Hysterocarpus traski) occupies freshwater and estuarine habitats. Collectively, the 19 marine species are
found in a variety of habitats, including beaches, rocky
substrate, intertidal and subtidal kelp beds. A few species
inhabit several of the habitat types. Included in this group
are the pile perch (Rhacochilus vacca), rubberlip surfperch
(Rhacochilus toxotes), shiner perch (Cymatogaster aggregata), walleye surfperch (Hyperprosopon argenteum),
and the white surfperch (Phanerodon furcatus). The majority of surfperches occupy only one type of habitat. Species most commonly found along beaches include the
barred surfperch (Amphistichus argenteus), calico surfperch (Amphistichus koelzi), redtail surfperch (Amphistichus rhodoterus), silver surfperch (Hyperprosopon ellipticum), and the spotn surfperch (Hyperprosopon anale).
Black perch (Embiotoca jacksoni), dwarf perch (Micrometrus minimus), kelp perch (Brachyistius frenatus), rainbow
perch (Hypsurus caryi), reef perch (Micrometrus aurora),
sharpnose seaperch (Phanerodon atripes), and striped
seaperch (Embiotoca lateralis) tend to be associated with
rocky substrate and kelp beds. The pink seaperch (Zalembius rosaceus) inhabits deep water and is seldom taken in
the sport catch.
The surfperch shery in California includes both sport
and commercial components. The sport shery is enjoyed
by anglers of all ages who sh for surfperch from piers,
jetties, sandy beaches, and boats. The recreational catch
of surfperch for 1999 totaled 489,000 sh, with the majority being caught in central and northern California. The
average sport catch for 1993 through 1999 was 864,000
sh with a high of 1,119,000 sh in 1998.
Surfperch are easy to catch, which makes them highly
sought. They can be caught using light gear and a variety
of baits such as clams, tubeworms, or sand crabs. A spinning or casting outt using 10 to 15 pound test monola-
Barred Surfperch, Amphistichus argenteus

Credit: DFG
236

A Status Report
Annual commercial landings of surfperches have also been

highly variable. While the market for fresh perch llets
is relatively small, the total catch for the shery was
49,000 pounds in 1999. The California Department of Fish
and Game did not distinguish between species in their
statistics until 1987, simply listing the category as surfperch. Currently, there is a large commercial shery for
various surfperches in the southern part of the state
and a moderate shery focusing on redtail surfperch in
northern California.
Surfperches can be identied by their elliptical, compressed body form and forked tail. Most are marked with
bars or stripes. They have a continuous dorsal n with
nine to 11 spines and 19-28 soft rays. The anal n has
three spines with 15-35 soft rays.
The diet of surfperches consists of isopods (e.g., rock
lice) of all sizes, and gastropod mollusks (e.g., snails); various amphipods (e.g., skeleton shrimp), polychaete worms,
brittle stars, and small crabs, also are included. Surfperches are usually bottom grazers, but apparently will
feed midwater when competitors are absent.
Surfperch reproduction is viviparous, their young being
highly developed and free swimming at birth. Newborn
males of a few species are reproductively mature.
Much information is lacking on this group. Although the
taxonomy has been recently rened, life history and habitat requirements are areas in need of more research.
Barred Surfperch
The commercial shery for barred surfperch is minor compared to the sport shery. Its popularity as a sport sh
stems from abundant numbers and accessibility. The average catch for the 1993-1999 period was 176,000 sh in
southern California, and 202,000 sh in the remainder
of the state. In the southern California sport shery for
barred surfperch, 99 percent were caught from beaches
and jetties. Similarly, 99 percent of central and northern
Californias catch also came from shore. The best months
for shing are December, January, and February with the
majority of large individuals being gravid females. Sand
crabs are the best bait for barred surfperch, especially
female sand crabs carrying orange colored eggs. Small jigs
and spinners also work well. Although barred surfperch
are excellent sport sh for the light tackle angler, they are
sometimes considered a pest to anglers pursuing other sh
such as California halibut or corbina.

December 2001
Barred surfperch have eight to 10 rust-colored, irregular

bars on their sides with spots in between. The background
color is usually silver or white, and the back can take
on a blue or grayish coloration. Similar species are the
calico surfperch and the redtail surfperch, but the barred
surfperch can be distinguished from the redtail and calico
because it lacks red coloration in its ns.
The calico surfperch can be identied by its silvery surface, which is covered by olive-green mottling and broken
bars down each side. The calico reaches a length of 12
inches and rarely weighs more than one pound.
Barred surfperch are found in small schools along sandy

beaches and near jetties, piers, and other sources of food
and cover. They range from Bodega Bay in northern California to north central Baja California. While the majority
are found in the surf zone, some have been caught in
water as deep as 240 feet. The largest individual ever
taken was a female that weighed 4.5 pounds and was 17
inches in length. Most sh are in the one- to two-pound
range and are highly prized by anglers.
Barred surfperch mate during the fall and winter months,
and young are released during spring and summer. Males
and females both darken considerably during courtship,
and males make gure-eights around females before
mating. A female can produce from four to 113 young,
depending on her size. Females undergo a ve-month
gestation period, and juveniles are born at about 1.75
inches in length. Juveniles are miniature replicas of the
parents and are independent at birth. The young usually
live relatively close to where they were born.

During the last seven years, the sport shery in southern
California has yielded up to 306,000 barred surfperch
(1998), while central and northern California together produced upwards of 252,000 sh annually. No estimates have
been made of the size or current status of the barred
surfperch population.
Calico Surfperch
The calico surfperch is of moderate sport value along
the California coast. Due to its striking similarity and frequent misidentication with the redtail surfperch, calico
surfperch, until recently, have been considered of minor
importance in the sport catch. The mean sport catch
from 1993-1999 was 16,000 sh. There is no targeted commercial catch but small numbers are taken in the directed
redtail surfperch shery. The calico shery has historically
included shing from piers, sandy beaches, and skiffs.

December 2001
The range of the calico surfperch is from north central

Washington to northern Baja California. The primary habitat of the calico is sandy beaches, although they can
occasionally be found over rocky substrate. The vertical
distribution of the calico includes depths from the surface
down to 30 feet.
Surfperches
Calico Surfperch, Amphistichus koelzi

Credit: DFG

At this time, little information is available on the population status of the calico surfperch.
Pile Perch
Pile perch sustain a limited commercial shery in Del Mar,
California, and Papalote Bay, Baja California, but do not
contribute substantially to annual commercial landings in
the state.
They are of interest as a sport sh throughout the state,
with an average of 16,000 perch caught between 1993
and 1999. Many are caught from piers, jetties, beaches,
or skiffs. Pile perch may be caught year-round on any
number of popular baits, including clams, sand shrimps,
and worms.

Pile perch can be identied by the silvery sides with a
dark vertical bar about midbody, and a unique dorsal
n with the rst few soft dorsal rays longer than any
of the others, giving the n a peaked appearance. They
are equipped with strong, well-developed teeth, enabling
them to feed on hard shelled mollusks, crabs, and other

A Status Report
237
Surfperches
spawning season. The sport catch since 1993 has ranged from
a low of 10,000 sh in 1998, to a high of 56,000 in 1994.
Pile Perch, Rhacochilus vacca

Credit: DFG
crustaceans. Their specialized dentation differs enough

from rubberlip surfperch to convince some ichthyologists
to place them in their own genus (Damalichthys).
Pile perch are found between southeastern Alaska and
northern Baja California, including Guadalupe Island. They
usually live along rocky shores, from the surface down to
150 feet, and grow to around 17.5 inches in length.
Fecundity increases with age and size of the females.
Average fecundity at rst reproduction is 11.7 young, and
sometimes exceeds 60 in older females. Adult longevity of
pile surfperch is seven to 10 years.

Because accurate landings data for pile perch are lacking,
little can be concluded about the current population
status in California.
Redtail Surfperch
Redtail surfperch are distinguished by the nine or ten vertical, orange-to-brassy bars alternating at the lateral line
and the light red pelvic, anal, and caudal ns. The body
is moderately deep and laterally compressed, with a light
green back and silver sides and belly. During the 1990s,
adult female redtail averaged 10.5 inches and weighed 1.1
pounds, while the males averaged 9.8 inches and weighed
0.8 pounds. The largest recorded California redtail was a
female that was 16.5 inches long and weighed 3.7 pounds.
The largest recorded individual was 16.5 inches long and
weighed 3.7 pounds. Females produce eight to 45 young
about one year after fertilization, sometime between May
and August.
Redtail surfperch are found from Vancouver Island,
Canada, to Monterey Bay, California, but the shery is
centered north of the San Francisco Bay area.

There are no estimates of the size of the redtail surfperch
stocks in California coastal waters. The commercial catch
averaged 50,000 pounds during the 1970s, 48,000 pounds
during the 1980s and 38,000 pounds during the 1990s,
which suggests a decreasing population. Another indicator
of problems with the population is the decrease in weight
from an average per sh weight of 1.8 pounds during
the late 1950s and early 1960s, to 0.9 pounds during
the 1990s.

Redtail surfperch sustain a sport shery from central California to Vancouver Island, British Columbia. They support
a commercial shery only in northern California, especially in the inshore waters of the Eureka/Crescent City
area where over 99 percent of the catch is taken. These
sh are taken primarily from sandy beaches or the mouths
of rivers and streams entering the sea, but also can be
caught from jetties and piers inside harbors and bays.
Humboldt and Del Norte counties in northern California
are the primary locations of the winter redtail commercial
shery. Fishing is mostly from open beaches using hookand-line gear. The best catches are in March and April
when the sh are concentrated for spawning. Commercial
shing is closed from May 1 to July 15. The annual commercial harvest averaged 37,000 pounds over the last 10
years, with a high catch in 1990 in excess of 62,000 pounds
and a low catch of around 27,000 pounds in 1998.
Redtail Surfperch, Amphistichus rhodoterus

Credit: DFG
Sport shing for redtails occurs in the same areas where

they are commercially taken. They are taken year-round
by hook-and-line, but are usually targeted during the
238

A Status Report

December 2001

The rubberlip surfperch is one of the many important
surfperch sport sh along the California coast. It is caught
along jetties and piers, and also taken by skiff anglers
nearshore or in kelp beds. The sport catch over the last
seven years ranged from 13,000 sh in 1993 to 44,000 sh
in 1997 with an average of 19,000. The commercial shery
is very small with landings of less than 1,000 pounds
annually from southern California.
comprise a substantial portion of the states sport shery.

The mean take of striped seaperch for the last seven years
was 65,000 sh, almost wholly from central and northern
California. These perch are easily taken from piers, jetties, beaches, and skiffs, and are favorites of anglers due
to their beautiful coloration.
Surfperches
Rubberlip Surfperch

The large, thick lips of the rubberlip distinguish it from
other surfperches. Its coloration varies from olive-to
brassy-brown on the sides, with one or two dusky bars
on adult sh. The pectoral ns are yellow to orange, and
the pelvic ns are usually black. The maximum length of
rubberlip seaperch is 18.5 inches, making the rubberlip
the largest of the surfperches.
Rubberlip surfperch are found from Russian Gulch State
Beach (Mendocino County), California, to central Baja California, including Guadalupe Island. These sh range from
inshore waters to depths of 150 feet.
Although no data have been collected on age at sexual
maturity, gravid rubberlip surfperch have been caught
from April to June. Time of birth is estimated to
be midsummer.
Striped Seaperch, Embiotoca lateralis

Credit: DFG

Striped seaperch can be easily identied by the red, blue,
and yellow lines that run laterally along the length of the
body. Maximum length is 15 inches. These sh are sexually
mature in their third year of life and produce about 18
young per female. At age seven, the average number
of young produced per female is 32. The maximum life
expectancy for this sh is approximately 10 years.
Striped seaperch are found from southeastern Alaska to
northern Baja California.
Population estimates of striped seaperch have not been
made, but recent landing gures indicate that this species
should be able to sustain a healthy sport catch.
Walleye Surfperch
Rubberlip Surfperch, Rhacochilus toxotes
Credit: DFG

No recent estimates have been made of the rubberlip
perch population its size is unknown at this time.
Striped Seaperch
Striped seaperch is one of the eight to 10 species that
make up the small commercial perch shery. However,
it is a minor component when compared to such species
as the barred surfperch. Conversely, striped seaperch do

December 2001

Sport anglers enjoy shing for walleyes. In 1993, anglers
caught 164,000 individuals, well over 90 percent being
caught from shore, jetties, and piers. Walleyes can be
taken on sand crabs and other invertebrates, as well as on
small spinners and jigs. They are excellent to eat.

Walleye surfperch are silver to bluish above, with very
faint pink bars that fade quickly after death. Most notable
are the large eyes and black tipped pelvic ns. Similar
species are the spotn surfperch and the silver surfperch.
However, the spotn has black spots on its dorsal and anal
ns, while the silver lacks any black coloration.

A Status Report
239
Surfperches
Commercial Landings
1916-1999, Surfperches
landing receipts.
Surfperch
400
300
200
100
0
1916 1920
1930
1940
Walleye surfperch are found in large schools along sandy

beaches, jetties, kelp beds, and other habitats with rich
invertebrate life. They range from Vancouver Island, British Columbia, to central Baja California, including Guadalupe Island. They reach a length of 12 inches and are found
to depth of 60 feet.
Walleye surfperch mate from November to December and,
after a ve-month gestation period, give birth in midApril. Males engage in an aggressive swooping courtship
before mating. Females, depending on size, will have ve
to 12 young that are about 1.5 inches at birth. The young
are miniature replicas of the parent and mature the fall or
winter following their birth.

The recent sport take has averaged 112,000 sh per year.
However, the total stock size is unknown at this time.
Surfperch: Discussion
urfperches are important both commercially and as

sport sh. Most of the California coastal species are
taken in the sport catch and the majority of the catch
is taken when spawning aggregations are present. Female
surfperches are intentionally targeted by sport anglers
because they are larger than males. Sport anglers also
grade their catch, which probably results in an even
greater take of mature females with a resulting decline
in the shery. The redtail and barred surfperches are
the most notable in the commercial catch and may be
important to local economies. Total commercial surfperch
landings have uctuated over the years, but over the
long-term have declined by 25 percent since the 1950s.
Recent research has indicated that some of the decline is
associated with the increases in water temperature.
240

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1960
1970
1980
1990
1999
Surfperch habitats have been, and will continue to be,

areas of conict. As humans develop the shoreline,
areas inhabited by surfperches may become polluted or
destroyed. Although surfperches may adapt to structures
such as jetties and piers, it should not be assumed that
they can continue to adapt to all the changes that are
forced upon them.
Action is needed if surfperch populations are to
be restored.
Ronald A. Fritzsche
Humboldt State University
Patrick Collier
References
Fritzsche, R.A. and T.J. Hassler. 1989. Species proles: life
histories and environmental requirements of coastal shes
and invertebrates (Pacic Southwest) - pile perch, striped
seaperch, and rubberlip seaperch. U.S. Fish Wildl. Serv.
Biol. Rep. 82(11.103) U. S. Army Corps of Engineers, TR
EL-82-4. 15pp.
Holbrook, Sally J., Russel J. Schmitt, and John S. Stephens, Jr. 1997. Changes in an assemblage of temperate
reef shes associated with a climate shift. Ecological
Applications. 7 (4), pp 1299-1310.
Karpov, K.A., D. P. Albin and W. H. Van Buskirk. 1995.
California. Calif. Fish and Game Bull.176:192 pp.
Tarp, F.H. 1952. A revision of the family Embiotocidae (the
surfperches). Calif. Fish and Game Fish Bull. 88:1-99.

December 2001
Opaleye and Halfmoon

T
he commercial catch of opaleye (Girella nigricans) and

halfmoon (Medialuna californiensis) has been small.
Neither of these species is part of a designated shery but
both appear regularly as incidental catch in commercial
and recreational sheries.
During the 40 years prior to 1990, the average catch of
halfmoon has been 16,714 pounds, with a high of 50,007 in
1956. Recently, catches have been well below this mean,
with a peak in 1989 of 5,204 pounds. The mean catch
of opaleye in the 43 recorded years prior to 1990 was
4,748 pounds with a high of 23,688 pounds in 1973. The
mean catch for the last 10 years is 2,709, with very small
catches recorded since 1995. Interestingly, a small number
of halfmoon and opaleye are entering the live sh market.
The 1999 landings of opaleye were largely live sh (616
pounds) and the price for the catch is now up to $1.37
per pound. Neither species was recorded in large numbers
in the California Department of Fish and Games gill and
trammel net study, although the opaleye was at one time
a bycatch of nearshore purse seiners.
CPFV landings of opaleye are low, averaging 679 sh per
year since 1990. By contrast, CPFV catches of halfmoon
have averaged over 50,000 sh per year. 1998 was an
extremely poor year for catches of these species, yielding
only eight percent and 16 percent of the average catch
of opaleye and halfmoon respectively. In the last reported
survey of pier and jetty shing (1965-1966), both species
were abundant and it is likely they remain an important
part of that shery today.
nearshore environment. Larval distributions mirror the

adults latitudinally, with the larval stages distributed primarily in the neuston. CalCOFI data indicate that halfmoon
larvae are occasionally taken well off shore, while most
opaleye larvae are taken within 70 miles of the coast.
Young opaleye leave the pelagic environment and enter
the intertidal when they are about an inch long. They are
found in relatively high tide pools preferring warm water
(>75 F), and feed largely on small invertebrates. As they
grow to a size of three to six inches, the young leave
the pools and form small schools in the shallow subtidal,
eventually changing their diet to include primarily algae.
Adults browse in the kelp bed on kelp and other algae,
often moving in medium sized schools. Young halfmoon
stay in the shallow subtidal and kelp bed habitat occupying the same position as the adults. Juvenile opaleye
have been reported to clean parasites from other sh on
occasion.
he abundance of opaleye and halfmoon, and their

status as incidental catch rather than as targeted species, makes it unlikely that either the sport or commercial
sheries will have an effect on the populations. Data
gathered in southern California since 1974 at Palos Verdes
and King Harbor show no population trends and suggest
both species are stable with regular recruitment.
John Stephens
Occidental College (retired)
s herbivores, the members of the sea chub family,

Kyphosidae, play an important role in kelp forest communities. They regulate kelp growth, and on occasion may
overgraze, causing damage to newly transplanted or isolated kelp plants or small kelp beds. The opaleye reaches
a length of 26 inches and a weight of 16 pounds, while
the halfmoon reaches 19 inches and 5 pounds. Kyphosids
have small mouths with a single prominent row of bladelike, incisor teeth that are used for cutting vegetation.
The opaleye is olive green with two light spots under the
mid-dorsal. The halfmoon is blue to blue-gray, sometimes
with a lateral white stripe, and the spinous dorsal n is
much lower than the soft dorsal. Both species range from
central California to Baja California. While the opaleye is
more common north of Point Conception, the halfmoon
extends its range to the south into the Gulf of California.
Both reach a depth of a little over 100 feet.
Larvae of both species are pelagic and are followed by
a pelagic juvenile schooling stage, which appears in the

December 2001
Opaleye, Girella nigricans

Credit: DFG

A Status Report
241
Opaleye
Commercial Landings
1916-1999, Opaleye
Landings data unavailable prior
to 1930 and for 1941,
1945-1946, 1972, 176-1977,
and 1982-1983. Data Source:
DFG Catch Bulletins and
25
20
15
10
5
0
1916 1920
1930
1940
1950
1960
1970
1980
1990
1999
References
Norris, K.S. 1963. The functions of temperature in the
ecology of the percoid sh Girella nigricans (Ayres) Ecol.
Monographs 33:23-62.
Orton, R.D., L.S. Wright, and H. Hess. 1987. Spot
polymorphism in Girella nigricans (Perciformes:
Kyphosidae)-geographic and inter-size class variation.
Copeia(1)1987:198-203.
Stevens, E.G., W. Watson, and H.G.Moser. 1990. Development and distribution of larvae and pelagic juveniles of
three kyphosid shes (Girella nigricans, Medialuna californiensis and Hermasilla azurae) off California and Baja
California. Fish. Bull. U.S. 87:745-768.
242

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December 2001
Silversides
here are three species of silversides (family Atherinopsidae) in California ocean waters, grunion, topsmelt
(Atherinops afnis), and jacksmelt (Atherinopsis californiensis). Information on grunion is presented in a separate
section. Even though smelt is included in the common
names of these species, silversides differ in part from true
smelts (family Osmeridae) in having two dorsal ns (one
with spines), while the true smelts have one dorsal n and
an adipose n near the tail.
ilversides are marketed fresh for human consumption

or bait. The commercial shery for silversides has been
conducted with gillnets, lampara nets, and round haul
nets. Historically, set lines have been used in San Francisco Bay for jacksmelt, and during the 1920s beach nets,
pulled ashore by horses, were used at Newport Beach.
Commercial catches of jacksmelt have varied sharply over
the past 80 years. The high year for this shery was 1945,
when more than two million pounds were taken. During
the 1990s, the catch varied between 40,765 pounds in
1997 and 2,530 pounds in 1998 and 1999, with most of
the catch being landed in the Los Angeles area. This is an
occasional or incidental shery, and uctuations observed
in catch records reect demand, not true abundance.
Principal commercial shing areas are usually in harbors
and bays such as San Pedro, Monterey, San Francisco,
Tomales, and Humboldt. Commercial catches of topsmelt
are not as large as those of jacksmelt because of the
smaller size and more scattered distribution of topsmelt.
There are no commercial or sport bag and possession
limits on these species.
Jacksmelt and topsmelt make up a signicant portion of
the pier and shore sport catch throughout California, and
private boat anglers shing nearshore catch them occasionally. From 1958 to 1961, these two species comprised
about 10 percent of the total hook-and-line sport catch by
numbers (272,000 jacksmelt and 43,000 topsmelt) in central and northern California. These are among the most
abundant shes available to pier and shore anglers and
represent a very important recreational shery, especially
for children. When taken with light shing gear, they are
easy to catch and excellent ghters.
Jacksmelt are caught by a variety of sport shing methods. A string of half-a-dozen bright red articial ies or
small hooks baited with shrimp or squid is the most successful terminal tackle used by pier anglers. Single baited
hooks are also used from piers and by shore and skiff
anglers. The larger jacksmelt is quite a game sh and
will take a small spinner or lure cast out and retrieved
with a series of quick jerks. Young jacksmelt and topsmelt
are quickly attracted with breadcrumb chum thrown into

December 2001
the water. A rapid feeding activity takes place, making it

easier to catch sh with hooks or hoop nets.
opsmelt range from the Straits of Juan de Fuca, British

Columbia, to the Gulf of California. They attain a
total length of 14.5 inches, but individuals in sport catches
are usually six to eight inches in length. There are
seven subspecies of topsmelt, three of which are in California. These numerous subspecies demonstrate varied
behavior and reect the different environments occupied
by this species: kelp beds, harbor areas, and sandy beach
areas. They usually form loose schools but will congregate
when feeding.
Silversides
Topsmelt grow about 2.5 to four inches the rst year, gain
another two inches the next year, and grow proportionally
less each year until they reach maximum size of about 14
inches. The largest topsmelt that has been aged was seven
or eight years old. Some topsmelt spawn by their second
year but most reach maturity during their third year. The
spawning period is from April through October with a peak
in May and June. This species attaches its eggs in a mass
on eelgrass and low growing algae in harbors and bays,
and possibly on kelp. The egg mass from each female is
intertwined to the substrate by ne string-like laments
attached to each egg. Eggs may be deposited more
than once in a spawning season. Topsmelt larvae are
particularly abundant in tidal basins and the shallow edges
of coastal bays. Juvenile topsmelt generally move into the
open water of estuaries, bays, and coastal kelp beds.
The food of topsmelt consists primarily of plankton species including crustaceans. Intertidal inhabitants eat algae
and y larvae, as well as crustaceans. Bay forms have
been observed working along muddy bottoms for food
items. Topsmelt have the ability to withstand a wide range
Jacksmelt, Atherinopsis californiensis

Credit: DFG

A Status Report
243
Commercial Landings
1916-1999,
Silversides
landing receipts. No commercial
landing are reported for
silversides prior to 1976.
Silversides
Silversides
100
80
60
40
20
0
1916 1920
1930
1940
of salinity concentrations. They are found in mesohaline

waters and have been known to live in salt ponds with
salinities as great as 72 parts per thousand twice that
of open ocean water.
Topsmelt are a very important species in bay and nearshore ecosystems in southern California. Collections of
shes by beach seine in bays are almost always numerically predominated by young topsmelt. Young-of-the-year
topsmelt were found to contribute 85 percent of the
total annual sh production in the shallow water areas
of Upper Newport Bay. Topsmelt have been shown to
be the most ubiquitous and numerically abundant sh
species in submarine meadows of surfgrasses on the
open coast. They are one of the ve primary species
brought to the breeding colonies of the least tern, an
endangered seabird.
Jacksmelt form dense and larger schools than topsmelt
and range over much of the inshore area of California. The
geographic range is from Yaquina Bay, Oregon to Santa
Maria Bay, Baja California. They are usually found in bays
and within a few miles of shore in a salinity range from
seawater to mesohaline. This species attains a length of
22 inches, with 17-inch sh commonly taken. Jacksmelt
are relatively fast growing, reaching 4.5 to ve inches in
the rst year and up to eight inches during the second
year. Jacksmelt mature at two to three years or about
eight inches. The oldest jacksmelt aged, a 16-inch male,
was 11 years old. The spawning season is during winter,
from October to April. Large masses of eggs, about the
size of small BBs, are attached to eelgrass and algae by
means of long laments. Pinkish egg masses have been
observed along with herring eggs during winter months in
Elkhorn Slough and attached to eelgrass in Tomales Bay.
Jacksmelt eggs have been observed to hatch in salinity
as low as ve parts per thousand. Jacksmelt can spawn
several times during a spawning season.
244

A Status Report
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1960
1970
1980
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1999
The larvae and young are distributed near the surface in

harbors, along sandy beaches, and in the kelp canopy,
often mixed with the young of topsmelt. Their food habits
are not well known, but it can be assumed that sh as
fast as jacksmelt, that readily take a moving lure, are
predatory animals. Small sh as well as crustaceans make
up part of their diet.
The species is not desired by some sport anglers because
of the presence of relatively large sized worms in the
esh. These are an intermediate stage of a spiny-head
worm that is thought to be a parasite in sharks and
pelicans. It probably is harmless to man, and denitely is
harmless when the esh is cooked.
tock sizes of these two species have not been determined. At present, there are no indications that topsmelt or jacksmelt are being overshed in California. However, as these species occur in inshore waters, they are
at risk of being affected by pollutants and loss of habitat
through development.

December 2001
References

Clark, F.N. 1929. The life history of the California jacksmelt, Atherinopsis californiensis. Calif. Div. Fish and
Paul A. Gregory
Demartini, E.E. 1982. The spring-summer ichthyofauna of

surfgrass, Phyllospadix, meadows near San Diego, California. Bull. South. Calif. Acad. Sci. 80(2):81-90.
Silversides
Hubbs, C.L. 1918. The sh of the genus Atherinops, their

variation, distribution, relationships and history. Amer.
Mus. Nat. Hist. Bull. 38(13):409-440.
Quast, J.C. 1968. Observations on the food of kelp-bed
shes. Pages 109-142 in Utilization of kelp-bed resources
in southern California, Calif. Dept. Fish and Game, Fish
Bull. 139.
Wang, Johnson C. S. 1986. Fishes of the Sacramento-San
Joaquin Estuary and Adjacent Waters, California: A Guide
to the Early Life Histories. Tech. Rpt. 9 (FS/B10-4ATR
86-9) Internet address: http://elib.cs.berkeley.edu/kopec/
tr9/.

December 2001

A Status Report
245
Grunion
he commercial use of grunion (Leuresthes tenuis) is

very limited, this species forming a minor portion
of the commercial smelt catch. Grunion are taken incidentally in bait nets and other round haul nets, and
limited quantities are used as live bait. In recent years, no
commercial landings have been reported. However, since
grunion usually are taken with other small sh and are not
separated out, catch records would not show any landings.
The grunions principal value is as the object of a
unique recreational shery. These sh are famous for their
spawning habits, which are so remarkable as to arouse an
I dont believe it response from a person hearing about
them for the rst time. They are the only species of sh
in California to actually leave the water to spawn in wet
sand on beaches. They are subjects of widespread popular
interest, bringing thousands of people to beaches during
night high tides in spring and summer months to catch the
sh or just to observe them. Grunion hunting has become
one of the famous sports of southern California. As the
sh leave the water to deposit their eggs, they may be
picked up while they are briey stranded. Racing for sh
spotted far down the beach and clutching for the small
bits of slippery, wriggling energy provide an exhilarating
time for young and old alike. The attraction provided by
grunion can only be realized when one sees the numbers
of people lining the more popular beaches in the Los
Angeles area on the night of a predicted run. Often there
seem to be more people than sh, but at other times,
everyone catches sh.
In the 1920s, the recreational shery was showing denite
signs of depletion, and a regulation was passed in 1927
establishing a closed season of three months, April
through June. The shery improved, and in 1947, the
closure was shortened to April through May. Grunion may
be taken by sport shermen using their hands only. No
appliances of any kind may be used to catch grunion,
and no holes may be dug in the beach to entrap them.

Anglers sixteen years of age and older must posses a valid
sport shing license. Grunion may be taken June 1 through
March 31. There is no bag limit for grunion.
he grunion is now classied in the family of New World

silversides, Atherinopsidae, along with the jacksmelt
and topsmelt in California. They are small, slender sh
with bluish green backs, silvery sides and bellies. Silversides differ from true smelts, family Osmeridae, in that
they lack the trout-like adipose n. They normally occur
from Point Conception, California, to Point Abreojos, Baja
California. They are rarely found from San Francisco on
the north to San Juanico Bay, Baja California, on the
south. They inhabit the nearshore waters from the surf
to a depth of 60 feet. A description of their essential
habitat would be the surf zone off sandy beaches. Marking
experiments indicate that they are nonmigratory.
Young grunion grow very rapidly and are about ve inches
long by the time they are one year old and ready to
spawn. Grunion adults normally range in size from ve to
six inches with a maximum size recorded at 7.5 inches.
Average body lengths for males and females respectively
are 4.5 and 5.0 inches at the end of one year, 5.5 and 5.8
inches at the end of two years, and 5.9 to 6.3 inches at the
end of three years. The normal life span is two or three
years, but individuals four years old have been found. The
growth rate slows after the rst spawning and stops completely during the spawning season. Consequently, adult
sh grow only during the fall and winter. This growth rate
variation causes annuli to form on the scales, which have
been used for aging purposes.
Grunion spawn at night on the beach, from two to six
nights after the full and new moon, beginning a little
after high tide and continuing for several hours. As a wave
breaks on the beach, the grunion swim as far up the slope
as possible. The female arches her body, keeping her head
up, and excavates the semi-uid sand with her tail. As her
tail sinks, the female twists her body and digs tail rst
until she is buried up to her pectoral ns. After the female
is in the nest, up to eight males attempt to mate with her
by curving around the female and releasing their milt as
she deposits her eggs about four inches below the surface.
After spawning, the males immediately retreat toward the
ocean. The milt ows down the females body until it
reaches the eggs and fertilizes them. The female twists
free and returns to the sea with the next wave. The whole
event can happen in 30 seconds, but some sh remain on
the beach for several minutes.
Grunion, Leuresthes tenuis

Credit: Mike Brock
246

A Status Report

December 2001
The eggs incubate a few inches deep in the sand above

the level of subsequent waves. They are not immersed in
seawater, but are kept moist by the residual water in the
sand. While incubating, they are subject to predation by
shore birds and sand-dwelling invertebrates. Under normal
conditions, they do not have an opportunity to hatch until
the next tide series high enough to reach them, in 10 or
more days. Grunion eggs can extend incubation and delay
hatching if tides do not reach them, for an additional four
weeks after this initial hatching time. Most of the eggs
will hatch in 10 days if provided with the seawater and
agitation of the rising surf. The mechanical action of the
waves is the environmental trigger for hatching, and the
rapidity of hatch, in less than one minute, indicates that
it is probably not an enzymatic function of softening
the chorion, as in some other shes. One can witness
the spectacle of grunion eggs hatching. If you gather a
cluster of eggs after a grunion run, keep them in a loosely
covered container of damp sand in a cool spot. After 10
to 15 days, place some in a jar of seawater shaken briey,
and they will hatch before your eyes in a few minutes.
References
Grunion food habits are not known. They have no teeth,

and feed on very small organisms, such as plankton. In a
laboratory setting, grunion eat live brine shrimp. Humans,
larger sh, and other animals prey upon grunion. An
isopod, two species of ies, sandworms, and a
beetle have been found preying on the eggs. Some
shorebirds such as egrets and herons prey on grunion
when the sh are on shore during spawning. The
reduction of spawning habitat, due to beach erosion,
harbor construction, and pollution is probably the
most critical problem facing the grunion resource.

Grunion
Spawning may continue from March through August,

with possibly an occasional extension into February and
September. However, peak spawning is from late March
through early June. Once mature, an individual may spawn
during successive spawning periods at about 15-day intervals. Most females spawn about six times during the
season. Counts of maturing ova to be laid at one spawning
ranged from about 1,600 to about 3,600, with the larger
females producing more eggs.
Paul A. Gregory
Clark, F.N. 1925. The life history of Leuresthes tenuis,

an atherine sh with tide controlled spawning habits.
Calif. Div. Fish and Game, Fish Bull. 10. 51 p.
Darken, R. S., K. L. M. Martin, and M. C. Fisher. 1998.
Metabolism during delayed hatching in terrestrial eggs of
a marine sh, the grunion Leuresthes tenuis. Physiological
Zoology 71: 400-406.
Dyer, B. S. and B. Chernoff. 1996. Phylogenetic
relationships among atheriniform shes (Teleostei:
Atherinomorpha).Zoological Journal of the Linnaean Society 117: 1-69.
Griem, J. N. and K. L. M. Martin. 2000. Wave action: The
environmental trigger for hatching in the California grunion, Leuresthes tenuis (Teleostei: Atherinopsidae). Marine
Biology 137:177-181.
Spratt, Jerome D. 1971. The Amazing Grunion. Marine
Resources Leaet No. 3. Calif. Dept. Fish and Game.
Thompson, W.F. 1919. The spawning of the grunion
(Leuresthes tenuis). Calif. Fish and Game Comm., Fish
Bull. 3. 27 p.
Walker, B. 1952. A guide to the grunion. California Fish and
Game 38: 409-420.
espite local concentrations, the grunion is not an

abundant species. While the population size is not
known, all research points to a rather restricted resource
that is adequately maintained at current harvest rates
under existing regulations.

December 2001

A Status Report
247
Pacific Angel Shark

iscarded as a nuisance species by halibut gillnet shermen for several decades, the Pacic angel shark
(Squatina californica) became one of the most sought
after commercial shark species in the Santa Barbara
Channel during the 1980s. Changes in consumer acceptance of sharks as high quality food sh and a concentrated marketing effort by an innovative processor working with local shermen, stimulated development of the
angel shark shery in the Santa Barbara Channel area
in 1976. Two key elements led to the rapid growth of
this shery: maintenance of quality and freshness of
the shark by cleaning and dressing (removal of head
and ns) at sea; and development of a method to llet
this irregularly shaped shark to satisfy retail distributors
and consumers. Market development was linked to the
popular but seasonal thresher shark, which is caught by
the drift gillnet eet in the summer and fall. As supplies
of thresher shark diminished in the winter, angel shark
was promoted as a viable substitute. Local demand grew
rapidly as Santa Barbara and Ventura seafood retailers
and restaurant owners found ready acceptance among
consumers. Nearly every part of this shark, with the
exception of skin, cartilage, and offal is utilized. The
head and ns are sold as crab bait, large llets are cut
from the trunk, and portion-controlled pieces from the
tail are used in sh and chips dishes. Small irregularshaped pieces are used to make shark jerky. A yield of 50
percent of the dressed shark is generally expected.
The development of markets for angel shark was a signicant benet to halibut shermen, providing them with
a supplemental source of income. As demand increased
for angel shark in the early 1980s, innovative shermen
developed nets to harvest them specically. Because of
their selectivity for market-sized angel shark, these nets
caught only a few large California halibut. Nonetheless,
8.5-inch mesh monolament gillnets designed for halibut
continued to be used to take both species. After area
closures were instituted in 1994, the directed gillnet
shery for these sharks ended and the smaller mesh halibut set gillnets again became the standard. Vessels used
in the shery are generally in the 25 to 40 foot range,
suited for inshore coastal operations. Trawl vessels often
caught a few angel sharks incidentally, but landings were
insignicant compared to the set gillnet harvest. Trawl
landings represented one percent of the total catch in
1990, rising to 17 percent in 1994.
There has been little recreational interest in angel shark
as nearshore anglers using hook-and-line catch relatively
few compared to other more active sharks. One study
logged only 12 angel sharks compared to over a thousand
other sharks landed between 1997 and 2000. Nearly all of
the angel sharks were caught at night.
In 1977, landings of dressed angel shark totaled 328
pounds. By 1981, landings rose to 258 thousand pounds,
and by 1984, to 610 thousand pounds. Landings of angel
shark exceeded one million pounds annually in 1985 and
1986, replacing the thresher shark as the number one
species of shark taken for food in California.
Fishing effort throughout the early development and
expansion phase was concentrated off Santa Barbara
and Ventura counties and around the northern Channel
Islands, especially Santa Cruz and Santa Rosa Islands.
Landings began to decline in 1987, dropping to 940
thousand pounds with an ex-vessel value of $542,000
and further declining to 248 thousand pounds ($166,000)
in 1990. A minimum size limit adopted by the DFG
in 1986 contributed to a decrease in landings in the
following years.
A second major decline in landings occurred in 1991 when
a voter initiative was passed banning the use of gill and
trammel nets within three miles of the southern California
mainland coast and within one mile around the Channel
Islands. Many gill-netters switched to other sheries and
a few dropped out entirely or retired. In 1990, a total
of 144 vessels (including a few trawlers) landed angel
shark and by 1994, the number was reduced 50 percent
to 72. These boats landed 23 thousand pounds, a decline
of 91 percent from the catch in 1990. Of the 72 vessels
reporting landings, nine boats landed the major share
(61 percent). The closures, in effect, established a large
no-take reserve for angel shark in southern California,
since gillnetting, considered to be the most viable shing
method for this species, was eliminated in the primary
nearshore angel shark habitat.
Another factor affecting the shery and contributing to
the decline in landings was the sale of the primary angel
shark processing plant in 1991 and its subsequent closure
in 1992. This led California seafood wholesalers and retailers to search for alternative sources of angel shark, as the
Pacific Angel Shark, Squatina californica

Credit: DFG
248

A Status Report

December 2001
Pacific Angel Shark

1.2
1.0
0.8
0.6
0.4
0.2
0.0
1916 1920
1930
1940
1950
1960
demand in California remained high, especially for use as

sh and chips in seafood restaurants.
Prior to the 1994 shing area closures, a gillnet shery for
angel sharks began in the upper reaches of the Gulf of
California and a processing plant was established in Puerto
Peasco, Mexico. By 1993, imports of angel shark llets
were being used to meet the market demand in California.
One buyer estimated imported llets increased from 65
thousand pounds in 1994, to approximately 90 thousand
pounds in 1999. Since 1997, a share of these sharks has
been caught off Ensenada and Cedros Island near Guerrero
Negro. The frozen and glazed imported llets represent a
weight of approximately one-quarter of the whole shark,
so the actual landing gure was closer to 360 thousand
pounds in 1999 from Mexican waters.
California landings dwindled to 19 thousand pounds in
1995 and 18 thousand pounds in 1996, but began to
increase again between 1997 (33 thousand pounds) and
1999 (53 thousand pounds). Adding the Mexican imports
(from two processing operations) to the California landings provides a better estimate of the California market
demand and consumption of angel shark, which in 1999
totaled over 413 thousand pounds. Mexican imports now
provide at least 87 percent of the total market share of
the state.
The ex-vessel price for angel shark in 1977 was 15 cents
per pound. The price rose to 35 cents per pound in 1982
($1.60 to $1.70 per pound at retail markets) as demand
increased for the rm, white-eshed shark. With continued market demand and lower landings, ex-vessel prices
in 1991 rose to 75 cents per pound dressed (head off)
and in 1999 averaged 91 cents per pound. The standard
ex-vessel price in 2000 is reported to be over $1 per
pound. Retail prices have increased to between $4 and $6
per pound.

December 2001
1970
1980
1990
1999
Commercial Landings
1916-1999,
Pacific Angel Shark
landings receipts. No
commercial landing are
reported for Pacific angel shark
prior to 1977.
Pacific Angel Shark
1.4
Cooperative sheries research began in 1979 to obtain

information on angel shark distributions, migrations,
growth rates, and eventually, reproductive rates. Members
of the commercial shing industry helped initiate the
investigations, which, with the participation and cooperation of university research and extension personnel,
helped sheries managers develop a management plan in
1986. Development of regulatory guidelines for this shery
is an example of a co-management approach involving
a partnership of managers and resource users. The drop
in landings after 1986 was partially attributed to a new
size limit, though sheries biologists and shermen agree
that management regulations were initiated too late to
maintain a sustainable yield angel shark shery with the
harvest levels experienced in the mid-1980s.
he Pacic angel shark is reported to occur only in

the eastern Pacic Ocean from southeastern Alaska to
the Gulf of California and from Ecuador to Chile. A gap
in distribution separating subpopulations of S. californica
occurs between the equator and 20 North latitude. The
southern population was earlier reported as a separate
species, S. armata.
Angel sharks are relatively small, bottom-dwelling elasmobranchs, attaining maximum length of ve feet and
a weight of 60 pounds. In the Santa Barbara Channel,
commercially caught specimens generally range in size
between three and four feet, although minimum size
limits now allow the take of females 42 inches and above
and males 40 inches or more. Angel sharks range in depth
from three to over 600 feet. Fishermen working the northern Channel Islands reported that most of their catches
were between 30 and 240 feet. After the inshore area
closures were set in 1994, shing shifted to deeper waters
between 100 and 300 feet.

A Status Report
249
Pacific Angel Shark
Pacic angel shark are usually found lying partially buried

on at, sandy bottoms and in sand channels between
rocky reefs during the day, but they may become active at
night. Tagged specimens near Santa Catalina Island were
found to move from a few feet to four nautical miles per
night. However, individual sharks have been observed to
remain in the same place with no apparent movement for
up to 10 days.
Sonic tagging studies conducted at Santa Catalina Island
indicated that 11 sharks with transmitter tags remained
near the Island for up to 90 days, although movement
around the island was extensive. Of 30 conventionally
tagged sh all but one angel shark remained in the same
general vicinity in which they were tagged. The lone
exception was a shark tagged on the coast and captured
three and a half years later at Santa Cruz Island. Without
further evidence from tag and recovery data, resource
managers assume that isolated stocks may exist near
islands, separated from the mainland and other islands by
deep water channels (including San Clemente, San Nicolas,
Santa Barbara, and Santa Catalina Islands). A 1997 report
on the genetic variability of angel sharks, from two of
the northern Channel Islands (Santa Rosa and Santa Cruz
Islands) and a more southern island (San Clemente Island)
showed that there were signicant allele frequency differences between sharks from the northern and southern
areas. This electrophoretic study provides a strong indication that genetically isolated populations of angel sharks
exist in California.
Several techniques have been utilized in an effort to age
angel sharks, but to date aging this species has been
unsuccessful. Researchers have observed that angel sharks
are born with six to seven bands in their vertebral centra,
but growth curves based on size and band counts were
found to be atypical. Both centrum edge histology and
size-frequency analyses have proven inconclusive. Sharks
grown in the laboratory, along with eld-tagged, tetracycline-injected returns, indicated no periodic basis for band
deposition in the vertebrae, but indicated that calcied
band deposition is more related to rapid somatic growth.
Sexual maturity in both males and females occurs between
35 and 39 inches total length. Embryos present per female
range between one and 11, with a mean of six pups
produced annually from March to June. A 10-month gestation period was estimated for this species.
Major prey items of angel shark include queensh and
blacksmith in the summer and market squid in the winter.
Fishermen in the Santa Barbara Channel report that mackerel and Pacic sardines are found in angel shark stomachs
during the fall and early winter, along with squid, which
predominates during the winter and spring.
250

A Status Report
he rapid increase in angel shark landings between

1983 and 1986 led to concern that stocks were being
over-exploited. Over 79,000 individual angel sharks were
reported taken during the 1985-1986 season. Considering
the low fecundity and apparent lack of signicant migrations of angel sharks, the need to develop a management
plan became critical. A minimum retention size limit was
proposed by DFG in 1987 and became law in 1989. Because
these sharks are nearly always retrieved alive, limiting
retention size is a viable regulation. However, landings
had decreased before the inception of the regulation,
indicating a declining population along the Santa BarbaraVentura County coastline and around the northern Channel Islands. The minimum size restriction is believed to
have been effective in decreasing the numbers of immature sharks harvested and also to have decreased harvest
pressure on exploited stocks. The area closures had a
much more severe effect on the shing community and led
to the unintended consequence of shifting the shery to
Mexico where, at present, no management of the species
exists. Large numbers of gillnet pangas on both sides
of the Baja Peninsula now sh angel sharks for Mexican
markets and for export to California.
No population studies have been conducted on angel shark
since the nearshore shery ended in 1994. A comparative
research survey of nearshore sh assemblages around
Santa Catalina Island and along the mainland (Santa Barbara to Newport Beach) between 1996 and 1998 indicated
that Squatina was a commonly caught species at many of
the 10 sampling stations. The researchers reported that
the survey showed a greater abundance and proportionately larger biomass for nearshore sharks than any other
southern California study. Further, they note that gillnets
are much more efcient for sampling mobile and elusive
shes than trawls and diver surveys. In terms of biomass,
angel sharks ranked third at Santa Catalina Island
and ninth at the mainland sites. There have been no
recent studies of Squatina populations at the northern
Channel Islands.
John B. Richards

December 2001
Pacific Angel Shark
References
Cailliet, G.M., H.F. Mollet, G. Pittenger, D. Bedford,
and L.J. Natanson. 1992. Growth and demography of
the Pacic angel shark (Squatina californica) based on
tag returns off California. Aust. J. Mar. Freshwater Res.
43:1313-1330.
Natanson, L.J., G.M. Cailliet, and B.A. Weldon. 1984. Age,
growth, and reproduction of the Pacic angel shark (Squatina californica) from Santa Barbara, California. AM. Zool.
24(3):130A.
Natanson, L.J., and G.M. Cailliet 1986. Reproduction
and development of the Pacic angel shark (Squatina
californica) off Santa Barbara, California. Copia 1986.
(4):987-994.
Pondella, Daniel J. II., and L.G. Allen. 2000.The nearshore
sh assemblage of Santa Catalina Island. Pages 394-400.
In: Proceedings of the Fifth California Islands Symposium,
Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History: March 29-April
1, 1999. , OCS Study MMS 99-0038. U.S. Department of the
Interior, Minerals Management Service, Camarillo, CA.
Richards, J.B. 1987. Developing a localized shery: the
Pacic angel shark, Pages 147-160. In: Sharks: an inquiry
into biology, behavior, sheries and use. S. Cook (ed.) EM
8330. Oregon State University Extension Service, Corvallis,
OR.

December 2001

A Status Report
251
Leopard Shark
he leopard shark (Triakis semifasciata) is taken as

both a food and game sh in California, and its distinctive markings and hardiness also make it desirable for
public aquarium displays. Although some commercial landings may be lumped under a general shark, unspecied
category, those reported as leopard shark have ranged
from 9,270 pounds in 1958, to a high of 101,309 pounds
in 1983. These landings, while not extensive, increased in
the south and decreased in the north during the 1980s.
Landings in southern California began increasing in 1981,
and in 1985 surpassed landings in northern California for
the rst time since the collection of statistics began
in the 1940s. Since 1991, landings have averaged about
31,000 pounds per year, with about 57 percent of the
landings occurring south of Point Piedras Blancas. Legislative curtailment of inshore gillnetting in the San
Francisco/Monterey Bay area undoubtedly contributed
to much of the decline in northern California landings
after 1986.
Judging from estimates made since 1980 by the National
Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) Marine Recreational Fisheries Statistics Survey, the recreational leopard shark
catch appears to be greater than the commercial catch,
although these estimates are subject to large sampling
variability. According to the survey, sport catches in California between 1980 and 1988 averaged over 52,000 sh
per year with a low of 33,000 sh taken in 1980 and a
high of 59,000 sh taken in 1988. Since 1993, an estimated
average of 45,000 leopard sharks have been taken by
anglers, with a low of 34,000 taken in 1993 and again in
1994, and a high of 58,000 taken in 1997.
A variety of shing methods and gear types are used in the
sheries for leopard sharks. Most of the recreational catch
is taken angling with baited hooks with some spearshing
by divers. Analysis of tag-recaptures in the central California area in the 1980s suggests that most angler-caught
leopard sharks are taken from private boats (55 percent),
Leopard Shark, Triakis semifasciata

252

A Status Report
and from shore (41 percent), with a small percent landed

by partyboats (four percent). The commercial catch,
largely incidental in recent years, is taken mainly by set
net (53 percent), hook-and-line (30 percent), and trawl
(13 percent).
A 36-inch minimum size and a possession limit of three sh
have been in effect for the sport shery since 1991. This
size limit was also extended to the commercial shery in
1994, both for market and aquarium display. Additionally,
the state has general restrictions on usage of certain
types of commercial gear in the nearshore zone.
he leopard shark, also known as tiger shark and

cat shark, ranges from Mazatlan, Mexico, into the
northern Gulf of California, and northward to Oregon. It is
most common in shallow water from the intertidal down
to 15 feet, less so down to 300 feet or deeper in ocean
waters. Favoring muddy bays and sloughs, especially in
northern California, it is known to move out and in with
the tides to feed over shallow tidal mudats. It also
occurs along the open coast and around offshore islands
off southern California, where it frequents kelp beds,
sandy bottoms near rocky reefs, and the surf zone along
sandy beaches.
The population structure throughout its range is not
clearly understood, but is thought to consist of regional
stocks among which there is relatively little exchange.
Tagging studies in central California have shown there is
at least some mixing between stocks in San Francisco
Bay and those in central and southern California, but
such exchange appears limited. The Gulf of California,
Mexico, stock is presumed to be separate from the
California stocks.
The maximum recorded and veried total length is about
six feet long. The oldest validated age that has been
determined by reading tetracycline-labeled rings on the
vertebrae, is 26 years for a 49-inch female, an average
of 1.8 inches per year. Size at birth is about eight to 10
inches in total length. Longevity is presumed to be around
30 years.
The live-bearing female leopard shark produces from
seven to 36 offspring in an annual reproductive cycle.
Males mature at seven years, and females at 10 years,
when sh reach lengths between 40 and 42 inches total
length. The gestation period is estimated at 10 to 12
months. Birth apparently takes place from March through
July. The only known eye-witness account of leopard
sharks giving birth in the wild is that of a sherman who
observed pupping activity at Santa Catalina Island in
southern California in the 1940s. Dozens of large females,

December 2001
Leopard Shark
100
80
60
40
20
0
1916 1920
1930
1940
1950
1960
with backs and dorsal ns breaking the surface of the

water over a shallow mudat in Catalina Harbor, were
observed releasing their pups in the three to four-foot
deep water; some of the pups were seen milling around in
water only about a foot deep.
This shark is an opportunistic benthic feeder. Invertebrates taken include crabs, ghost shrimp, clam siphons
and sometimes whole clam bodies, polychaete worms,
fat innkeeper worms, and octopuses. Fishes in the diet
include herring, anchovy, topsmelt, croakers, surfperches,
gobies, rockshes, midshipman, atshes, and small elasmobranchs such as smoothhounds, guitarshes, and bat
rays. Leopard sharks seasonally consume the eggs of herring, topsmelt, jacksmelt, and midshipman.
The leopard shark is preyed upon by the white shark and
sevengill shark, and presumably other large sharks as well,
which are known to enter bays. The phenomenon of young
sharks being preyed on by larger sharks is not uncommon.
These nomadic sharks often occur in schools, sometimes
with smoothhounds, which also belong to the houndshark
family. Numbers of animals may suddenly appear in an
area, then move on. Although generally timid and wary of
divers, there is one record of an attack on a skin diver in
1955 in California.
Movements of this species have been studied in central
California. Tagging in San Francisco Bay has revealed that
this stock is mostly resident, although at least 10 percent
of the population moves out of the bay into the ocean
during fall and winter. One female at liberty for 20 years
was recaptured in south San Francisco Bay less than ve
miles from where she was originally tagged. Of the longer
distance migrants, one three-foot male tagged in San
Francisco Bay was recaptured in Santa Monica Bay a
decade later.

December 2001
1970
1980
1990
1999
Commercial Landings
1916-1999, Leopard Shark
Commercial landings for
leopard shark were not
reported prior to 1977. Data
Leopard Shark
120
he leopard shark is one of the many species considered, but not now actively regulated, under the
Pacic Fishery Management Councils Groundsh Management Plan. Regulatory actions enacted by the State of
California have contributed signicantly toward protecting
this species. Even though the commercial catch may be
underestimated because of reporting problems, this species does not appear to be at risk, judging by the combined landings in relation to previously calculated estimates of shing mortality and exploitation rates and current conservation measures which appear to have reduced
these rates. The imposition of a sport and commercial
shing size limit and general curtailment of gillnetting
within this species nearshore range appear to have halted
the increase if not reduced total shing mortality over
the past decade. Commercial sport shing boat catches of
leopard shark in California have dropped from an average
of 6.8 sh per trip between 1980 and 1991 to an average
of 4.0 sh after the size limit was imposed from 1992
to 1995, as more sh were released. Also encouraging is
evidence that mortality from hooking injuries is quite low.
The size of the California leopard shark population has
not been estimated, and the only information on relative
changes in stock abundance is what can be inferred from
catch statistics. Because of its rather limited geographical
range with little exchange among regional stocks within
this range, resident stocks near large population centers
may be particularly vulnerable to heavy localized shing
pressure. A recent re-assessment of the leopard sharks
intrinsic productivity and vulnerability to harvest revealed
it to be even more susceptible to over-exploitation than
previously reported. Its annual rate of increase under
maximum sustainable yield exploitation has been calculated at only about two to three percent per year. And
while the size limit protects juveniles, it does not protect

A Status Report
253
Leopard Shark
mature adults in their prime reproductive years in feeding

and near shore pupping areas. Nonetheless, it appears
that current conservation measures, as long as they are
in place, appear to provide adequate protection for the
sustainability of the California stock of this species at the
present time. Possible future shing mortality increases
within regulatory constraints could be a concern if mature
females become an increasingly important component of
the catch, or if inshore sheries develop that are efcient
at targeting this species.
Susan E. Smith
References
Ackerman, J.T., M.C. Kondratieff, S.A. Matern, and J.J.
Cech, Jr. 2000. Tidal inuence on spacial dynmics of leopard sharks, Triakis semifasciata, in Tomales Bay, California.
Environmental Biology of Fishes 58: 33-43.
Au, D. W. and S.E. Smith. 1997. A demographic method
with population density compensation for estimating productivity and yield per recruit of the leopard shark, Triakis
semifaciata. Canadian J. Fish. Aqua. Sci. 54, 415-20.
Cailliet, G.M. 1992. Demography of the central California
population of the leopard shark (Triakis semifasciata).
Austr. J. Mar. Freshwater Res. 43: 183-193.
Kusher, D.I., S.E. Smith, and G.M. Cailliet. 1992. Validated
age and growth of the leopard shark, Triakis semifasciata,
with comments on reproduction. Environmental Biology of
Fishes 35, 187-203.
Russo, R.A. 1975. Observations on the food habits of
leopard sharks (Triakis semifasciata) and brown smoothhounds (Muselus henlei). Calif. Fish Game 61:95-103.
Smith, S.E. and N. Abramson. 1990. Leopard shark Triakis
semifasciata distribution, mortality rate, yield, and stock
replenishment estimates based on a tagging study in San
Francisco Bay. Fish. Bull., U.S. 88(2):371-381.
254

A Status Report

December 2001
Soupfin Shark
T
he soupn shark (Galeorhinus galeus) was the mainstay

of the shark shery boom for vitamin oils between
1936 and 1944 when over 24 million pounds were landed.
Prior to that time, soupns were mainly marketed within
the local Asian communities up and down the Pacic
coast. The meat sold anywhere from $0.10 to $0.20 per
pound, but the ns, which are used for soup stock brought
as much as $2.50 per pound prior to 1936. The shery for
this species began in earnest when it was discovered that
their livers were rich in vitamin oil. The value of each
shark species was based on its high potency vitamin oil
and the soupn was found to have the highest vitamin
oil levels among Californias shark species. Prior to the
development of this shery, cod liver oil was produced in
Europe and exported to the United States. With the onset
of World War II and the curtailment of cod liver oil production in Europe, these events set the stage for the expansion of this shery. Shipping cod liver oil from Europe
became so hazardous that its production and exportation
eventually declined to nothing. The West Coast soupn
shark population represented a tremendous source of raw
material. The market for shark liver oils to replace the
non-available cod liver oil improved rapidly and in a relatively short time the huge potential of the Pacic coast
soupn supply had been tapped. The shery nally collapsed in the mid-1940s from over-exploitation and the
development of synthetic vitamins. This shery decimated
the soupn population, particularly nursery areas in San
Francisco and Tomales bays, which to this day have never
fully recovered. In the mid-1970s, there was a renewed
interest in shark sheries, although this time for their
meat as food for human consumption.
While the commercial shery for soupns has been widely
recounted, less attention has been paid to its recreational
exploitation. Soupns were one of the more common species caught in San Francisco Bay during the late 1940s
through the early 1960s by recreational anglers. This shery declined somewhat until the Jaws phenomenon of the
mid-1970s brought about a renewed awareness of sharks.
Sport shing boats in San Francisco Bay and southern
California began targeting these, among other shark species. Unlike the commercial shery, landings data for
recreational caught soupns are sketchy at best and are
under-reported, if reported at all. Soupns are prized by
recreational anglers for their meat.
nental shelf waters from close inshore, including shallow

bays, often near the bottom, but also offshore waters up
to 1,500 feet deep. In the eastern North Pacic they range
from British Columbia to central Baja California.
Coast wide there is a preponderance of adult males in
the northern part of the state and females to the south;
in central California the sex ratio is about one to one.
Adult males south of Point Conception tend to occur in
deeper water (more than 65 feet) while females occur
closer inshore (less than 45 feet). Soupns often occur in
small schools that segregate by size and sex.
Soupfin Shark
Soupns are highly migratory, moving to the north during

the summer and south during the winter or into deeper
waters. They are swift moving and can travel up to 35
miles per day and have been reported to travel at a
sustained rate of 10 miles per day for up to 100 days.
One soupn tagged off Ventura was captured 26 months
later off Vancouver Island, British Columbia. Another shark
tagged in San Francisco Bay was recaptured 12 months
later in the same location.
Soupn sharks are ovoviviparous, with litters of between
six and 52 young, the average being 35. The litter size
increases in proportion to the females size. Mating takes
place during the spring with a gestation period of about 12
months. Southern California, south of Point Conception, is
an important nursery ground. Adult females and newborn
soupns occur in considerable numbers in this area. Pups
are born during the spring at a size of between 12 and
16 inches. Males mature between 53 and 60 inches, and
grow to a maximum size of 70 inches. Females mature
at about 24 inches, and grow to a maximum size of 77
inches. Males mature in eight to nine years and females
in about 11 years. The maximum estimated age for these
sharks is about 40 years.
Soupns readily forage on both demersal and pelagic
bony sh species, although larger individuals prefer
cartilaginous shes. Invertebrate prey includes cephalopods, crabs, shrimp, and lobster. Young sharks tend
to feed more heavily on invertebrates than do adults.
Natural predators on soupns, particularly juveniles,
include the white shark, sevengill shark, and possibly
marine mammals.
he soupn shark is one of ve species of houndsharks

(Family Triakidae) found in California waters. Along
the California coast, soupn sharks generally inhabit conti-

December 2001
Soupfin Shark, Galeorhinus galeus

Credit: DFG

A Status Report
255
Commercial Landings
1916-1999, Soupfin Shark
landing receipts. Commercial
landings prior to 1977 were
not available. All shark landings
were aggregated until 1977.
Soupfin Shark
Soupfin Shark
300
250
200
150
100
50
0
1916 1920
1930
1940
1950
1960
1970
1980
1990
1999
References
Cailliet, G.M., D.B. Holts, and D. Bedford. 1992. A review

of the commercial sheries for sharks on the west coast
of the United States. In: Shark Conservation: Proceedings
of an International Workshop on the Conservation of Elasmobranchs. Eds. J. Pepperell, J. West, and Peter Woon.
Pp. 13-29.
alifornias soupn shark population has not been studied in over 50 years and its status is unknown. Since
1977, the shery has averaged between 150,000 and
250,000 pounds dressed weight landed annually.
David Ebert
US Abalone
Ebert, D.A. 1986. Observations on the elasmobranch

assemblage of San Francisco Bay. Calif. Fish Game, 72
(4): 244-249.
Ripley, W.E. 1946. The biology of the soupn, Galeorhinus
zyopterus. Calif. Fish and Game, Fish Bull. no. 64, 96 pp.
Roedel, P.M. and W.E. Ripley 1950. California sharks and
rays. Calif. Fish and Game, Fish Bull. no. 75, 88 pp.
256

A Status Report

December 2001
Skates and Rays

S
kates and rays are not specically sought by commercial shermen, but are taken incidentally, primarily by
bottom trawlers in central and northern California waters.
Of the species identied in the commercial catch the most
common are the shovelnose guitarsh (Rhinobatos productus), bat ray (Myliobatis californica), big skate (Raja
binoculata), and thornback (Platyrhinoidis triseriata). This
does not represent the true catch composition, however,
as 98 percent of the landings are listed as unidentied
skate. A few nearshore species, most commonly the bat
ray and shovelnose guitarsh, are the target of small
sport sheries.
Only the wings of skates caught in the commercial shery
are marketed. The bodies are either discarded at sea or
occasionally sold as bait for the rock crab shery. Skate
wings are sold fresh and frozen, predominantly in the
Asian fresh sh markets in southern California. Wings are
also dried or salted and dehydrated for the Asian markets.
At times, skates have been processed for shmeal, but
most such enterprises experienced economic failure. Seafood restaurants and retail markets have been suspected
of punching out rounds of skate wing to serve as cheap
substitutes for scallops.
Historically, the economic value of the skate shery compared to other seafood sheries was relatively small. From
1958 to 1969 the ex-vessel price for skate wings ranged
from $.01 to $.02 per pound. Prices increased from $.12
per pound in the 1970s to $.25 per pound in 1991.
This increase has continued through the 1990s ranging
as high as $1 or more and averaging around $.40. In
1999, the total ex-vessel value of skates and rays was
approximately $340,000.
Central California (Monterey and San Francisco) shared
the majority of the skate catch from 1948 through 1989,
accounting for 41 to 100 percent of the annual landings
and more than 70 percent of the total catch during the
period. The northern California areas (Eureka, Crescent
City, and Fort Bragg) have played an increasing role since
about 1975. Over the period from 1989 through 1999,
the northern California catch has increased dramatically,
accounting for nearly 75 percent of the total catch. Areas
south of Monterey remain relatively insignicant in terms
of total landings.
From 1916 to 1990, skate landings, which ranged from
36,247 pounds (1916) to 631,240 pounds (1981), comprised
two to 90 percent of the total elasmobranch catch (11.8
percent average). Like the shark shery, which had peaks
from 1937 to 1948, and more recently from 1976 to 1990,
the skate catch has uctuated widely during the last
half century. In the past 10 years, however, skate and
ray landings have increased nearly ten-fold in California,

December 2001
from around 228,566 pounds in 1989 to 1,912,695 pounds

in 1999. This trend is most notable in the trawl shery
after 1994.
Some of the apparent increase may be due to increased
landings of previously discarded catch. In 1994, the commercial groundsh shery was divided into limited entry
and open access components, each with new regulations
and quotas. Groundsh quotas for both components were
signicantly reduced in the period from 1994 through
1999, leaving more space in the boats holds for non-quota
species. Trawl vessels have supplemented their groundsh
landings with skate and ray bycatch. There is considerable
uncertainty whether the total impact on the skate and ray
resource has increased or if more of the catch is being
retained and landed.
Skates and Rays
kates and rays (batoids) can be distinguished from

sharks by having pectoral ns which extend above and
in front of the gills, attaching to the head and forming
an expanded and attened disc with gill slits located
completely on the underside. They can be thought of as
sharks attened to accommodate a life spent on the sea
oor. Twenty species of rays and skates have provisionally
been recorded from California waters.
Rays and skates occur in all marine habitats, from protected bays and estuaries to open seas, ranging from
the surface to 9,500 feet deep. While some species are
common, others are known from only a few specimens. So
far as is known, batoids follow the typical elasmobranch
reproductive strategy in which sexual maturity is attained
relatively late in life, brood size is relatively small, and
fecundity is generally low. These characteristics make
populations more susceptible to overshing.
All batoids have internal fertilization, but two different
modes of development exist. The skates are egg layers, or
oviparous. Following fertilization, the yolk is enclosed in a
Longnose Skate, Raja rhina

Credit: DFG

A Status Report
257
Commercial Landings
1916-1999, Skates
landing receipts. Landings data
are not available prior to 1943,
1945-1947, 1950, 1952, and
1955-1956.
Skates
Skates and Rays
3.5
3.0
2.5
2.0
1.5
1.0
0.5
0.0
1916 1920
1930
1940
1960
1970
1980
1990
1999
tough, permeable egg case, which is deposited on the sea

oor. The embryo develops within the egg case, feeding
on nourishment stored in the attached yolk mass. Hatched
egg cases (commonly known as mermaids purses) are
washed ashore and frequently found by beachcombers. All
other batoids are live bearing, or viviparous. The embryo
is protected by, and develops within, a portion of the
females oviduct, which functions as a uterus. The gestation period for skates and rays varies widely; depending
on the species it may range from two to 18 months.
of enlarged, hooked thorns along the front edge (malar

thorns) and lateral edge (alar thorns) of the disc. The tail
is slender, with two small dorsal ns located near the tip.
The caudal n is small or absent, and there are no
stinging spines. Skates have paired electric organs along
the sides of their tails, which generate weak, low-voltage
electric currents believed to be used in intra-specic communication, possibly for mate recognition or to demonstrate aggression. These electric currents are not harmful
to humans.
Batoids feed on a variety of worms, mollusks, crustaceans,

other invertebrates, and shes. Some lie buried on the
bottom to wait for prey, while others actively forage. As
a group they have a large variety of feeding strategies,
ranging from straining plankton (manta), to electric shock
(electric ray), to excavation and suction (bat ray). In
turn, marine mammals, sharks, and other large shes
prey upon batoids. An adult giant sea bass (Stereolepis
gigas) was found to have three whole thornbacks in its
stomach. Batoid predator avoidance adaptations include
cryptic (camouage) coloration and burying themselves in
sand or mud. In some species, rows of sharp spines on the
back and/or tail also serve as protection. Only a few of
the batoid species are dangerous to humans. Electric rays
are capable of producing a powerful shock, and stingrays
can inict serious wounds on unwary anglers and bathers.
The California skate ranges from the Strait of Juan De

Fuca to southern Baja California. It is common inshore in
shallow bays at depths of 60 feet or less, but also occurs in
deeper water to a depth of 2,200 feet. Females and males
both reach sexual maturity at a total length of about 30
inches. They feed on shrimp and other invertebrates.
The Skates and Softnose Skates Families Rajidae and Arhynchobatidae

The skates are the largest group of batoid shes. Nine species in three genera are presently known to occur in California waters. Californias three commercially important
skates are the California skate (Raja inornata), big skate
(R. binoculata), and longnose skate (R. rhina).
The skates have a greatly attened, usually rhomboidal
shaped disc. Most species have enlarged thorns or sharp
spines (denticles) on disc and tail. Adult males have rows
258
1950

A Status Report
The big skate ranges from the Bering Sea to southern Baja
California, but is relatively rare south of Point Conception.
It occurs at depths from 10 to about 2,600 feet, being
most common at moderate depths. It is the only known
Californian skate with more than one embryo per egg
case. The big skate grows to a length of up to eight
feet, but usually does not exceed six feet and about 200
pounds. Females mature at 12 to 13 years and a length
of 51 to 55 inches; males mature at seven to eight years
and a length of 39 to 43 inches. It feeds on crustaceans
and shes.
The longnose skate also ranges from the Bering Sea to
central Baja California, and is usually found on the bottom
at depths from 80 to 2,250 feet. It attains a maximum
length of about 4.5 feet. Females mature at eight years
and a length of 28 inches; males mature at ve years and
a length of 24 inches.
Other skate species include the sandpaper skate (Bathyraja interrupta) and starry skate (Raja stellulata) occurring in moderate depths and the deep-sea skate (B.

December 2001
The Guitarshes and Thornbacks Families Rhinobatidae and Platyrhinidae

The guitarshes derive their name from their similarity in
shape to the musical instrument; head tapered or round,
attened, and somewhat broader than their sturdy, sharklike tail. Thornbacks share this general body shape, but
have rows of spines down the dorsal surface. Guitarshes
and thornbacks are usually found on the bottom and close
inshore. All are viviparous, the embryos being nourished
by nutrients stored in their yolksac. They have small, blunt
teeth used for crushing, and feed on invertebrates such as
worms, crustaceans, and mollusks, as well as small shes,
and are generally harmless to humans. Three species are
known from California waters.
The shovelnose guitarsh (Rhinobatos productus) has a
sharply pointed snout and a tapered, somewhat shovelshaped disc. It ranges from San Francisco to the Gulf of
California, but is rare north of Monterey Bay. It is found
in shallow coastal waters, bays, sloughs and estuaries
over sandy or muddy bottoms to a depth of about 50
feet. Mating occurs during the summer months in southern
California and the females give birth to live young the
following spring or summer. Newborn guitarsh are six
inches long, with up to 28 pups per litter. Females reach a
length of 5.5 feet and a weight of about 40 pounds; males
are smaller. The banded guitarsh (Zapteryx exasperata)
has a more rounded snout and dark banding across the
disc. It inhabits rocky reefs and gravel beds and occurs
rarely in southern California.
The thornback (Platyrhinoidis triseriata) is identied by
three parallel rows of large, curved spines running down
the back and base of its tail to just past the rst dorsal
n. Adults reach a length of 2.5 to three feet. Thornbacks
occur in shallow water to depths of 150 feet resting on
sandy bottoms partially or completely buried. Thornbacks
are common in the southern part of the state and Baja
California, becoming more rare to the north.
The Electric Rays - Family Torpedinidae

Electric rays are found worldwide in all tropical and
warm-temperate seas. They have a greatly expanded subcircular disc that is eshy toward the margins, and specialized to accommodate the two kidney-shaped electric
organs. These organs are modied muscles capable of
producing a powerful electrical shock. Only one species is
known from California waters.

December 2001
The Pacic electric ray (Torpedo californica) ranges from

northern British Columbia to central Baja California, at
depths from 10 to 1,400 feet. Commonly found over sandy
bottoms, it also occurs in rocky areas and kelp beds.
Females reach a length of over 4.5 feet, while males may
reach three feet. It feeds exclusively on sh, including
anchovies, herring, kelp bass, mackerel, and halibut. One
four-foot female ray was observed to consume a two-foot
silver salmon. Unlike most predatory sh, however, it does
not initially seize its prey with its mouth, but rst immobilizes it with electric discharges. It then manipulates the
prey toward its mouth, using its remarkably dexterous
disc, before swallowing it.
Skates and Rays
abyssicola), roughtail skate (B. tachura), and white skate

(B. spinosissima) occurring in deep water up to 9,500
feet (deep skate). One other species, the broad skate
(Amblyraja badia) is very rare with only two records
from California.
Sometimes aggressive when approached or provoked by

divers, it may swim toward them with pectoral ns curled
downward in a challenging manner. While its electric
shock may be quite powerful, reaching up to 60 volts in
larger individuals, it does not extend a great distance
from the rays body. The shock is apparently not fatal to
humans, but often snaps the backbone of prey sh.
The Myliobatidiform Rays (Stingrays) - Families

Urolophidae, Myliobatidae, Dasyatidae, Gymnuridae,
and Mobulidae
The stingrays are a large and rather diverse group, most
of which have a greatly attened disc and whiplike
tail with one or more serrated stinging spines that are
readily replaced when they become old or worn. This
group includes both the smallest and largest batoids. Most
are bottom-dwellers, occurring in shallow inshore waters,
bays, estuaries and sloughs, but some are also found
in deeper waters. At least one species of stingray and
all mantas and mobulas are epipelagic, occurring in the
upper water column of the open ocean.
The stingrays bear live young and are unique among the
elasmobranchs in their method of nourishing the developing embryo. A nutritive uid called uterine milk is
secreted from hair like processes called trophonemata,
which line the oviduct wall. Adults feed on soft benthic
invertebrates, mollusks, crustaceans, and benthic, midwater, and schooling nektonic shes.
Rays are usually popular when displayed in public aquaria;
bat rays are especially suited for shallow petting tanks.
Although used by cultures throughout the world for food,
myliobatidiform rays are of little interest to California
commercial shermen, who mostly consider them a nuisance. Because most species have a stinging spine, care
should be taken when handling them.
The round stingray (Urolophus halleri), our most common
stingray, has a nearly round disc and short, stout tail
with well-developed caudal n and stinging spine. It
ranges from northern California to Panama, but is most
abundant south of Point Conception. A benthic species

A Status Report
259
Skates and Rays
with restricted habitat requirements, this ray is limited to

a relatively shallow coastal zone at depths from three to
100 feet, occurring primarily in water less than 50 feet
deep. It can be found off beaches and in protected bays,
sloughs, channels and inlets, where it inhabits loose sand
or mud bottoms.
The round stingrays stinging spine is located far enough
back on its tail to afford a powerful stinging reex. When
large numbers of round stingrays congregate off beaches,
injuries to bathers can result. This danger can usually
be avoided, however, by shufing ones feet or pushing
a stick along the bottom. Injuries from the spine may
also result when rays are removed from nets or hooks.
While the wounds do not appear to be fatal, they can
be severely painful, and can cause vomiting, diarrhea,
sweating, cramps, and difculty breathing.
The bat ray (Myliobatis californica) is a common seasonal
inhabitant of shallow inshore waters from Oregon to the
Gulf of California. It occurs in muddy or sandy bays and
sloughs as well as rocky areas and in kelp beds from near
the surface to depths of 150 feet.
Gestation is estimated to take from nine to 12 months,
with two to 12 young per litter. Size range at birth is 8.7
to 13.8 inches disc width (wingtip to wingtip). Onset of
sexual maturity in males occurs at an age of two to three
years and a disc width of 17.7 to 24.5 inches; maturity in
females occurs at ve to seven years and disc width of
35 to 40 inches.
Female bat rays reach a greater size than males, attaining
a maximum disc width of 70.9 inches and weight of 210
pounds. The largest reported male is 40 inches wide
at a weight of 37 pounds. Bat rays grow slowly, reach
sexual maturity relatively late, have few young, and seem
to be fairly long-lived. A 60-inch disc width female was
estimated to be 24 years old.
Bat rays feed on clams, abalones, oysters, marine snails,
worms, shrimps, and crabs. Bat ray predation on oysters
is a major reason for the fencing seen around commercial
oyster beds. Pieces of backbone (centra), tooth plates,
and sting fragments have been identied from coastal
shell-mounds, suggesting that bat rays were a regular diet
item of early California natives.
The diamond stingray (Dasyatis brevis) is found in shallow
waters to a depth of 55 feet. It ranges from southern
California (with a possible record from British Columbia) to
Peru inhabiting sand and mud bottoms, often around kelp
beds. Maximum reported size is 38.5 inches disc width.
A truly open ocean species, the pelagic stingray (Pteroplatytrygon violacea) is commonly found swimming in
open water well above the bottom. Found worldwide in
warm-temperate and tropical waters the pelagic stingray
260

A Status Report
reaches a maximum disc width of 32 inches. It is a frequent incidental catch of drift longline gear.
The California buttery ray (Gymnura marmorata) inhabits shallow bays and sandy beaches. It has a very wide
disc, reaching widths up to ve feet. The buttery ray is
found from Point Conception to Peru, including the Gulf
of California.
Found worldwide in tropical seas the Pacic manta (Manta
birostris) is seen on rare occasions in southern California.
The manta can reach a maximum width of 25 feet.
Its close relative, the mobula (Mobula japonica), which
occurs in temperate waters of the Pacic, is also rarely
seen in southern California. Mobulas are smaller than
mantas, reaching a maximum width of four to seven feet.
Mantas and mobulas are unique among the batoids in
being lter feeders. They pass huge volumes of water
across complex lter plates at the gills, straining out small
pelagic crustaceans and schooling shes.
ased on existing data, little can be said about the

current or past population levels of Californias skates
and rays. While landings are increasing dramatically, this
may or may not reect an actual threat to the resource.
Fish that were discarded in the past, dead and alive, are
now being retained and landed. The increase in landings,
however, certainly warrants close monitoring. Although
some skate species may have higher growth rates than
other elasmobranchs, compared with bony shes they
have slow growth rates, late age at maturity, and
low fecundity. Other regions have already witnessed
decreases in skate and ray populations. In Japan and the
Irish Sea, landings have decreased and overshing has
apparently occurred.
The impact of sport sheries on skates and rays is relatively unknown. Data from 48 shark derbies in Elkhorn
Slough from 1950 to 1990 show, however, that shovelnose
guitarsh, which in the 1950s and 1960s were the second,
and in some years the most abundantly caught elasmobranch, virtually disappeared from the catch in later
years. In the 1990s, there was a two-thirds decrease in
the catch-per-unit effort for bat rays compared to the
1950s catch rates in these derbies. Pacic States Marine
Fisheries Commission recreational sheries sampling, however, shows continued catches of bat rays, big skates,
shovelnose guitarsh, and thornback. The total numbers
caught are hard to determine from the numbers of sampled skates and rays, as sampled catch numbers vary
widely from year to year.

December 2001
References

Compagno, L.J.V., 1999. Systematics and body form. ed.:

William C. Hamlett, In: Sharks, skates, and rays: the biology of elasmobranch shes. Johns Hopkins University
Press, pp. 1-42.
George D. Zorzi
California Academy of Sciences
Linda K. Martin
Monterey Bay Aquarium
Revised by:
John Ugoretz
Ferguson, A., and G. Cailliet. 1990. Sharks and rays of

the Pacic coast. Monterey Bay Aquarium Foundation,
Monterey, Calif. 1-64.
Skates and Rays
Love, M. 2000. Probably more than you want to know

about the shes of the Pacic coast. Really Big Press,
Santa Barbara, Calif. 381 pp.
Martin, L., and G.D. Zorzi. 1993. Status and review of
the California skate shery. In: Conservation Biology of
Elasmobranchs, NOAA Technical Report, NMFS 115:39-52.
McEachran, J.D., and K.A. Dunn. 1998. Phylogenetic
analysis of skates, a morphologically conservative clade
of elasmobranchs (Chondrichthyes: Rajidae). Copeia
2:271-290.
Roedel, P.M., and W.E. Ripley. 1950. California sharks and
rays. Calif. Dept. Fish and Game. Fish Bull. 75:1-88.

December 2001

A Status Report
261
Skates and Rays

262

A Status Report

December 2001
Year
Cabezon
Pounds
California
Barracuda
Pounds
Pacific
Bonito
Pounds
1916
1917
1918
1919
1920
1921
1922
1923
1924
1925
1926
1927
1928
1929
1930
1931
1932
1933
1934
1935
1936
1937
1938
1939
1940
1941
1942
1943
1944
1945
1946
1947
1948
1949
1950
1951
1952
1953
1954
1955
1956
1957
1958
1959
1960
1961
1962
1963
1964
1965
1966
1967
1968
1969
1970
1971
1972
1973
1974
1975
1976
1977
1978
1979
569
434
167
------------------3,352
---752
2,628
1,196
1,046
1,115
4,678
4,265
5,265
10,537
18,468
8,189
5,425
4,023
3,392
13,346
2,312
7,532
3,906
4,417
7,860
4,526
8,202
16,073
21,679
23,875
34,556
13,365
6,262
6,944
12,415
13,206
19,612
9,508
3,067
4,952
2,474
2,811
5,281
7,438
12,599
14,284
20,106
25,837
10,698
4,518
5,853
4,554
14,901
7,332
19,166
12,150
28,781
50,327
2,687,362
3,060,323
4,837,284
5,824,957
8,201,335
7,625,162
6,250,218
7,200,575
7,128,523
8,036,449
5,022,464
6,199,739
6,452,456
5,228,610
4,763,766
4,177,538
2,926,775
3,072,962
2,182,822
2,617,824
2,977,842
2,938,490
2,529,812
4,092,054
3,714,832
4,201,928
3,454,537
3,775,338
3,648,308
3,873,257
3,107,024
2,665,745
2,125,737
2,457,684
2,258,415
2,106,928
2,094,206
1,438,846
1,562,739
1,140,959
752,527
682,666
915,259
1,152,601
1,229,668
709,379
746,476
378,714
334,140
362,058
319,116
313,184
140,500
74,593
24,588
17,264
13,915
37,605
36,498
58,597
162,091
77,119
48,437
37,327
480,406
889,376
2,441,714
3,509,098
873,648
324,737
957,942
1,115,247
1,045,282
879,166
3,121,604
1,718,008
2,107,089
2,918,544
5,164,260
3,079,673
2,862,286
2,252,199
3,202,694
7,896,484
7,215,916
7,808,070
7,839,993
9,918,875
5,291,140
10,907,602
1,650,689
2,282,299
818,871
2,714,181
5,625,648
13,697,183
9,135,126
1,829,541
695,614
776,803
2,142,517
3,102,647
2,319,060
136,990
127,614
219,149
5,546,806
3,011,616
1,250,544
8,512,972
2,134,902
4,022,522
2,612,269
5,638,340
19,148,494
21,219,431
14,921,929
17,201,847
9,192,304
20,268,984
22,312,627
30,787,731
18,817,766
31,873,688
8,896,859
22,547,605
7,882,396
3,960,071
White
Croaker 1
Pounds
779,287
835,259
1,014,820
609,175
461,459
391,085
581,863
411,564
384,317
536,654
484,921
529,267
441,758
476,497
457,167
414,034
447,531
564,274
634,345
768,676
652,134
645,759
493,209
542,901
412,228
325,155
284,225
396,633
367,701
459,515
437,023
458,686
643,123
764,429
750,722
682,269
3,273,702
1,201,134
913,802
819,488
889,870
535,362
770,534
1,534,382
1,078,119
889,164
687,633
551,059
838,584
1,135,566
790,997
496,378
941,304
525,514
564,871
334,395
373,410
227,096
514,317
577,785
497,961
588,551
422,288
716,315

December 2001
Arrowtooth
Flounder 2
Pounds
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------74,309
59,801
112,913
88,367
550,457
748,249
1,070,597
933,715
643,880
787,254
1,007,679
60,659
53,326
17,345
9,735
11,595
3,503
6,041
13,400
9,986
6,120
2,661
163,947
236,244
210,510
70,714
185,228
222,300
206,603
238,203
Starry
Flounder 3
Pounds
453,916
1,151,876
818,835
435,731
481,581
293,656
539,220
508,961
379,770
594,420
667,711
590,064
399,880
580,752
391,096
169,806
543,806
457,998
537,164
656,113
621,186
974,770
542,812
739,311
804,089
601,577
370,125
505,399
366,520
337,543
509,448
527,072
405,251
356,374
913,765
1,128,892
597,477
502526
500,550
650,180
375,400
504,461
471,202
1,046,926
259,038
315,337
338,192
521,310
420,986
378,389
380,628
870,707
856,157
374,840
-------------------------------
California
Halibut
Pounds
Lingcod
Pounds
4,052,173
4,379,312
4,624,218
4,698,123
4,279,582
3,653,861
3,254,505
2,229,381
2,576,882
2,452,551
1,349,031
1,303,559
1,187,651
1,102,573
1,097,760
969,773
949,702
989,649
1,037,008
1,575,863
1,582,907
1,207,235
1,078,229
991,621
948,457
706,650
750,539
1,111,998
1,485,463
1,748,821
2,457,187
1,787,901
1,306,629
1,256,435
1,092,748
868,201
525,402
530,315
661,331
509,742
455,659
376,815
267,446
354,242
376,263
654,554
863,086
1,120,369
1,276,105
1,243,718
1,011,412
838,058
671,654
274,277
257,444
336,871
309,245
273,526
306,479
508,913
628,400
467,862
441,440
665,546
617,236
930,519
915,836
1,063,136
687,954
425,543
568,481
467,347
400,432
683,130
649,902
556,308
853,537
1,167,120
1,288,172
1,229,088
899,912
1,088,955
857,600
1,017,455
758,547
968,258
646,004
576,972
692,243
529,772
314,334
719,318
746,039
758,395
1,156,127
1,940,747
2,056,088
1,656,184
1,915,905
1,672,114
1,366,279
952,103
947,383
964,926
931,311
1,639,654
1,599,515
1,406,297
1,307,129
1,439,943
1,112,204
1,133,008
836,377
812,690
800,303
938,655
1,094,054
1,113,508
1,531,399
2,097,949
3,246,186
3,559,621
3,824,107
3,190,195
3,120,220
1,694,539
2,015,460
3,161,120

A Status Report
Commercial Landings - Nearshore Finfish
Commercial Landings Nearshore Finfish
263

264
Commercial Landings Nearshore Finfish, contd

Year
Cabezon
Pounds
California
Barracuda
Pounds
Pacific
Bonito
Pounds
1980
1981
1982
1983
1984
1985
1986
1987
1988
1989
1990
1991
1992
1993
1994
1995
1996
1997
1998
1999
60,146
53,460
62,214
20,515
14,741
22,506
16,000
6,884
12,746
25,012
25,996
16,293
36,535
39,312
82,924
193,814
245,230
264,754
372,760
302,563
66,553
67,594
73,394
21,256
28,660
68,025
56,143
113,258
138,067
133,262
169,931
341,646
81,210
109,812
300,832
302,790
369,134
145,377
131,131
202,726
14,242,114
16,615,051
6,062,617
8,154,181
6,179,690
6,089,254
532,778
11,140,031
8,682,920
2,406,757
9,577,955
562,060
2,337,818
1,047,606
921,160
157,439
980,576
641,598
2,495,167
191,269
White
Croaker 1
Pounds
1,064,141
978,734
1,331,801
783,153
1,491,487
1,437,132
1,245,317
912,963
1,135,763
1,027,804
774,869
995,435
715,950
714,249
474,552
565,144
529,272
345,034
142,441
203,061
Arrowtooth
Flounder 2
Pounds
Starry
Flounder 3
Pounds
California
Halibut
Pounds
Lingcod
Pounds
122,820
105,550
106,414
54,405
71,409
83,297
41,452
100,182
79,997
62,465
119,468
345,090
218,173
125,347
161,936
259,994
110,415
104,739
82,096
94,301
------2,551
104,066
468,753
383,797
276,110
210,976
217,402
135,945
80,397
102,938
78,185
41,897
33,244
25,580
49,286
94,591
100,303
76,462
726,852
1,262,265
1,214,375
1,130,581
1,107,332
1,256,375
1,184,090
1,188,881
1,114,559
1,213,193
924,448
1,041,167
885,346
746,559
534,723
771,628
914,236
1,325,175
1,185,177
1,313,150
2,810,797
2,839,852
3,036,923
1,976,790
2,095,429
1,531,569
1,153,820
1,858,678
1,958,700
2,790,853
2,345,841
1,735,834
1,351,434
1,519,828
1,251,353
1,185,394
1,066,023
1,132,160
331,705
312,445

1
Landings for White Croaker for 1916-1969 include Queen Fish,
2
Arrowtooth flounder were aggregated under unclassified sole prior to 1950. The drop in landings following 1959 reflects the elimination of recording catch utilized.
3
Starry Founder were aggregated under unspecified flounders from 1970 until 1982.
4
Yellowtail landings include fish caught south of the State but landed in California.

A Status Report

December 2001
Year
Monkeyface
Prickleback
Pounds
Opaleye
Pounds
Sanddab
Pounds
California
Scorpionfish
Pounds
Giant
Sea Bass
Pounds
California
Sheephead
Pounds
Silversides
Pounds
1916
1917
1918
1919
1920
1921
1922
1923
1924
1925
1926
1927
1928
1929
1930
1931
1932
1933
1934
1935
1936
1937
1938
1939
1940
1941
1942
1943
1944
1945
1946
1947
1948
1949
1950
1951
1952
1953
1954
1955
1956
1957
1958
1959
1960
1961
1962
1963
1964
1965
1966
1967
1968
1969
1970
1971
1972
1973
1974
1975
1976
1977
1978
1979
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
---------------------------------------------17,913
15,279
4,272
3,896
1,424
1,781
1,778
100
20
39
---66
17
7
------1,519
564
954
6,278
1,006
525
392
9,164
6,117
3,433
5,198
2,351
4,866
1,208
2,337
1,674
4,378
2,001
3,149
19,432
17,298
11,173
15,929
22,452
5,281
---23,688
---2,654
------3,591
5,335
2,228,734
2,631,862
1,751,609
709,738
721,810
784,011
1,170,979
1,363,911
1,699,832
1,952,847
1,143,935
892,718
1,108,764
1,051,868
616,349
472,805
665,345
562,994
767,025
675,597
621,675
516,195
639,328
821,204
779,078
442,487
353,540
505,338
551,269
592,062
679,072
701,413
804,695
722,183
690,621
543,821
659,874
690,443
753,471
781,564
789,280
692,083
406,438
466,684
348,373
562,964
679,911
555,783
589,526
479,041
720,101
687,168
714,622
696,482
678,505
785,401
920,822
904,001
975,276
1,015,557
1,293,872
809,615
743,206
1,322,739
8,014
17,425
28,237
25,432
35,674
58,380
42,121
60,466
109,070
223,104
108,068
113,457
97,083
107,797
88,610
91,688
85,503
64,160
65,939
69,549
110,417
137,312
155,386
128,628
122,133
95,287
44,332
42,550
57,270
94,656
145,129
127,048
155,076
148,367
139,523
101,437
83,610
119,628
134,310
108,056
100,232
73,268
64,872
37,342
29,203
26,718
57,951
75,521
94,225
82,736
108,499
82,656
125,175
115,471
154,961
131,144
132,016
158,860
157,833
173,452
173,675
116,734
71,209
32,745
153,440
158,380
248,795
185,270
148,037
127,431
97,354
226,995
231,404
189,072
377,934
467,595
382,115
404,386
394,009
502,064
473,846
453,023
861,498
631,759
398,595
715,584
407,826
460,943
366,683
409,537
378,780
700,855
434,880
330,168
432,561
244,304
188,011
114,401
150,796
277,484
313,494
411,979
350,276
365,487
331,318
242,353
216,027
249,909
241,690
340,363
446,209
303,579
222,715
351,750
340,967
230,604
158,421
154,761
129,541
117,258
95,313
90,837
80,439
59,291
56,128
49,363
66,227
40,942
3,549
5,906
22,978
17,972
14,567
23,925
18,205
31,628
24,267
48,811
138,927
159,397
372,677
288,422
243,689
198,347
89,591
58,609
143,552
188,022
128,577
81,466
72,031
71,361
62,352
49,119
50,258
151,048
168,653
249,584
267,125
193,489
100,227
63,524
66,209
61,410
36,231
35,426
29,184
13,152
6,575
11,033
11,366
10,233
4,740
12,602
20,327
28,011
17,934
12,153
15,984
19,628
12,750
13,285
3,805
8,854
7,084
3,072
3,721
6,031
8,325
6,409
11,144
8,819
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------11,256
42,766
8,686
60,121

December 2001

A Status Report
265

266

Year
Monkeyface
Prickleback
Pounds
Opaleye
Pounds
Sanddab
Pounds
California
Scorpionfish
Pounds
Giant
Sea Bass
Pounds
California
Sheephead
Pounds
Silversides
Pounds
1980
1981
1982
1983
1984
1985
1986
1987
1988
1989
1990
1991
1992
1993
1994
1995
1996
1997
1998
1999
------------------------------92
934
13
125
750
765
561
179
224
170
6,134
5,362
------4,041
4,253
3,583
4,599
12,104
8,690
6,939
1,278
4,124
3,777
6,017
963
986
358
1,717
939
1,280,474
942,163
1,057,614
565,839
553,068
971,417
981,297
1,175,880
1,164,144
1,408,187
1,433,861
1,232,085
623,219
773,906
1,499,812
1,493,536
1,738,110
2,046,029
1,428,411
2,069,189
59,168
56,284
62,264
31,719
24,984
34,501
15,544
28,823
29,869
17,639
8,407
1,452
77,323
58,877
113,123
90,740
76,444
95,880
112,822
86,675
38,623
37,903
6,999
3,740
11,118
11,809
12,953
12,037
12,337
8,760
7,259
11,741
-------------------------
9,105
12,910
11,776
12,634
25,098
28,500
29,252
33,711
29,345
33,039
123,526
191,774
258,502
314,151
259,099
253,827
252,266
366,440
261,498
129,585
33,685
16,683
88,770
87,864
49,881
8,563
4,902
1,115
9,358
5,751
3,590
4,786
3,660
5,279
15,188
6,591
36,824
41,029
2,571
2,562

1
Landings for White Croaker for 1916-1969 include Queen Fish,
2
Arrowtooth flounder were aggregated under unclassified sole prior to 1950. The drop in landings following 1959 reflects the elimination of recording catch utilized.
3
Starry Founder were aggregated under unspecified flounders from 1970 until 1982.
4
Yellowtail landings include fish caught south of the State but landed in California.

A Status Report

December 2001
Year
White
Seabass
Pounds
Surfperch
Pounds
Pacific Angel
Shark
Pounds
Leopard
Shark
Pounds
Soupfin
Shark
Pounds
Skates
Pounds
Turbot
Pounds
1916
1917
1918
1919
1920
1921
1922
1923
1924
1925
1926
1927
1928
1929
1930
1931
1932
1933
1934
1935
1936
1937
1938
1939
1940
1941
1942
1943
1944
1945
1946
1947
1948
1949
1950
1951
1952
1953
1954
1955
1956
1957
1958
1959
1960
1961
1962
1963
1964
1965
1966
1967
1968
1969
1970
1971
1972
1973
1974
1975
1976
1977
1978
1979
798,115
899,997
1,613,520
2,455,367
2,628,108
2,569,489
2,932,051
2,373,847
1,489,589
1,885,109
2,216,402
2,273,407
1,300,214
1,562,232
1,626,422
1,399,413
804,796
1,163,079
851,197
1,066,419
808,093
599,419
626,647
994,396
915,716
908,296
553,855
500,183
393,988
527,730
616,476
1,083,023
1,114,290
1,409,599
1,531,374
1,533,255
1,147,103
873,293
1,206,111
914,865
1,081,223
1,507,095
2,849,763
3,423,353
1,236,198
694,224
574,408
891,220
1,391,081
1,428,145
1,337,850
1,222,759
861,880
1,098,708
1,101,445
823,884
777,388
808,905
752,496
1,182,410
1,058,673
1,199,644
1,160,755
1,205,666
221,186
252,503
203,420
192,481
186,381
253,199
243,776
359,682
305,726
272,351
208,910
262,893
236,974
311,194
267,972
223,092
207,222
214,511
192,596
241,525
207,280
210,309
155,815
139,394
57,977
25,832
58,018
113,018
146,546
217,486
192,430
289,182
302,087
326,336
242,354
237,331
213,357
281,998
118,499
136,554
187,681
245,699
189,679
212,853
164,273
118,245
165,115
172,884
133,115
187,736
160,381
202,513
168,040
156,528
241,409
184,938
272,913
138,000
148,086
113,757
142,037
110,233
174,064
201,160
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------366
82,383
128,295
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------22,267
34,956
38,939
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------162,166
176,070
276,428
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------81,109
50419
---------119101
123464
---84634
---415669
136221
------171678
176896
240801
146934
299317
182178
216825
222705
153475
154014
196751
186350
106068
102,982
61,233
118,386
133,433
86,158
135,291
161,137
161,426
275,057
309,521
2,608
1,327
3,664
2,115
855
219
1,534
1,011
1,868
3,926
1,365
3,950
9,234
1,323
7,345
18,284
23,422
49,615
72,548
72,287
116,275
75,990
85,896
104,585
62,124
26,940
6,571
38,047
72,825
159,870
49,847
101,784
114,701
95,605
128,080
110,164
81,895
69,158
175,918
100,498
83,294
96,055
72,533
129,225
62,438
71,367
80,383
96,819
93,280
78,531
83,327
72,853
69,504
25,033
28,067
24,882
18,123
36,400
20,681
27,697
29,590
19,985
21,902
42,657

December 2001
Yellowtail 4
Pounds
1153394
2745995
11515372
5005265
2704937
2490796
3414423
4062608
4714149
3179891
5023114
4224853
2683514
3075264
4770756
2525853
1796364
3898888
2347161
8148718
10092470
5371475
6812318
2866288
5956804
9830690
2726269
4934879
2957171
3534052
4561583
9952854
10384694
7317740
3529901
4669736
9446979
5212383
1656778
164322
370887
508951
169630
231284
248633
380769
188421
69726
110099
127805
245207
150668
163177
234155
184223
390520
258071
235622
204957
210411
475931
1814650
460782
427612

A Status Report
267

268

Year
White
Seabass
Pounds
Surfperch
Pounds
Pacific Angel
Shark
Pounds
Leopard
Shark
Pounds
Soupfin
Shark
Pounds
Skates
Pounds
Turbot
Pounds
Yellowtail 4
Pounds
1980
1981
1982
1983
1984
1985
1986
1987
1988
1989
1990
1991
1992
1993
1994
1995
1996
1997
1998
1999
997,412
776,033
70,795
77,964
118,099
125,380
106,671
116,490
107,619
116,023
133,692
163,803
125,149
100,060
78,932
73,293
96,162
58,554
156,734
247,188
162,952
182,675
367,704
211,556
182,120
122,078
124,983
145,751
107,284
118,010
137,745
104,778
129,662
111,261
93,672
89,643
85,279
76,512
73,731
49,396
112,051
268,640
318,960
360,323
633,273
1,248,487
1,241,130
940,187
491,348
268,252
250,850
181,765
123,554
66,654
23,230
19,711
17,995
33,673
55,342
53,375
40,085
51,506
70,610
101,309
67,855
75,838
74,741
55,371
41,737
50,459
41,295
47,742
42,242
52,150
27,559
18,660
13,849
20,508
26,206
25,484
192,336
264,938
250,504
177,770
278,541
277,740
212,279
201,489
140,566
165,324
125,726
105,010
95,779
77,452
79,455
63,911
83,868
84,933
78,446
98,326
155,216
631,420
287,808
185,690
116,293
195,837
150,125
169,712
127,861
174,659
143,754
113,222
103,468
78,070
93,391
413,278
1,830,094
2,965,344
1,836,803
1,872,076
21,238
33,776
47,358
46,803
23,053
29,729
19,847
42,582
23,810
30,574
20,164
20,574
26,855
17,262
10,055
14,961
16,450
20,905
11,473
8,020
365176
347297
75109
171956
132165
259759
57746
56866
85131
28329
40267
21560
15281
59066
31992
9789
29680
73428
244858
66175
---- Catch data not available

1
No. of Fish - All data presented in number of fish.
2
Recreational catch as reported by CPFV logbooks for the years shown
3
Data source RecFin Data base for all fishing modes, corrected to reflect actual DFG CPFV logbook catch for 1991-1999
4
Data source RecFin Data base for all fishing modes, data not availbale for 1990-1992
5
Kelp and Barred Sand Bass CPFV logbook data combined prior to 1972. The combined Kelp and Barred Sand Bass data after 1972 includes catches reported for Kelp Bass, Barred
Sand Bass, and combined catches.
6
White Croaker catch data set includes queenfish.

A Status Report

December 2001
Year
California
Barracuda
No. of Fish1, 2
Barred
Sand Bass
No. of Fish1, 3
1947
1948
1949
1950
1951
1952
1953
1954
1955
1956
1957
1958
1959
1960
1961
1962
1963
1964
1965
1966
1967
1968
1969
1970
1971
1972
1973
1974
1975
1976
1977
1978
1979
1980
1981
1982
1983
1984
1985
1986
1987
1988
1989
1990
1991
1992
1993
1994
1995
1996
1997
1998
1999
677,449
384,056
366,423
256,367
269,545
336,862
170,550
282,552
154,962
87,603
577,184
782,723
1,195,585
755,408
391,884
335,507
483,699
303,070
443,304
892,697
470,480
372,246
358,518
373,801
50,474
38,243
92,483
55,284
26,289
107,557
48,701
73,174
69,434
27,909
69,924
73,135
81,989
87,414
75,448
88,118
157,913
148,058
137,222
196,030
177,390
248,055
203,693
268,219
326,868
271,859
334,704
455,803
386,318
------------------------------------------------------------------------------35,698
178,534
106,804
156,056
118,545
110,377
169,337
229,107
237,084
273,828
158,353
136,612
299,152
265,014
408,635
451,125
421,110
423,885
495,784
363,304
313,390
286,444
350,540
604,132
490,048
377,890
435,778
Kelp
Kelp and
Bass Barred Sand Bass
No. of Fish1, 3
No. of Fish1, 2, 5
------------------------------------------------------------------------------14,609
245,683
353,463
485,280
272,705
360,277
290,448
355,950
501,927
312,891
304,645
222,771
273,299
435,516
325,685
319,629
393,892
439,701
321,926
463,673
355,088
276,087
231,687
282,673
335,127
233,591
129,475
682,789
630,223
796,959
619,397
781,609
536,075
711,395
876,667
497,343
470,362
609,071
653,671
428,426
478,656
613,604
789,149
1,219,344
1,103,394
1,230,313
1,278,939
1,003,914
1,317,963
1,246,175
922,260
948,121
842,681
656,186
618,026
499,679
655,810
398,089
476,982
462,980
585,432
739,562
587,349
463,270
359,913
572,620
700,602
734,323
770,780
815,065
863,586
817,714
827,130
668,563
562,531
582,227
886,805
825,175
611,481
742,081
Spotted
Sand Bass
No. of Fish1, 4
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------149,000
201,000
138,000
231,000
297,000
310,000
537,000
255,000
423,000
------------367,000
273,000
319,000
298,000
347,000
219,000
189,000
Giant Sea
Bass
No. of Fish1, 2
160
439
212
179
261
92
135
102
162
74
151
203
184
228
310
390
598
353
580
548
622
496
653
487
598
244
816
419
228
561
205
140
574
653
221
45
13
97
81
74
41
41
73
109
16
20
48
50
32
3
2
12
12
Pacific
Bonito
No. of Fish1, 2
36,496
14,519
5,372
2,359
14,475
7,649
6,321
70,078
22,409
61,404
258,555
422,568
776,386
1,199,919
849,426
798,725
775,719
1,298,804
806,322
644,415
349,952
1,102,936
1,130,241
651,898
152,795
418,984
472,451
141,619
80,438
197,382
161,962
315,643
538,476
560,508
654,051
218,478
348,050
377,678
120,139
340,480
517,523
250,495
339,382
263,007
116,451
115,866
139,567
106,280
39,995
72,665
102,474
57,655
2,810
Cabezon
No. of Fish1, 2
9,886
14,590
14,125
15,971
18,029
10,847
9,650
13,132
12,366
18,195
14,479
9,909
5,329
2,516
2,639
4,538
9,726
6,491
7,575
10,293
5,419
4,349
4,583
6,372
4,611
11,452
7,551
6,964
6,433
6,445
5,620
8,887
5,469
6,208
5,830
5,247
3,758
1,759
1,760
4,386
4,773
5,418
6,353
6,713
4,555
5,199
2,812
1,866
1,810
3,003
3,133
2,579
2,905
Recreational Catch - Nearshore Finfish
Recreational Catch Nearshore Finfish

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269
Recreational Catch Nearshore Finfish, contd

Year
1947
1948
1949
1950
1951
1952
1953
1954
1955
1956
1957
1958
1959
1960
1961
1962
1963
1964
1965
1966
1967
1968
1969
1970
1971
1972
1973
1974
1975
1976
1977
1978
1979
1980
1981
1982
1983
1984
1985
1986
1987
1988
1989
1990
1991
1992
1993
1994
1995
1996
1997
1998
1999
White
Croaker
No. of Fish1, 2, 6
58,034
89,825
121,053
76,765
62,945
77,948
57,606
66,964
27,349
16,289
8,648
20,000
6,895
8,633
21,782
27,256
37,225
23,269
21,448
17,285
20,590
10,906
15,273
18,519
21,112
38,811
29,158
27,521
27,456
21,165
20,122
17,630
11,834
27,461
9,228
10,162
7,738
4,649
3,166
11,981
3,225
121,478
15,062
4,861
16,768
4,824
11,449
6,042
17,084
26,323
9,960
6,917
10,744
Yellowfin
Croaker
No. of Fish1, 2
8,166
3,667
3,032
999
663
708
1,367
2,411
595
1,099
275
95
132
275
325
778
562
993
1,386
1,619
645
211
1,351
770
2,230
597
627
176
1,390
278
139
285
199
123
537
549
112
587
234
295
289
875
4,274
661
1,098
371
1,354
1,544
2,084
880
616
1,204
506
Kelp
Greenling
No. of Fish1, 4
Other
Greenlings
No. of Fish1, 4
California
Halibut
No. of Fish1, 2
Lingcod
No. of Fish1, 2
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------5,535
47,183
90,545
61,001
62,615
63,019
74,065
131,689
85,196
85,736
---------61,044
58,892
49,636
55,389
29,901
20,346
16,504
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------582
30,739
19,275
23,777
18,653
29,649
28,783
30,861
26,413
19,306
---------10,585
21,567
23,615
35,751
21,822
47,183
4,080
104,436
143,462
104,639
85,935
59,295
34,158
34,292
59,674
35,802
21,661
10,795
16,192
25,365
48,310
108,011
118,966
125,669
141,465
118,213
88,726
63,582
54,663
27,634
29,968
10,598
8,140
9,622
10,292
9,118
10,075
6,982
5,409
6,329
6,517
11,440
11,804
5,682
3,209
7,090
7,848
7,560
11,926
9,116
6,658
5,984
4,341
5,335
7,549
19,345
19,092
15,846
12,191
14,339
22,011
24,406
26,131
23,868
24,052
17,389
13,011
22,940
29,113
37,649
38,012
39,801
31,206
28,232
23,466
25,399
27,513
25,263
33,260
44,676
43,559
42,449
32,693
61,833
63,239
103,965
80,778
79,685
88,976
80,863
46,521
65,869
75,826
89,349
65,604
49,791
30,543
23,797
20,603
25,585
42,504
66,597
76,517
59,845
49,824
43,251
38,323
31,091
30,542
29,734
36,218
20,386
26,847
Monkeyface
Prickleback
No. of Fish1, 4
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------2,503
16,910
9,874
3,269
2,026
1,516
8,179
21,244
8,388
---------11,375
1,227
3,953
1,656
1,079
2,110
551
Blk & Yellow

Rockfish
No. of Fish1, 4
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------2,873
11,165
18,827
32,282
64,747
101,962
37,024
23,780
30,550
27,415
---------68,742
32,901
25,612
9,704
8,201
14,178
15,078

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December 2001
Year
Black
Rockfish
No. of Fish1, 4
Blue
Rockfish
No. of Fish1, 4
Brown
Rockfish
No. of Fish1, 4
Calico
Rockfish
No. of Fish1, 4
China
Rockfish
No. of Fish1, 4
Copper
Rockfish
No. of Fish1, 4
Gopher
Rockfish
No. of Fish1, 4
Grass
Rockfish
No. of Fish1, 4
1947
1948
1949
1950
1951
1952
1953
1954
1955
1956
1957
1958
1959
1960
1961
1962
1963
1964
1965
1966
1967
1968
1969
1970
1971
1972
1973
1974
1975
1976
1977
1978
1979
1980
1981
1982
1983
1984
1985
1986
1987
1988
1989
1990
1991
1992
1993
1994
1995
1996
1997
1998
1999
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------50,951
350,763
431,844
198,192
474,352
533,936
442,879
258,788
329,358
306,667
---------421,554
313,817
255,659
182,263
133,483
77,780
187,786
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------517,610
1,514,280
1,929,444
1,327,726
1,400,043
1,111,013
733,148
1,029,206
911,028
564,761
---------1,643,812
413,219
310,691
383,204
447,897
413,373
461,444
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------74,064
84,474
117,438
137,383
285,695
259,985
292,393
171,218
351,357
145,565
---------141,836
47,965
70,253
80,335
78,202
60,707
106,390
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------11,798
2,224
9,384
4,594
22,492
8,802
3,523
22,281
9,084
---------2,932
4,958
9,166
6,137
3,360
3,333
4,758
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------7,770
14,512
38,413
23,290
22,229
38,656
62,273
72,216
56,307
49,499
---------48,831
45,130
38,337
29,078
9,091
7,985
23,473
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------189,428
437,077
271,800
102,643
129,170
189,013
159,723
83,868
182,081
109,824
---------117,518
73,600
59,617
92,907
30,026
49,632
69,736
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------36,771
29,999
22,427
190,248
356,589
449,470
454,368
378,773
220,296
172,187
---------287,503
208,224
87,390
101,182
73,816
83,305
139,289
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------3,264
44,284
48,854
92,726
72,028
102,049
60,549
42,010
65,149
12,338
---------26,865
11,522
14,047
11,848
17,188
13,697
10,724

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A Status Report
271

Year
Kelp
Rockfish
No. of Fish1, 4
Olive
Rockfish
No. of Fish1, 4
1947
1948
1949
1950
1951
1952
1953
1954
1955
1956
1957
1958
1959
1960
1961
1962
1963
1964
1965
1966
1967
1968
1969
1970
1971
1972
1973
1974
1975
1976
1977
1978
1979
1980
1981
1982
1983
1984
1985
1986
1987
1988
1989
1990
1991
1992
1993
1994
1995
1996
1997
1998
1999
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------2,690
63,346
19,380
55,608
94,097
87,811
66,766
27,662
31,884
33,603
---------45,015
65,578
50,034
30,248
31,058
12,915
19,554
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------81,231
249,843
327,679
313,474
299,704
217,905
168,991
200,751
120,961
94,760
---------206,164
115,519
58,382
50,194
62,620
45,207
59,489
Quillback
Rockfish
No. of Fish1, 4
California
Scorpionfish
No. of Fish1, 2
White
Seabass
No. of Fish1, 2
California
Sheephead
No. of Fish1, 2
Treefish
No. of Fish1, 4
Yellowtail
No. of Fish1, 2
26,062
52,554
37,030
53,419
35,721
39,068
28,952
33,462
28,613
36,558
13,473
13,743
11,477
15,111
26,672
33,314
53,896
73,844
71,888
69,851
63,280
59,863
63,011
82,522
84,913
65,886
83,475
85,956
81,438
47,524
73,214
44,114
64,226
95,615
73,362
67,339
50,834
46,538
66,762
72,675
59,125
132,520
163,552
160,948
181,755
77,290
69,570
90,665
94,398
119,492
141,354
119,620
225,726
20,724
24,078
65,545
54,718
44,367
41,043
28,182
41,588
30,103
19,755
19,030
34,039
10,593
15,697
14,082
14,564
19,800
14,901
9,775
3,972
3,385
4,138
4,056
4,359
5,265
3,858
7,083
4,003
3,158
2,671
2,096
433
1,352
1,002
887
1,899
1,003
973
1,045
1,634
616
2,383
1,365
2,563
1,743
698
1,403
2,519
4,266
1,452
1,730
1,365
11,517
13,004
17,261
15,440
14,281
20,416
16,481
17,349
21,499
14,102
14,789
15,105
18,120
17,146
11,541
15,210
13,488
18,443
26,822
41,651
52,967
42,676
33,075
49,626
39,464
38,300
33,541
46,234
30,379
30,496
32,926
28,512
34,409
31,995
34,368
46,479
37,242
68,972
38,522
35,934
36,707
21,072
31,701
23,612
34,374
43,150
25,778
26,910
19,955
23,737
23,455
25,788
18,363
23,089
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------8,033
16,911
25,849
31,712
24,886
34,310
26,974
14,954
13,319
20,835
---------32,982
31,000
51,834
52,777
19,745
23,101
40,339
6,948
13,028
17,710
6,971
23,721
59,263
27,702
40,872
36,468
29,198
242,686
123,384
457,350
254,969
42,367
21,826
45,705
39,104
18,367
80,163
31,392
58,049
79,202
97,376
44,608
59,031
221,287
121,149
19,742
28,962
34,141
38,528
71,483
44,246
88,911
37,308
178,688
96,018
45,509
42,005
58,537
68,020
61,746
69,805
14,195
40,834
35,681
19,882
29,445
66,763
398,345
250,857
78,466
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------361
3,109
2,245
18,117
4,190
5,106
7,326
1,798
3,647
4,531
---------27,216
4,609
3,102
1,777
3,940
889
6,295

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A Status Report

December 2001
bounty of marine algae ourishes along the coast

of California, providing habitats and food for invertebrates, shes and marine mammals in nearshore communities rivaling the richness and diversity of coral reefs.
Our states marine ora includes over 700 species and
varieties of seaweeds: lamentous and eshy red algae, as
well as animal-like corallines; brown algae, including the
distinctive, leathery kelps; delicate green algae and a few
sea grasses. The undersea vegetation is sustained by our
nutrient-rich coastal waters. The diversity of undersea life
is enhanced by the variety of living conditions, and the
range of wave exposures and substrates available from
protected, muddy inlets to granitic outcrops exposed to
crashing, open ocean waves.
California seaweeds have been collected from the wild
since the mid-19th century when they were dried and
shipped to San Francisco and China. In some cases, intertidal rocks were charred with gasoline torches or
burning wood to clear off herbivores and less desirable
seaweeds and allow better recruitment and growth of
edible red algae, such as nori (Porphyra). A variety of
species has been collected on a small scale for commercial sale or home use: wakame (Alaria), kombu
(Laminaria), sea palm (Postelsia), bladderwrack (Fucus),
bull kelp (Nereocystis), and the green sea lettuce
(Ulva.) The giant kelp, Macrocystis pyrifera, an important
source of the gelling compound alginate for industrial
uses, has been harvested mechanically by commercial
harvesting ships. The giant kelp has also been hand-harvested for aquacultural use as abalone food. As pharmaceutical research for new medicines targeted marine
organisms for testing, several varieties of seaweeds were
collected for screening as sources of antibiotic and anticancer compounds.
The value of nearshore seaweeds in recreational settings
has more recently gained public attention as a consequence, in part, of increased participation in ocean sports
and underwater photography, as well as the successful
cultivation and display of seaweeds in public aquariums.
Popular books, magazine articles and television programs
on marine topics reinforced the heightened awareness.
And, as coastal residents and visitors have come to appreciate seaweeds aesthetically and for their role of providing
food and habitats for invertebrates and shes, conicts
have developed over the perceived environmental and
aesthetic impacts of harvesting and appropriate uses of
these resources.
Plans for protection of our seaweeds and nearshore habitats are complicated by the very diversity of Californias

December 2001
marine ora. Never a case of one-size-ts-all, effective

management of these resources requires consideration of
each species cycle of life in each habitat. Is the species
an annual (such as the sea palm, Postelsia) or perennial
(such as the giant kelp, Macrocystis)? How abundant is the
species? When and where does it grow best? What parts
of the seaweed and how much could be harvested and
still sustain a healthy wild population? Where does new
growth occur: is it restricted to meristems at the tips
or is cell division diffuse along the length of the whole
structure? How fast can it recover from being trimmed?
Should specic reproductive structures (such as the sea
palms topknot of blades) be restricted from harvesters?
The seasonal weather patterns and seasonal cycles of
growth and reproduction affect plants in the sea, just as
they do on farmlands. But, as with crops on land, it is
rarely one sole factor that sets the stage.
Biological interactions (such as diseases or over-grazing by
sea urchins), pollution, catastrophic storms, and oceanographic conditions, such as El Nio and La Nia cause
changes in the distribution and abundance of seaweeds.
Warmer, nutrient-stressed El Nio conditions can deter
growth of giant kelp and the full development of its
canopy. With less canopy on the sea surface, more sunlight
penetrates to the understory kelps (such as the winged
kelp Pterygophora) which may grow and persist in spite
of lower nutrients. In contrast, the cold, nutrient-rich La
Nia conditions can lead to exceptional growth of giant
kelp and an extensive, shady canopy that can inhibit some
of the understory seaweeds.
Nearshore Marine
Plant Resources:
Overview
There is some evidence that people, even nature lovers,

can have negative effects on seaweed and animal communities. Researchers found that intertidal rocks in less
accessible coastal sites near Santa Cruz had greater diversity and abundance than sites with more human visitors.
And the state continues to attract additional human visitors and residents, with a population increase of 571,000
in 1999 alone. Our three largest cities (Los Angeles, San
Diego and San Jose) collectively gained 98,000 additional
residents that year. As Californias population continues
to increase, the state will harbor an estimated 41 million
residents by 2010. If tourism and coastal recreational
activities (such as tidepooling, kayaking, and surng) also
increase, the incidence of intertidal trampling and casual
collecting in popular beach locations will heighten. The
undersea vegetation that attracts so much recreational,
educational and commercial interest warrants thoughtful
management to ensure its continued richness and abundance along the coast of California.
Judith L. Connor
Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute

A Status Report
273

274

A Status Report

December 2001

December 2001

A Status Report
275
276

A Status Report

December 2001
Giant Kelp
V
arious species of kelp, including giant kelp (Macrocystis pyrifera) have been used for hundreds of years in
many parts of the world as food for humans and animals.
Kelp has also been used for many years in Asia and
Europe as a fertilizer and as a component of gunpowder.
Algin, found in the cell walls of kelp, is valuable as an
efcient thickening, stabilizing, suspending, and gelling
agent. Algin is used in a wide range of food and industrial
applications including desserts, gels, milk shake mixes,
dairy products, and canned foods. It is also used in salad
dressings to emulsify and stabilize them, in bakery products to improve texture and retain moisture, in frozen
foods to assure smooth texture and uniform thawing, and
in beer to stabilize the foam. In industrial applications,
it is used for paper coating and sizing, textile printing,
and welding-rod coatings. In pharmaceutical and cosmetic
applications, it is used to make tablets, dental impressions, antacid formulations, and facial creams and lotions.
Giant kelp is harvested in California to supply food to
several aquaculture companies for rearing abalones. It
is also used for the herring-roe-on-kelp shery in San
Francisco Bay.
Giant kelp was rst harvested along the California coast
during the early 1900s. Many harvesting companies operated from San Diego to Santa Barbara beginning in 1911.
Those companies primarily extracted potash and acetone
from kelp for use in manufacturing explosives during
World War I.
In the early 1920s, having lost the war demand, kelp
harvesting virtually stopped. In the late 1920s, giant kelp
was again harvested off California. Philip R. Park, Inc.,
of San Pedro began harvesting kelp in 1928 to provide
ingredients for livestock and poultry food. The following
year, Kelco Company of San Diego (now ISP Alginates, Inc.)
began harvesting and processing giant kelp.
Since 1917, kelp harvesting has been managed by the
California Department of Fish and Game (DFG) under regulations of the Fish and Game Commission. Although the
surface canopy can be harvested several times each year
without damage to the kelp bed, regulations state that
kelp may be cut no deeper than four feet beneath the
surface. There are 74 designated kelp beds and each is
numbered; a kelp harvesting permit is required. Specic
beds can be leased for 20 years; however, no more than
25 square miles or 50 percent of the total kelp bed
area (whichever is greater) can be exclusively leased by
a company holding a harvesting permit. In addition to
leased beds, there are open beds that can be harvested
by any company holding a permit. Permit holders pay an
additional royalty of $1.71 to $1.91 per wet-ton of kelp
harvested, depending on the international market price.

December 2001
Today, giant kelp is harvested on kelp beds from Imperial

Beach, near the U.S.-Mexico border, to Monterey Bay, California. Mexican harvesters in Ensenada provide another
source of kelp from beds off Baja California. Giant kelp is
one of Californias most valuable living marine resources
and in the mid-1980s supported an industry valued at more
than $40 million a year. The annual harvest has varied
from a high of 395,000 tons in 1918 to a low of less
than 1,000 tons in the late 1920s. Such uctuations are
primarily due to climate and natural growth cycles, as well
as market supply and demand. During the 10-year period
1970 to 1979, the harvest averaged nearly 157,000 tons,
while from 1980 to 1989 the average harvest was only
80,400 tons. The harvest was low in the 1980s because
the kelp forests were devastated by the 1982-1984 El Nio
and accompanying storms, and by the 200-year storm that
occurred in January 1988. In most areas, the beds of giant
kelp recovered quickly, with the return of cooler, nutrient
rich waters. Harvests in California increased to more than
130,000 tons in 1989 and to more than 150,000 tons in
1990. During the 1990s, increasing international competition from Japan for the low end, or less puried end of
the sodium alginate market caused ISP Alginates to reduce
harvests by about 50 percent. ISP Alginates anticipates
Californias harvest in this decade will be approximately
80,000 tons annually.
Giant Kelp
History of the Use and Harvest
Methods of harvesting are used to suit the harvesters purposes and needs. The ISP Alginates Company uses specially
designed vessels that have a cutting mechanism on the
stern and a system to convey the kelp into the harvester
bin. A propeller on the bow slowly pushes the harvester
stern-rst through the kelp bed, and the reciprocating
blades mounted at the base of the conveyor are lowered
to a depth of three feet into the kelp as harvesting begins.
The cut kelp is gathered on the conveyor and deposited in
the bin. These vessels can each collect up to 600 tons of
kelp in one day and to facilitate its harvesting operations,
the company conduct regular aerial surveys. The survey
Giant Kelp, Macrocystis pyrifera

Credit: DFG

A Status Report
277
Commercial Landings
1916-1999, Giant Kelp
Data Source: commercial
landing receipts.
Kelp landings consist primarily
of giant kelp; commercial kelp
harvest data is not available for
1921 through 1930.
Giant Kelp
thousands of tons landed
Giant Kelp
400
350
300
250
200
150
100
50
0
1916 1920
1930
1940
information is used to direct harvesting vessels to mature

areas of kelp canopy with sufcient density for harvesting.
The Pacic Kelp Company uses a modied U.S. Navy
landing craft with a cutting device and conveyor system
mounted on the bow to harvest giant kelp off central
California. The Pacic Kelp Company vessel holds approximately 25 tons of kelp. In contrast, for the herring-roe-onkelp shery, kelp is harvested by hand from small skiffs
or other small boats and then transported by truck to San
Francisco Bay.
orests of giant kelp occur in the temperate oceans of

the world. These forests are especially well developed
along the West Coast of North America from Punta
Abreojos, about midway down Baja California, Mexico,
to San Mateo County. They create a unique habitat that
provides food, shelter, substrate, and nursery areas for
nearly 800 animal and plant species. Many of these animals and some plants are of importance to sport and
commercial sheries.
1950
1960
1970
1980
1990
1999
and low ocean temperatures (50 to 60 F), fronds can

elongate up to 24 inches a day. Fronds can reach a length
of more than 150 feet, and large plants can have more
than 100 fronds. The fronds eventually mature, die, and
break away (slough) naturally, giving way to young fronds.
Although giant kelp plants can live up to eight years,
individual fronds survive for only about six to nine months,
and individual blades about four months.
Giant kelp reproduction involves two very different growth
forms, the large canopy-forming sporophyte and the
microscopic gametophyte. Specialized reproductive blades
(sporophylls), located just above the holdfast on an adult
sporophyte, liberate trillions of microscopic zoospores
each year. The zoospores then settle on the bottom and
develop into microscopic male and female gametophyte
plants. Fertilization of the female gametophyte produces
an embryonic sporophyte. This tiny plant will develop
into a canopy-forming adult within seven to 14 months
if it survives competition with other plants and avoids
being eaten by grazers or being destroyed by undesirable
environmental factors.
Typically, giant kelp ourishes in wave-exposed areas of

nutrient-rich, cool water that is 20 to 120 feet deep.
By means of a root-like structure called a holdfast, the
kelp attaches to rocky substrate. Along the protected
shoreline of Santa Barbara County, however, giant kelp
also grows on sand substrate. Here, it attaches to exposed
worm tubes or the remains of old holdfasts. Kelp fronds
originate from the holdfast, and eventually grow to the
surface. A frond is composed of a stem-like stipe and
numerous leaf-like blades. A gas-lled bladder (pneumatocyst) at the base of the each blade helps buoy the frond
in the water column.
Giant kelp absorbs nutrients from the water through all its
surfaces. Under optimal conditions of high nutrient levels
278

A Status Report
Giant kelp life cycle.

December 2001
he density and abundance of a kelp canopy varies

by location, year, and season. In central California,
sloughing and deterioration occur in late summer and
early fall. Canopies virtually disappear during the late
fall and winter, when storms cause frond and plant loss.
Canopies usually begin forming again in the spring, becoming dense in the summer. Off southern California, kelp
canopies frequently grow throughout the year in the
mild weather conditions. Dense canopies often develop
during the winter, when there are virtually no canopies in
central California.
During the last 30 years, the size, distribution, and location of the kelp canopy throughout California has uctuated considerably. Fluctuations can be viewed as seasonal
events and as long-term changes. Decreases in canopy
area were due to both natural and man-induced disturbances. Increases were due to natural growth and in some
instances may have beneted from restoration efforts.
An aerial survey conducted in 1967 showed a total of 70
square miles of kelp canopy along the entire California
coast. Of that, 53.9 square miles was recorded for southern California. The southern California portion showed
that 33 square miles occurred along the mainland coast
and 20.9 square miles around the Channel Islands. A similar survey conducted in 1989 reported 40.7 square miles
along the entire coast. Of this, 17.5 was recorded for
southern California. The Channel Islands accounted for
9.8 square miles, while the mainland coast of southern
California totaled 7.7 square miles. During the most recent
statewide kelp forest survey, conducted in 1999, a total
of 17.8 square miles of giant kelp was charted along the
California coast, 11.4 square miles of that recorded off
southern California, including the offshore islands. The
1999 survey shows only 3.7 square miles of the 17.8 total
along the mainland coast, while 7.7 square miles was
recorded in the Channel Islands.
The methodology used to conduct aerial surveys is subject to a high degree of error. The photographic method
utilizes infrared lm to highlight temperature differences
between kelp canopy at the waters surface and the background water temperature. Kelp immediately below the
surface is invisible to this method. So the results can vary
due to wind waves and local currents. These errors could
be greatly reduced by more frequent surveys.
This being said, it is still evident that a declining trend is
occurring, particularly in southern California. This can be
at least partly explained by the warming trend of the past
twenty years and the frequency of severe El Nios.
However, when the distribution of kelp canopy in southern
California between the Channel Islands and the mainland
coast is examined, the warming trend should be factored

December 2001
out, since both areas are likely to experience the same

oceanographic conditions in any year. So the change in
relative abundance of kelp between these two areas is of
greater concern. It suggests that factors other than the
warming trend is responsible for the declines along the
mainland coast.
Giant Kelp
Status of the Beds
The health and long term survival of the kelp forests

are inuenced by a variety of factors, including storms
and climactic events, grazing, competition, sedimentation, pollution, and disease. These can be divided into
natural and human induced causes. Because water of
the Southern California Bight is warmer than the rest of
the state, uctuations in water temperature may have a
more profound affect on kelp survival there compared to
central and northern parts of the state. Human-induced
impacts, pollution, and coastal development also tend
to be greater in southern California where there are
more people.
The southern California kelp beds, in particular, provide
examples of both. Waters south of Point Arguello, referred
to as the Southern California Bight, are considerably
warmer than the rest of the state. Accordingly, uctuations in water temperature tend to have a more profound
affect on kelp survival than in the central and northern
parts of the state. Human induced causes also tend to be
greater in southern California due to the concentration of
the states population within this region, with its associated pollution and coastal development.
Excessive wave action from storms and surge can break
kelp fronds and dislodge entire plants. Dislodged plants
increase kelp loss by entangling nearby kelp, pulling them
from their attachment. During the 1980s and 1990s, at
least three major oceanographic events affected kelp
beds: 1) the 1982-1984 El Nio and a devastating storm;
2) the 1992-1994 El Nio and subsequent storms; and
3) the 1997-1998 El Nio, which was the warmest of the
three. The warm water and storms associated with the El
Nio destroyed plants, inhibited kelp growth, and resulted
in minimal canopy development throughout southern California. During the 18 year-period from 1981 to 1998,
sea surface temperatures exceeded the previous 60-year
mean in all but a single year (1988). In 1967, there were
approximately 18 square miles of kelp canopy near Santa
Barbara, compared to only six square miles remaining in
1989. The giant kelp forests on sand substrate near Santa
Barbara had still not returned in 2000.
Fishes such as opaleye and halfmoon regularly graze upon
kelp. Large numbers of these shes can damage the kelp
forests, especially when conditions are unfavorable for
kelp growth. Crustaceans, such as amphipods, isopods and
crabs, can also graze and damage kelp. The historical
removal of the southern sea otter from southern California certainly changed the balance of the predator/prey

A Status Report
279
Giant Kelp
relationship in the kelp bed community. But nally, the

intensive shing for the remaining sea urchin predators
such as sheephead and spiny lobster, and for sea urchin
competitors such as abalone, tremendously altered the
sea urchin population dynamics in the forest. As a result,
sea urchin populations increased exponentially in some
areas and overgrazed the kelp, creating areas referred to
as urchin barrens.
Human-caused disturbances include sedimentation of the
rocky bottom, which can retard kelp growth and even
bury young plants, preventing development and reproduction. Pollution can affect kelp forests in a variety of
ways. Industrial and domestic wastewater discharges carrying toxins, including pesticides and heavy metals, are
released into coastal waters where they can accumulate
in the sediments. Such chemicals alter the physical
and chemical environment near the discharge and may
decrease growth and survival of the kelp forests. Thermal
outfalls from power plants also have localized effects
on kelp forests. Wastewater and thermal discharges can
increase turbidity and redistribute sediments into nearby
kelp forests, affecting kelp growth and survival. A variety
of pathogens are known to affect kelp but their broad
impacts on kelp forests have not been studied. While
tumors, galls, and lesions have been observed on kelp,
only occasionally have they caused severe damage.
Short and long-term declines, or in one case a complete
disappearance of southern California kelp beds, associated
with human activity have been documented. Prior to the
1920s, an extensive kelp bed, known as Horseshoe Kelp
existed off the coast of what is now Los Angeles Harbor.
It was reported to have measured a quarter- to a half-mile
wide and two miles long. A department Information Bulletin reported interviews with old time shermen who
recalled the kelp bed beginning to decline during the
1920s and 1930s coinciding with the widening of the main
channel and west basin of Los Angeles Harbor, which
included the dredging removal of an entire island, (Deadmans Island). Some recalled that the Whites Point Sewer
Outfall, which began discharging in 1934, was associated
with the disappearance of the last remnants of this bed.
The Horseshoe Kelp Bed grew in a water depth of 80
to 90 feet. While kelp at this depth is still common in
the Channel Islands, no kelp grows along the southern
California mainland coast at this depth today.
Several years declines to kelp beds near Salt Creek in
Orange County and Barn Kelp near Las Pulgas Canyon off
Camp Pendleton Marine Base in San Diego County were
associated with extensive grading of land around drainages adjacent to these beds.
The most thoroughly documented human induced decline
was associated with the start-up of the San Onofre
Nuclear Generating Station in northern San Diego County.
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A Status Report
The discharge of heated and turbid cooling water caused

the loss of approximately 150 acres of kelp. This single
event was the only time when the damage was so well
documented that mitigation could be required as compensation for the loss.
In the 1950s and 1960s, once-productive kelp forests off
Point Loma and La Jolla in San Diego County and along
the Palos Verdes Peninsula in Los Angeles County began
to deteriorate. This too was attributed to biological and
physical factors related primarily to human activities. Currently, there are several areas where the status of kelp
is of concern, including the entire Santa Barbara/Ventura
coastline, the Malibu coast, portions of the Palos Verdes
Peninsula, the coast between Newport and Laguna Beach,
San Onofre, south Carlsbad and Point Loma. Other kelp
losses have undoubtedly occurred as a direct result of
human activities along the southern California coastline,
but the lack of strong baseline data prevents resource
agencies from proving damages and seeking compensation. The development of computerized Geographic Information Systems may provide effective tools to document
and analyze such damages in the future.
Kelp Restoration
n 1963, Scripps Institution of Oceanography and Kelco

began a cooperative project to develop techniques to
protect and restore kelp forests off San Diego. Work
involved sea urchin control, including the use of lime
and crushing of individual urchins and kelp transplanting.
Later experimentation between 1991 and 1992 involved
feeding urchins along a front to discourage feeding on
attached plants and to increase urchin reproduction, so
that commercial harvesting might be encouraged. This
work appears to have succeeded in restoring kelp to these
beds. However, this is a labor intensive effort, and there
are indications that when the work ceases, the urchin
fronts redevelop, calling into question the long term benets of any one-time restoration effort, as well as the
economic feasibility of conducting such work as a long
term solution and over a broader area.
Between 1967 and 1980, kelp restoration was conducted
along the Palos Verdes Penensula (PVP) by the Institute
of Marine Resources and the department. This work also
combined sea urchin control and kelp transplanting. The
objective was to establish several small stands of kelp,
which would provide seed stock for new and expanding
beds. In 1974, the rst naturally expanding kelp stand
in 20 years was observed off PVP. By 1980, when restoration work was discontinued, nearly 600 acres of kelp had
become established. By 1989, aerial surveys revealed over
1,100 acres of kelp off PVP. Two subsequent El Nio events
have severely decreased the size of these beds.

December 2001
Loss of Orange County kelp forests from Newport Harbor

to San Mateo Point was caused by heavy rainfall and
siltation in 1980, the 1982-1984 El Nio, and the effects of
urchin grazing. Under contract with the department, MBC
Applied Environmental Sciences company established kelp
forest nuclei between Newport Harbor and Laguna Beach.
This was done by transplanting adult and juvenile giant
kelp and controlling sea urchins. Those kelp forests south
of Laguna Beach recovered naturally after a few years.
Those beds north of Laguna Beach, where restoration
efforts took place, have not recovered.
In 1992, the department Articial Reef Program built a
10-acre, low relief (three feet or less in height) reef outside the harbor entrance channel to Mission Bay, San Diego
County. The reef was constructed from broken slabs of
concrete provided by the demolition of a nearby roadway.
By 1993, a kelp bed had naturally established itself on this
reef. This bed has persisted through the spring of 2000.
During the fall of 1999, the Southern California Edison
Company built a 22-acre experimental reef off the city
of San Clemente, aimed at mitigating the damage to kelp
from the San Onofre Nuclear Power Station. It is still too
early to evaluate the success of this project, although
based on a great deal of research, and the success of
the Mission Beach reef, there is great optimism that it
will succeed. If it does succeed in providing substrate for
a persistent kelp bed, the reef will be expanded to a

minimum of 150 acres in ve years.
It appears now that the creation of new reef substrate,
rather than other techniques, may provide a valuable
mechanism for increasing the capacity for kelp bed expansion throughout southern California in future years.
Giant Kelp
Kelp restoration work has also been conducted in storm

damaged areas off Santa Barbara and along the Orange
County coast. Shortly after the 1982-1984 El Nio, Kelco
began developing techniques for restoring kelp beds in
Santa Barbara County. In 1987, under contract with the
department, Kelco implemented operations for anchoring
giant kelp in the sandy habitat near Santa Barbara. Several kelp forest nuclei were established; however, sea
urchin grazing and unfavorable water conditions impeded
progress. By the early 1990s, it became evident that this
restoration attempt had failed.
See the Management Considerations Appendix A for further information.
Dennis Bedford
References
California State Lands Commission. 1999. Final Program
Environmental Impact Report for the Construction and
Management of an Articial Reef in the Pacic Ocean Near
San Clemente, California.
McPeak, R.H. and D.A. Glantz. 1984. Harvesting Californias kelp forests. Oceanus. 27(1)19-26.
North, W.J. 1992. Review of Macrocystis Biology. In I.
Akatsuka (ed.). Biology of Economic Seaweeds.
Schott, Jack. Dago Bank and its horseshoe kelp bed. California Department of Fish and Game, Marine Resources
Information Bulletin, no. 2. 1976.
A kelp cutter operating near Santa Barbara

Credit: DFG

December 2001

A Status Report
281
Bull Kelp
History of the Use and Harvest
ntil the late 1980s, there was little targeted harvest

of bull kelp (Nereocystis luetkeana) in California,
except as a small component of the localized edible
seaweed industry. In central California, Nereocystis and
Macrocystis often form mixed beds and it is likely bull
kelp would have been incidentally taken during harvest
of those beds, but not recorded separately on harvest
records. Department records indicate about 19 tons of
kelp, probably a mixture of Macrocystis and Nereocystis,
were harvested from what is presently bed 302 off the
Bodega BayTomales Bay area between 1993 and 1999. All
of this kelp was used by local abalone culturists. Other
uses of bull kelp include pickling the stipe and marketing
it as a specialty food product, and using the dried parts
for arts and crafts. In southern Oregon, bull kelp was
harvested from Orford Reef in the mid-1990s as an ingredient in liquid fertilizer. The Oregon Division of State Lands
has since discontinued permitting that harvest.
Currently, there is only one mariculture rm harvesting
signicant quantities of bull kelp for abalone food. This
business is located in Crescent City, Del Norte County,
and has been harvesting bull kelp from Point Saint George
to Crescent City harbor since 1988. Because bull kelp
declines in the winter months, they often augment their
supply with giant kelp from central California. From
1990 to 1994, the company and the department worked
together to determine the possible effects of small scale
harvesting on Nereocystis populations. The company kept
detailed records of harvest amount, location, bed condition, and effort in hours. Though not required by regulation, they hand-harvest to a depth of about 2.5 feet below
the surface, which allows the take of the upper portion of
the stipe, the pnuematocyst and all the fronds, resulting
in the loss of the entire plant. During this experimental
period annual harvest ranged from six to 149 tons, and
impact to the local beds was considered to be minimal. In
Bull Kelp, Nereocystis luetkeana

282

A Status Report
1996, the Fish and Game Commission developed designation numbers (300 series) for all the kelp beds north
of San Francisco and established beds that could be exclusively leased by interested parties, a program similar to
the one in use for giant kelp harvest. Prior to this, there
were no ofcial designations in this area, so any northern
kelp bed could be harvested for commercial purposes.
The Crescent City rm applied for and received exclusive
lease privileges for bed 312 in 1997. In accordance with
department regulations, they were required to produce
a kelp bed biomass estimate prior to harvest. They estimated 205 acres of kelp beds in the approximately ve
miles of coastal area between Pt. St. George and Whaler
Island within bed 312 (an area representing only a fraction
of the entire geographic area of bed 312). The November
1996 survey yielded a point estimate of 5,475 tons of bull
kelp within those 205 acres, at 27 tons per acre. Based
on that survey, their annual harvest would be limited to
15 percent of that estimate, equivalent to 821 tons. While
their harvest up to that time was only 132 tons (in 1996),
or 16 percent of their allowance, their bid application
projected steady harvest increases through 2001, peaking
at a 500-ton projected harvest. Through 1999, their highest harvest in any year has been 149 tons.
ull kelp is primarily found adjacent to exposed shorelines along the Pacic coast of North America, ranging
from Unalaska Island, Alaska to Point Conception, California. Along the central California coast, Macrocystis
and Nereocystis occur together, forming extensive kelp
forests in this region. However, from the Monterey Bay
area northward to Alaska, Nereocystis becomes the dominant canopy kelp species in coastal waters. Within the
nearshore environment, bull kelp, like giant kelp, is associated with hard substrates at depths of approximately
10 to 70 feet, where it provides habitat and food for
hundreds of species, many of them commercially and
recreationally valuable.
Distribution of marine algae is not only restricted geographically but also limited by a number of other factors
within the nearshore environment, including water movement, light, temperature, nutrients, pollution, competition, and predation. The complex trophic interaction
among sea otters, macro-herbivores and kelps has been
documented by a number of researchers. Generally, the
occurrence of sea otters in a kelp forest community
greatly limits the population of invertebrate kelp grazers,
thereby increasing kelp productivity. In northern California, absent the sea otter, commercial and sport shermen have acted to signicantly reduce populations of
sea urchins and abalone, two major kelp grazers. While

December 2001
The morphology of bull kelp is quite different from that of

giant kelp. The most notable difference is the possession
by bull kelp of only one pneumatocyst, situated on the
end of the hollow stipe for otation. Giant kelp has many
gas bladders running its entire length. While bull kelp
is also attached to the substrate by a holdfast, the size
of the holdfast is much smaller than that of giant kelp.
The holdfast resembles a small disk with many nger-like
haptera. Much like giant kelp, the stipe of a bull kelp
sporophyte is long, reaching lengths of up to 130 feet. The
bull kelp stipe does not have the same tensile strength as
giant kelp but is more elastic under stress. Bull kelp is able
to stretch more than 38 percent of its length before breaking. The pneumatocyst gives rise to short dichotomous
branches from which up to 64 blades are borne. The
bull kelp canopy provides most of the photosynthetic
and nutrient absorbing surface for energy production.
Blade lengths of more than 13 feet have been reported for
mature plants, but it is typical to nd a range of blade
sizes (two to 11 feet) on most plants. The reproductive
structures (sporangia) are located on the blades in aggregations called sori, with mature sori located in patches
near the blade tips and immature regions near the base
of the blades.
Reproduction in bull kelp undergoes a cyclic alternation
of generations similar to that of giant kelp and other
laminarians. The large plant commonly referred to as bull
kelp represents the sporophytic phase while the gametophytic phase is microscopic. During its sporophytic phase,
spore production usually begins several weeks after the
blades reach the surface. Biagellate spores are formed
within the sporangia on the blades. As the spores reach
maturation during the summer and fall, the sori are
abscised from the blades and the spores released. Upon
settlement, germination begins, and over the course of
several weeks, somatic growth gives rise to the gametophyte. After about 11 weeks, motile sperm are released
and fertilization of the eggs takes place. The resulting
zygotes grow as sporophytes. Once at the surface, stipe
and blade elongation rates decrease while the plant
increases in biomass.
As an annual plant, bull kelp has evolved an optimal reproductive strategy that involves accelerated stipe growth
to reach the ocean surface where it can initiate spore
production and release. Plants initiated in late March
sometimes have developing sori prior to reaching the
surface in May and spore release via abscission of the
sorus begins as early as June. Maximum bull kelp growth
rates occur under optimal environmental conditions of

December 2001
high light, nutrient and water clarity levels. Bull kelp

stipe elongation can reach ve inches per day, while blade
growth accelerates to about 3.5 inches per day just prior
to the plant reaching the surface. At maturity the growth
rate of the holdfast can average about 0.2 inches per day.
Water temperature plays an important role in the growth
of Nereocystis. Mean sea surface temperatures over the
distributional range of Nereocystis vary from 55 F to 59
F at the southern end to 39 F to 50 F off the Aleutian
Islands. The population of bull kelp in Diablo Cove has
been adversely affected by the warm water discharge
from the Diablo Canyon power plant which began in 1985.
Plants in contact with the discharge experienced deterioration of blade tissue, which resulted in early death. This
observation helps to explain the decline of Nereocystis
that occurs during El Nio events.
Bull Kelp
kelp populations have increased, the competition among

seaweeds for space and light rules out any generalizations
regarding specic impacts on bull kelp due to the reduction of these grazer populations.
Nereocystis is an opportunistic colonizer that takes advantage of substrate clearing caused by storms, sand scouring, or other disturbances. While bull kelp can rapidly
recruit to a newly cleared location, its longevity as the
dominant canopy-forming species depends on environmental conditions being conducive for its survival and detrimental for its major competitors. The biggest factor in
growth of Nereocystis is the availability and quantity of
light. Light levels below the surface canopy have been
shown to decrease by almost 100 percent and below the
secondary canopy, well below the minimum level necessary for growth. Thus, in established kelp communities
there can be insufcient light and hard substrate for
recruitment and growth of bull kelp.
Status of the Beds
he kelp resources of the eastern Pacic coast were

rst mapped in 1912. The survey extended from the
Gulf of Alaska to Cedros Island, Baja California. Along the
central coast of California between Point Montara, San
Mateo county and Point Conception, subsequent coastwide
surveys have not differentiated between Nereocystis and
Macrocystis. Since the rst survey in 1912, little work has
been done along the north coast of California, primarily
due to the absence of the commercially valuable Macrocystis pyrifera in this region. Current knowledge of the
population levels of Nereocystis off the north coast is
based on 1989 and 1999 surveys of the California coast,
and information provided by a kelp harvester about
the resource in the Crescent City area. Population abundance estimates resulting from these surveys are usually
expressed in terms of square miles of surface area.
Despite the year-to-year variability in bull kelp coverage,
both the 1912 and the 1989 surveys yielded similar results
for the northcoast and about 6.5 square miles of canopy.

A Status Report
283
Bull Kelp
The 1999 survey, however, indicates about a 42 percent

decline in kelp coverage in the Point Montara, San Mateo
county to Shelter Cove, Humboldt county area. This
decline is contrary to anecdotal observations along the
Mendocino county coast in 1999, which indicated one of
the most extensive kelp canopies in the last decade. The
apparent decline may be due in part to the timing of the
1999 survey, which was conducted after a major storm
had passed through the region, destroying portions of
the kelp beds. Another factor to be considered is the
improved method used to interpret aerial photographs in
1999, which resulted in a more accurate representation
of kelp beds. This would seem to indicate that previous
surveys may have overestimated the true extent of the
beds. And nally, kelp beds are subject to high variability
in coverage and density from year to year.
The 1912 survey estimated that about 32 percent of the
17.55 square mile kelp canopy in central California was
bull kelp. However, since that survey there has not been
an effort to estimate the proportion of bull kelp in the
area. In this region, bull kelp is generally restricted to
areas unsuitable for giant kelp and the outer edges of
giant kelp beds and inshore of Macrocystis within the
surge zone. However, following winter storms with heavy
wave disturbance, bull kelp can become more abundant,
sometimes replacing giant kelp removed by the storms.
Changes in kelp abundance over time and location are
evident. For example, during the period from 1975 to
1982, biomass at Diablo Cove in San Luis Obispo County
declined from 200 tons per acre to 4.8 tons per acre. At
Van Damme Bay in Mendocino County, a density of six tons
per acre was calculated in July 1990. Peak abundances in
the Crescent City area ranged from 24 to 28 tons per acre
during the period from 1994 to 1996.
Peter Kalvass and Mary Larson
References:
Amsler, C.D. and M. Neushul. 1989. Diel periodicity
of spore release from the kelp Nereocystis luetkeana
(Mertens) Postels et ruprecht. J. Exp. Mar. Bio. Ecol.
134:117127.
Calif. Dept. of Fish and Game. 2001. Final Environmental
Document Giant and Bull Kelp Commercial and Sport
Fishing Regulations - Section 30 and 165, Title 14, California Code of Regulations. March 2001.
Estes, J.A. and D.O. Duggins. 1995. Sea otters and kelp
forests in Alaska: Generality and variation in a community
ecological paradigm. Ecological Monographs 65(1):75-100.
Foreman, R.E. 1984. Studies on Nereocystis growth in British Columbia, Canada. Hydrobiologia 116/117:325332.
Foster, M.S. and D.R. Schiel. 1985. The ecology of giant
kelp forests in California: a community prole. Biological
Report 85(7:2). USFWS. 152 pp.
Nicholson, N.L. 1970. Field studies of the giant kelp Nereocystis. Journal of Phycology 6:177-182.
Vadas, R.L. 1972. Ecological implications of culture studies
on Nereocystis luetkeana. J. Phycol. 8:196203.
Researchers reported that the Fort Bragg, Mendocino

County area kelp beds appeared to increase in size and
density between 1985 and 1988 based on aerial photographic surveys of the area. The Nereocystis beds were
thought to have reached maximum potential during this
period. The increase was coincident with the removal of
over 32,500 tons of red sea urchins from Mendocino and
Sonoma Counties by commercial divers. In 1992, the same
beds showed delayed and reduced kelp recruitment and
growth. The causes of the poor recruitment in 1992 may
have been associated with the El Nio event of that year.
These examples illustrate the kind of uctuations that
occur in the recruitment of bull kelp along the north coast
and the factors that may play a role in the variability of
this resource.
284

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December 2001
Sea Palm
Sea Palm
he sea palm, Postelsia palmaeformis, is a brown alga

rst described by Franz Joseph Ruprecht in 1852 from
specimens collected near Bodega Bay, California. It is
locally abundant in the upper to mid-tidal zones from
Vancouver Island, British Columbia to Morro Bay, California
but is restricted to rocks exposed to heavy surf. Although
it is illegal to harvest this attractive kelp, some people
collect it for souvenirs or to eat its tender blades.
Postelsia is an annual kelp, thriving in dense aggregations
where its dispersal and recruitment are local and
inuenced by seasonal disturbance. Several studies
have documented sea palms relationship to its unique
habitat its tolerance of and dependence on heavy surf
and its common association with the California mussel.
Status of the Beds
lthough individuals can regenerate blades, they

cannot survive if they are cut near the base of the
stipe. All of these characteristics (restricted habitat, short
life span, local dispersal, and limited powers of regeneration) signify a species that cannot tolerate heavy harvesting pressure. Although many stands of Postelsia are difcult to access, others are in or adjacent to recreational
areas where they are at risk from human disturbance.
Education of the public is the best defense for the conservation of this charismatic and ecologically interesting alga.
Kathy Ann Miller
University of Southern California
References
Blanchette, C. 1996. Seasonal patterns of disturbance
inuence recruitment of the sea palm, Postelsia palmaeformis. J. Exp. Mar. Biol. Ecol. 197: 1-14.
Dayton, P. 1973. Dispersion, dispersal, and persistance of
the annual intertidal alga, Postelsia palmaeformis Ruprecht. Ecology 54: 433-438.
Holbrook, M., M. Denny, & M. Koehl. 1991. Intertidal
trees: consequences of aggregation on the mechanical
and photosynthetic properties of sea-palms. J. Exp. Mar.
Biol. Ecol. 146: 39-67.
Kalvass, P. 1994. The effect of different harvest methods
on sea palm sporophyll growth. Calif. Fish and Game
80: 57-67 Paine, R. 1988. Habitat suitability and local
population persistence of the sea palm, Postelsia palmaeformis. Ecology 69:1787-1794.

December 2001
Sea Palm,
Postelsia
palmaeformis
Credit: CA Sea
Grant Extension

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285
Agarophytes and
Carrageenophytes
History of Use and Harvest
gar is a Malay word for the gel, (which is now known

to be a carrageenan) that is part of the cell wall of
seaweeds in red algal genus Eucheuma. Its discovery is
preserved in a folk legend that originated about 1660. A
Japanese emperor and his Royal Party were lost in the
mountains during a snowstorm and arriving at a small
inn they were ceremoniously treated by the innkeeper,
who offered them a seaweed-jelly dish with their dinner.
Perhaps the innkeeper prepared too much jelly or the
taste was not attractive; in any case, some jelly was
thrown away. It froze during the night and, after thawing
and draining, was reduced to a thin, papery substance.
The innkeeper took the residue and, to his surprise, found
that by boiling it up with more water, the jelly could
be reconstituted.
In 1881, the German microbiologist Dr. Robert Koch, rst
established the use of agar in preparing solid culture
media for bacteriological research. By 1903, there were
500 factories manufacturing agar in Japan. The California
agar industry was developed initially by Dr. Matsuoka
in 1921 with U.S. patents for extraction and processing.
Horace Selby (the founder of American Agar and Chemical)
and C.K. Tseng rened methods prior to and during World
War II, when agar was not available from Japan.
Carrageenan, another gel, was originally derived from the
red alga, Chondrus crispus (Irish Moss), and has a 600
year folk history in Ireland that includes milk puddings
thickened by boiling sweetened milk with dried Chondrus.
The word carrageenan is derived from the colloquial Irish
name for this seaweed, carrageen, or carraign; little
rock (from the Irish place name, probably Carrigeen Head
in County Donegal). Since the 1940s, the best-known use
of carrageenan has been in products such as chocolate
milk and ice cream, but they are also important in other
industrial applications.
About 10,000 tons of agar, valued at $200 million, are
produced worldwide from species in the red algal families
Gelidiaceae and Gracilariaceae. There is currently a shortage of exploitable populations of agar-producing seaweeds; consequently, agar is an expensive product. The
best quality agar is extracted from species in the genera
Pterocladia and Gelidium, which are harvested by hand
from natural stands in Spain, Portugal, Morocco, the
Azores, Mexico, New Zealand, South Africa, India, Chile,
Korea and Japan. For Pterocladia species, agar quality
is low in the colder months and high in the summer.
286

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Agars of lesser quality are extracted from Gracilaria and

Hypnea species.
The lower quality, and less expensive, types of agar are
used for their gelling and water barrier properties in food
products (frozen foods, bakery icings, meringues, dessert
gels, candies and fruit juices). As a gelling agent in foods,
agar is used at greater than one per cent concentration.
For viscosity control and stabilization, lower levels (0.2-0.8
percent) are used. Agar is not assimilated by the human
digestive system and, in fact, serves as a laxative. Industrial applications are paper sizing/coating, adhesives, textile printing/dyeing, castings, impressions, etc. The midquality agars are used as the gel substrate in biological
culture media. Most agar media are made at a 1.0-1.5 percent concentration in water, melt above 185F and gel at
105F. They are also important in medical/pharmaceutical
elds as bulking agents, laxatives, suppositories,
capsules, tablets and anticoagulants. The most highly
puried and upper market types (the neutral fractions
called agarose) are used in molecular biology for separation sciences (electrophoresis, immunodiffusion and
gel chromatography).
Carrageenans are extracted from members of the red
algal families Hypneaceae, Phyllophoraceae, Solieriaceae,
and Gigartinaceae. Chondrus crispus used to be the sole
source of carrageenan, but species of Gymnogongrus,
Eucheuma, Ahnfeltia and Iridaea are now used. The
market for carrageenan has grown by at least ve percent
per year for the last 25 years. About 25,000 tons of
carrageenan, valued at $200 million, are produced worldwide. Eucheuma and Kappaphycus are important carrageenan weeds in Hawaii, the Philippines, Indonesia, Malaysia, China and Thailand. In 1996, the Philippines exported
$94 million worth of carrageenan from farm raised and
natural stands of Eucheuma cottonii and Eucheuma spinosum. Another principal source is natural populations of
Chondrus crispus in the Maritime Provinces of Canada,
where about 50,000 wet tons are harvested each year.
Carrageenans are far more widely used than agar as
emulsiers/stabilizers in numerous foods, especially milkbased products. It is estimated that the average human
consumption of carrageenans in the United States is 250
milligrams (0.01 ounce) a day. Kappa, iota and lambda
carrageenans differ in gelling and milk reactivity and are
the three most widely used types in commercial products.
Kappa carrageenan (extracted chiey from Chondrus crispus and Eucheuma cottonii) forms a rm, brittle gel and
iota (extracted chiey from Eucheuma spinosum) yields
a exible and dry gel. Lambda carrageenan (extracted
chiey from Chondrus crispus and Gigartina species) does
not gel. Blending of these in different ratios produces
different products. Kappa and iota carrageenans are especially important for use in milk products such as chocolate

December 2001

Agar and carrageenan are phycocolloids derived from
galactan polysaccharides, the major polysaccharide constituents of the cell walls of most marine red algae. The
types and quantity vary from species to species; this is an
important character in biosystematics. The amount present also varies with ecological factors such as light, nutrients, wave exposure, and temperature. Polysaccharides
have an important role in the biology of these algae,
including protection from wave action, physical support of
cells, ion exchange, water binding for protection from desiccation. The galactans have a common backbone which
consists of galactose units linked alternately by (1-3)
and (1-4). The alpha () unit is linked to either D- or
L-galactose whereas the beta () unit is always linked to
D-galactose. In agar the -linkages are all with L-galactose
and in carrageenan they are all with D-galactose. (For pictures of these structures, see www.rrz.uni-hamburg.de/
biologie/b_online/e26/26d.htm) The chemistry of these
polymers is complex.
export of rened agar. Gelidium robustum is very slow

growing in nature and even slower in mariculture, thus
making it unlikely as a major resource. Several other species, including G. coulteri, show much faster growth in
nature and in tank culture, providing an acceptable quality
agar. Unfortunately, the cost of these culture systems in
California is too high for competition with either wild
stock harvest or cultivation in other countries. Gracilaria
and Gracilariopsis species in California and elsewhere
offer considerable potential, because of their fast growth
and yield of agar. Several species are extensively cultivated in Chile, China and Thailand, for example, contributing 50 percent of worldwide agar production; several
countries (e.g., South Africa and New Zealand) are studying the possibility of mariculture. The best candidate for
large-scale culture in California is Gracilariopsis lemaneformis. Although extensively cultivated in open bays of
other countries, it is unlikely that such cultivation could
occur in California, because of government restrictions.
he carrageenan weeds common in California are members of the genera Mazzaella, Mastocarpus, Rhodoglossum and Sarcodiotheca. Several California species can be
grown successfully in mariculture, but the low value of
carrageenan makes both wild harvest and culture economically unrealistic. Compared to agars, carrageenans
generally are more plentiful and less costly, because the
carrageenan weeds are widely available from harvest of
wild stocks and extensive cultivated stocks in Canada
and the tropics. Genetic manipulation and cell culture
of Chondrus crispus are being explored to produce novel
carrageenans to stimulate the possibility of mariculture on
the East Coast of the United States.
Status of the Beds
John West
University of California, Berkeley
Revised by:
Kathy Ann Miller
here are many genera of red algae in California that

yield agars and carrageenans. The most common and
abundant agar weeds in California are species in the
genera Gelidium and Pterocladia (family Gelidiaceae) and
Gracilaria and Gracilariopsis (family Gracilariaceae). Of
the six species of Gelidium in California, only G. robustum
is available in sufcient wild stocks to warrant limited
harvest for agar production. Before and during World War
II and until American Agar and Chemical Company in San
Diego closed in about 1986, G. robustum was collected
by divers along the southern California coast. Resource
management of wild stock of G. robustum was investigated carefully to establish control of season, amount and
method of harvesting, but it proved difcult to enforce
regulations. Today, there is no harvest of wild stocks for
commercial agar production in California, but wild stocks
are still harvested in Baja California, Mexico, by local
sherman for processing in Ensenada and a subsequent

December 2001
Agarophytes and Carrageenophytes
milk, ice cream, evaporated milk, infant formulas, puddings, whipped cream toppings and eggnog, because of
their thickening and suspension properties. For these
uses, concentrations range from about 0.01 to 0.2 percent.
For water-based food products (jellies, jams, salad dressings, syrups, dessert gels, meat products and pet foods),
carrageenan concentrations are somewhat higher (0.2-0.5
percent). Industrial products incorporating carrageenans
are air freshener gels, cleaners, etc. Pharmaceutical and
medical applications are similar to those of agar.
References
Abbott, I.A. & G.J. Hollenberg. 1976. Marine Algae of
California. Stanford University Press, Stanford, CA.
Craigie, J.S. 1990. Cell Walls. In K.M. Cole & R.G. Sheath
(eds.) Biology of the Red Algae, pp. 221-257. Cambridge
University Press. New York.
Lewis, J.G., N.F. Stanley & G.G. Guist. 1988. Commercial
production and application of algal hydrocolloids. In C.A.
Lembi & J.R. Waaland (eds.) Algae and human affairs. pp.
205-236. Cambridge University Press. New York.

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287
Commercial Landings - Nearshore Plants

288
Commercial Landings Nearshore Plants

Year
1916
1917
1918
1919
1920
1921
1922
1923
1924
1925
1926
1927
1928
1929
1930
1931
1932
1933
1934
1935
1936
1937
1938
1939
1940
1941
1942
1943
1944
1945
1946
1947
1948
1949
1950
1951
1952
1953
1954
1955
1956
1957
1958
1959
1960
1961
1962
1963
1964
1965
1966
1967
1968
1969
1970
1971
1972
1973
1974
1975
1976
1977
1978
1979
Kelp1
Tons
134,537
394,974
395,098
16,673
25,464
------------------------------260
10,315
21,622
15,880
30,602
49,317
43,954
47,697
56,736
59,004
55,717
61,898
47,958
53,030
59,181
91,069
74,237
78,641
83,346
100,602
114,760
110,158
126,649
106,215
124,063
117,815
94,207
114,062
89,599
120,300
129,256
140,233
121,032
127,254
135,129
119,464
131,495
134,853
131,239
127,039
155,559
162,511
153,080
170,181
171,597
158,371
130,597
169,029
171,020

A Status Report
Year
1980
1981
1982
1983
1984
1985
1986
1987
1988
1989
1990
1991
1992
1993
1994
1995
1996
1997
1998
1999
Kelp1
Tons
147,636
73,064
86,503
5,271
46,479
87,300
56,832
93,264
90,615
132,761
151,439
127,505
91,247
92,940
81,006
77,753
78,461
73,165
25,313
42,211
- - - - Landings data not available

1
Kelp landings consist primarily of giant kelp.

December 2001

December 2001

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289
290

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December 2001
ar from the coast, Californias offshore ecosystem consists of the open ocean environments over the deeper
parts of the continental shelf, the continental slope,
and ocean basins. This ecosystem is most often characterized by a deep luminous blue color, due to scattered
light encountering fewer particles and dissolved substances than are found in rich coastal waters, where suspended sediment, marine organisms, and other material
can absorb light and cause greenish or brownish colors.
Californias offshore waters are dominated by the California Current, a relatively shallow, broad (approximately
300 km), and slow moving current. This current generally
moves from north to south along the West Coast of North
America, transporting cooler water toward the equator.
Along our state, the California Current hugs the coast
north of Point Conception during most of the year, except
in winter when southeast winds force it farther offshore,
producing the Davidson Current that ows north near the
coast. In some years, this counter current is stronger than
normal and is forced as far north as British Columbia,
Canada. South of Point Conception, in the Southern California Bight, the coast bends sharply to the east. There
the California Current breaks away from the coast and
ows offshore along the continental edge until it
swings back toward the mainland south of San Diego.
In the Southern California Bight, the usual surface
ow, called the California Countercurrent, moves north
along the coast resulting in a counterclockwise gyre
that mixes offshore and nearshore surface waters off
Off California, prevailing winds, most often from the north
or northwest, blow surface waters away from the coast
and nutrient laden subsurface waters are drawn up to
replace them in a process called upwelling. California
is in one of the major coastal upwelling regions of the
world, with the most intense upwelling occurring during
the summer near Cape Medocino in northern California.
Productivity of marine plants is high along coasts with
these features, and some of the largest sh populations
are associated with productive coastal upwelling systems.
Although the offshore environment is generally less variable than nearshore and estuarine ecosystems, the California Current is a dynamic system with considerable
inter-annual variation. Relatively short-term, dramatic
events like El Nio (warmer water) and La Nia (cooler
water) cause larger temperature changes, variation in
productivity, and occurrences of organisms beyond their
usual ranges. Long-term temperature regimes, periods
of slightly warmer or cooler conditions that persist for
decades, can affect reproduction and recruitment of

December 2001
marine species like sardines and rocksh for several generations and result in substantial changes in abundance
over time.
The offshore ecosystem is home to groundsh species
(shelf and slope rocksh, atsh, sablesh, and Pacic
whiting); coastal pelagic species (sardines, anchovy,
mackerel, and squid); salmon during the ocean phase of
their life-cycle; highly migratory species (tuna, billshes,
and pelagic sharks); marine mammals (such as whales
and dolphins), pelagic seabirds (including albatross and
shearwaters); phytoplankton; and zooplankton (including
euphausids, copepods, salps, and occasionally red crabs).
These species respond to the environmental variability in
the California Current in different ways. The abundance
and landings of coastal pelagic sh stocks such as sardines
vary considerably due to environmental uctuations, particularly temperature. Such highly fecund and fast growing
species undertake extensive migrations as far north as
British Columbia, when their population is large, to feed
in upwelling areas and they tend to concentrate spawning
in areas like the Southern California Bight, perhaps to help
retain larvae in coastal habitats where they are less likely
to be swept offshore by the strong offshore transport conditions of major upwelling centers. Highly migratory species like albacore make long trans-Pacic migrations and
actively seek productive areas and avoid unfavorable conditions. Long-lived, slow growing and moderately fecund
species such as rocksh persist by maintaining many
reproductive age classes through periods of unfavorable
environmental conditions.
Californias Offshore
Ecosystem
The most signicant challenge to effective management of

sheries for these species is the lack of understanding of
the interactions among environmental variability, recruitment uctuations, and shing pressure. The current management strategy for sardines, a species that has recovered over the last 20 years from extraordinarily low levels
in the 1950s through the 1970s, now takes temperature
into account because of its effect on sardine productivity.
In the last two years, seven species of groundsh have
been designated as overshed and will require many years
and special management efforts to recover. In retrospect,
this occurred primarily as a result of our poor understanding of the relatively low productivity of these species,
particularly low recruitment for many of these species
over the last three decades, and resulting harvest levels
that were inadvertently set too high.
Populations of many sh species in the offshore ecosystem
extend along the entire or a major portion of the west
coast, and so their sheries cross state and sometimes
national boundaries. To ensure coordination and more
effective coast-wide management, coastal pelagic species, groundsh, highly migratory species, and ocean
salmon are regulated by the Pacic Fishery Management

A Status Report
291

292
Council, a regional body of states (California, Oregon,

Washington, and Idaho), tribal representatives, and federal agencies that has authority for West Coast sheries in
offshore waters. For those species we share with Mexico
(coastal pelagic species and some highly migratory species), no formal bilateral management agreement exists.
Patricia Wolf

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December 2001
oastal pelagic resources are small to medium sized,

schooling species, that migrate in coastal waters often
near the ocean surface. Californias major coastal pelagic
species include Pacic sardine (Sardinops sagax), Pacic
mackerel (Scomber japonicus), jack mackerel (Trachurus
symmetricus), northern anchovy (Engraulis mordax), and
market squid (Loligo opalescens). Coastal pelagic species
(CPS) collectively comprise one of the largest marine
sheries in California with respect to biomass, landed
volume, and revenue. Historically, commercial utilization
of each species in this group has, for varying periods
of time, been primarily canning for human consumption.
Much of the CPS catch is now frozen for bait or export,
but some is still canned for human consumption.
One characteristic common to coastal pelagic species
is the highly dynamic nature of their populations with
respect to movement, biomass, and availability to the
shery. Boom or bust population cycles of coastal
pelagic stocks have been attributed to a number of
key factors, including relatively short life-cycles, variable
recruitment, and annual and longer-cycle variation in
optimal habitats for spawning, larval survival, recruitment, and feeding. Large natural uctuations in coastal
pelagic species abundance have been accentuated in the
past by human inuence, as exemplied by the Pacic sardine during the 1940s and 1950s. Although there are many
similarities in the life histories of these sh species, there
also are differences. They are all open-ocean, relatively
near-shore, schooling sh for most of their life-cycles,
but jack mackerel occur as far as 600 miles offshore,
and sardine spawn as far as 300 miles offshore. Each sh
species matures at a relatively young age of one to three
years; and while jack mackerel live to be 35 years old,
relatively few individuals of the other species attain half
this age. Market squid live up to only 10 months and
are an average of only six months old when captured
during spawning activities. The eggs and larvae of all the
species are common in coastal areas, but beyond 200
miles offshore only jack mackerel eggs and larvae are
commonly encountered in scientic collections. Anchovy,
Pacic mackerel, and sardine are known to migrate seasonally along the coast. Jack mackerel migrate away from
nearshore banks and islands at a relatively young age (four
to six years) and, while they range from at least off Baja
California, Mexico to the Gulf of Alaska, little is known
about their migratory habits as older adults. Estimates of
biomass date back to the 1930s for sardines and Pacic
mackerel, and to the late-1940s for anchovy. While there
are no time series estimates of jack mackerel biomass,
age and length composition data are available since the

December 2001
late 1940s. Biomass estimates for market squid are difcult, if not impossible, to obtain using normal assessment methods, and future management of the squid
resource will likely depend upon real-time estimates of
spawning escapement.
CPS management has varied widely and prior to the 1970s,
management was minimal. When sardine and Pacic mackerel biomasses were declining (in the mid-1960s), the
commercial shing industry proposed an anchovy reduction shery. By the late 1960s, this reduction shery was
authorized by the California Fish and Game Commission,
complete with quota, season, area, and size restrictions.
Legislation followed in the early 1970s that established
moratoria on the commercial take of Pacic mackerel
and sardines. The resurgence of Pacic mackerel, and the
transition to federal management (Pacic Fishery Management Council) for anchovy in 1978, were accompanied by
strict management regimes that included requirements for
annual quotas and assessments of anchovy biomass.
Coastal Pelagic
Species: Overview
Pacic sardine showed early signs of an abundance resurgence in the early 1980s, and by the mid-1980s the State
of California managed this species as required by Fish
and Game Code with biomass assessments and annual
quotas. In 1998, the sardine population was declared fully
recovered, with sh once again extending from British
Columbia to the Gulf of California, Mexico. With the
coast-wide sardine expansion, the State of California recognized that it no longer had sufcient resources to effectively manage the sardine resource alone and petitioned
the Pacic Fishery Management Council to consider federal management of CPS. In 1998, the Council approved
Amendment 8 to the Northern Anchovy Fishery Management Plan, to place Pacic sardine, Pacic mackerel, jack
mackerel, and market squid in the management unit with
northern anchovy. Amendment 8 was approved by the
Secretary of Commerce and modied the anchovy plan to
conform to the recently revised Magnuson-Stevens Fishery
Conservation and Management Act and changed the name
to the Coastal Pelagic Species Fishery Management Plan.
Implemented in January 2000, Amendment 8 requires
a limited entry permit to commercially harvest coastal
pelagic nsh species south of Point Arena, California,
with open shing access north of this latitude. Species
managed under authority of the plan are divided into
two categories, actively managed (initially Pacic sardine
and Pacic mackerel) and monitored (initially northern
anchovy, jack mackerel, and squid). Actively managed
species require annual determination of harvest limits
based on current biomass estimates. Harvest strategies
for actively managed species account for all west-coast
CPS catches including Mexico, natural variability in the
stocks, and the importance of CPS as forage for other
sh, marine mammals, and birds. Monitored species are

A Status Report
293
not subject to mandated harvest limits based on current

biomass estimates, although other management measures
such as area closures may be employed. The State of California is developing its own management plan for market
squid, and has already implemented interim measures
which prohibit shing on weekends, restrict the design
and intensity of lights used as attracting devices, and
place a three-year moratorium on new vessels entering
the shery.
The outlook for CPS and their sheries will depend
upon the forces of nature, economics, and the combined
wisdom of resource users and managers. Environmental
factors have inherent cycles that can affect each resource
in short and long time scales. Fishery scientists are just
beginning to understand the mechanisms that determine
success or failure of coastal pelagic populations. Hopefully, resource managers will continue to use the growing
knowledge base of how these species respond to the
environment, implementing harvest policies accounting
for this uncertainty. Future utilization of the west coast
CPS will depend not only on resource health and availability, but also upon basic economics and events in world
export markets. The anchovy sherys largest historical
commercial utilizations were the reduction sheries in
California and Baja California. These sheries have ceased
to exist, primarily for economic reasons, and yet anchovy
abundance remains high enough to allow continued use
as live bait for the recreational shing industry and as
a fresh-frozen product for human consumption. Pacic
mackerel catches sustained the southern California purse
seine eet throughout the 1980s, with record average
landings; however, recent biomass assessments indicate
that the large population increase documented in the
late 1970s has not been followed by further highly successful recruitment pulses. The decline in availability to the
shery of Pacic and jack mackerel through the 1980s lead
to rapid expansion of the market squid and sardine sheries in southern California during the 1990s. Fish processors
freeze signicant portions of the squid and sardine catch
for export to Europe, Asia, and Australia where it is
utilized for human consumption, bait, or aquaculture feed.
Kevin T. Hill and Richard Klingbeil
294

A Status Report

December 2001
istinguished by its volatility, success of the California

market squid (Loligo opalescens) shery uctuates as
a consequence of El Nio conditions and rapid changes in
the export market. With signicant expansion of shing
activity in southern California waters during the 1980s and
1990s, the market squid shery has emerged as one of
the most important in the state. During the 1990s, squid
ranked as the largest California commercial shery by
volume in six years of the decade and ranked three
times as the states most valuable shery resource in
value of the catch. Among U.S. exports of edible shery
products in 1999, market squid ranked sixth by volume
and sixteenth in value, higher than any other California
commercial shery.
The vast majority of squid is frozen for human consumption. Much of this is exported to China, Japan and Europe.
Other uses include fresh and canned squid for human
consumption, and fresh or frozen squid for bait. The role
of international buyers in the temporal success of the California market squid shery is substantial. After decades of
generally low catches, volume increased during the 1990s
because of new (primarily Asian and European) markets
and higher prices paid for California squid. However, landings and ex-vessel revenue declined during the 1997-1998
El Nio when squid became harder to catch and as overseas markets collapsed due to poor economic conditions
in Asia. Currently, there has been some recovery of the
Asian market, although demand is affected greatly by
performance of other worldwide sheries, particularly the
Falklands Loligo shery. In 1999 and 2000, California squid
processors generally limited the daily catch from individual vessels to 30 tons per load, as supply of California
squid could have exceeded international demand.
Although the volume of squid produced by California
markets is dependent on the international market, the
price paid to shermen can inuence both effort exerted
toward shing operations and overall volume of catch.
Additionally, price paid to shermen for their catch
depends not only on market demand but availability of the
resource. When volume of catch is low, the price paid per
ton is high, exceeding $500 per ton during some months
of the 1997-1998 El Nio when squid were scarce. When
volume is high, as in the year 2000, the price is driven
down and has been recorded at $100 per ton paid to some
vessels bringing in full loads. Price paid for squid taken by
brail and for squid purchased in low volumes by smaller
local dealers tends to be signicantly higher. Often times,
the price of sh will start high at the beginning of the
southern California season in November and decline as

December 2001
frozen product begins to accumulate in cold storage facilities. Consequently, there is often less incentive for shermen to sh later in the season, and as a result, declines
in landings for springtime months may not just reect a
reduction in the availability of squid, but also a lack of
effort to sh for it. Additionally, many vessels participating in summer salmon sheries will return to other ports
during spring months.
California markets also play a role in determining the
composition of the market squid eet. Although there
are many California vessels which have historically participated in the shery that are still active, there is an
increasing proportion of shery participants from Alaska,
Washington and Oregon, reecting a willingness of the
markets to employ these vessels. During peak seasons,
approximately 75 round haul vessels have produced about
95 percent of the California squid catch
California Market Squid
California
Market Squid
Since 1961, the California squid shery has experienced

a major change. Prior to 1961, the shery had been centered mainly in the Monterey Bay area, while a much
smaller shery existed off southern California. Central and
southern California have distinctly different sheries for
market squid. Starting in 1961, the southern California
squid shery began to expand with a dramatic rise in
landings in Santa Barbara area ports. Since 1985, the
southern California shery has dominated statewide landings while shing areas have expanded, particularly in the
Channel Islands. In recent years 90 percent of landings
have occurred south of Point Conception, in sandy nearshore areas, when spawning activity is predominantly
during winter months. Conversely, squid taken in the central California shery, still centered in Monterey Bay, tend
to aggregate and spawn during summer months.
Vessels shing squid target schools that are aggregated in
shallow water areas (from 50 to 150 feet deep) to spawn.
Unlike other squid sheries worldwide, the California eet
utilizes two vessels in shing operations; a light vessel is
used to locate and concentrate a school of squid using
strong lights to attract squid to the surface. There they
are caught using round haul nets deployed by a second
vessel. A small fraction of squid sold commercially is
caught by light vessels using brail gear. Additionally, a
small volume of squid is taken by the live bait industry
California
Market Squid, Loligo opalescens
using brail, lampara, or drum seine
gear.
Credit: DFG

A Status Report
295
Commercial Landings
1916-1999, Market Squid
landing receipts.
Market Squid
250
200
150
100
50
0
1916 1920
1930
1940
While attracting lights have been used in the southern

California shery for many years, in the central California
shery a regulation was enacted which prohibited their
use between 1959 and 1988. Fishermen sponsored the ban
for protection from dealers who used lights in conjunction
with dip nets on their piers and on oating unloading
platforms. In this manner, they had effectively eliminated
the need for many shing boats. Some shermen also
believed that attracting lights disrupted squid spawning
activity, but no studies to date have addressed that issue.
In 1988, shermen were allowed to use attracting lights in
the Monterey Bay area, except in the southern portion of
the bay. The following year, attracting lights were permitted throughout the area.
In 1999, the National Park Service brought to the attention of the Department of Fish and Game an apparent
increase in nest abandonment and chick predation among
shorebirds at the Channel Islands. The park service questioned whether the abundance of vessels lighting for squid
near these islands during the nesting season in 1999 could
be responsible. As an interim measure, the California Fish
and Game Commission placed a statewide wattage restric-
Squid under lights

Credit: Jim Hardwick, DFG
296

A Status Report
1950
1960
1970
1980
1990
1999
tion on vessels shing commercially for squid, limiting

both light boats and round haul vessels shing squid to a
maximum of 30,000 watts. Additionally, the Commission
required these vessels to shield their lights to prevent
emission of light onto shore.
Starting in 1989, shermen were allowed to use all types
of round haul gear (purse seine, drum seine, etc.) in
the southern bight of Monterey Bay, which previously had
been restricted to lampara nets for squid. By the end of
1990, nearly the entire eet had switched over to purse
seine or drum seine gear and the use of lampara nets had
virtually ceased in Monterey Bay.
The market squid shery was an unregulated, open access
shery prior to April 1, 1998. In order to assure sustainability of the resource, new legislation placed a threeyear moratorium on the number of vessels in the shery.
This legislation required the purchase of a $2,500 per
year permit for three years to land more than two short
tons per trip or to attract squid by light for commercial
harvest. In addition, participants must have purchased a
permit the previous year. For the 2000-2001 squid shing
season (April 1 to March 31), 197 market squid vessel
permits and 50 light boat permits were sold, down from
originally 248 vessel permits and 54 light boat permits
sold during the rst season of the moratorium. The sale
of market squid permits provided funds for scientic
research and biological assessments of the resource for
development of recommendations for a market squid conservation and management plan.
The same legislation provides for two committees, the
Squid Fishery Advisory Committee and the Squid Research
and Scientic Committee, established in 1998. These advisory groups serve to provide recommendations to the
Director on squid research and monitoring, as well as
to provide management recommendations for the shery.
In addition to the lighting restrictions, management measures recommended by either of the committees and

December 2001
surveys for relative abundance estimates; 3) culturing

eggs and paralarvae to determine lowest viable temperature to resolve spawning range constraints; and 4) analysis
of satellite data to track growth of the market squid
shery since 1992. Preliminary port sample data indicate
that the average squid taken in the commercial shery has
a length of 5.2 inches and is approximately 185 days old.
he California market squid (Loligo opalescens) ranges

from southeastern Alaska to Bahia Asuncin, Baja
California, Mexico. This pelagic mollusk attains a length
of 12 inches, including its eight arms and two feeding
tentacles. Several other squid species occur off the California coast, but these are normally associated with
deeper offshore waters.
Spawning market squid tend to congregate in semi-protected bays, usually over a sand bottom with rocky outcroppings. Mass spawning starts around April in central
California waters and ends about November. In southern
California waters, mass spawning starts around October
and ends about April or May. During some years, however,
squid spawning, and landings, may occur throughout most
of the year.
During spawning activity, the male transfers a bundle of
spermatophores with a specialized left ventral arm into
the females mantle cavity near the oviduct. The eggs
are laid within elongated, cigar-shaped capsules, each of
which may contain as many as 300 eggs embedded in
a gelatinous matrix. Each female produces from 20 to
30 egg capsules, attaching one end of each capsule to
the sea oor or other suitable site. Females are visually
stimulated to lay their eggs by the presence of other egg
masses, resulting in egg capsule clusters covering vast
areas, appearing to carpet the sandy substrate. Small
red polychaete worms have been observed boring in the
capsules gelatinous substance, but apparently do not feed
on the developing embryos. Bat stars and sea urchins,
however, prey upon the eggs.
ittle is known about the present size, structure or

status of the population, but historical evidence from
research cruises, as well as recent catch data, indicate the
biomass is large. The California eet shes only spawning
populations and in limited geographic areas, mostly in
central and southern California. Other shable concentrations of squid have been found occasionally along the
coast from central California to British Columbia and
southeastern Alaska, and short-term sheries sometimes
have developed in these areas.
approved by the Fish and Game Commission during 1999

included mandatory logbooks for squid vessels and light
boats and statewide weekend closures for the shery to
allow for uninterrupted spawning activity.
Historically, the squid resource was considered by some

to be underutilized; recently demand has sometimes
exceeded the catch. Until more objective estimates
of abundance are available, the true status of the population will remain unknown. Past work, and work elsewhere, has included acoustic surveys and various collection techniques. Acoustical assessment of squid has been
attempted off the central Oregon coast. However, with
the scientic research program initiated in 1998, efforts
to model the population began which may eventually give
rise to thorough and detailed stock assessments similar
to those undertaken for other coastal pelagic species.
It is hoped the preliminary modeling work, shery-independent surveys and information from scientic research
will allow for development of an effective management
strategy for the resource by the year 2002.
Depending on the ambient water temperature, squid eggs

hatch in two to ve weeks, with newly hatched paralarvae
already resembling miniature adults. Squid feed predominantly on euphausiids and copepods, as well as other
small crustaceans, gastropods, polychaete worms, small
shes and smaller squid. Squid are an important prey item
for many shes, birds and marine mammals, and studies
indicate the market squid plays an important role in the
food web of many organisms along Californias coast.
Since 1998, research objectives being conducted by the
department for market squid include: 1) collecting shery
and biological data through port sampling efforts; 2)
conducting shery independent surveys (i) utilizing a
remotely operated vehicle (ROV) to characterize spawning
habitats and measure egg density and (ii) midwater trawl

December 2001
Hauling a lampara net in Monterey Bay


A Status Report
297
The market squid shery is often subject to extreme uctuations in availability due to El Nio events or other environmental conditions, and demand is largely dependent
on international market forces. However, as typically seen
in short-lived, highly fecund animals, the squid population
seems to have the ability to recover fully in a relatively
short period of time. Consequently, squid can probably be
more intensively harvested than longer-lived marine sh.
Marci Yaremko
References
CalCOFI Rep. Vol. 39, 1998. Symposium of the CalCOFI
Conference, 1997. Market Squid: What we know and what
we need to know for effective management. 240 pp.
Cailliet, G.M. and D.L. Vaughan. 1983. A review of
the methods and problems of quantitative assessment
of Loligo opalescens. Biological Oceanography 2:2-3-4
(379-400).
Fields, W.G. 1965. The structure, development, food relations, and life history of the squid Loligo opalescens Berry.
Calif. Dept. Fish and Game, Fish Bull. 131. 108 p.
Kato, S. and J.E. Hardwick. 1975. The California squid
shery.Pages 107-127 in Expert consultation on shing for
squid. FAO Fish. Rep. 170, Suppl. 1.
Recksiek, C.W. and H.W. Frey. (eds.) 1978. Biological,
oceanographic, and acoustic aspects of the market squid,
Loligo opalescens Berry. Calif. Dept. Fish. and Game, Fish
Bull. 169. 185 p.
298

A Status Report
Packing squid in the Monterey Bay area


December 2001
Pacific Sardine
A
sustained shery for Pacic sardines (Sardinops sagax)

rst developed in response to the demand for food
during World War I. Demand grew, and shing effort and
landings increased from 1916 to 1936, when the catch
peaked at over 700,000 tons. Pacic sardine supported
the largest shery in the Western Hemisphere during the
1930s and 1940s, with landings occurring in British Columbia, Washington, Oregon, and California. The shery collapsed beginning in the late 1940s and declined, with
short-term reversals, to less than 1,000 tons-per-year in
the late 1960s. There was a southward shift in the catch
as the shery decreased, with landings ceasing in the
northwest in the 1947-1948 season and in San Francisco in
1951-1952. Through the 1945-1946 season, most California
landings were at Monterey and San Francisco, but San
Pedro accounted for most subsequent landings.
Sardines were used primarily for reduction to shmeal
and oil, and canned for human consumption, with small
quantities taken for live bait. Although most sh landed
north of California were reduced, California processors
began as canners, and expanded to reduction as a lucrative supplement. Reduction was often more protable,
and for many years reduction tonnage exceeded tonnage
canned. An extremely lucrative dead bait market for sardines developed in central California in the 1960s, and
was primarily responsible for continued shing on the
depleted resource.
Prior to 1967, management of the sardine resource in
California was mostly limited to: 1) control of tonnage of
whole sh used for reduction; 2) case pack requirements
(specied number of cases of canned sh per ton of whole
sh); and 3) restriction of the shing season. The rst two
controls were intended to lower the quantity of sardines
used for reduction, since this was regarded as a less desirable use and demand for reduction products was high.
The third control was designed to limit canning to periods
when sardines were in prime condition and to improve the
market for canned products. The total catch, however,
was not regulated. From 1967 to 1973, California landings
of sardines were limited to an incidental take of 15 percent sardines by weight mixed with other sh. Liberal
provisions for use of incidental catch, and later a 250-ton
dead bait quota still supplied the demand for bait. In 1974,
a moratorium on shing sardines was established, which
restricted landings to the 15 percent incidental limit and
eliminated the use of sardines for dead bait. This legislation also established the states intent to rehabilitate the
resource. Through 1981, sardine landings were less than
50 tons per year.
In the early 1980s, sardines were taken incidentally in
the southern California Pacic and jack mackerel shery.

December 2001
Most sardines from this source were canned for pet food,
with a lesser amount canned for human consumption. A
small directed shery for sardines limited to 1,000 tons
per year was permitted annually 1986 through 1990. The
quota (excluding bait sheries) was increased to 8,150
tons in 1991.
At the present time, sardines landed in the directed sheries in southern and central California are primarily processed for human consumption (fresh or canned), pet
food, or export. The majority of frozen exports are used
as animal feed in Australian bluen tuna aquaculture facilities. Small quantities are harvested for dead bait and
live bait. With the exception of 1,217 tons reported in the
PacFIN database for 1996, no reduction of sardines, other
than waste produced from other processing operations, is
taking place in California. Total annual landings of sardines
have increased, from less than 100 tons in the 1970s, to
an average of 13,400 tons per year through the 1980s,
and 30,400 tons per year through the 1990s. Total sardine
landings in California in 1999 were 62,600 tons.
Pacific Sardine
Landings of sardines in Mexico increased from an annual

average of 1,600 tons during the 1980s, to an average
of nearly 42,000 tons per year through the 1990s. The
total and average annual harvests by Mexico exceeded
those for California over the period 1980 through 1999.
Mexican landings of Pacic sardines, mackerels and herrings, are primarily used for reduction into shmeal, with
approximately 20 percent used for human consumption.
A federal shery management plan (FMP) for coastal
pelagic species in U.S. waters off the West Coast, including sardines, was implemented by the Pacic Fishery Management Council (PFMC) in January 2000, which transferred management authority from the California Department of Fish and Game (DFG) to the National Marine
Fisheries Service (NMFS) through the PFMC. To calculate
the 2000 harvest guideline, a formula selected by the
PFMC in the federal management plan was used. Based on
the 1999 estimate of total biomass, the 2000 sardine shery opened January 1, with a harvest guideline of 205,902
Pacific Sardine, Sardinops sagax

Credit: DFG

A Status Report
299
Commercial Landings
1916-1999, Pacific Sardine
Bulletins and commercial landing receipts. Data includes sardines caught for reduction fishery between 1916 and 1969.
Pacific Sardine
billions of pounds landed
Pacific Sardine
1.6
1.4
1.2
1.0
0.8
0.6
0.4
0.2
0.0 1916
1920
1930
1940
tons for the California shery, a 65 percent increase over

the 1999 DFG quota.
The price of sardines landed incidentally with mackerel
decreased from about $190 per ton in the mid-1980s to
about $150 per ton in 1991. The price for sardines landed
in the directed shery and canned for human consumption
ranged from $80 to $100 per ton in the late 1990s. Only
limited markets exist for canned products currently being
produced. It remains to be seen whether new markets
will develop to utilize the fully recovered population of
Pacic sardines.
ardines are small pelagic sh and members of the herring family, Clupeidae. The genus Sardinops occupies
the coastal areas of warm temperate zones of nearly all
ocean basins. The genus is considered monotypic, and
Sardinops sagax is the correct scientic name for sardine
populations in the Alguhas, Benquela, California, Kuroshio,
and Peru currents, and for populations off New Zealand
and Australia. In the northeast Pacic Ocean, as in most
other areas, the Pacic sardine occurs with anchovy, hake,
and mackerel. It is generally accepted that the Pacic
sardine population consists of three subpopulations or
stocks: a Gulf of California subpopulation, a southern subpopulation off Baja California, and the principal northern
subpopulation ranging from northern Baja California to
Alaska. These stocks were distinguished on the basis of
serological techniques. A fourth, far northern subpopulation was also postulated. Recent electrophoretic studies
and examination of morphological variation showed no
genetic variation among sardines from central and southern California, the Pacic coast of Baja California and the
Gulf of California.
300

A Status Report
1950
1960
1970
1980
1990
1999
Historically, the northern subpopulation of sardines made

extensive migrations, moving north as far as British
Columbia in the summer months and returning south to
southern California and northern Baja California in the
fall. Northward movement was greater with increased age.
The migration was complex, and the timing and extent
of movement were affected to some degree by oceanographic conditions. At present, the population is currently
expanding, found primarily off central and southern California and Baja California, but extends as far north as
Vancouver, British Columbia. Contraction and expansion
of range and spawning area has been associated with
changes in sardine population size around the world.
Estimates of sardine abundance from AD 280 to 1970
have been derived from the deposition of sh scales in
sediment cores from the Santa Barbara basin. Signicant
sardine populations existed throughout the time period
and varied widely in size, typically over periods of roughly
60 years. Population declines and recoveries averaged
about 36 and 30 years, respectively. Scale data indicate
that sardine populations were much more variable than
anchovy populations. Studies of deposits of otoliths have
shown that, while the anchovy has been present for a
million years or more, no trace of sardines has been found
that is more than seven thousand years old. The tendency
for tremendous variations in sardine biomass may be a
characteristic of a species that has only recently occupied
its habitat.
Pacic sardines reach about 16 inches and live as long as
13 years but are usually less than 12 inches and eight years
old. Most sardines in the historical and recent commercial
catch were ve years and younger. There is a good deal
of regional variation in growth rate, with average size
attained at a given age increasing from south to north.
Sardine size and age at maturity may decline with a
decrease in sardine biomass, although latitudinal and temperature effects may also play a part. At low biomass

December 2001
Sardines age three and older were nearly fully vulnerable

to the historical shery until 1953, but two and three year
old sh became less available as the population declined
and fewer southern sh moved northward. Recent catch
data indicate sardines begin to become available to the
shery at age zero, and are fully vulnerable by age three.
Sardines probably become vulnerable to the live bait shery, which is located close to shore, at a younger age.
Spawning occurs in loosely aggregated schools in the
upper 165 feet of the water column, probably year-round,
with peaks from April to August from Point Conception
to Magdalena Bay, and from January to April in the Gulf
of California. The main spawning area for the northern
subpopulation is between San Francisco and San Diego,
out to about 150 miles offshore, with evidence of spawning as far as 350 miles offshore. Sporadic occurrences
of spawning have been observed off Oregon and British
Columbia in recent years.
Most spawning occurs between 55 and 63 F, with an
apparent optimum between 59 and 61 F, and a minimum
threshold temperature of 55 F. The spatial and temporal
distribution of spawning is inuenced by temperature; the
center of sardine spawning shifts northward and continues
over a longer period of time during warm water conditions. Pacic sardines are serial spawners and spawn several times each season, although the number of spawnings
is not known. Eggs and larvae are found near the surface.
The eggs are spheroid, have a distinct, large perivitelline
space, and require about three days to hatch at 59 F.
Recruitment of Pacic sardines is highly variable. Analyses
of the stock-recruitment relationship have been inconclusive and controversial, with some studies showing a
density-dependent relationship and others nding no relationship whatsoever. From 1932 to 1965, mean recruitment
only slightly exceeded potential replacement of spawners
at all levels of abundance, indicating little resilience to
shing. Recruitment occurs in strings, with several years
of successful recruitment followed by similar periods of
poor recruitment. The timing and duration of these strings
has a large effect on population growth.
A signicant relationship exists among sardine reproductive success, spawning biomass and average sea surface
temperature (SST). Recruitment, as well as predicted
equilibrium biomass and maximum sustainable yield (MSY)
are lower when temperatures are cooler.
Sardines are lter feeders and prey on crustaceans, mostly
copepods, and other plankton, including sh larvae and
phytoplankton. Larval sardines feed extensively on the

December 2001
eggs, larvae, and juvenile stages of copepods, as well as

other zooplankton and phytoplankton.
Through all life stages, sardines are eaten by a variety
of predators. Eggs and larvae are consumed by an
assortment of invertebrate and vertebrate planktivores.
Although it has not been demonstrated in the eld,
anchovy predation on sardine eggs and larvae has been
postulated as a possible mechanism for increased larval
sardine mortality during the 1950s and 1960s. Juvenile
and adult sardines are consumed by other sh, including
yellowtail, barracuda, bonito, tunas, marlin, mackerel,
hake, and sharks; sea birds, such as pelicans, gulls, and
cormorants; and marine mammals, including sea lions,
seals, porpoises, and whales. It is likely that sardines
will become more important as prey for numerous species, including species such as the state and federally
listed California brown pelican, as the sardine resource
continues to increase.
Pacific Sardine
levels, sardines appear to be fully mature at age two,

while at high biomass levels, only some of the two-yearolds are mature.
The Pacic sardine and other closely related species

undergo similar interannual changes in abundance in several other temperate coastal regions of the world. Scientists in several countries have conducted joint studies of
recruitment and biomass of these coastal pelagic stocks
under the Sardine-Anchovy Recruitment Program. Knowledge of the population dynamics and variability of these
clupeoid shes may eventually contribute to the detection
of the oceanographic effects of global climate change.
pawning biomass of the Pacic sardine averaged

3,881,000 tons from 1932 to 1934, and uctuated from
3,136,000 to 1,324,000 tons from 1935 to 1944. The population then declined steeply over the next two decades,
with some short reversals following periods of particularly
successful recruitment, to less than 100,000 tons in the
early 1960s. During the 1970s, spawning biomass levels
were thought to be as low as 5,000 tons. Since the early
1980s, the sardine population has increased, and the total
age-one-plus biomass was estimated to be greater than 1.7
million tons in 1998 and 1999.
Maximum sustained yield of Pacic sardine in the historical northern subpopulation was estimated to be 250,000
tons or about 22 percent per year, far less than the catch
of sardines during the height of the shery. Although
combined landings in the U.S. and Mexico are still well
below this level, landings have increased substantially in
recent years. In the absence of a bilateral management
agreement between the U.S. and Mexico, combined U.S.
and Mexican catches of Pacic sardine have the potential
for accelerating the next population decline.

A Status Report
301
Pacific Sardine
Disagreement over whether the decrease in the sardine

population was due to overshing or to natural changes
in the environment has persisted for many years. It is
now apparent that both factors are important. Following
the cessation of shing and with the development of favorable environmental conditions, the sardine resource is
now recovered.
Patricia Wolf
Paul E. Smith
Revised by:
Darrin R. Bergen
References
Ahlstrom, E.H. and J. Radovich. 1970. Management of the
Pacic sardine. In: A century of sheries in North America,
N.G. Benson, ed. Special Publication No. 7, American Fisheries Society, Wash. D.C., pp. 183-193.
Barnes, J.T., L.D. Jacobson, A.D. MacCall, and P. Wolf.
1992. Recent population trends and abundance estimates
for the Pacic sardine (Sardinops sagax). Calif. Coop. Oceanic Fish. Invest. Rep. 33:60-72.
Baumgarter, T., A. Soutar, and V. Ferreira-Bartrina. 1992.
Reconstruction of the history of Pacic sardine and northern anchovy populations over the past two millennia from
sediments of the Santa Barbara Basin, California. Calif.
Hill, K.T., N.C.H. Lo, and D.R. Bergen. 2000. In prep. Stock
assessment and management recommendations for Pacic
sardine (Sardinops sagax). Calif. Dept. Fish. Game Marine
Region Admin Rept. 00-XX. In prep.
MacCall, A.D. 1979. Population estimates for the waning
years of the Pacic sardine shery. Calif. Coop. Oceanic
Fish. Invest. Rep. 20:72-82.
Murphy, G.I. 1966. Population biology of the Pacic sardine (Sardinops caerulea). Proc. Calif. Acad. Sci. Fourth
Series 34(1):1084.
Pacic Fishery Management Council. 1998. Amendment
8 (To the Northern Anchovy Fishery Management Plan)
incorporating a name change to: The Coastal Pelagic
Species Fishery Management Plan.
302

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December 2001
Northern Anchovy
T
hree separate sheries in both California and Mexico

exploit northern anchovy (Engraulis mordax). Anchovy
landed by the reduction shery are converted to meal,
oil, and soluble protein. These products are sold mainly
as protein supplements for poultry food, and also as feed
for farmed sh and other animals. Meal obtained from
anchovy is about 65 percent protein compared to about
50-55 percent for meal from other shes.
Anchovy harvested by the live bait shery are not landed
but kept alive for sale to anglers as bait. Transactions
between buyers and sellers of live bait take place at
sea or at bait wells tied up at docks. Live bait dealers
generally supply bait to commercial passenger shing vessels (CPFVs) on a contract basis and receive a percentage
of the fees paid by passengers. Bait is also sold by the
scoop to anglers in private vessels. Anchovy landed by
the non-reduction (other than live bait) shery are used
as dead frozen bait, fresh sh for human consumption,
canned sh for human consumption, animal food, and
anchovy paste.
Reliable records of California landings of northern anchovy
date from 1916. Landings were small until the scarcity of
Pacic sardines caused processors to begin canning anchovies in quantity during 1947, when landings increased to
9,464 tons in 1947 from 960 tons in 1946. To limit the
quantity of anchovies being reduced to shmeal, the California Fish and Game Commission required each processor
to can a large proportion of the harvest (40-60 percent
depending on can size). Anchovy landings declined with
the temporary resurgence of sardine landings around 1951.
Following the collapse of the sardine shery in 1952,
anchovy landings increased to nearly 43,000 tons in 1953,
but subsequently declined due to low consumer demand
for canned anchovy and increased sardine landings. Landings remained low through 1964. During the early years
(1916 through 1964), anchovy were harvested almost
exclusively by California shermen. Mexico did not begin
harvesting anchovy until 1962.
Beginning in 1965, the California Fish and Game Commission managed anchovy on the basis of a reduction quota.
This quota had been taken by a eet of approximately 40
small purse seine vessels operating off southern California
known collectively as the wetsh eet, which shes for
other species in addition to anchovy. In 1965, only 171 tons
of anchovy were landed for reduction, which increased to
an average of over 64,000 tons per year between 1965 and
1982. After 1982, reduction landings decreased dramatically to an average of only 923 tons per year from 1983
to 1991, and fell to zero in 1992 through 1994. During
the period 1995 to 1999, only four tons were reported as
reduction landings. Although Section 147 of Title 14, Cali-

December 2001
fornia Code of Regulations, currently provides a process

for the California Department of Fish and Game (DFG)
to issue permits for reduction shing, decreased prices
of shmeal and the low prices offered to shermen have
deterred any signicant reduction shing in recent years.
The non-reduction live-bait eet in recent years has consisted of about 18 boats that are distributed mostly along
the southern California coast to serve the principal sport
shing markets. Live bait boats sh for a variety of species, but anchovies comprised approximately 85 percent
of the catch prior to 1991. Pacic sardines became available to the live bait shery again in 1992, and the composition of live bait catches shifted from primarily anchovy
to primarily sardine. From 1996 through 1999, sardines
constituted approximately 72 percent of the live bait
catch. Historically, the anchovy live bait catch ranged
from 4,000 to 8,000 tons per year and averaged approximately 4,500 tons annually between 1974 and 1991. This
average dropped to slightly over 2,500 tons between 1992
and 1994. Current estimates of the live bait catch are
available from the DFG Pelagic Fisheries Assessment Unit
in La Jolla, California. Non-reduction (other than for live
bait) landings averaged slightly over 2,200 tons per year
from 1965 to 1994, and increased to an average of about
4,122 tons per year between 1995 and 1999.
Northern Anchovy
Anchovy landed in Mexico, other than a small amount used

for bait, have been used primarily for reduction. Mexicos
harvesting and processing capacity increased signicantly
in the late 1970s when several large seiners were added
to the shing eet and a large reduction plant was constructed in Ensenada. Mexican anchovy landings averaged
approximately 85,500 tons from 1962 to 1989, with a high
of over 285,000 tons in 1981. Northern anchovy catch
decreased sharply in 1990, and despite landing 19,600 tons
in 1995, average annual Mexican landings from 1990 to
1999 were only 3.600 tons.
The U.S. northern anchovy central subpopulation sheries
have been managed by the Pacic Fishery Management
Council since 1978, and the central and northern subpopu-
lations since 1998. The shery management plan has been

Northern Anchovy, Engraulis mordax
Credit: DFG

A Status Report
303
Northern Anchovy
amended to include all four species of nsh collectively

known as coastal pelagic species (CPS); Pacic sardine,
Pacic mackerel, jack mackerel, in addition to northern
anchovy, and has been renamed as the Coastal Pelagic
Species Fishery Management Plan. Regulations described
in the shery management plan designate the northern
anchovy shery as not actively managed due to low shery
demand and high stock size. If conditions change, and
active management is required, then provisions in the
shery management plan require calculation of an Allowable Biological Catch (ABC) for northern anchovy sheries
in U.S. waters. As of May 31, 2000, there were 63 vessels
licensed to sh CPS nsh under the NMFS limited entry
program, which is in effect south of 39 N. latitude (Pt.
Arena, California). North of this area, there is open access
to the shery.
Maximum Sustainable Yield (MSY) for northern anchovy in
the central subpopulation is estimated to be 135,600 tons
per year at a total biomass level of about 808,000 tons.
At present, northern anchovy are not actively managed,
but a recommended default MSY control rule gives an ABC
for the entire stock equal to 25 percent of the MSY catch,
or just over 34,000 tons. An estimated 82 percent of
the stock is resident in U.S. waters. ABC in U.S. waters
is, therefor, 82 percent of 34,000 tons or 27,600 tons.
Under federal management, there is no longer a separate
quota for reduction landings of anchovy. Although sheries in Mexican as well as U.S. waters harvest the northern
anchovy, there is no bilateral management agreement
with Mexico. The Mexican shery is managed independently and is not restricted by a quota.
Economics explain a great deal about the current dynamics of anchovy sheries in California, because the sheries
are more limited by prices and markets than by biological
constraints. The price paid to sherman for anchovy
landed as live bait in southern California was about $440
per ton in 1999, slightly less than the $480 per ton paid for
sardines as live bait. Although prices and revenues for live
bait tend to be surprisingly high, annual catches have been
modest due to market limitations.
During 1981 to 1999, the price paid for anchovy landed
for non-reduction purposes other than live bait averaged
about $330 per ton. As with live bait, market limitations
have resulted in modest annual catches despite relatively
high prices paid to shermen.
The average price for anchovy landed by the U.S. reduction shery during 1981 to 1999 was about $80 per ton,
but the price paid during 1997 was only $40 per ton.
Low prices, as well as market problems have prevented a
signicant U.S. reduction shery in recent years.
orthern anchovy are distributed from the Queen Charlotte Islands, British Columbia to Magdalena Bay, Baja
California. The population is divided into northern, central, and southern subpopulations or stocks. The central
subpopulation ranges from approximately San Francisco,
California to Punta Baja, Baja California, with the bulk
being located in the Southern California Bight.
Northern anchovies are small, short-lived sh typically
found in schools near the surface. They rarely exceed
four years of age and seven inches total length, although
individuals as old as seven years and nine inches have
been recorded. There is a great deal of regional variation
in age composition (number of sh in each age group)
and size at age with older sh and larger sh found at
relatively offshore and northerly locations. In warm years,
relatively old and large sh are found farther north than
during cool years. These patterns are probably due to
northern and offshore migration of large sh, regional differences in growth rate, and water temperatures. Northern anchovies in the central subpopulation are typically
found in waters that range from 54 to 71 F.
Information about changes in anchovy abundance during
1780 to 1970 is available from scales counted in sediment
cores from the Santa Barbara basin. These data indicate
signicant anchovy populations existed throughout the
time period and that biomass levels during the late 1960s
were modest relative to those during most of the 19th and
early 20th centuries.
The age at which northern anchovy become vulnerable
to California sheries depends on the location of the
shery and type of shery. Fish become vulnerable to
the inshore live bait shery at an earlier age than they
become vulnerable to the reduction shery. However,
substantial numbers of zero and one-year-old sh are
taken by both sheries in most years.
Anchovy are all sexually mature at age two. The fraction
of one-year-olds that is sexually mature in a given year
depends on water temperature and has been observed to
range from 47 to 100 percent. They spawn during every
month of the year, but spawning increases during late
winter and early spring and peaks during February to
April. Spawning has been observed over a temperature
range of 54 to 71 F. Individual females spawn batches
of eggs throughout the spawning season at intervals as
short as seven to 10 days. The eggs are found near the
surface, and require two to four days to hatch, depending
on water temperatures. Eggs and larvae are both found
near the surface.
Northern anchovy are subject to intense predation
throughout all life stages. Anchovy eggs and larvae fall
prey to an assortment of invertebrate and vertebrate
304

A Status Report

December 2001
Northern Anchovy
300
250
200
150
100
50
0
1916 1920
1930
1940
1950
1960
Anchovy Bait Catch

1980
1990
1999
Total anchovy harvests and exploitation rates since 1983

have been below the theoretical levels for maximum sustained yield, and stock biomass estimates are unavailable
for recent years but, based on abundance index data, the
stock is thought to be stable at a modest biomass level.
The size of the anchovy resource is now being determined
mostly by natural inuences, such as ocean temperature.
14
12
10
8
6
4
2
0
1970
Commercial Landings
1916-1999,
Northern Anchovy
landing receipts.
Northern Anchovy
350
1974
1979
1985
1989
1994
Live Bait landings of anchovy in CA, 1974-1994

Data source: DFG Database
planktivores. As juveniles in nearshore areas, anchovies

are vulnerable to a variety of predators, including birds
and some recreationally and commercially important species of sh. As adults offshore, anchovies are fed upon by
numerous marine shes (some of which have recreational
and commercial value), mammals, and birds, including
the state and federally listed California brown pelican. A
link between brown pelican breeding success and anchovy
abundance has been documented.
Northern anchovy eat plankton either by lter feeding or
biting, depending on size of the food. Adult anchovy are
known to lter anchovy eggs and it is possible that this
type of cannibalism is an important factor in regulating
population size.
stimates of the biomass of northern anchovy in the

central subpopulation averaged 359,000 tons from 1963
through 1972, increased rapidly to over 1.7 million tons
in 1974 and then declined to 359,000 tons in 1978.
Since 1978, biomass levels have tended to decline slowly,
falling to an average of 289,000 tons from 1986 through
1994. Anchovy biomass during 1994 was estimated to be
432,000 tons.

December 2001
Darrin R. Bergen
Lawrence D. Jacobson
References
Conrad, J. M. 1991. In Pacic Fishery Management Council.
1998. Amendment 8 (To the Northern Anchovy Fishery
Management Plan) incorporating a name change to: The
Coastal Pelagic Species Fishery Management Plan.
Jacobson, L.D., N.C.H. Lo, J.T. Barnes. 1994. A biomass
based assessment model for northern anchovy, Engraulis
mordax. Fish. Bull. 92:711-724.
Methot, R.D. 1989. Synthetic estimates of historical abundance and mortality for northern anchovy. In: E. Vetter
and B. Megrey (eds.). Mathematical analysis of sh stock
dynamics: reviews, evaluations and current applications.
Am. Fish. Soc. Symp. Series No. 6. Am. Fish. Soc., Bethhesda, MD.
Parrish, R.H., D.L. Mallicoate, and K.F. Mais. 1985.
Regional variations in the growth and age composition
of northern anchovy, Engraulis mordax. Fish. Bull.
83:483-495.

A Status Report
305
Pacific Mackerel
acic mackerel (Scomber japonicus), also called chub

mackerel or blue mackerel, are harvested by three
separate sheries the California commercial shery, a
sport shery based primarily in southern California, and
the Mexican commercial shery. In the commercial sheries, Pacic mackerel are landed by the same boats that
catch jack mackerel, Pacic sardine, and market squid.
Pacic mackerel supported one of Californias major sheries during the 1930s and 1940s and again in the 1980s.
The canning of Pacic mackerel began in the late 1920s
and increased as greater processing capacities and more
marketable packs were developed. Landings decreased in
the early 1930s, due to the economic depression and a
decline in demand, and then rose to a peak of 73,214 tons
in 1935. During this period, Pacic mackerel was second
only to Pacic sardine in annual landings. The mackerel
shery then experienced a long, uctuating decline. A
moratorium was placed on the shery in 1970 after the
stock had collapsed.
In 1972, legislation was enacted which imposed a landing
quota based on the age one-plus biomass. A series of successful year classes in the late 1970s initiated a recovery,
and the shery was reopened under a quota system in
1977. During the recovery period from 1977 to 1985, various adjustments were made to quotas for directed take
of Pacic mackerel and to incidental catch limits. These
measures were intended to lessen the impact of the
recovering population on the jack mackerel shery, and
to accommodate the development of the Pacic mackerel
shery as the population increased. From 1990 through
1999, Pacic mackerel accounted for 87 percent of total
mackerel landings in California. Pacic mackerel ranked
third in volume of California nsh landings throughout
the 1990s.
Before 1928, when canning began, Pacic mackerel were
landed incidentally in the sardine shery and used primarily as fresh sh. For many years, demand for canned
mackerel was steady and exceeded supply. Following the
Pacific Mackerel, Scomber japonicus

Credit: DFG
306

A Status Report
recovery, the market for canned mackerel has uctuated

due to availability and economic conditions. At present,
most Pacic mackerel is used for human consumption,
canned, or used for pet food, with a small but increasing
amount sold as fresh sh. Minor amounts of Pacic mackerel are used by anglers for live and dead bait. Mackerel
prices increased from $45 per ton in 1956 to $315 in
1981, but have declined to $120 per ton in 1999. Domestic
demand for canned Pacic mackerel appears to have
decreased in recent years. During the early shery, Pacic
mackerel were taken by lampara boats, which were
replaced in the 1930s by the same purse seine eet that
shed for sardines. The purse seiners shed for Pacic
mackerel until the moratorium in 1970, and were able
to sh for jack mackerel, northern anchovy, and other
species until the shery reopened in 1977. Fishing originally occurred near port, but by the late 1930s it
extended along the entire coast from San Diego to Santa
Barbara, and included the Channel Islands. Beginning in
the 1952-1953 season, shing extended to Tanner and
Cortez Banks.
Until the mid-1950s, there was a seasonal pattern to the
shery. Pacic mackerel were mostly unavailable from
January through May, then increased in availability until
late fall. Most of the catch was taken by purse seiners
until September, when the sardine shery began. During
the declining years of the shery, catches became more
sporadic, with no apparent seasonal patterns.
At present the purse seine eet shes the Southern California Bight, including the Channel Islands and offshore
banks. A small portion of the catch (approximately 10
percent in recent years) is taken in the Monterey Bay
area. The purse seine eet shes year-round. Landings are
typically slow during April and May, increase beginning
in June, peak during the third quarter of the year, and
decrease after September. As of June 2000, 63 purse seiners hold permits to participate in the NMFS limited entry
shery for coastal pelagic species, which is in effect
south of 39 N. latitude (Pt. Arena, California). North
of this area, there is open access to the shery. These
vessels participate not only in the Pacic mackerel shery,
but also take jack mackerel, Pacic sardine, northern
anchovy, and market squid. Other types of gear take
Pacic mackerel incidentally.
Pacic mackerel sheries in California were managed
by the state through 1999, and a shery management
plan (FMP) for coastal pelagic species, including Pacic
mackerel, was implemented by the Pacic Fishery Management Council (PFMC) in January 2000. State regulations, enacted in 1985, had imposed a moratorium on
directed shing when the total biomass was less than
20,000 tons, and limited the incidental catch of Pacic
mackerel to 18 percent during a moratorium. The shing

December 2001
Pacic mackerel have ranked among the top 11 most

important sportsh caught in southern California waters,
primarily because they are abundant rather than desirable. The recreational catch of Pacic mackerel averaged
1,500 tons per year from 1977 through 1991, and 700
tons per year from 1993 through 1999. During the commercial shing moratorium, the sport shery became the
largest exploiter of Pacic mackerel in California. The recreational catch increased during the late 1970s and early
1980s, with more than one million sh per year caught
from 1979 through 1981. Recent estimates of annual recreational catches indicate a steady decline since 1981 to
about 200 tons of Pacic mackerel in southern California
in 1999. The catches from commercial passenger shing
vessels (CPFVs) have declined from a peak in 1980 of
over 1.31 million Pacic mackerel, and an average of over
700,000 sh per year during the 1980s, to an average of
slightly over 330,000 sh per year through the 1990s. The
reported CPFV catch in 1998 totaled only 136,614 sh.
Demand for Pacic mackerel in Baja California, Mexico
increased after World War II. Mexican landings remained
stable for several years, rose to 8,000 tons in 1963, then
declined to a low of 100 tons in 1968. Catches remained
insignicant until the mid-1970s. During the period 1990
to 1999, annual landings of Pacic mackerel in Ensenada
peaked twice, rst in 1990 at 39,426 tons, and again
in 1998 at 55,916 tons. The average for Baja California
annual landings during the 1990s was 20,108 tons per year.
Mexican landings of Pacic and jack mackerels, Pacic sardines, northern anchovy, and round herrings, are primarily
used for reduction into shmeal, and approximately 20
percent used for human consumption.
acic mackerel occur worldwide in temperate and

subtropical coastal waters. In the eastern Pacic, they
range from Chile to the Gulf of Alaska, including the
Gulf of California. They are common from Monterey Bay,
California to Cape San Lucas, Baja California, but are most
abundant south of Point Conception, California. Pacic

December 2001
mackerel usually occur within 20 miles of shore, but have

been taken as far offshore as 250 miles.
Adults are found in water temperatures ranging from 50.0
to 72.0 F and larvae in 57.2 to 70.0 F. Adults occur
from the surface to 1,000 feet deep. Sub-adult and adult
Pacic mackerel in the northeastern Pacic move northward along the coast during the summer. The most northerly records occur during El Nio events. There is an
inshore-offshore migration off California, with increased
abundance inshore from July to November and increased
abundance offshore from March to May. Pacic mackerel
are typically found near shallow banks, and juveniles are
commonly found off sandy beaches, around kelp beds, and
in open bays.
Pacific Mackerel
season for Pacic mackerel was set to extend from July 1

to June 30 of the following year. A seasonal quota, equal
to 30 percent of the total biomass in excess of 20,000
tons had been allowed when the biomass was between
20,000 and 150,000 tons, and there was no quota when
the total biomass was 150,000 tons or greater. From
1985 to 1991, the biomass exceeded 150,000 tons and no
quota restrictions were in effect. The quotas from the
period 1992 through 2000 averaged 24,445 tons, with a
high at 47,200 tons set by the PFMC for the 1999-2000
shing season.
The largest recorded Pacic mackerel was 24.8 inches

and weighed 6.4 pounds, although commercially harvested
Pacic mackerel seldom exceed 16 inches and two pounds.
Growth is believed to be density-dependent, as sh reach
much higher weights-at-age when the population size is
small. The oldest recorded age, determined by otolith
reading, was 12 years, but most Pacic mackerel in the
commercial catch are less than four years old. Some
Pacic mackerel mature as one-year olds, although most
are not sexually mature until age two or three. Pacic
mackerel become available to the commercial shery in
their rst year of life and are not fully recruited to the
shery until age four. However, substantial numbers of
younger sh are taken by the commercial shery and
make up the bulk of the catch.
Recruitment of Pacic mackerel is variable and loosely
linked to the size of the spawning biomass. Reproductive
success is somewhat cyclical, with periods of roughly
three to seven years. The annual rate of natural mortality
is thought to be approximately 40 percent in the absence
of shing.
There are three spawning stocks in the northeastern
Pacic one in the Gulf of California, one near Cape San
Lucas, and one along the Pacic coast north of Punta
Abreojos, Baja California. Spawning occurs from Eureka,
California to Cape San Lucas, two to 200 miles offshore,
and in the Gulf of California.
Off California, spawning occurs from late April to July at
depths to 300 feet. Individual sh may spawn eight times
or more per year and release at least 68,000 eggs per
spawning. Off Baja California, spawning occurs from June
through October.
Pacic mackerel larvae eat copepods and each other.
Larvae normally begin to feed within 50 hours of hatching.
Juvenile and adult Pacic mackerel feed primarily on
small shes, sh larvae, squid, and pelagic crustaceans
such as euphausiids.

A Status Report
307
Pacific Mackerel
Pacific Mackerel
160
140
120
100
Commercial Landings
1916-1999, Pacific Mackerel
Pacific mackerel were
aggregated as unclassified
mackerel prior to 1926.
80
60
40
20
0
1916 1920
1930
1940
Pacic mackerel larvae are subject to predation from

a number of invertebrate and vertebrate planktivores.
Juvenile and adults are eaten by larger shes, marine
mammals, and seabirds. Pacic mackerel school as a
defense against predation, often with other pelagic species, including jack mackerel and Pacic sardine. Principal
predators include porpoises, California sea lions, brown
pelicans, striped marlin, black marlin, sailsh, bluen
tuna, white seabass, yellowtail, giant sea bass, and
various sharks.
Pacific Mackerel
1960
1970
1980
1990
1999
was an unusual event that might be expected to occur

about once every 60 years.
It is estimated that the maximum long-term yield of
Pacic mackerel might be 29,000 to 32,000 tons under
management systems similar to that in current use. It is
difcult to assess the effects on the catch of recent warm
temperatures, possible changes in availability of young
sh, and the deteriorating markets. However, it is unlikely
that the recent high harvest levels can be sustained.
Eddy S. Konno and Patricia Wolf
Revised by:
Darrin R. Bergen
1.4
1.2
1.0
0.8
0.6
References
0.4
0.2
0.0
1947 1950
1960
1970
1980
1990
1999
Recreational Catch 1947-1999, Pacific Mackerel

Data source: DFG commercial passenger fishing vessel (CPFV) logbooks
istorical estimates of Pacic mackerel biomass along

the Pacic Coast indicate a decline in total biomass
from 1932 until 1952. After a brief resurgence, the population reached a peak in 1962, then declined to less
than 10,000 tons by 1966, and remained low until the
late 1970s.
A series of successful year classes beginning in 1976
brought about a resurgence, and the age one-plus biomass
peaked in 1982, at over one million tons. Since then, it has
precipitously declined. Recent stock assessments indicate
that biomass in the late 1990s was approximately 120,000
tons. Information derived from deposits of Pacic mackerel scales on the sea oor indicates that the prolonged
period of high biomass during the late 1970s and 1980s
308
1950

A Status Report
Fitch, J.E. 1952. The decline of the Pacic mackerel shery. Calif. Fish and Game. 38:381-389.
Hill, K.T., M. Yaremko, and L.D. Jacobson. 1999. Status of
the pacic mackerel resource and shery in 1998. Calif.
Dept. Fish and Game Marine Region Admin. Rep. 99-3. 57p.
Hill, K.T. and D. R. Bergen. 2000. Stock assessment
and management recommendations for Pacic mackerel
(Scomber japonicus) in 2000. Calif. Dept. Fish. Game
Marine Region Admin. Rept. 00-XX. In prep.
Klingbeil, R.A. 1983. Pacic mackerel: a resurgent
resource and shery of the California Current. Calif. Coop.
Oceanic Fish. Invest. Rep. 24:35-45.
MacCall. A.D., R.A. Klingbeil, and R.D. Methot. 1985.
Recent increased abundance and potential productivity of
Pacic mackerel (Scomber japonicus). Calif. Coop. Oceanic
Fish. Invest. Rep. 26:119-129.
Parrish, R.H. and A.D. MacCall. 1978. Climate variation
and exploitation in the Pacic mackerel shery. Calif.
Dept. Fish Game, Fish Bull. 167. 110 p.

December 2001
Jack Mackerel
T
he jack mackerel (Trachurus symmetricus), originally

known as horse mackerel, was reported in the commercial catch as early as 1888, and was a minor component of the coastal pelagic species (CPS) shery until
1947. The CPS shery uses encircling nets (purse and
drum seine, and lampara nets) to target market squid,
Pacic sardine, Pacic mackerel, northern anchovy, and
jack mackerel in the waters off California. Much of the
catch between 1926 and 1946 was taken incidentally with
sardine and Pacic mackerel and was sold at fresh sh
markets where it did not spoil as quickly as Pacic mackerel. Landings were low, varying between 200 and 15,000
tons annually and comprising less than three percent of
the CPS landings each year.
In 1947, jack mackerel landings increased almost tenfold
to 65,000 tons as the canning industry turned to jack
mackerel in the face of the collapsing sardine shery. The
U.S. Food and Drug Administration authorized changing
the common name from horse mackerel to jack mackerel
in 1947 to increase consumer appeal. Between 1947 and
1979, jack mackerel landings ranged from 800 to 73,000
tons, comprising six percent to 65 percent of the annual
CPS landings.
The recovery of the Pacic mackerel population in the
late 1970s shifted effort away from jack mackerel. The
CPS eet prefers Pacic mackerel, because jack mackerel
occur farther from port and tend to aggregate over rocky
bottom where there is increased chance of damage to the
encircling nets. The recovery of the Pacic sardine and
increased demand for squid worldwide have also contributed to the decline in jack mackerel landings in California.
Since 1991, jack mackerel has been caught primarily
from December through April, with landings low during
the remainder of the year. Landings have averaged
less than 2,000 tons each year, comprising only two percent of the CPS landings. Most of the catch occurs in
1983 to 1990 for the shery which occurs north of 39

latitude (Point Arena). The shery south of 39 is not
regulated. In 1991, the ABC was raised to 57,990 tons and
the quota to 51,530 tons where it remained throughout
the 1990s.
Since much of the trawl-caught jack mackerel is discarded
at sea, total catch is not available. Estimates of jack
mackerel caught by Pacic whiting trawlers has ranged
from less than 500 tons to over 2,000 tons in the 1970s
and 1980s. After a US-USSR survey of jack mackerel conducted in 1991, an experimental shery was attempted off
California. Large factory trawlers from Alaska came south
searching for jack mackerel, but found few sh and the
shery never developed.
Jack Mackerel
In the early 1990s, southern California shermen and processors became concerned over the possible expansion
of the jack mackerel shery and lobbied heavily for Federal management of the CPS shery. In 1999, the Coastal
Pelagic Species Fishery Management Plan (CPS FMP) was
adopted by the PFMC and jack mackerel was included
in the plan as a monitored species and dropped from
the Pacic Coast Groundsh FMP. The CPS FMP sets the
ABC at 52,910 tons with a quota of 34,170 tons based on
the portion (65 percent) of the population in US waters.
Should the jack mackerel catch exceed the quota for
two consecutive years, the PFMC would have to decide
whether to change the shery to active status, resulting
in a need for an annual biomass estimate and subsequent
harvest guideline.
In addition to the whiting trawl shery, a few adult
jack mackerel are also taken in the northern California
salmon troll shery. Landings from the salmon shery are
a small portion (less than one percent) of the total jack
mackerel landings.
Large jack mackerel have occasionally contributed to the
commercial passenger shing vessel (CPFV or partyboat)
sport shery. In 1953, a run of large sh was encountered
in southern California, which contributed 13 percent of
the CPFV catch in southern California and 8.6 percent
The CPS eet catches jack mackerel only when the young
sh, less than six-years-old form schools near the surface.
As jack mackerel grow older, their behavior changes, and
they inhabit deeper waters farther offshore. The unpredictable availability of jack mackerel also plays a part in
the erratic catches, since there are times when the eet
cannot nd jack mackerel schools for several months.
Large, adult jack mackerel were taken incidentally in
the Pacic whiting (hake) trawl shery off California in
the 1970s and 1980s. Because of this, jack mackerel was
included in the Pacic Fisheries Management Councils
(PFMC) Pacic Coast Groundsh Fishery Management Plan
(FMP). The allowable biological catch (ABC) and equivalent quota for jack mackerel was set at 13,230 tons from

December 2001
Jack Mackerel, Trachurus symmetricus

Credit: DFG

A Status Report
309
Jack Mackerel
statewide. That was an exceptional year and, since then,

jack mackerel have been of minor importance in the CPFV
catch. Smaller jack mackerel are caught at times from
shing piers in southern and central California. Since 1980,
recreational landings have been highly variable, ranging
from an estimated 5,000 sh to over 350,000, based on
data collected by Pacic States Marine Fisheries Commission samplers. These data are expanded from direct observations and information collected from anglers. For minor
recreational species, such as jack mackerel, these expansions may greatly over-estimate the catch. Live bait landings of jack mackerel in the 1990s have been negligible
due to a preference for Pacic sardine and northern
anchovy as bait by sport anglers.
ack mackerel are actually members of the jack family,

Carangidae, and are not true mackerel. They are
widely distributed throughout the northeastern Pacic
Ocean, where young sh (up to six years and 12 inches
fork length) are found schooling over shallow rocky reefs,
generally less than 200 feet deep, and along rocky shorelines of the coast and islands off southern California and
Baja California. Large sh (16 years and older and 20
inches fork length) are found offshore and farther north,
east of a line that goes from Cabo San Lucas to the
eastern Aleutian Islands, and includes the Gulf of Alaska.
The offshore segment of the population does not form the
dense, shallow-water schools observed in young sh. The
distribution of jack mackerel between six and 15 years is
not well known. The movement of the larger sh into the
Gulf of Alaska appears to be related to summer warming
of the surface waters. Not all of the large sh migrate
north, since some large jack mackerel are caught off
southern California and Baja California waters throughout
the year.
Jack mackerel spawn in the offshore waters (60 - 300
miles) between Punta Eugenia and Point Conception from
March through July. The center of offshore spawning activity moves north as the season progresses. There is little
production in the inshore waters (up to 80 miles) of the
Southern California Bight until July, presumably when the
young sh begin to spawn. Little is known about the seasonal and geographic limits of the offshore and northern
spawning areas. A 1955 survey found jack mackerel eggs
and larvae offshore (100 - 1,000 miles) off Oregon and
Washington in August. A second survey in October 1972
found an area of spawning jack mackerel 200 to 600 miles
off Washington.
Like anchovy and Pacic mackerel, jack mackerel appear
to be multiple spawners, with females spawning on average every ve days and 25 times per year. Batch fecundity
310

A Status Report
(number of eggs per spawning event) changes over time

with females producing almost 104,000 eggs during the
rst spawning event and 73,000 during subsequent events.
Most (70 percent) female jack mackerel from the southern
California shery become mature around their rst birthday. By their second birthday, 90 percent of the females
are spawning. Most of the eggs are spawned in 57 to 61
F water. Eggs are about 0.04 inches in diameter and oat
free in the ocean for three to ve days before hatching,
depending on the water temperature.
Larval jack mackerel feed primarily on copepods. Juvenile
jack mackerel seem to prefer copepods, pteropods, and
euphausiids, although at times they feed almost exclusively on juvenile squid and anchovies. Food habits of
the older, offshore sh are unknown. Jack mackerel are
preyed upon by large sh like tuna and billsh. Smaller sh
and marine birds are unlikely to feed on jack mackerel,
except young-of-the-year and yearlings, because they are
too large to be eaten. A study of the diet of the California
sea lion in the northern Channel Islands from 1981 to
1995 found that jack mackerel ranked as the fourth
most frequently occurring species. The importance of jack
mackerel in the diet of other marine mammals is not
well known.
he most recent estimate of total biomass was mademore than 17 years ago, in 1983. Total biomass was
estimated at 1.63 to 1.99 million tons with spawning biomass accounting for 1.50 million tons. These estimates
must be viewed as tentative approximations of the population because of two factors. First, at the time, the
spawning frequency of jack mackerel was not known, and
estimates were based on the spawning frequencies of
northern anchovy (15 percent of females spawn each day
during the peak spawning months) which has similar gonad
morphology and a protracted spawning season like jack
mackerel. Second, estimates were derived from plankton
surveys for eggs and larvae in the Southern California
Bight, which did not cover the entire range of the spawning population, and assumptions were made for the contribution of older jack mackerel outside the survey area. A
recent study estimated the spawning frequency for jack
mackerel at 20 percent of the spawning population. Using
a spawning frequency of 20 percent would have yielded
a lower biomass estimate in 1983. Although we now have
an estimate of spawning frequency, no other biomass
estimates have been produced since 1983.
There has been a decrease in the percentage of older sh
(three to six years) in the catch since the 1960s, which has
caused some concern. It is unclear whether this change

December 2001
Jack Mackerel
140
120
100
80
60
40
20
0
1916 1920
1930
1940
1950
1960
is due to a decrease in the number of older sh or to a

change in the distribution of these sh.
Jan Mason
Revised by:
Traci Bishop
1970
1980
1990
1999
Commercial Landings
1916-1999, Jack Mackerel
Jack mackerel were aggregated
as unclassified
mackerel prior to 1926.
Jack Mackerel
160
References
Blunt, C. E., Jr. 1969. The jack mackerel (Trachurus symmetricus) resource of the eastern North Pacic. Calif.
MacCall, A. D., H.W. Frey, D.D Huppert, E.H. Knaggs,
J.A. McMillan, and G.D. Stauffer. 1980. Biology and economics of the shery for jack mackerel in the northeastern Pacic. NOAA Tech. Memo., NOAA-TM-NMFS-SWFC-4.
MacCall, A. D., and G.D. Stauffer. 1983. Biology and shery
potential of jack mackerel (Trachurus symmetricus). Calif.
Macewicz, B.J., and D.N. Abramenkoff. 1993. Collection of
jack mackerel, Trachurus symmetricus, during 1991 cooperative US-USSR cruise. NOAA Admin. Rep. NOAA-NMFSSWFSC-LJ-93-07.
MacGregor, J.S. 1966. Synopsis on the biology of the jack
mackerel (Trachurus symmetricus). U. S. Fish and Wildl.
Serv., Spec. Sci. Rept. Fish. 526 1-16.
Mason, J.E. 1991. Variations in the catch of jack mackerel
in the southern California purse seine shery. Calif. Coop.
Oceanic Fish. Invest. Rep. 32:143-151.
Pacic Fishery Management Council. 1998. Draft amendment 8 of the coastal pelagic species shery management
plan. 306 p.
Pacic Fishery Management Council. 1999. Amendment
11 to the Pacic coast groundsh shery management
plan, including nal environmental assessment/regulatory
impact review. October 1998.

December 2001

A Status Report
311
Commercial Landings - Coastal Pelagics

312
Commercial Landings Coastal Pelagics

Year
1916
1917
1918
1919
1920
1921
1922
1923
1924
1925
1926
1927
1928
1929
1930
1931
1932
1933
1934
1935
1936
1937
1938
1939
1940
1941
1942
1943
1944
1945
1946
1947
1948
1949
1950
1951
1952
1953
1954
1955
1956
1957
1958
1959
1960
1961
1962
1963
1964
1965
1966
1967
1968
1969
1970
1971
1972
1973
1974
1975
1976
1977
1978
1979
Market Squid
Pounds
275,620
439,438
361,714
3,698,242
508,199
432,559
209,641
1,180,446
6,831,029
1,891,220
3,135,561
6,014,113
1,351,992
4,660,572
10,969,462
1,738,621
4,229,743
824,543
1,530,450
815,944
945,439
501,662
1,599,319
1,162,056
1,800,632
1,431,136
943,783
9,164,361
10,936,595
15,225,664
38,024,528
14,542,649
19,255,687
6,859,129
5,996,335
12,382,869
3,670,923
8,917,114
8,155,105
14,271,968
19,483,984
12,449,121
7,457,418
19,653,013
2,561,520
10,285,791
9,368,149
11,560,854
16,433,624
18,619,893
19,025,879
19,601,922
24,932,713
20,779,382
24,590,865
31,517,408
20,159,312
12,061,632
28,904,678
23,621,984
20,306,005
28,243,779
37,798,628
43,407,642
Anchovy
Pounds
531,209
528,753
868,161
1,609,548
569,774
1,946,881
652,516
307,074
346,951
93,071
60,157
368,201
357,470
382,445
319,561
307,494
299,217
317,292
257,505
178,970
195,122
226,229
735,144
2,147,901
6,317,797
4,105,382
1,694,290
1,570,803
3,891,029
1,616,880
1,921,627
18,940,521
10,835,930
3,322,273
4,878,687
6,954,852
55,782,870
85,835,478
42,410,364
44,691,582
56,920,585
40,547,526
11,602,724
7,173,739
5,058,603
7,711,573
2,764,003
4,570,380
4,975,089
5,733,024
62,280,236
69,609,377
31,076,116
135,277,718
192,485,074
89,705,068
138,201,573
265,271,871
165,433,480
317,021,422
249,838,707
219,368,803
24,808,622
106,029,137
Anchovy
Live Bait
Pounds
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------7,813,185
7,242,187
9,451,220
9,078,638
11,468,450
5,132,363
Jack
Mackerel
Pounds
------------------------------235,151
462,539
538,446
698,290
368,828
563,108
536,409
1,010,850
1,581,274
9,983,924
4,599,382
6,541,026
4,133,918
3,760,155
1,432,637
2,068,685
5,348,501
12,698,974
12,777,077
9,032,987
15,093,321
129,048,507
72,898,335
51,250,088
133,255,752
89,838,095
146,521,673
55,750,855
17,333,581
35,754,707
75,762,110
82,011,785
22,065,801
37,507,227
74,945,453
97,606,304
89,978,933
95,442,284
89,692,911
66,666,380
40,862,409
38,180,547
55,667,682
51,921,162
47,746,509
59,882,985
51,117,573
20,615,827
25,457,593
36,779,231
44,893,081
98,711,993
67,803,179
36,012,516

A Status Report
Pacific
Mackerel
Pounds
------------------------------3,610,098
4,728,903
35,251,298
57,973,952
16,531,364
14,254,081
12,473,746
69,613,680
113,848,585
146,427,202
100,542,214
60,936,701
79,848,015
80,909,374
120,504,412
78,167,200
52,553,663
75,214,799
83,656,900
53,716,765
53,875,327
46,478,362
39,385,801
49,771,273
32,649,969
33,518,520
20,604,761
7,502,181
25,392,604
23,310,302
50,013,009
62,043,775
27,648,485
37,602,134
36,808,690
44,110,194
48,578,820
40,242,676
26,827,881
7,050,059
4,629,504
1,166,607
3,133,446
2,357,194
621,919
155,847
108,078
56,848
133,446
287,121
353,729
11,757,254
24,676,345
59,961,335
Unclassified
Mackerel
Pounds
1,113,998
3,345,563
4,005,906
2,654,596
2,997,308
2,914,613
2,466,762
3,553,954
3,227,300
3,506,103
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sardine1
Pounds
15,648,839
104,103,331
157,652,811
153,877,179
118,520,914
59,332,305
93,399,900
158,159,356
242,685,958
315,294,986
286,741,250
342,275,289
420,269,665
651,771,904
502,062,747
364,351,801
422,609,716
626,397,481
1,119,931,099
1,095,758,548
1,463,543,700
1,071,490,525
1,023,389,489
1,160,793,581
905,973,403
1,262,480,393
969,747,099
972,269,915
1,147,207,882
845,062,774
510,759,173
255,513,948
362,037,087
633,379,791
714,522,761
328,900,731
14,330,420
9,468,892
136,504,017
145,607,749
69,554,345
45,862,106
207,445,837
74,366,856
57,532,719
43,169,064
15,362,952
7,131,221
13,137,483
1,924,219
878,359
148,766
124,088
105,273
442,319
297,886
372,230
151,599
14,050
5,300
16,190
11,023
8,818
35,274

December 2001
Year
1980
1981
1982
1983
1984
1985
1986
1987
1988
1989
1990
1991
1992
1993
1994
1995
1996
1997
1998
1999
Market Squid
Pounds
33,917,646
51,829,718
35,953,265
4,020,353
1,243,458
22,652,461
46,908,622
44,056,904
82,080,486
90,152,660
62,714,437
82,426,950
28,902,795
94,185,070
122,345,905
159,480,780
177,255,664
155,174,427
6,381,504
201,762,132
Anchovy
Pounds
93,156,343
113,463,125
91,238,321
9,327,760
6,411,044
3,527,397
4,142,487
3,139,383
3,183,476
5,313,141
6,957,790
9,224,142
2,477,996
4,307,833
8,113,013
4,146,896
9,742,229
12,606,034
3,212,136
11,417,742
Anchovy
Live Bait
Pounds
9,594,520
10,544,713
8,428,274
8,558,347
8,950,770
9,310,124
7,963,099
7,879,323
9,235,167
10,128,039
10,674,786
10,718,878
5,670,291
5,557,855
4,239,490
----------------
Jack
Mackerel
Pounds
44,134,347
30,842,675
57,284,923
39,892,652
23,157,360
20,304,577
24,025,981
25,690,471
22,392,355
42,939,441
10,745,332
3,675,106
12,958,774
3,558,261
4,746,553
5,820,205
4,376,177
2,559,567
2,138,484
2,123,052
Pacific
Mackerel
Pounds
64,240,508
84,445,878
61,544,255
70,609,664
91,566,810
75,074,026
89,542,966
90,303,561
93,035,089
78,369,937
80,944,937
67,150,611
40,939,848
27,317,483
22,134,415
19,107,467
22,676,752
45,448,302
44,253,397
21,003,443
Unclassified
Mackerel
Pounds
-------------------------------------------------------------
Sardine1
Pounds
74,957
61,729
284,396
762,800
509,268
1,285,295
2,524,293
4,543,728
8,210,016
8,476,775
6,106,806
16,810,250
39,564,164
30,518,596
29,586,040
95,790,868
71,767,091
101,844,762
90,513,000
125,105,739

1
1916 - 1969 sardine data include reduction fishery.

December 2001

A Status Report
Commercial Landings Coastal Pelagics, contd
313
Recreational Landings Coastal Pelagics

Year
Pacific
Mackerel
No. of Fish1
1947
1948
1949
1950
1951
1952
1953
1954
1955
1956
1957
1958
1959
1960
1961
1962
1963
1964
1965
1966
1967
1968
1969
1970
1971
1972
1973
1974
1975
1976
1977
1978
1979
1980
1981
1982
1983
1984
1985
1986
1987
1988
1989
1990
1991
1992
1993
1994
1995
1996
1997
1998
1999
148,041
203,012
95,158
66,969
47,188
76,568
61,467
315,037
151,018
121,136
151,960
136,607
88,952
79,370
113,988
116,738
146,560
101,219
151,896
205,090
108,366
78,933
120,036
129,770
224,223
245,882
199,104
102,619
129,944
51,441
484,722
940,204
1,272,038
1,315,971
1,007,198
914,238
630,006
604,324
695,708
605,716
517,166
412,924
363,700
472,006
438,979
327,747
417,640
336,655
271,150
335,240
240,977
129,747
83,634
All data based on CPFV logbooks.

1
314
All data presented in number of fish.

A Status Report

December 2001
ighly migratory species include the tunas, billshes,

pelagic sharks, and dolphinsh. As a group, they contribute to some of the most valuable commercial sheries
and are also very important in the sport shery, especially
in southern California. Currently, the harvest of highly
migratory species is regulated by the state. However,
beginning in 2001, the Pacic Fishery Management Council
has proposed adopting a shery management plan regulating the take of highly migratory species within and outside
the Exclusive Economic Zone. Upon completion of the
shery management plan process, which may take more
than two years, jurisdiction over the harvest of these
species will pass to the federal government.
Currently, ve distinctive gear types are used to take
highly migratory species commercially. The oldest and
most common is hook and line gear. The gear may be used
to take any highly migratory species but, traditionally,
most of the shing has been for tunas. The majority of
albacore are taken by trolling vessels with a small portion
of sh landed by pole-and-line shing using live bait.
Albacore are taken along the West Coast of the U.S. and
Canada, as well as on the high seas of the north and south
Pacic Oceans. A very small eet of bait boats continues
to target the tropical tunas, yellown and skipjack tuna,
off Mexico and Central America. Southern California has
a small harpoon eet (< 50 vessels) pursuing swordsh
during the summer months. This is in contrast to the more
than 200 vessels shing during the 1950s and 1960s. They
generally operate within the Channel Islands but occasionally may venture as far north as Morro Bay. The third type
gear used to take highly migratory species is the purse
seine. Two distinct eets exist; a small remnant high seas
eet that shes for tropical tunas in the eastern Pacic
and 40 wetsh vessels that occasionally land tuna when
they are locally available. The high-sea purse seine eet
shes in an area regulated by the Inter-American Tropical
Tuna Commission and is subject only to state licensing and
landing taxes on sh landed in the state. The wetsh eet
targets bluen tuna during the summer but also takes
yellown and skipjack tuna. Occasionally, in some years,
they may catch signicant amounts of albacore.
California currently allows drift gillnet vessels shing with
large mesh nets to take swordsh, tunas and sharks. They
generally sh off southern California in the summer and
move north with the sh in the fall. Access is limited and
the vessels are restricted by seasonal and area closures. In
addition, the shery must be in compliance with federal
regulations governing the take of marine mammals and
protected species. To this end, the National Marine Fisheries Service has established a Take Reduction Team to

December 2001
reduce the catch of marine mammals. The state has followed the recommendation of the team and implemented
regulations covering gear, area and seasonal closures to
assure few marine mammals are taken. The drift gillnet
shery also operates under a December 2000 NMFS biological opinion which closes central California from August
15 through October 31 to protect leatherback turtles, and
southern California during August and January of El Nio
years to protect loggerhead turtles.
The nal gear type is pelagic longline. While the state
does not allow longline vessels to sh in the exclusive economic zone, they may le for offshore shing declarations,
sh outside 200 miles and return to the state with their
catch. Offshore longline vessels usually target swordsh
but will sh for tunas during times of local abundance.
Currently there are no longlining restrictions except shing
is not allowed within 200 miles of shore.
Recreational anglers using hook and line gear target highly
migratory species whenever the opportunity arises. Commercial passenger shing vessel and private boat anglers
pursue these species in U.S. waters and territorial seas of
Mexico. Oceanic regimes play a major role in determining
availability and which species will be harvested. During
1999, highly migratory species accounted for over 9.5
percent of all sh landed by California anglers. During
eight of the past 10 years, tropical species such as yellown tuna, skipjack tuna, and dolphinsh have dominated
the catch. Temperate tunas (albacore and bluen tuna)
have only contributed signicant catches in the years following a major El Nio event. Catches of sharks and billsh
are important to anglers of the state, but constitute a
minor portion of the overall catch. When the highly migratory species shery developed at the turn of the century,
shing activity was conned to southern California with
most of the effort at Santa Catalina Island. As shing
vessels developed the capability to go further, sport
anglers followed the sh to the offshore islands and banks.
San Clemente, Santa Barbara, San Nicholas, the Channel
Islands, plus associated banks started to play a greater
role in the shery. Sport shing for albacore started
in northern California following World War II but never
reached the magnitude of the southern California shery
because of the lack of anglers and sh. Trips from San
Diego to northern Mexico originated in early 1930s, and
expanded to the offshore islands and southern Baja California in the late 1940s. Extended long-range trips off
Mexico, greater than 800 miles, started in the late-1950s
and continue to be popular today with both party boat
and private boat anglers.
Highly Migratory
Species: Overview
Currently, the stocks of all highly migratory species are

considered to be healthy although common thresher shark
may face some reductions in take under the Councils
shery management plan because they were overshed

A Status Report
315
in the 1980s. Most of the controversy surrounding the

take of highly migratory species centers around user
conicts, take of state and federally protected species,
longlining inside 200 miles, and bycatch. User conicts
exist between commercial gear types (harpoon vs. drift
gillnets, drift gillnets vs. longline) but a more controversial issue is the conict between commercial shers and
sport anglers. Area and time closures have helped to
eliminate some of the conicts between drift gillnets
and sport marlin anglers and prohibiting longlines inside
200 miles has also helped to reduce the conict. Some
conicts arise over the take of tuna when sport anglers
encounter purse seiners shing in areas they are shing.
Finally, the environmental community is concerned over
the take of marine mammals, protected species, and
bycatch in the commercial shery. Their concerns have
been alleviated to some extent by implementation of
recommendations from the take reduction team for the
drift gillnet shery and the recent Biological Opinion on
the take of sea turtles in the shery. Bycatch will continue to be an issue in the drift gillnet and longline sheries until effective measures are developed which reduce
the catch to close to zero. This is especially true for
shark bycatch.
Steve Crooke
316

A Status Report

December 2001
Albacore
A
lbacore (Thunnus alalunga) is a highly migratory species that has been targeted by Californias recreational
anglers and commercial shermen for more than 100
years. Currently, it ranks among the states most important marine sh resources, in terms of both economic
value and sport-related benets. Commercial landings of
albacore at California ports have increased from $4 million
to $10 million (ex-vessel dollars) on an annual basis since
1996. In recent times, the recreational shery for albacore
has contributed at least $25 million per year to Californias
economy through angling-related expenditures.
The commercial sheries for albacore developed rapidly
following the rst canning operations of this species in
1903 in San Pedro Bay, California. The vast majority of
albacore commercially harvested by California shermen
is processed as canned white meat tuna that generally
commands premium prices in the marketplace. Through
the rst quarter of the 20th century, the tuna-canning
industry and its related sheries endeavored to meet
increasing demands for seafood, particularly packed products that had a long shelf life. The commercial sheries
for albacore continued to expand through the mid-1940s,
extending northward to coastal waters off northern California, Oregon, and Washington, and westward to the central Pacic Ocean, several hundred miles off the California
coast. The geographic expansion of the sheries slowed
during the 1950s through the mid-1960s, but the ourishing market continued, with record landings during
this period that averaged roughly 30 million pounds annually. During the mid-1970s, the commercial shing eet
extended farther into the central Pacic Ocean, with
some vessels shing north and west of the Hawaiian
Islands, as far as the International Date Line. Since the
1980s, the albacore sheries of California have typically
operated within roughly 900 miles of the U.S. Pacic
coast; the distance largely dependent on the stocks
migratory route in any given year. Californias commercial
shery for albacore has generally concentrated on the
North Pacic albacore stock during the summer and fall
seasons as the sh move through waters of the northeastern Pacic Ocean during their annual migration. However,
in recent years during the winter months, some vessels
have also targeted the South Pacic albacore stock that
inhabits waters off New Zealands east coast between the
International Date Line and 110W longitude. Commercial
landings of albacore in California have varied over the last
decade, ranging from a high of 12.3 million pounds in 1999
to a low of 1.8 million pounds in 1995.
During the early years of Californias commercial sheries
for albacore, pole-and-line (live bait shing) and troll
(articial-jig shing) gears were used extensively. Other

December 2001
gears, such as longlines, purse seines, and drift gillnets

have also been used by California shermen, but trolling
operations have dominated since the early 1980s and
now contribute over 90 percent of the annual catch of
albacore. Generally speaking, troll, pole-and-line, purse
seines, and drift gillnet vessels operate in surface sheries
that target two to ve-year-old sh (juvenile albacore)
in the upper portions of the water column, and longline
vessels operate in subsurface sheries that harvest ve
to ten year-old sh (adult albacore) from deeper waters.
California-based troll vessels, or jig boats, can be broadly
classied into two groups relatively small boats (30-50
feet in length) that typically carry a crew of two or
three shermen, spend one to three weeks at sea, and
target albacore in inshore waters; and larger boats (50-90
feet in length) that commonly operate with three to ve
shermen, spend one to two months at sea, and sh
both inshore and offshore waters. Historically, commercial
shing effort for albacore has uctuated over the past
100 years, based primarily on market and oceanic conditions. For example, from 1916 to 1925, about 300 vessels
equipped for one-day trips participated in the shery,
operating exclusively in coastal waters. The commercial
eet that shed the central Pacic Ocean, as well as
inshore waters, grew steadily over the next 25 years,
reaching 3,000 boats in 1950. The number of vessels
declined during the 1950s, and by 1960, 1,000 boats were
involved in the shery. During the 1970s, the commercial
eet began to increase once again to over 2,000 vessels,
but by the late 1980s and through the 1990s, fewer than
500 boats typically landed their commercial catches at
California ports.
Albacore
Albacore are harvested commercially by countries other

than the United States, including Japan, Taiwan and South
and North Korea in the western Pacic Ocean, and
Canada and Mexico in the eastern Pacic Ocean. Currently, the California troll shery accounts for roughly
10 percent of the total commercial landings of North
Pacic albacore, with Japan (75 percent) contributing the
largest amount, followed by Oregon/Washington, Taiwan,
and Canada (about ve percent each). In a typical year,
during the late spring and summer, the Japanese poleand-line eet will target the juvenile albacore as they
Albacore, Thunnus alalunga

Credit: DFG

A Status Report
317
Albacore
Commercial Landings
1916-1999, Albacore
Bulletins and commercial landing receipts. Data includes shipments and landings from areas
north and south of the state
between 1916 and 1969.
Albacore
100
80
60
40
20
0
1916 1920
1930
1940
form identiable schools and begin their annual migration

in waters off the east coast of Japan to the central
Pacic Ocean (Emperor Seamount). In the summer and
into the fall, the U.S. and Canada troll eets will follow
the albacore as they continue their migration to the eastern Pacic Ocean and coastal waters off the U.S. Pacic
Coast.
Recreational shing for albacore developed during the
early 1900s, when vessel owners in southern California
rst realized that the angling community was very willing
to charter their boats for shing. As the popularity of
albacore increased, as a food and sport sh, so did the
partyboat (commercial passenger-carrying shing vessels
or CPFV) industry. In the very early years of the sport
shery, only a few CPFV trips were made, concentrating
in waters around the Channel Islands; however, by the
mid 1950s, more than 100 CPFVs carried anglers to other
inshore waters in pursuit of the stock as it conducted its
annual migration. The CPFV industry continued to grow
during the 1960s, with increases in shing capacity and
range, which allowed boats to carry more anglers and
venture further from port in years when the albacore
remained farther offshore. Over the last 10 years, from
40 to 60 large CPFVs, that typically accommodate from
15 to 60 anglers for one-to three-day trips, have shed
for albacore in California waters, mostly based in southern
California, with several operations further north in Morro
Bay and San Francisco. Additionally, from 60 to 90 smaller
CPFVs have routinely operated in California since the early
1990s, with these vessels usually carrying six to 10 anglers
on one-day shing excursions. Catches of albacore on
CPFV trips have been highly variable over the years, based
largely on the migratory behavior of the stock in any given
year. For example, in 1994, as the stock approached the
coast of North America, the bulk of the population traveled north to waters off Oregon and Washington, resulting
in a poor shing season for recreational anglers in Califor-
318

A Status Report
1950
1960
1970
1980
1990
1999
nia, where less than 200 albacore were landed on CPFVrelated trips. In 1999, the stock took a more southerly
route as it neared the U.S. Pacic Coast and spent much
of the summer and fall in inshore waters off southern
California and northern Mexico, where anglers on CPFVs
landed a total of 258,448 sh the highest total on
record. The long tradition of albacore sport shing in
California is not only due to the CPFV industry, but also
an increasing number of anglers that sh from privatelyowned boats. Both represent an enthusiastic sport shery
that anxiously awaits the arrival of the rst pulse of
albacore to Californias inshore waters each summer. Sport
shing in California typically peaks during the mid-summer
months (July and August) as the bulk of the stock travels
to inshore waters off the U.S. Pacic Coast. However,
arrival and departure times associated with the stocks
migration through U.S. owned shing grounds have varied
substantially over the years, with spring arrivals and
winter departures frequently observed.
The actual operations of most sheries, including those
associated with albacore, are essentially dened in accordance with the biological characteristics and ecological
relations exhibited by the species. This is particularly true
for albacore and its related sheries, given that the migration and distribution patterns of this species are highly
inuenced by the prevailing oceanographic conditions.
lbacore are members of the Scombridae family, which

includes 40 to 50 species of tuna and mackerel, 23
of which are found, for at least a part of their life, in
North American waters. Albacore, as well as other species
of tuna, have unique biological characteristics that enable
them to swim continuously at very high speeds and cover
vast areas during annual migrations. Albacore are literally

December 2001
As stated previously, the North Pacic albacore stock, particularly juveniles, typically complete an expansive annual
migration that begins in the spring and early summer off
Japan, continues throughout the late summer into inshore
waters off the U.S. Pacic Coast, and ends late in the
year in the western Pacic Ocean. It is generally believed
that oceanic conditions strongly inuence both the timing
and geographical extent of the albacores migration in any
given year. Migrating albacore concentrate along thermal
discontinuities (oceanic fronts) associated with waters of
the Transition Zone in the North Pacic Ocean. The vast
majority of albacore are caught in waters with sea-surface
temperatures (SSTs) that range from 59-67F. The migrat-

December 2001
Albacore are top carnivores in the ocean ecosystem and

opportunistically prey on schooling stocks, such as sardine,
anchovy, and squid. Albacore are preyed upon by man,
as well as the larger species of billsh, tuna, and sharks.
Similar size albacore travel together in school groups that
contain small aggregations of sh, which collectively, can
be up to 19 miles wide. At the onset of the migration,
during the spring and summer months in the western
Pacic Ocean, the young albacore form relatively small,
loose, and broadly scattered groups. As the seasons progress, the groups become more compact and contain
greater numbers of schools. The more sedentary, older
albacore typically form more compact schools. Generally
300
250
Albacore Tuna
Albacore are widely distributed throughout the worlds

oceans in tropical, sub-tropical, and temperate zones. The
North Pacic albacore stock, the population targeted by
both the commercial and recreational sheries of California, is centered around 35 N latitude in the Pacic Ocean.
This stocks distribution extends from the central (west)
coast of Mexico to the Gulf of Alaska in the eastern Pacic
Ocean, and from the equator to the north (east) coast of
Japan in the western Pacic Ocean. The actual boundaries
of the stocks range depend largely on the season of the
year and oceanic conditions. Currently, shery researchers
are uncertain whether the population of albacore inhabiting the North Pacic Ocean is strictly a single stock
or possibly, composed of two (or more) stocks. Results
from some tagging experiments indicate that substocks
of albacore may exist in the North Pacic Ocean, based
on differences in migratory routes, growth and mortality
rates, and size distributions of the commercial catches.
However, more information concerning albacore biology
and genetics is needed before denitive conclusions can
be drawn regarding the stock structure of the North
Pacic population of albacore.
ing sh are typically bounded by these thermal gradients

as they conduct their round-trip travel across the Pacic
Ocean. Although the bulk of the migrating stock is typically observed within this SST range, telemetry studies
have shown that this species will spend brief periods
of time in much colder water (49F). Upwelling, where
nutrient-rich waters from the ocean depths rise to the surface, is another important phenomenon associated with
oceanic fronts and ultimately, an event that highly inuences the distribution of the migrating albacore. It is likely
that the albacore are attracted to upwelling fronts, given
these areas are very productive and contain much forage
for predatory sh such as albacore. Although scientists are
quite certain that oceanic fronts dene albacore distribution and thus, vulnerability to sheries, they feel other
oceanographic parameters also inuence the migratory
behavior of the stock, including salinity, ocean color and
clarity, and vertical thermal/density structure. In general,
catches from the commercial sheries indicate that albacore are most abundant along the warm side of upwelling
fronts in clear blue oceanic waters that are associated
with salinity gradients between 33 and 35 parts per thousand and well dened thermoclines. Recent research indicates that the sh adjust their behavior to very different
oceanic conditions when passing through at least four distinct physical regimes (geographical strata) of the North
Pacic Ocean. Thus, determining what are the most inuential environmental parameters depends on where in the
ocean and what time of year the assessment is conducted.
Albacore
built for speed, with torpedo-shaped (fusiform) bodies,

smooth skin, and streamlined ns, and can reach speeds
of more than 50 miles per hour for short periods of time.
Albacore are metallic dark blue along the back, with
dusky to silvery white coloration along the sides and on
the belly. The pectoral ns are exceptionally long, extending to nearly half the length of the body, and albacore
are commonly referred to as longn tuna. In addition to
these morphological adaptations, albacore possess highly
specialized physiological functions that allow for rapid
movement and sustained endurance. First and foremost,
many tuna, including albacore, have a highly evolved circulatory system that includes countercurrent exchangers
that act to reduce the loss of heat generated by increased
muscular activity, allowing them to regulate their body
temperature and ultimately, increase the efciency of
their muscles. Additionally, albacore have higher blood
pressure and volume than most of the other species of sh.
200
150
100
50
0
1947 1950
1960
1970
1980
1990
1999
Recreational Catch 1947-1999 , Albacore Tuna

Data Source: DFG, commercial passenger fishing vessel logbooks.

A Status Report
319
Albacore
speaking, albacore schools are not as large or as dense

as those of some of the larger schooling tunas, such as
yellown and skipjack. Bluen, yellown, and skipjack
tunas are occasionally caught along with albacore by the
surface sheries off the U.S. Pacic Coast. Although albacore spend much of their time in the surface waters of
the ocean, they will also explore deeper waters of the
thermocline in search of prey.
North Pacic albacore mature at roughly ve to six years
of age (approximately 33 inches in length). Peak spawning
of albacore in the Pacic Ocean is generally believed to
occur in subtropical waters centered around 20N and 20S
latitude. It is assumed that the North Pacic albacore
stock spawns from March through July on grounds located
in the western and central Pacic Ocean. There is some
information, albeit limited, that albacore may spawn multiple times in a year. Albacore are believed to be pelagic
spawners that broadcast their gametes in open water,
often near the surface, with fertilization being external.
Estimates of female fecundity (number of eggs) range
from 0.8 to 2.6 million eggs per spawning. The early life
history of albacore is not clearly understood, but very
young albacore (larvae and juveniles in their rst year of
life) are believed to remain relatively close to the spawning grounds and eventually, congregate in waters south
and east of Japan prior to beginning their rst migration.
Approximate growth rates for North Pacic albacore are as
follows: age-one sh are 14.2 inches and 2.2 pounds; agetwo sh are 20.5 inches and 6.5 pounds; age-three sh are
25.6 inches and 12.7 pounds; age-four sh are 30
inches and 20.3 pounds; age-ve sh are 33.5 inches
and 28.3 pounds, and age 10-12 sh can reach up to
55.0 inches and over 100 pounds. Albacore are believed
to reach a maximum age of roughly 11-12 years, although
interpretations of age for older sh are typically subject
to increased uncertainty and thus, longevity cannot be
strictly dened at this time. The sex ratio of juvenile
albacore is approximately one to one, but males appear
to outnumber females as the sh age, e.g., the sex ratio
of the catches from the longline sheries, which target
adult sh, is generally skewed towards higher numbers of
males than females.
320

A Status Report
ishery researchers generally agree that the North

Pacic albacore population is currently a relatively
healthy stock that has responded favorably to rates of
exploitation over the last decade or so. Recent assessments of the entire stock indicated that sustainable
yields, on a global basis, likely range between 176.4 and
220.5 million pounds, roughly the level of total annual
catch observed during the latter part of the 1990s. For
example, the combined commercial and recreational landings in 1999 (U.S. and foreign) was approximately 209.5
million pounds. Catches and shing effort associated with
U.S. sheries for albacore, both commercial and recreational, were considerably higher in the latter part of
the 1990s than during the early and mid 1990s, which is
baseline information that generally indicates the population has responded relatively well to recent levels of
exploitation. Catch-per-unit-effort (CPUE) data from the
U.S. troll shery, a shing statistic often used as an index
of population size, has been relatively constant over the
last 10 years (30 to 60 sh per day), with the exception of
1996 and 1998, when shing success peaked at roughly 100
sh per day. The CPUE statistics from the pole-and-line
shery of Japan, which harvests juvenile albacore similar
to the U.S. troll eet, have been generally consistent
since the early 1990s as well, with the trend increasing
noticeably during the late 1990s. The CPUE time series
associated with the Japan longline shery, which targets
adult albacore and larger juveniles, indicates a productive
stock that has been increasing in size since the early
1990s. It is more difcult to assess the status of the
overall population using CPUE data from the recreational
sheries, given the inuence of oceanic factors on albacores migratory behavior. It is likely that catch and shing
effort associated with the North Pacic albacore stock
will remain at or slightly above current levels into the
near future, given favorable oceanographic and market
conditions.
Although shing pressure is likely an important factor
that inuences albacore abundance in the North Pacic
Ocean, it must necessarily be interpreted in the context
of the overall condition of the stocks environment. That
is, albacore abundance in the North Pacic Ocean has
uctuated considerably over the last several decades,
with strong and weak periods occurring intermittently, based
largely on the oceans carrying capacity in any given year.

December 2001
References

Bartoo, N., and T.J. Foreman. 1994. A review of the

biology and sheries for North Pacic albacore (Thunnus
alalunga). Pages 173-187 in Interactions of Pacic tuna
sheries, Volume 2: papers on biology and sheries, R.S.
Shomura, J. Majkowski, and S. Langi (editors). FAO Fisheries Technical Paper No. 336/2. Rome, FAO.
P. R. Crone
Albacore
Clemens, H.B. 1961. The migration, age, and growth of

Pacic albacore (Thunnus alalunga), 1951-1958. California
Department of Fish and Game, Fish Bulletin 115. 128 p.
Clemens, H.B., and W.L. Craig. 1965. An analysis of Californias albacore shery. California Department of Fish and
Game, Fish Bulletin 128. 301 p.
Foreman, T.J. 1980. Synopsis of biological data on the
albacore tuna, Thunnus alalunga (Bonnaterre, 1788), in
the Pacic Ocean. Pages 17-70 in Synopses of biological
data on eight species of scombrids, W.H. Bayliff (editor).
Inter-American Tropical Tuna Commission, Special Report
No. 2. Inter-American Tropical Tuna Commission, La Jolla,
CA.
Laurs, R.M., and R.J. Lynn. 1977. Seasonal migration
of North Pacic albacore (Thunnus alalunga) into North
American coastal waters: Distribution, relative abundance, and association with Transition Zone waters. U.S.
Fishery Bulletin 75(4):795-822.

December 2001

A Status Report
321
Swordfish
wordsh (Xiphias gladius) is an important resource supporting major sheries in all oceans of the world. The
quality of swordsh esh is excellent and is marketed both
frozen and fresh. Major Pacic shing areas include the
waters off Japan, the North Pacic Transition Zone north
of Hawaii, the west coasts of the U.S., Mexico, Ecuador,
Peru, Chile, and off Australia and New Zealand. Much
of the Pacic catch is taken incidentally in longline sheries targeting tunas. Reported annual Pacic-wide landings averaged 26 million pounds per year between 1950
and 1986. Recent landings peaked in 1992 at 75 million
pounds and now average around 65 million pounds annually. Japan, Taiwan and the U.S. account for about 70 percent of current reported production, with Mexico, Ecuador
and Chile providing the remainder. In the eastern Pacic,
swordsh are primarily harvested using longlines, drift
nets and hand-held harpoons.
Early coastal and island middens of American Indians
provide the rst evidence of swordsh being utilized
as a food source. The California harpoon shery dates
back to the early 1900s and the Tuna Club of Avalon
reported the rst record of a recreationally caught swordsh in 1909 that weighed 339 pounds. In 1931, the State
Legislature required commercial shing licenses and
allowed only harpoons for the commercial take of
swordsh. Recreational anglers were allowed to harpoon
swordsh until 1935. Participation in the harpoon shery
peaked in 1978 with 309 vessels landing 2.6 million pounds
before being largely displaced by the more efcient drift
net shery. A small number of harpoon vessels continue to
sh swordsh off southern California from May to December. Primary shing areas are from San Diego to Point
Conception during the early season although these shermen operate as far north as Oregon during periods of
warm water. Harpooners require calm waters to see the
swordsh nning, or basking, at the surface. When a nning swordsh is spotted, the sherman guides his vessel
over the sh and throws the harpoon from the bow plank
extending far beyond the vessel bow. Harpooned sh are
recovered using an attached line, buoys and marker ag.
Use of spotter aircraft greatly improved catches by allow-
Swordfish, Xiphias gladius

Credit: DFG
322

A Status Report
ing takes of sh swimming just below the surface and not

visible from the vessel. Most harpoon vessels sell their
catch fresh daily and achieve a premium price above that
for longline and drift net-caught sh.
The harpoon shery remained the only legal gear until the
late 1970s when a few drift gillnet vessels began targeting
common thresher sharks. This rapidly developed into the
successful drift net shery for swordsh and thresher
sharks, which proved more cost effective in terms of fuel
economy and yielded greater catches than was possible
with harpoon gear.
Annual landings of drift net caught swordsh increased
rapidly peaking in 1984 at 5.2 million pounds valued at
10.3 million dollars. These vessels use nets up to 6,000
feet in length with mesh sizes ranging between 14 to
22 inches. The netting is attached to a oatline and a
weighted leadline at the bottom allows the webbing to
hang as a loose curtain in which the swordsh become
entangled. Drift nets are set at sunset and hauled at sunrise. Regulations enacted in 1985 were designed to reduce
shing effort and landings, limit the number of permits
to 150, restrict the season of operation and provide for
several time-area closures aimed at reducing bycatch and
interactions with recreational anglers. Drift net vessels,
which numbered 220 in 1985, have decreased due to those
regulations and now number about 120 vessels, of which
only about 100 are fully active. These shermen ply the
waters from the Mexican border to Oregon and offshore
to 200 miles. Approximately two-thirds of the landings and
earnings occur in southern California, while one-third are
landed in northern California, less than two percent of
the landings occur in Oregon and Washington. This shery
is in a period of steady production with annual yields of
2.6 million pounds worth an estimated $5 million dollars.
This level of production, along with imports from Mexico,
has been known to saturate local markets, driving down
ex-vessel prices.
Hawaiis longline shery began targeting swordsh in 1988
and landings expanded to 13.2 million pounds worth 21
million dollars by 1998. These long-range vessels operate
over a vast area of the north central Pacic accounting for
as much a 36 percent of U.S. production in the Pacic.
A small California-based, high seas longline shery, operating beyond the EEZ, developed in 1991. These vessels
were joined by other vessels from the Gulf Of Mexico in
1993 and numbered 31 by 1994. Most of these vessels
returned home by 1995. Judicial ruling in Hawaii closed
a vast area north of Hawaii to longline shing in 2000.
This resulted in nearly 20 longline vessels departing their
Hawaiian base of operations to operate out of southern
California ports.
In 1983, Mexico restricted the use of longlines along their
coast by limiting the catch of billsh within 50 miles of

December 2001
Swordfish
Swordfish
6
5
4
3
2
1
0
1916 1920
1930
1940
1950
1960
their coast. A small eet of drift net vessels, based in

Ensenada began shing swordsh in 1986. They operated
from Ensenada moving south along the Baja peninsula and
generally within 100 miles of the coast. They averaged
nearly one million pounds of swordsh between 1986 and
1993. Concerns over bycatch of sport and protected species,
prompted the Mexican government to issue permits in 2000
allowing these drift net vessels to convert to longline gear.
roadbill swordsh, is the single species within its own

family Xiphidae. It is characterized by a long, at
bill in contrast to the smooth, round bill of the marlins.
Swordsh are elongate, round bodied, and lack teeth
and scales as adults. They have a tall, non-retractable
dorsal n, and pelvic ns are lacking. They reach a maximum size of 14 feet and 1,190 pounds. The International
Game Fish Associations all tackle angling record is for a
1,182-pound sh taken off Chile in 1953.
Swordsh are found in all tropical, subtropical, and temperate waters, sometimes entering sub-temperate water
as well. In the western Pacic, it ranges from 50 N to
45 S whereas in the eastern Pacic, from 50 N to 35 S.
Swordsh tend to concentrate where major ocean currents
meet, and along temperature fronts. They are epi- and
meso-pelagic, inhabiting the mixed surface waters where
temperatures are greater than 55 F but also can move
into water as cool as 41 F for short periods aided by
specially adapted brain and eye heat exchange organs.
1970
1980
1990
1999
Commercial Landings
1916-1999, Swordfish
landing receipts.
north of Hawaii toward the U.S. West Coast. Catch records

from Japanese longliners suggest greatest catches from
Baja California, Mexico in the spring and summer, while
catch data from the California drift net shery show
swordsh moving through coastal waters from August to
January. Acoustic tracking indicates some diel movement
from deeper depths during the daytime and moving into
the mixed surface water at night. At times, they appear to
follow the deep scattering layer, and small prey, as they
undertake these vertical movements.
It is generally believed that females grow larger than
males, as males over 300 pounds are rare. Females mature
at four to ve years of age in northwest Pacic and males
mature rst at about three to four years although there is
some controversy as to size at rst maturity in different
areas. In the North Pacic, batch spawning occurs in water
warmer than 75 F from March to July and year round in
the equatorial Pacic. Reproductive material from nearly
500 female swordsh, of mature sizes, examined from the
California drift net shery contained no mature oocytes
indicating swordsh were not reproductively active while
vulnerable to that shery.
Adult swordsh forage from surface waters to the bottom
in coastal areas and are reported to 1,600 feet in the open
ocean. Prey includes pelagic sh including small tuna,
dorado, barracuda, ying sh, mackerel as well as benthic
species of hake and rocksh. Squid are also important
when available. Swordsh likely have few predators as
adults although juveniles are vulnerable to predation by
large pelagic sh.
Areas of high apparent abundance in the North Pacic are

north of Hawaii along the North Pacic transition zone,
along the west coasts of the U.S. and Mexico and in the
western Pacic, east of Japan. Migration patterns have not
been described although tag release and recapture data
indicate an eastward movement from the central Pacic

December 2001

A Status Report
323
Swordfish

he condition of the swordsh stocks in the Pacic

Ocean is unclear. Results of assessment studies so
far have a large margin of uncertainty, owing in part
to uncertainty in the stock structure of the population.
Recent genetic studies suggest swordsh off the western
coast of the Americas mix with swordsh from the central
and western North Pacic. This result tends to support
the hypothesis of a single stock in the Pacic with an
uneven distribution that results in areas of high and low
abundance. Studies of catch rates, on the other hand, suggest three or more stocks as demonstrated by high catch
rates persisting in distinct areas that are separated by
areas of low to zero catch rates in between. Also, genetic
studies in the western Pacic found signicant differences
between southern and northern swordsh, indicating little
mixing. Stock assessment studies using both hypotheses
have concluded that the stocks appear to be in good
condition and with exploitation at or below estimated
MSY levels. These studies, however, have not included
shery statistics from recent years when some sheries
expanded signicantly, nor have they taken into account
the complex biology, such as sexual dimorphism and diurnal behavior, of swordsh indicating a need for more current stock assessment.
With recent expansion of the sheries and indications that
the expansion will continue, an up-to-date and accurate
stock assessment is critically needed. Without such an
assessment, it is difcult to rationally evaluate shery
management options for conservation and for implementing the precautionary approach.
In September 2000, major shing nations in the Pacic
agreed to an international convention on the Conservation
and Management of Highly Migratory Fish Stocks of the
western and central Pacic Ocean. This convention provides a mechanism for comprehensive monitoring and
collection of data from swordsh sheries, international
cooperation in performing an up-to-date swordsh stock
assessment, and implementation of conservation measures by all major shing nations. In addition, swordsh
will soon be covered in the shery management plan for
the West Coast highly migratory species being developed
for the Pacic Fishery Management Council. Although
swordsh is not a species of immediate concern to this
convention, the convention provides a mechanism for
comprehensive monitoring and collection of data from
the swordsh sheries, international cooperation in performing an up-to-date swordsh stock assessment, and
implementation by all major shing nations of conservation
measures, including the use of the precautionary approach.
324

A Status Report
David Holts
References
Coan, A.L., M. Vojkovich, and D. Prescott. 1998. The
California harpoon shery for swordsh, Xiphias gladius.
Barrett, I., O. Sosa-Nishizaki, and N. Bartoo (eds) International Symposium of Pacic swordsh, Ensenada, Mexico,
11-14, December 1994. U.S Dep. Commer., NOAA Tech.
Rep. NMFS 142. 276 pp.
Fulsom, W.B, D.M. Crory, and K. Brewster-Geisz. 1997.
North America Swordsh Fishing. World Swordsh Fisheries: An analysis of swordsh shing operations. PastPresent-Future. Vol. IV. Ofce of Science and Technology
NMFS, NOAA, U.S. Dept. of Commerce, Silver Spring, MD,
1997.
Hanan, D.A., D.B. Holts and A.L. Coan. 1993. The California drift gillnet shery for sharks and swordsh, 1981-82
through 1990-91. Fish Bulletin 175. 95 pp.
Holts, D.B. and O. Sosa-Nishizaki. 1998. Swordsh, Xiphias
gladius, sheries of the eastern North Pacic Ocean. Barrett, I., O. Sosa-Nishizaki, and N. Bartoo (eds) International Symposium of Pacic swordsh, Ensenada, Mexico,
11-14, December 1994. U.S. Dep. Commer., NOAA Tech.
Rep. NMFS 142. 276 pp.

December 2001
ishing for Pacic northern bluen tuna (Thunnus orientalis) began in California as a sport in 1898. Prior
to World War I, many large sh were taken, particularly
by vessels based at Santa Catalina Island. The largest of
these sh weighed 251 pounds. More recently, the average
size of the sport-caught sh has been roughly 50 pounds,
although large sh are still taken. A large portion of the
sport-caught sh is taken by shermen who are directing
their efforts primarily toward albacore.
The commercial shery for Pacic northern bluen began
in 1918. Since bluen are rarely caught by the troll, bait
boat, or gillnet sheries, the catches by purse seiners
have far exceeded those by any other type of gear. From
1918 until about 1960, most of the vessels were relatively
small, with sh-carrying capacities less than about 200
short tons. None of them shed exclusively for bluen.
The smaller ones, sometimes referred to as wetsh vessels, shed chiey for sardines, mackerel, and pelagic
sh other than tropical tunas, and the larger ones shed
mostly for yellown and skipjack. During 1959 and 1960,
most of the larger tuna bait boats were converted to purse
seiners and, during the ensuing years, many new purse
seiners were built. During the 1960s, 1970s, 1980s, and
1990s, many of the smaller, older vessels sank or dropped
out of the shery, and the new vessels that replaced them
tended to be larger. As a result, there are now more large
purse seiners and fewer small ones than there were during
the early 1960s.
Bluen are now taken by vessels of all sizes, but the
smaller ones (capacities less than about 400 tons) account
for a proportionally larger share of the catch. The proportion of the bluen catch made by the wetsh eet is
less now than it was during the early years of the shery
because there are now fewer wetsh vessels and because
many of the sh are intercepted by larger vessels shing
off Baja California before they reach the area where
these vessels normally sh. Most of the sh caught by
purse seiners weigh less than 50 pounds, but larger ones
have sometimes been caught, including one weighing
1,009 pounds.
Most of the information regarding distribution of the
catches of Pacic northern bluen by tuna purse seiners
has been obtained from the logbook records of these
vessels. Bluen are rarely encountered south of Cabo San
Lucas, Baja California, or north of Point Conception, California. Within this area, a considerable change has taken
place during the 20th century. Until 1930, shing was conducted only off California. During that year, bluen were

December 2001
discovered off Isla Guadalupe, Baja California, and about

40 percent of the catch was made in that area. From
1930 through 1947, shing was conducted off California
and Baja California, but in most years the majority of
the catch came from off California. From 1948 to the
present, however, most of the catch has been made off
Baja California. The average annual catches made off
California during the 1960s, 1970s, 1980s and 1990s have
been considerably less than the average annual catches
made in the same area from 1918 to 1929.
From January through April, there are typically only light
and sporadic catches. Most of these are made off the
coast of Baja California between 24 N and 26 N and
in the vicinity of Isla Guadalupe. In May and June, the
catches increase, and most of them are made between 24
N and 27 N. In July, the shing area expands to the north
and is at its broadest distribution of the year; most of the
catch is made between 25 N and 33 N. In August, there
are usually only light catches at the southern end of the
shing area, most of the catch is being made between 28
N and 33 N. In September, most of the catch is made in
the same area as in August, but the amount of catch is
usually considerably less. In October, the catches continue
to decline, and most of them are made north of 30 N.
In November and December, as in the rst months of the
year, the catches are light and sporadic.
Pacific Northern Bluefin Tuna
Pacific Northern
Bluefin Tuna
Small amounts of Pacic northern bluen are caught off

the California coast by drift gillnets and further offshore
by longline vessels. Extremely large bluen are caught
in some years off southern California, principally during
November and December. Nearly 1,000 such sh were
caught during the period between October 31, l988, and
January 3, 1989. Most of these were own to Japan, where
they brought high prices.
The total annual catches of Pacic northern bluen by
commercial and sport vessels in the eastern Pacic Ocean,
prior to 1918, were negligible. The data for 1918 through
1960 include only the catches landed in California, but
it is believed that the catches landed elsewhere, prior
Pacific Northern Bluefin Tuna, Thunnus orientalis

Credit: DFG

A Status Report
325

Commercial Landings
1916-1999,
Data includes shipments and
landings from areas north and
south of the state between 1916
and 1969.
40
35
30
25
20
15
10
5
0
1916 1920
1930
1940
1960
1970
1980
1990
1999
to 1961, were inconsequential. The catches tended to be

greater during the 1960s and 1970s than during the previous period, probably because of the conversion during
1959 and 1960 of most of the tuna bait boats to purse
seiners, and the addition of many new purse seiners to
the eet.
Most of the sh caught are in their second or third year

of life, but some older, larger sh are also taken. After a
sojourn in the eastern Pacic, which may or may not be
interrupted by temporary visits to the central or western
Pacic, the survivors return to the western Pacic, where
they eventually spawn. Spawning probably rst occurs at
about ve or six years of age.
The approximate lengths and weights attained by Pacic

northern bluen at various ages are: age one, 23 inches
and 10 pounds; age two, 33 inches and 28 pounds; age
three, 43 inches and 60 pounds; age four, 53 inches and
109 pounds; and age ve, 63 inches and 177 pounds.
pawning of Pacic northern bluen occurs between

Japan and the Philippines in April, May, and June,
off southern Honshu in July, and in the Sea of Japan in
August. The larvae, postlarvae, and juveniles produced
south of Japan are carried northward by the Kuroshio
Current toward Japan. Fish in their rst year of life, about
six to 24 inches in length, are caught in the vicinity of
Japan during the summer, fall, and winter. The results of
tagging experiments indicate that some of these remain
in the western Pacic Ocean and others depart for the
eastern Pacic during the fall or winter of their rst year
of life or the summer, fall, or winter of their second
year of life. The journey from the western to the eastern
Pacic takes as little as two months, or perhaps even less.

The sh that migrate from the western to the eastern

Pacic form the basis for the shery in the eastern Pacic.
40
35
30
25
20
15
10
5
0 1947
Pacic northern bluen consume many species of sh and

invertebrates in the eastern Pacic, including anchovies,
red crabs, sauries, squid, and hake. Red crabs are a
signicant part of the diet only south of 29 N. Boiling
and jumping schools of sh are much more common north
of that latitude, where sh are the principal item of the
diet. The differences in behavior in the two areas could
be due to differences in the food, i.e., lter feeding
might be employed for feeding on red crabs, while pursuit
of individual sh would be required for feeding on sh.
Japanese scientists have reported that bluen are heavily
dependent upon sardines for food in the western Pacic.
Albacore, yellowtail, barracuda, and mackerel compete
with bluen for food in the eastern Pacic.
T
1950
1960
1970
1980
1990
Recreational Catch 1947-1999 , Pacific Northern Bluefin Tuna

Data Source: DFG, commercial passenger fishing vessel (CPFV) logbooks.
326
1950

A Status Report
1999
he catches of Pacic northern bluen in the eastern

Pacic have been less, on average, during the 1980s
and 1990s than during the 1960s and 1970s. Catch data,
length-frequency data, and data on sh tagged in the
western Pacic and recaptured in the eastern Pacic suggest that this decline is due to a decrease in the avail-

December 2001
ability of bluen in the eastern Pacic (i.e., a decrease

in the proportion of the population which has migrated to
the eastern Pacic) and a decrease in the number of boats
which direct their effort at bluen.
William H. Bayliff
Inter-American Tropical Tuna Commission
References
Bayliff, William H. 1993. Growth and age composition
of northern bluen tuna, Thunnus thynnus, caught in the
eastern Pacic Ocean, as estimated from length-frequency
data, with comments on trans-Pacic migrations. InterAmer. Trop. Tuna Comm., Bull., 20 (9): 501-540.
Bayliff, William H. 1994. A review of the biology and sheries for northern bluen tuna, Thunnus thynnus, in the
Pacic Ocean. FAO Fish. Tech. Pap., 336 (2): 244-295.
Bayliff, William H., Yoshio Ishizuka, and Richard B. Deriso.
1991. Growth, movement, and attrition of northern bluen
tuna, Thunnus thynnus, in the Pacic Ocean, as determined by tagging. Inter-Amer. Trop. Tuna Comm., Bull.,
20 (1): 1-94.
Calkins, Thomas P. 1982. Observations on the purse seine
shery for northern bluen tuna (Thunnus thynnus) in
the eastern Pacic Ocean. Inter-Amer. Trop. Tuna Comm.,
Bull., 18 (2): 121-225.

December 2001

A Status Report
327
Skipjack Tuna
sheries. Some sh are also caught in troll, gillnet, and

longline sheries.
kipjack tuna (Katsuwonus pelamis) have been harvested in the eastern Pacic by commercial bait boats
since the early 1900s, and later by commercial purse
seine, gillnet, troll sheries and recreational sheries.
Skipjack tuna mixed with yellown tuna are frequently
caught by these sheries. Skipjack tuna are highly migratory and have been shed by many different countries
such as the U.S., Mexico, Ecuador, France, and Spain.
Landings from these countries are marketed throughout
the Pacic Rim, Puerto Rico, and the European Community. Fisheries landing skipjack tuna in California operate
between 150W longitude and the coast of the Americas
and between 40N and 20S latitude. California landings
of skipjack tuna are important to both commercial and
recreational sheries.
Commercial landings of skipjack tuna in California started
in 1918, and mainly supplied canneries where skipjack
tuna were processed as light meat tuna. Small quantities
of skipjack tuna were also sold to local markets. Commercial landings of skipjack tuna in California increased
from three million pounds in 1918 to 156 million pounds
in 1954. The landings, while uctuating considerably, then
decreased to a low of 30 million pounds in 1973 before
peaking again at its highest level (174 million pounds)
in 1980. Since 1976, skipjack tuna landings in California
declined to average 10 million pounds from 1985 to 1999.
The decline in commercial landings in California can be
attributed to the relocation of cannery operations to
American Samoa and Puerto Rico and the re-agging of
some vessels. Currently, only one cannery is operating in
California. Prices paid by the canneries for skipjack tuna
are based on sh size and market conditions and from
1990 to 1994 varied from $200 to $1,000 per ton. Based
on a cannery price of $900 per ton, the 1999 California
landings of skipjack tuna was worth approximately $4 million. The majority of the commercial skipjack tuna landings in California are from the purse seine and bait boat
Skipjack Tuna, Katsuwonus pelamis

Credit: DFG
328

A Status Report
Before the 1960s, bait boats supplied the majority of

the commercial skipjack tuna landings in California. The
rst bait boats operated in coastal waters off southern
California and Mexico. They could only make short trips
because they used ice to preserve catches and relied
on catching bait close to the coast and offshore islands.
In the 1930s, with the development of new refrigeration
techniques and construction of larger vessels, the shery
expanded to areas farther south and offshore. Bait boats
ranged from 30 to 200 tons of carrying capacity. The U.S.
eet that operated in the eastern Pacic decreased from
75 vessels in 1976 to one in 1999. From 1984 to 1999, bait
boat landings averaged 12 percent of the total skipjack
tuna landings in California.
Purse seiners started to replace bait boats in the late
1950s and by 1961 supplied the majority of the commercial
skipjack tuna landings in California. Purse seiners usually
catch skipjack tuna in sets on free-swimming schools or in
sets on schools associated with oating objects. Skipjack
tuna are usually caught mixed with yellown and bigeye
tunas. The carrying capacity of purse seiners ranged from
150 tons to 2000 tons. The U.S. eet operating in the
eastern Pacic decreased from 141 vessels in 1976 to
nine in 1999. From 1984 to 1999, purse seine landings
of skipjack tuna accounted for 80 percent of the total
commercial skipjack tuna landings in California.
From 1991 to 1999, other commercial sheries, troll,
longline, and gillnet, landed less than one percent of
the annual skipjack tuna landings in California. These
sheries catch skipjack tuna incidentally while targeting
other tunas, sharks or swordsh.
California recreational sheries for skipjack tuna typically
operate in waters off southern California and Mexico. The
duration of trips is usually one to seven days. The eet
consists mainly of commercial passenger-carrying shing
vessels (CPFV) and some private shing vessels. Recreational anglers use rod and reel shing gear. Skipjack tuna
landings from the CPFV shery reached highs of 103,000
sh in 1983, and 52,000 sh in 1990. Since 1990, skipjack
tuna recreational landings have generally decreased to
14,000 sh in 1998.
U.S. commercial vessels that sh for skipjack tuna in the
eastern Pacic must comply with all state and federal regulations and regulations proposed by the Inter-American
Tropical Tuna Commission (IATTC) and any other international regulatory agency to which the U.S. is a member.
These include compliance with the Marine Mammal Protection Act and a mandatory logbook program under the
High Seas Fishing Compliance Act of 1995 that requires a
license and submission of the IATTC logbook.

December 2001
kipjack tuna occur throughout the tropical, subtropical

waters and warm temperate waters of all oceans.
There are two stock structures hypothesized for Pacic
skipjack tuna, a single stock with isolated subgroups
or two or more different stocks. This description
considers skipjack tuna in the eastern Pacic east of
150 W longitude.
In the eastern Pacic, skipjack tuna are generally distributed between 40N and 40S latitude and between
150W longitude and the coastlines of the U.S., Mexico,
Central and South America. During El Nio events skipjack
tuna may be found as far north as 50N along the
U.S. West Coast. Fishing concentrations are located in
the northeastern Pacic near Baja California, the Revillagigedo Islands, and Clipperton Island, and in the southeastern Pacic near Central America, northern South
America, Cocos Island-Brito Bank, and the Galapagos
Islands and offshore south of 10N. Skipjack tuna migrate
from the equatorial spawning grounds in the eastern
Pacic in two migrating groups, one migrates to the Baja
California shing grounds and the other to the Central and
South American shing grounds. The groups remain on the
shing grounds for several months before returning to the
equatorial spawning grounds
Skipjack tuna typically prefer sea surface temperatures
between 59 F and 86 F. Aggregations of skipjack tuna
tend to be associated with convergence zones, boundaries
between cold and warm water masses (i.e., the polar
front), up welling zones, and other hydro-graphical discontinuities. Skipjack tuna are found in surface waters and to
depths of 850 feet during the day, but seem to stay closer
to the surface at night than during the day. Skipjack tuna
are most frequently found in surface schools aggregated
around oating objects in the eastern Pacic. The larger
sh are found in free-swimming unassociated schools.
Smaller yellown and bigeye tunas (less than 40 inches)
are frequently found in schools mixed with skipjack tuna.
Skipjack tuna spawn throughout the year in equatorial
waters of the eastern Pacic, and from spring to early fall
in subtropical waters. The spawning season is abbreviated
as distance from the equator increases. Females mature at
about 16 inches. However, in some areas of the eastern
Pacic, the minimum size at maturity has been noted at

December 2001
20 to 22 inches. Egg production is estimated between 0.1

to 2.0 million eggs per spawning.
Skipjack tuna can grow to approximately 42.5 inches or 77
pounds. They have dark purplish-blue backs and, silvery
sides with four to six longitudinal dark bands. They have
a strong keel on each side of the caudal n base between
two smaller keels. Skipjack tuna enter surface sheries
at approximately 10 inches (0.5 pound) and commonly
reach lengths up to 31.5 inches (26 pounds). Some longline
sheries also catch large skipjack tuna. Skipjack tuna
growth is rapid and approximate sizes at age are: one
year, 12 inches, 1.1 pound; two years, 20 inches, six
pounds; three years, 25 inches, 12.8 pounds; four years,
20 inches, 19 pounds. Maximum age is probably around
seven years.
Skipjack Tuna
Recreational shermen must carry California state shing

licenses, comply with state regulations, and purchase Mexican shing licenses while shing in the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) of Mexico. Currently, California limits
the recreational take of skipjack tuna to 10 sh per day.
Skipjack tuna feeding is opportunistic on sh, crustaceans

and cephalopods. Stomach samples of skipjack tuna in
the eastern Pacic contained 59 percent pelagic crabs, 37
percent sh, and three percent squids. A high percentage
of stomach samples were empty. Larger sh tended to
have higher percentages of crustaceans and lower percentages of sh in their stomachs. Predators of skipjack tuna
include billsh, sharks and other large tunas, including
skipjack tuna.
n general, the population of skipjack tuna in the eastern

Pacic is underutilized by sheries operating in the area
and is well above levels that are needed to produce
maximum sustainable yield (MSY). The apparent abundance of skipjack tuna in the eastern Pacic is highly
variable. This variability is apparently caused more by
effects of environmental conditions than by the effects
of the shery. The simplest estimate of abundance can
be obtained from trends in catches. Catches peaked at
186,800 tons in 1978, and decreased to 54,500 tons in
1985. During the period from 1986 to 1994, catches varied
between 69,000 and 100,000 tons before increasing to
266,000 tons in 1999. Other abundance estimates for skipjack tuna, standardized catch per days shing (CPDF),
have been developed by the IATTC. However, these estimates are not considered satisfactory and indicate that
further studies are needed. In general, the estimates show
CPDF in the 1960s, between nine and 15 tons per days
shing, and uctuating between two and seven tons per
day shed from 1972 to 1996.
The status of skipjack tuna in the eastern Pacic is
monitored annually by the IATTC. They are reasonably
certain that skipjack tuna stocks in the eastern Pacic
are under shed. Traditional age-based analyses and production models cannot be used to verify this conclusion

A Status Report
329
Commercial Landings
1916-1999, Skipjack Tuna
landing receipts. Data includes
shipments and landings from
areas south of the state between
1916 and 1969.
Skipjack Tuna
Skipjack Tuna
200
150
100
50
0
1916 1920
1930
1940
due to the violation of the unit stock concept. However,

skipjack tuna catches in the western Pacic are near one
million tons, and tagging studies there have shown that
catches could easily double without adversely affecting
the stock. Based on this, it seems that further increases in
the eastern Pacic skipjack tuna catch could be attained.
However, caution should be exercised until the exchange
between the eastern and western Pacic is fully understood. The IATTC also notes that its assessment of skipjack
tuna in the eastern Pacic could change and studies to
learn more about this species and its relationships to the
environment are needed.
Atilio L. Coan, Jr.
1950
1960
1970
1980
1990
1999
References
Forsbergh, Eric 1980. Synopsis of biological data on the
skipjack tuna, Katsuwonus pelamis (Linnaeus, 1758), in
the Pacic Ocean. In: Synopsis of biological data on
eight species of scombrids, William Bayliff editor. InterAmerican Tropical Tuna Commission specialreport No.2.
Inter-American Tropical Tuna Commission, La Jolla, CA. p.
295-360.
IATTC 1999. Annual report of the Inter-American Tropical
Tuna Commission 1997. Inter-American Tropical Tuna Commission, La Jolla, CA. 310 p.
Wild, Alex and J. Hampton 1994. A review of the biology
and sheries for skipjack tuna, Katsuwonus pelamis, in the
Pacic Ocean. In: Interactions of Pacic tuna sheries,
Shomura, Majkowski, Langi editors. FAO Fisheries Technical Paper 336/Vol. 2. p 51-107.
Wild, Alex 1992. Yellown and skipjack tunas. In: Californias living marine resources and their utilization, Leet,
Dewees, Haugen editors. California Sea Grant Extension
Pub. UCSGEP-92-12. p. 140-143.
120
Skipjack Tuna
100
80
60
40
20
0
1947 1950
1960
1970
1980
1990
1999
Recreational Catch 1947-1999 , Skipjack Tuna

330

A Status Report

December 2001
Yellowfin Tuna
Y
ellown tuna (Thunnus albacares) have been harvested, in the eastern Pacic, by commercial bait boat
sheries since the early 1900s, and later by commercial
purse seine, longline, gillnet, troll and recreational sheries. Yellown tuna, frequently caught in schools mixed
with skipjack and bigeye tuna, are highly migratory and
have been shed in the eastern Pacic by many different
countries. U.S. sheries that land yellown tuna in California operate between 150 W longitude and the coast
of the Americas and between 40 N and 20 S latitude.
California landings of yellown tuna are important to both
commercial and recreational sheries.
California landings of commercially caught yellown tuna
date back to 1919. These landings supplied canneries
mainly in California, where yellown tuna were processed
as light meat tuna. In recent years, some commercial, yellown tuna landings were also purchased by local markets
and restaurants. Cannery prices paid for yellown tuna
depend on sh size and canned tuna market conditions.
During the early 1990s, prices ranged from $200 to $1,100
per ton. Commercial landings of yellown tuna in California, while uctuating, generally increased from 350,000
pounds in 1919 to 280 million pounds in 1976. Since 1976,
yellown tuna landings declined steadily to three million
pounds in 1999. Assuming a cannery price of $1,000 per
ton, the estimated value of the 1999 California commercial yellown tuna landings was $1.5 million. The decline
in commercial landings in California can be attributed to
the relocation of cannery operations to American Samoa
and Puerto Rico and the re-agging of some U.S. vessels.
Currently, only one cannery is operating in California.
Purse seine and bait boat sheries supply the bulk of
the California commercial yellown tuna landings. Some
commercial landings are also supplied by longline, troll,
and gillnet sheries.
Before the 1960s, bait boats supplied the majority of the
commercial yellown tuna catch. Initially, bait boats operated in coastal waters of southern California and Mexico.
The vessels could only make short trips because they used
ice to preserve catches and relied on catching bait close
to the coast and offshore islands. In the 1930s, improvements in refrigeration methods and construction of larger
vessels enabled the shery to expand farther south and
offshore. From 1984 to 1999, California bait boat landings
averaged 11 percent of the total landings of yellown tuna
in California. Bait boat carrying capacity ranged from 30
to 200 tons carrying capacity. The U.S. eet that operated
in the eastern Pacic ranged from 75 bait boats in 1976 to
one in 1999. While bait boat sheries dominated landings
in the early days of the eastern Pacic yellown tuna
shery, catches and effort from this shery gave way to

the more efcient purse seine method.
Purse seiners started to replace bait boats in the late
1950s, and by 1961, supplied the majority of the commercial yellown tuna landings in California. Purse seine
carrying capacity ranged from 150 tons to 2,000 tons.
Purse seiners, because of their size and ability to stay
at sea for long-periods of time, expanded the shery to
areas between southern California and Peru and out to
150W longitude. Historically, three types of sets have
been used to catch yellown tuna: sets on sh associated
with schools of dolphins, sets on sh in free-swimming
schools and sets on sh associated with oating objects.
Until the 1990s, U.S. purse seiners in the eastern Pacic
primarily caught yellown tuna in sets associated with
schools of dolphins. Purse seiners employed a standard
purse seine with the exception of a porpoise panel that
was used to reduce entanglement of dolphins. The purse
seines were deployed with a seine skiff and, when shing
dolphin schools, speedboats were used to herd the dolphins into a compact school so that the net could be
set around them. Once the schools of tuna and dolphins
were surrounded, the net was pursed and a backdown
procedure was used to free the trapped dolphins. In
the mid 1970s, marine mammal regulations were enacted
to reduce dolphin mortality associated with purse seine
shing and in the 1990s canneries stopped buying yellown tuna caught on dolphins. The canneries dolphin
safe policy drove many U.S. purse seiners to the western
Pacic and as a result, the U.S. eet that operated in the
eastern Pacic decreased from 141 purse seiners in 1976
to nine in 1999. From 1984 to 1999, purse seine landings
averaged 86 percent of the total yellown tuna landings
in California.
Yellowfin Tuna
Longliners, based in California, started shing in the eastern Pacic in 1991. These vessels usually targeted bigeye
tuna or swordsh outside the California 200-mile Exclusive
Economic Zone (EEZ) and yellown tuna are an incidental
catch in this shery. Longliners usually sh between 30N
Yellowfin Tuna, Thunnus albacares

Credit: DFG

December 2001

A Status Report
331
250
200
150
100
50
0
1916 1920
1930
1940
and 40N latitude between Hawaii and the U.S. West Coast
EEZ. The U.S. longline eet uses standard longline gear
with oats and branch lines. The gear is deployed at
various depths, depending on the target species sought,
and light sticks are used to attract sh. From 1991 to 1999,
longline-caught yellown tuna were less than one percent
of the total yellown tuna landed in California.
From 1984 to 1999, commercial troll and gillnet shing
gears supplied less than three percent of the annual yellown tuna landings in California. These gears incidentally
catch yellown tuna inside the EEZ south of San Francisco.
Gillnet sheries usually target swordsh and sharks, while
troll sheries typically target albacore.
California recreational sheries for yellown tuna typically
operate in waters off southern California and Mexico.
The duration of trips is usually from one to seven days.
The eet consists mainly of commercial passenger-carrying shing vessels (CPFV) and some private shing vessels.
Recreational anglers use rod and reel shing gear. Yellown tuna landings from the CPFV shery, reached a
record high of 120,000 sh in 1983, decreased to 4,000
sh in 1985, and averaged 81,000 sh from 1995 to 1998.
Since the recreational catch cannot be sold, the value of
the recreational shery is difcult to determine, but must
reach millions of dollars and extend to many sectors of
the business community. Anglers buy equipment, y in
from various locations and stay in local hotels. Vessel
operators collect fares that are based on trip length but
also collect fees for food and equipment rentals. Anglers
may catch yellown tuna, but they also catch bluen,
skipjack, bigeye and albacore tuna, and other sh.
U.S. commercial vessels that sh for yellown tuna in the
eastern Pacic must abide by all federal and state regulations, including those proposed by the Inter-American
Tropical Tuna Commission (IATTC), and any other international regulatory agency in which the U.S. is a member.
These include a mandatory logbook program under the
332

A Status Report
1950
1960
1970
1980
1990
1999
120
100
Yellowfin Tuna
Commercial Landings
1916-1999, Yellowfin Tuna
landing receipts. Data includes
shipments and landings from
areas south of the state between
1916 and 1969.
Yellowfin Tuna
Yellowfin Tuna
300
80
60
40
20
0
1947 1950
1960
1970
1980
1990
1999
Recreational Catch 1947-1999 , Yellowfin Tuna

High Seas Fishing Compliance Act of 1995, which requires

a license and submission of the IATTC logbook. U.S.
purse seiners shing for yellown tuna associated with
dolphins in the eastern Pacic must also abide by dolphin
quotas stipulated in the Marine Mammal Protection Act,
and all large purse seiners (greater than 400 tons) must
carry observers.
ellown tuna in the eastern Pacic are distributed

throughout areas between 40N and 40S latitude and
between 150W longitude and the coastlines of the U.S.,
Mexico, Central, and South America. The eastern Pacic
stock is generally considered a separate population that
is not believed to interact appreciably with stocks in
the central and western Pacic. Yellown tuna are typically found in sea surface temperatures between 65F and
88F and are usually conned to the upper 330 feet of the
water column, or between the surface and the thermocline. Seasonal migrations are primarily along the coast.
Surface schools of small yellown tuna in the eastern
Pacic can be found aggregated around oating objects
or in free-swimming unassociated schools, while larger
yellown tuna are usually found in schools associated
with dolphins. Small yellown tuna (less than 40 inches)

December 2001
Yellown tuna spawn throughout the year and across their

entire range. However, 75F is probably the lower temperature limit for yellown tuna spawning. Off Mexico
and Central America, spawning can occur throughout the
year, with peak spawning occurring at different times in
different areas. Spawning is likely abbreviated and more
sporadic in coastal areas than in offshore northern equatorial areas. Most females mature at sizes above 36 inches
and produce from two to seven million eggs per spawn.
Yellown tuna can grow to approximately 83 inches. The
larger sh have very large anal and second dorsal ns
that may extend to over 20 percent of the fork length.
Approximately 20 broken, nearly vertical lines cross the
sides of the sh and a yellow coloration are present on the
sides, dorsal and anal ns and nlets. Yellown tuna enter
surface sheries at approximately 10 inches and commonly
reach lengths up to 60 inches. Growth is rapid at these
approximate sizes at and ages: one year, 19 inches; two
years, 34 inches; three years, 50 inches; four years, 59
inches; ve years, 68 inches. Maximum age is probably
around 10 years.
Yellown tuna are opportunistic feeders and therefore
have a very diverse diet; however, a few sh, cephalopods
and crustaceans are dominant in stomach samples from
sh in the eastern Pacic. The most dominant are bullet
tuna and pelagic crabs. Other organisms include sh commonly found around otsam such as skipjack tuna, black
skipjack, ying sh, light sh, and squid. Predators of
yellown tuna include sharks, billshes and other large
tuna, including yellown tuna.
n general, the population of yellown tuna in the eastern Pacic is being fully utilized by sheries operating in
the area and is at levels that will produce the maximum
sustainable yield (MSY). The IATTC has recommended an
annual yellown tuna catch quota in the eastern Pacic
since 1966 to maintain the stock at MSY. Catches peaked
at 277,300 tons in 1976, decreased to 111,500 tons in 1983,
peaked again in 1989 at 337,000 tons, and then decreased
to 301,400 tons in 1997. Because of management-imposed
measures, it is difcult to use strictly catch as an indicator of overall population abundance. However, four abundance indices, one based on estimates of standardized
catch-per-days shing, two based on age models, and one
based on a searching-time method, have been developed
and indicate that abundance dropped steeply from the
late 1960s to historically low levels in the early 1980s.
Abundance estimates rebounded substantially in 1986 and

December 2001
since then have remained fairly constant at slightly lower

levels than in 1986.
Stock assessments for yellown tuna in the eastern Pacic
are conducted annually by the IATTC. The latest assessment indicated that the eastern Pacic yellown tuna
shery could continue to harvest approximately 297,000
tons annually without further lowering the stock size. In
accordance with these ndings, the IATTC set the annual
1998 yellown quota at 231,000 tons, with 16,500 ton
increments added at the discretion of the IATTC. Closure of
the shery based on this quota in 1988 was in November.
Yellowfin Tuna
are frequently found in schools mixed with skipjack and

bigeye tuna, whereas larger yellown tuna usually do not
mix with other tunas.
Atilio L. Coan, Jr.
References
Cole, Jon S. 1980. Synopsis of biological data on the yellown tuna, Thunnus albacares (Bonnaterre, 1788), in the
Pacic Ocean. In: Synopsis of biological data on eight species of scombrids, William Bayliff editor. Inter-American
Tropical Tuna Commission special report No.2. Inter-American Tropical Tuna Commission, La Jolla, CA. p. 71-150.
IATTC 1999. Annual report of the Inter-American Tropical
Tuna Commission 1997. Inter-American Tropical Tuna Commission, La Jolla, CA. 310 p.
Wild, Alex 1994. A review of the biology and sheries for
yellown tuna, Thunnus albacares, in the eastern Pacic
Ocean. In: Interactions of Pacic tuna sheries, Shomura,
Majkowski, Langi editors. FAO Fisheries Technical Paper
336/Vol. 2. p 51-107.

A Status Report
333
Striped Marlin
triped marlin (Tetrapturus audax) support important

commercial and recreational sheries in the central
and eastern Pacic and in the Indian oceans. They were
directly targeted by high seas sheries in the 1960s and
1970s, although today most are taken as incidental catch
in tuna longline sheries. Pacic-wide landings currently
average near 26.5 million pounds per year and represent
about 86 percent of world landings.
Striped marlin are seasonal visitors to southern California
waters providing recreational billsh anglers an opportunity to sh for local large gamesh during summer
and fall. Recreational and commercial shing for striped
marlin began off southern California in the early-1900s
using hand-held harpoons or rod-and-reel. The California
Legislature banned the use of harpoons to take striped
marlin in 1935 and further curtailed the sale and
import of striped marlin in 1937 thus preserving the southern California shery entirely for recreational anglers.
Currently, most striped marlin shing is from privately
owned boats based in local southern California marinas.
Generally, sh begin arriving in the coastal and insular
waters off southern California in June and remain until
at least October. The number of sh moving into the
Southern California Bight during any particular year is
associated with water temperatures. Warmer water generally means more sh, better catches and higher catch
rates. The colder water north of Point Conception usually
limits their northward distribution, although during El
Nio years they commonly range north to San Francisco
and persist for extended periods. A 31-year-long angler
survey indicates fairly low, but steady, catch rate averaging 0.10 sh per anger shing day but ranging to 1.0 or
greater during El Nio periods. The southern California
catch of striped marlin taken by the commercial passenger
shing vessel (CPFV) eet averages six striped marlin per
year. Commercial landings in Oregon and Washington are
legal but rare.
Striped Marlin, Tetrapturus audax

Credit: DFG
334

A Status Report
In Mexican waters, striped marlin are taken for local markets and export to other countries. These sheries include
both artisan, using hand-hauled gillnets and longlines, and
larger drift net vessels targeting swordsh and sharks.
The water off the southern tip of the Baja California
peninsula to Manzanillo, Mexico, is an area of high striped
marlin abundance, which supports a large recreational
shery. Mexican tourist enterprises aggressively advertise
to attract billsh anglers to the area. The striped marlin
catch rate is greatly improved off Baja where anglers average 0.3 to 0.65 striped marlin per day of shing. Estimated
recreational catches of striped marlin off Los Cabos, Baja
California Sur, averaged 12,000 sh annually between
1992 and 1996, but only averaged 260 sh off Mazatlan.
The estimated incidental catch from the longline shark
shery in Mazatlan averaged 680 striped marlin over the
same period.
Interest in angler-based tagging and survey programs have
intensied greatly in recent years. The trend toward
catch and release and tagging of striped marlin has also
increased as anglers became more aware of perceived
conservation needs. Current estimates of striped marlin
released off southern California have exceeded 80 percent
of those captured. Annual marlin tournaments now award
points to anglers for releasing sh and the rst all-tag
and release marlin tournament was held in San Diego in
September 2000.
he striped marlin (family Istiophoridae) is a large,

oceanic sh with a long, round bill, small teeth and
tall dorsal n which decreases in height ending just
before the second dorsal n. The species is widely distributed throughout most tropical, sub-tropical and temperate waters of the Pacic and Indian oceans but does
not occur in the Atlantic except for occasional strays
off western South Africa. Japanese longline data indicate
a horseshoe-shaped distribution across the central North
and South Pacic with a continuous distribution along the
west coast of Central America. It is apparently more abundant in eastern and north central Pacic than elsewhere.
Movements tend to be diffusive, as this species does not
under take annual migrations as seen in some tunas.
Striped marlin do not form dense schools but rather occur
singularly or in groups of several sh, usually segregated
by size. Adult sh are found in the north and south central
Pacic where spawning occurs. Larvae are recorded from
North Pacic west of 150 W, in the South Pacic and
more recently have been found off central Mexico. Subadult sh move east toward the coast of Mexico where
they are found in high abundance around the tip of the
Baja peninsula. Tag-recapture data indicate movement

December 2001
350
Striped Marlin
300
250
200
150
100
50
0
1947 1950
1960
1970
1980
1990
1999
Recreational Catch 1947-1999 , Striped Marlin

from southern California to Baja California Sur but show

little or no movement in the reverse direction. Also, tagrecapture data reveal movements from off Mexico and
southern California to near Hawaii, Peru, and the South
Pacic near the Marquises Islands. Striped marlin are
epipelagic, and are commonly bounded by 68 to
78 F temperature regime during all stages of their lifecycle. Acoustic telemetry studies indicate they spend
86 percent of their time in the mixed layer above
the thermocline and avoid temperature changes greater
than 14 F.
Stock structure in the Pacic is unclear. Current evidence
indicates striped marlin are probably a single Pacic-wide
stock because of the continuous distribution throughout
the Pacic, spawning in the south and northwest Pacic
and eastern Pacic off Mexico, and from tag-recapture
studies. The possibility of separate North and South Pacic
stocks does exist and is based on catch-per-unit effort
(CPUE) analysis, temporal and geographically separate
spawning areas, and morphological differences. Genetic
data further indicate some population structuring in the
Pacic which implies discrete spawning areas for sh from
Hawaii, Australia, and the eastern tropical Pacic.
Striped marlin mature between 55 and 63 inches eye-tofork length (EFL) and reach a maximum size of nearly
12 feet and more than 450 pounds. The International
Gamesh Association all-tackle record is for a 494-pound
sh caught near New Zealand in 1986. Most striped marlin
caught in the southern California sport shery are three to
six years old, and weigh 120 to 200 pounds. Examination of
gonad material from the recreational and drift net sheries indicates that striped marlin off southern California are
not reproductively active while in residence.
he Pacic striped marlin resource appears healthy

regardless of whether a single Pacic-wide stock or
two separate north and southern stocks are assumed.
The relationship between catch and shing effort in the
Japanese longline sheries show sustained catches over a
wide range of shing intensities, suggesting Pacic-wide
catches are below the estimated maximum sustainable
yield of 53 million pounds. Catches are fairly stable
at around 25 to 30 million pounds. Angler catch and
effort surveys indicate CPUE off California and Mexico has
changed little since 1985.
Striped Marlin
400
David Holts
References
Hunter, John R. and David B. Holts, (eds.) 1999. Pacic
Federal Afliation for Billsh - a NOAA Workshop Report
and Research Plan. SWFSC Admin. Rep., LJ-99-11, 34 pp.
Squire, J. and D. Au. 1990. Management of striped marlin
resources in the northeast Pacic; A case for local depletion and core area management, p67-80. In: Stroud, R.S.
(ed.) 1989. Planning the future of billshes. Research and
management in the 1990s and beyond. Proceedings of
the second International Billsh Symposium, Kailua-Kona,
Hawaii, August 1-5, 1988. Parts 1 and 2.
Striped marlin are opportunistic feeders primarily on epipelagic shes including mackerel, sardine, anchovy, and
will take invertebrates including squid and red crab when
available. Off southern California, they are often seen
feeding at the surface on these small coastal sh. Predation on adult marlin has not been documented but may
occur from large pelagic sharks or toothed whales.

December 2001

A Status Report
335
Shortfin Mako Shark

ince the late 1970s, the shortn mako (Isurus oxyrinchus) has been taken incidentally in the commercial
drift gillnet sheries for thresher shark and swordsh.
Up until 1987, there were no sheries that specically
sought mako.
There are several reasons why mako sharks took so long
to become a primary target of a commercial shery.
Although readily marketable, shortn makos off southern
California averaged only 34 pounds dressed, while threshers had an average dressed weight of about 150 pounds.
As long as threshers were plentiful, shermen paid little
attention to mako sharks. This situation might have
changed during the mid-1980s when the thresher population began to show signs of decline, but the drift gillnet
eet, which pursued the thresher, also took a more valuable species swordsh. Swordsh had a commercial value
of $4 per pound, compared to $1 per pound for most
sharks, and they averaged nearly 200 pounds dressed. As
a result, the drift gillnet eet gave little regard to the
mako shark resource.
It took the application of an entirely different shing gear
to create commercial interest in the mako. During 1988,
the California Fish and Game Commission established an

experimental shark shery for mako and blue sharks using
drift longlines. This gear proved much more efcient than
drift gillnets. By 1990, stringent regulations were implemented that included an annual quota, time-area closures, and a requirement to reduce the bycatch and waste
of blue sharks by establishing a market. In 1992, the
commission did not renew the longline permits and the
experimental shery ended. This was due to the inability
of the shermen to establish a market for the bycatch
of blue sharks and a well organized opposition by the
sport shing industry to a directed commercial shery for
mako sharks.
Currently, mako sharks are taken by drift gillnets and
hook-and-line. Most mako sharks, however, are taken in
the drift gillnet shery for thresher sharks and swordsh.
Annual landings have uctuated from over 600,000 pounds
in 1987 to less than 100,000 pounds in 1999.
The shortn mako shark is also taken by the high seas
shark and swordsh drift longline shery, which developed
between 1991 and 1994. This shery operates outside
the 200-nautical-mile Exclusive Economic Zone in international waters. A small portion of the catch is landed in
California ports with annual landings ranging from 128,116
to 9,523 pounds between 1991 and 1999.
Makos have long been esteemed as prized game sh along
the East Coast of the U.S. During the early-1980s, the
mako captured the attention of the southern California
sport shing public. In the mid-to late-1980s, estimates
of the number of California angler trips for sharks grew
ten-fold from 41,000 to 410,000 annually. The principal
target of these trips was the shortn mako shark. After
the increase during the 1980s, the sport shery for mako
sharks has stabilized at a relatively high level. Total annual
landings (sport and commercial) peaked in 1987 at 464,308
pounds and again in 1994 at 394,792 pounds. In both
cases, landings declined rapidly in the two years following
the peaks. Currently, commercial passenger shing vessels
run shing trips on a regular basis from nearly all ports in
he shortn mako shark is distributed in temperate and

tropical seas worldwide. In the eastern Pacic, it is
distributed from Chile to the Columbia River and can be
found off the U.S. West Coast from southern California
northward to Washington. However, it is most common
off southern California and is seldom caught north of
the Mendocino Escarpment. It is considered an oceanic
species, occurring from the surface to at least 500 feet
Shortfin Mako Shark, Isurus oxyrinchus
Credit: DFG
336

A Status Report

December 2001
Shortfin Mako Shark

600
500
400
300
200
100
0
1916 1920
1930
1940
1950
1960
in depth, and is rarely found in areas where the water

temperature falls below 61 F.
Evidence from size and mark-recapture data suggest that
the Southern California Bight, which extends from Point
Conception to the Mexican border, is an important pupping and nursery area for the shortn mako shark. High
recapture rates for tagged juveniles show that newly born
makos remain in these waters for about two years, after
which they appear to move offshore or to the south. Many
sh tagged in the Southern California Bight have been
recaptured locally, but others have been caught as far
north as Point Arena, northern California; as far south as
Acapulco, Mexico; and as far west as Hawaii in the central
Pacic. Although some of the tagging data have not been
subjected to formal analyses and no migratory pattern has
become obvious, these documented movements suggest
that the California-Mexico stock is wide-ranging and is not
an isolated population.
There is an ongoing disagreement surrounding the proper
aging of shortn mako sharks, particularly in large size
classes. Results differ among age-growth studies, which
may be due to stock differences, different aging interpretations of the periodic deposition of vertebral rings,
and the difculty of interpreting growth rings, especially
in older specimens. Young makos appear to grow fairly
rapidly, reaching nearly ve feet in total length (TL) by
the age of two. After two years, however, growth rate is
less dened. Males reportedly mature at six feet TL and
as early as four years old, while females reach maturity
at nine feet TL and not before seven or eight years old.
Females either mature at a much later age than males, or
the sexes grow at greatly differing rates. The maximum
size of a mako shark is reported to be approximately 13
feet and possibly as old as 40 years.
Like the thresher shark, shortn makos are ovoviviparous.
The embryos have no umbilical attachment to the mother
and receive all their intrauterine nourishment by eating

December 2001
1970
1980
1990
1999
Commercial Landings
1916-1999,
Shortfin Mako Shark
Bulletins and commercial landing receipts. All shark landings
Shortfin Mako Shark
700
other eggs. It is estimated that females have from four to

30 pups. The gestation period is estimated to last from
12 to 19 months. At birth, pups are approximately 2.0 to
2.5 feet TL.
The shortn mako is a top carnivore in the ocean food
chain. It is known to prey upon many species of sh
such as mackerel, sardine, anchovy, tuna, other sharks,
and squid. Other items in the adult diet probably include
several marine mammals. The mako, however, is an opportunistic feeder like many of its oceanic relatives. It may
eat whatever is abundant in its surroundings.
he present status of the shortn mako shark in state

and federal waters off California is not known but is
of concern. Adult mako sharks do not frequent Californias
coastal waters; therefore, they are not subject to local
sheries. The real threat to the mako population off
California and in the eastern Pacic lies in the potential
for over-development of sheries within the coastal nursery. This threat is particularly insidious, as the effect of
overshing would not become apparent until the missing
juveniles were of an age to become the spawning stock.
Since a sudden population collapse could follow, efforts to
monitor the shortn mako shark are needed.
Valerie B. Taylor and Dennis W. Bedford

A Status Report
337
Shortfin Mako Shark
References
Bedford, D. 1992. Mako shark. In W.S.Leet, C.M. Dewees,
and C.W. Haugen, eds, Californias living marine resources
and their utilization. pp. 51-53. California Sea Grant Publication UCSGEP-92-12.
California Department of Fish and Game. 1999. Ocean
sport shing regulations concerning mako shark. State of
California Natural Resources Agency. 2:1-11.
California Department of Fish and Game. Shark Tagging
News. California Department of Fish and Game, Long
Beach, California. (newsletter series).
Calliet, G.M. and D.W. Bedford. 1983. The biology of three
pelagic sharks from California waters, and their emerging
sheries: a review. California Cooperative Oceanic Fisheries Investigations Reports. 24:57-69
Camhi, M. 1999. Sharks on the line II: An analysis of Pacic
state shark sheries. National Audubon Society, Living
Oceans Program, Islip, N.Y. pp. 52
Mollet, H.F., G. Cliff, H.L. Pratt, Jr., and J.D. Stevens.
In press 1999. Reproductive parameters of female
shortn mako Isurus oxyrinchu (Ranesque 1809). Fish
Bulletin, U.S.
Pratt, H.L. and J.G. Casey. 1983. Age and growth
of the shortn mako, Isurus oxyrinchus, using four
methods. Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences. 40:1944-1957.
338

A Status Report

December 2001
Thresher Shark
T
he common thresher shark (Alopias vulpinus) is the

leading commercial shark in California, although landings are much less than they were during the rst decade
of the drift gillnet shery. In the early years, from 1977
through 1989, annual commercial landings averaged 1.1
million pounds dressed weight (dw) per year, ranging from
0.1 million pounds in 1977 to a peak of 2.3 million pounds
in 1982. More recently, catches from 1990 through 1998
have averaged about 0.4 million pounds with a low of 0.3
million in 1995 and a high of 0.8 million pounds in 1991,
remaining at 0.4 million pounds over the past three years.
In 1998, the average ex-vessel price was $1.36 per pound.
Fish are taken primarily by drift gillnets (78 percent)
followed by set gillnets (18 percent), and other assorted
gears (4 percent). Two other species of thresher shark,
the pelagic (A. pelagicus) and the bigeye thresher (A.
superciliosus) also occur off California, but these species
are much less common, averaging only about one and nine
percent, respectively, of the total drift net thresher catch
in the 1990s.
The early thresher shark drift net shery began in southern California and expanded rapidly, reaching a peak in
1982 when 225 vessels were permitted in the shery. Fishing then expanded northward rst to Morro Bay and then
to Monterey and San Francisco. By 1987, experimental shing was being conducted off Oregon and Washington. The
drift net shery was initially developed to target common
thresher, but emphasis later shifted to broadbill swordsh,
with thresher and shortn mako shark being secondary
market species. Also, catches of threshers off California
soon began to decline, and some of the most heavily
exploited size classes were observed to disappear from
the catches after the mid-1980s. These size/age classes
were thought at the time to be all immature sh approximately three to six years old, but more recent maturity
data suggest that many may also have been mature individuals four to seven years old. Regulatory measures in
California, particularly area and season closures imposed
after the mid-1980s, were instituted to address swordsh
user conicts (gill-netters versus harpooners versus recreational anglers), to protect marine mammals, and to
protect thresher shark. In 1990, a California state voter
initiative banned gillnetting within three miles and completely prohibited drift net shing on threshers during
peak seasons and in nearshore areas. Since January 1996,
the landing of shark ns detached from any carcass
has been prohibited, except for threshers, which can be
landed with the ns and tails removed providing that a
corresponding carcass is also landed.
Currently, the shery is under a non-transferable permit
system and takes place from the Mexican border north

December 2001
to central Oregon in waters up to 200 miles offshore

in depths from 30 to 2,000 fathoms over banks, escarpments and canyons. Up until recently, because of various
time/area closures and seasonal availability of swordsh,
most of the annual shing effort occurred between
mid-August through January outside of state waters to
about 150 miles offshore. In addition to various existing
time/area closures, beginning August 15, 2001, the area
between Point Conception and 45 degrees north latitude
will be closed to drift gillnet shing through October 31 to
reduce interactions with leatherback sea turtles. If an El
Nio condition is predicted, or is occurring, the area south
of Point Conception will be closed to drift gillnet shing
from August 15 to August 31, and during the month of
January, to reduce loggerhead sea turtle impacts through
recreational angling for thresher sharks, especially from
private boats and skiffs, which have become increasingly
popular in recent decades in coastal waters between San
Diego and Santa Barbara, California. Currently, there are
about eight shark shing tournaments held annually in
southern California. Party boat catches, which are thought
to represent a relatively small portion of the total sport
catch, have averaged about 55 sh per year, with a peak
of 163 sh taken in the 1993 El Nio year. Title 14 of the
California Fish and Game Code limits the take of thresher
sharks to two per day, but sport anglers may possess more
than this limit depending on the length of the shing trip.
A one-inch square of skin must be left on each llet, if
lleted at sea.
Thresher Shark
he common thresher shark is a large pelagic shark

with a long scythe-like tail, which makes up nearly
half of its total body length. Its body is white below and
blue-gray to gray above with a slight wash of bronze. It
is generally distinguished from other species of thresher
sharks by the white of the abdomen that extends in a
splotchy pattern above the base of the pectoral ns;
Thresher Shark, Alopias vulpinus

Credit: DFG

A Status Report
339
Commercial Landings
1916-1999, Thresher Shark
All shark landings were
aggregated until 1977.
Thresher Shark
Thresher Shark
3.0
2.5
2.0
1.5
1.0
0.5
0.0
1916 1920
1930
1940
unlike the bigeye and pelagic thresher, which are uniformly pigmented blue-gray to gray above the pectoral
ns. The common thresher also does not possess the large
eyes distinctive of the bigeye thresher or the deep lateral
grooves on the sides of the head.
The distribution of the common thresher shark is circumglobal. In the eastern Pacic, it occurs from Goose Bay,
British Columbia south to off Baja California, and off
Panama and Chile. Abundance in the Pacic Ocean is
thought to decrease rapidly beyond 40 miles from the
coast, although catches off California and Oregon do occur
as far as 100 miles offshore and sometimes beyond. It
is found in temperate and warm oceans penetrating into
tropical waters, seeming to prefer areas characterized
by high biological productivity, the presence of strong
frontal zones separating regions of upwelling and adjacent
waters, and strong horizontal and vertical mixing of surface and subsurface waters. Such habitats are conducive
to production and maintenance of schooling pelagic prey
upon which it feeds. Adults, juveniles, and post-partum
pups occur within California waters.
After parturition and during their rst few years of life,
the young occur close to shore off beaches and in shallow
bays, often near the surface of the water. During most
years, concentrations of young threshers may be found
within two to three miles off the beaches from Santa
Monica Bay into Santa Barbara County, and as far north as
Monterey Bay and San Francisco Bay during warm water
years. One young thresher was tracked in Morro Bay for
18 hours where it spent 70 percent of the time in shallow
water over mudats, increasing its activity at the onset
of darkness and during high tide periods. Larger mature
individuals over 10 feet in total length tend to show a
greater range of habitat and more offshore distribution.
Some anecdotal evidence and patterns of observed
catches suggest seasonal north-south migration of this
species between San Diego and Baja California, Mexico,
340

A Status Report
1950
1960
1970
1980
1990
1999
and Oregon and Washington. This migration hypothesis

is derived from patterns of early catches in the drift
gillnet shery prior to seasonal and area restrictions, and
the incidence in the 1980s of thresher sharks taken off
California carrying Japanese longline hooks, indicating an
origin outside the U.S. EEZ. It has been proposed that
large adult common thresher sharks pass through southern
California waters in early spring of the year, remaining
in offshore waters from one to two months during which
time pupping occurs. Pups are then thought to move into
shallow coastal waters. The adults then continue to follow
warming water and perhaps schools of bait northward, and
by late summer, arrive off Oregon and Washington. Subadult individuals appear to arrive in southern California
waters in early summer, and as summer progresses they
move up the coast as far north as San Francisco. In fall,
these sub-adults are thought to move south again. Little
is known about the presumed southward migration of the
large adults, which do not appear along the coast until
the following spring. Recent satellite pop-up tagging by
NMFS has conrmed active transboundary migration in this
species. Two common thresher sharks tagged in June off
Laguna Beach and Santa Monica Bay, California, were relocated off Baja California, Mexico, and 540 miles southwest
of La Paz, Mexico, within 120 and 210 days of tagging.
Recent genetic analyses of tissue biopsies collected
off the U.S. West Coast and Mexico (with samples
from off Oregon-Washington grouped together and compared to samples collected off California and Baja California, Mexico) showed no signicant differences in haplotypic frequencies, indicating a single homogenous West
Coast population.
Reproduction is ovoviviparous; normal brood size appears
to be two to four fetuses. Brood sizes of up to seven
fetuses have been recorded off Spain, indicating there
may be some plasticity in this trait. The developing
fetuses are oophagous. Mating presumably takes place in

December 2001
Maximum size reported is 20 feet total length, but off

California the largest ever recorded was 18 feet long. Size
at rst maturity has been variously estimated and interpreted. A re-examination of male and female maturity
data suggests that off the U.S. West Coast, size and age
at rst maturity is about 10 feet in total length and about
ve years old.
Size at birth varies considerably, ranging from 45 to 61
inches long, with only slight variation among geographical
regions around the world. The species has been variously
estimated to reach a maximum age of from 19 to 50 years.
Feeding is primarily on small to medium-sized schooling
shes and pelagic invertebrates. Prey items include
anchovy, Pacic sardine, herring, mackerel, Pacic hake,
lancetsh, lanternsh, Pacic salmon, squid, octopus,
pelagic red crab, and shrimp. A recent study of the
diet of sh taken in the drift gillnet shery found in addition, Pacic and jack mackerel, shortbelly rocksh, louvar,
grunion, white croaker, queensh, and Pacic sanddab.
Thresher sharks have been observed to use their long
caudal n to bunch up, disorient and stun prey at or near
the surface and are often caught tail-hooked by longlines.
Predation on this species, other than by man, has not
been documented.
n 1990, this species came under the oversight of

the Pacic States Marine Fisheries Commission, which
has provided a general forum for coordinating thresher
shark management among the states of California, Oregon
and Washington, guided by an interjurisdictional shery
management plan for thresher shark. No quotas were
ever established, but the three states did agree to an
annual coastwide landings guideline of 750,000 pounds
dressed weight of thresher shark, which since 1991 has
never been approached. A stock assessment of this species is currently underway, and it has been included as
a management unit species within the Pacic Fisheries
Management Councils shery management plan for highly
migratory species, currently being drafted.
There are indications that management actions taken
after the mid-1980s and resulting reduction in shing pressure may have contributed to a rebuilding in the stock
over the last decade. In the early-1990s, some mid-sized
sh were beginning to reappear in wholesale market samples in California. More recently, an increase in average

December 2001
size of sh and in catch-per-unit of effort has been noted

in the thresher shark catch off Point Conception an area
that historically has had the most consistent and highest
thresher catches. It is not known, however, to what extent
environmental changes and shifts in distribution might
inuence these observations, since this area is but a
small portion of the total coastal range of the species.
The potential annual rate of population increase for the
common thresher shark at the maximum sustainable yield
population level has been estimated at four to seven
percent per year.
Thresher Shark
midsummer along U.S. West Coast EEZ with a gestation

period of about nine months. Parturition is thought to
occur in the spring months off California, judging from the
number of post-partum-sized pups that have been taken in
the catch at this time.
Susan E. Smith
Debbie Aseltine-Neilson
References
Bedford, D. 1987. Shark management: A case history the
California pelagic shark and swordsh shery. In S. Cook,
ed Sharks-An Inquiry into biology, behavior, sheries, and
use, p. 161-171. Oregon State Univ. Extension Pub. EM
8330.
Cailliet, G. M., and Bedford, D. W. 1983. The biology of
three pelagic sharks from California waters, and their
emerging sheries: a review. California Cooperative Oceanic Fisheries Investigations Reports XXIV, 57-69.
Camhi, M. 1999. Sharks on the line II: An analysis of
Pacic state shark sheries. National Audubon Society,
Living Oceans Program, Islip, N.Y. 116 p.
Hanan, D.A., Holts D.B., Coan A.L., Jr. 1993. The California drift gillnet shery for sharks and swordsh, 1981-1982
through 1990-91. Calif. Dep. Fish Game, Fish Bull. 175,
95 p.
Holts, D.B., A.Julian, O. Sosa-Nishizaki and N.W. Bartoo.
1998. Pelagic shark sheries along the West Coast of the
United States and Baja California, Mexico. Fish. Res. 39(2):
115-125.
Pacic States Marine Fisheries Commission (PSMFC). 1990.
Interjurisdictional Fishery Management Plan for thresher
shark off the coasts of California, Oregon and Washington
(Stick,K., G. Fleming, A. Millikan, L. Hreha, and D. Hanson,
eds). Pacic States Marine Fisheries Commission, Portland
Oregon, 28 pp.

A Status Report
341
Blue Shark
lue sharks (Prionace glauca) are not a major target of

Californias recreational or commercial sheries. Urea
stored in their blood system quickly turns to ammonia
when the shark dies, thus rendering the meat unpalatable.
Development of a quality meat product has been the
limiting factor in creating commercial interest. Only two
serious attempts at developing a quality food product in
California have occurred. The rst took place in 1979 and
1980 when one vessel shed blue sharks experimentally
with longline gear. Product quality was judged to be good
enough to establish blue shark as a viable alternate shery, and 150,000 pounds dressed meat were sold at about
$0.25 per pound. Although market interest developed in
several western states, a steady demand could not be
assured and the shery was discontinued.
The second attempt at developing a food product began
in 1988 with an experimental longline shery directed at
shortn mako and blue shark. Participants in the shery
were required to develop a market for human consumption with the bycatch of blue sharks, which were not
released alive. In 1989 and 1990, a total of 54,000 pounds
of blue shark was sold for making jerky and sh and
chips. It was clear from these attempts, however, that
a quality food product and related market had not been
achieved. Participants in the shery substantially reduced
the incidental mortality of blue sharks by developing a
hook removal tool, which allowed up to 88 percent of the
blue shark catch to be released alive. As a result, the
requirement to develop a wholesale market for blue sharks
was dropped in 1991. Between 1991 and 1999, the commercial harvest of blue sharks dropped to 37,500 pounds.
The recreational catch of blue sharks grew tremendously
throughout the 1980s. Estimated annual catch increased
ten-fold between 1981 and 1988 with over 400,000 anglertrips on private boats, which had sharks (including
mako sharks) as the primary or secondary target species.
Although angler effort for sharks remained high through-
Blue Shark, Prionace glauca

Credit: DFG
342

A Status Report
out the 1990s, blue shark harvest continually declined.

This may be due to the fact that most blue sharks
are released alive. Shark shing trips aboard commercial
passenger shing vessels (CPFVs) are offered from most
southern California sport shing landings from two to
seven nights per week during the summer.
The greatest source of shing mortality for southern California blue sharks in the past three decades probably
occurred as a result of their incidental capture during the
developing years of the drift gillnet shery for swordsh
and thresher sharks. Annual estimated bycatch in the
late 1970s and early 1980s was between 15,000 and
20,000 blue sharks. Changes in season length, eet size,
time-area closures and the use of large mesh nets substantially reduced blue shark mortality, although there are no
reported estimates of current mortality in this shery.
he blue shark is an oceanic-epipelagic and fringe littoral species with a circumglobal distribution. It is
found in all temperate and tropical oceans and is thought
to be the most wide-ranging shark species. Although this
species can be found in oceanic waters between 43F
and 82F, it is most commonly found in cooler water
temperatures between 45 F and 61F. In tropical waters,
blue sharks show submergence and are typically found
at greater depths. In temperate waters, blue sharks
are caught within the mixed layer and generally range
between the surface and the top of the thermocline,
but have been documented as deep as 2,145 feet. In the
Pacic, blue sharks are most predominant between 35N
and 45N.
Age and growth studies of blue sharks indicate that they
may reach maturity in six to seven years, although there
may be regional differences in growth. They are thought
to be opportunistic feeders at all life stages and prey
primary on small pelagic shes, crustaceans, and cephalopods. Blue sharks off southern California have also
been shown to exhibit seasonal dietary shifts when
prey such as squid become abundant during their mass
spawning events.
The blue shark is viviparous with a yolk-sac placenta.
Litter size is quite variable ranging from four to 135 pups
and may be dependent on the size of the female. In
the Pacic, it is thought that mating occurs during the
summer months in the equatorial region from May through
August. Gestation period is thought to range from nine
to 12 months and may vary depending on location. Off
California, mating occurs in late spring to early winter.
The Southern California Bight is a major birthing area and
is generally considered a nursery area for immature blue

December 2001
Blue Shark
200
150
100
50
0
1916 1920
1930
1940
1950
1960
sharks. Female blue sharks have been shown to exhibit

sperm storage, which may also explain variability in gestation period estimates. Late-term pregnant females are
found in the northern Pacic in summer months where
they give birth to large, well-developed pups averaging 14
inches. This suggests that mature females in the Pacic
may only reproduce every other year.
Seasonal migrations are thought to occur in the Atlantic,
Pacic, and Indian Ocean populations with seasonal periods of sexual segregation. A shark tagging program
recently initiated by the department may further elucidate the migratory movements of blue sharks in the
eastern Pacic. However, because no blue shark-tag and
recapture programs have been initiated in the central
Pacic, the extent of blue shark migration in the central
Pacic is still unconrmed.
Blue sharks appear to aggregate in loose schools and are
generally caught more frequently over depths greater than
3,300 feet. They exhibit daily diving behavior similar to
that of other pelagic shes and sharks and appear to
show a fair degree of niche overlap with swordsh. Blue
sharks are incidentally caught in pelagic longline tuna
and swordsh sheries in the Pacic and can seasonally
comprise the largest percentage of the catch in these
sheries. In recent years, there has been an increase in
the number of blue sharks taken in the tuna and swordsh
longline shery in Hawaii, where sharks are nned at
sea, and the ns are then sold to Asian markets. The
meat is seldom landed and sold at market due its low
commercial value.
Based on spatial and temporal changes in blue shark
abundance in the Pacic, it is suspected that the northsouth difference in catch rates of blue sharks is mediated
by the transition zone. This is the area of water between
the cooler Aleutian Current and the warmer water from
the North Pacic Current. This transition zone shifts from
31 N and 36 N in the winter to 41 N and 36 N in the fall.

December 2001
1970
1980
1990
1999
Commercial Landings
1916-1999, Blue Shark
landing receipts. All shark
landings were aggregated
under the market category
unspecified shark until
1977.
Blue Shark
250
Most of the larger catches of blue sharks have been made

in or just south of this zone.
Diel movements of blue sharks acoustically tracked off
southern California and in the North Atlantic indicate that
adult blue sharks increase their activity at night and make
shallower dives than during the day. Sharks tracked off
southern California ventured inshore at night, presumably
to feed on seasonally available spawning squid. The cyclical diving behavior is thought to serve as a hunting,
orientation, and/or thermoregulatory function.
Although adult blue sharks are opportunistic feeders and
prey mainly on small pelagic shes, cephalopods, and
crustacean, they have also been observed scavenging on
marine mammal carcasses at sea. Unfortunately, there are
few data on the diet composition of blue sharks in the
central Pacic.
he size of Californias blue shark stock is unknown.

Local abundance undergoes major seasonal uctuations with juveniles to three year olds most abundant
in the coastal waters from early spring to early winter.
Mature adults are uncommon in coastal waters.
Fishery-dependent data needed for determining abundance, mortality, etc. are lacking because blue sharks
are usually discarded at sea and the catch often goes
undocumented. Local abundance depends on recruitment
of juveniles and immigration of individuals from Mexico
and offshore into California waters. Although there are no
abundance estimates (local or Pacic-wide), some shermen and eld biologists speculate that there are fewer
blue sharks than there were 10 to 20 years ago. The
combined mortality from recreational anglers, commercial
set net and drift net sheries, Mexican sheries and foreign high seas sheries undoubtedly has the potential

A Status Report
343
Blue Shark
to impact the population and the local blue shark stock

to an unknown extent. Currently though, all research
and statistics indicate that blue shark populations within
California waters remain within healthy levels.
References
David B. Holts
Carey, F.G. and J.A. Scharold. 1990. Movements of blue

sharks in depth and course. Marine Biology, 109: 329-342.
Carrie Wilson
California Dept. of Fish and Game
Harvey, J.T., 1989. Food habits, seasonal abundance, size,

and sex of the blue shark, Prionace glauca, in Monterey
Bay, California. Calif. Fish and Game. 75(1):33-44.
Christopher G. Lowe
Dept. of Biological Sciences, California State University
Long Beach
Cailliet G.M. and D.W. Bedford. 1983. The biology of three

pelagic sharks from California waters and their emerging
sheries: A review. Cal. COFI Rep. 24:57-60.
Nakano, H. 1994. Age, reproduction and migration of blue

shark in the North Pacic Ocean. Bull. Nat. Res. Inst. Far
Seas Fish. 31:141-256.
Pratt, H.L. 1979. Reproduction in the blue shark, Prionace
glauca.. Fish. Bull. US. 77(2): 445-470.
West Coast Fishery Development Foundation. 1981. A
report on the development of the Pacic blue shark
as a commercial shery. NMFS, S-K Contract No:
80-ABH-00052. 255 p.
Strasburg, D.W. 1958. The distribution, abundance, and
habits of blue sharks in the central Pacic Ocean. Bulletin,
Dept. of Fish and Wildlife, 58: 331-365.
Tricas, T.A. 1979. Relationships of the blue shark, Prionace
glauca, to its prey species near Santa Catalina Island.
Fishery Bulletin, 77:175-182.
344

A Status Report

December 2001
he mackerel sharks (Order Lamniformes) are a small,

but diverse group containing seven families, six of
which occur along the California coast. In addition to
mako and thresher sharks, there are three additional
mackerel shark species that are caught or have been
shed along the coast, the basking shark (Cetorhinus
maximus), white shark (Carcharodon carcharias), and
salmon shark (Lamna ditropis).
The basking shark was the object of a localized harpoon
shery off the central California coast, but the shery was
sporadic due to periodic declines in the stocks. As with
most shark species, the basking shark is slow growing,
long-lived and probably produces relatively few young.
The California basking shark shery began in the 1930s,
and peaked during the 1940s and 1950s. They were shed
for their oil-rich livers, which were used for tanning
leather and as a base for paints and cosmetics. In addition, they were utilized for food for human consumption,
and their ns were used as soup stock. Presently, there is
no shery for these sharks in state coastal waters.
Basking sharks are presumed to be ovoviviparous, but

whether they have intrauterine cannibalism like other
lamnoids is uncertain. Gravid females have never been
observed in this species. Males mature at about 13 to 16
feet, and females at about 27 to 29 feet. The maximum
size for this species is 36 feet. The smallest recorded
free-living basking shark measured 5.6 feet, but size at
birth is unknown. Maturity has been estimated at six to
seven years, although the aging technique has never been
veried for this species and may underestimate the age
by one-half. These sharks may live for 30 to 50 years or
Other Mackerel Sharks
Other Mackerel
Sharks
Basking Shark, Cetorhinus maximus

Credit: DFG
Since they are not abundant enough to be of commercial

importance, there has never been a directed shery for
white sharks off California. They are often taken incidentally in commercial catches and by sport anglers. The
meat is of good quality, the ns may be used as soup
stock, and the teeth and jaws as decorations or jewelry.
Although they have not been targeted in California, the
state nevertheless imposed a ban on white shark shing
in 1993. This followed similar bans in Australia and South
Africa where local artisan sheries for this species had
taken place.
Salmon sharks are not very abundant off California and
are mainly taken as a bycatch to other species. The meat
is of high quality and is readily sold along with the ns,
which are used for soup stock. Fishermen often consider
salmon sharks an annoyance because they destroy shing
gear used in more commercially important sheries such
as those for salmon.
White Sharks circling research boat, Carcharodon carcharias

Credit: DFG
he basking shark is a coastal pelagic species usually

found in areas where the water temperature is
between 46 and 57 F. They are found close inshore to
well offshore at depths of over 330 feet, but usually over
the continental shelf. A common species from the Gulf of
Alaska to the Gulf of California, although they appear to
be less abundant south of Point Conception.

December 2001
Salmon Shark, Lamna ditropis

Credit: DFG

A Status Report
345
Commercial Landings
1916-1999,
Unspecified Shark
Bulletins and commercial landing receipts. All shark landings
Unspecified Shark
10
8
6
4
2
0
1916 1920
1930
1940
more. Basking sharks grow at an estimated rate of about

16 inches per year, but with the onset of maturity this rate
slows considerably.
The basking shark is one of three gigantic lter-feeding
species of shark and feeds almost exclusively on small
planktonic organisms that it traps in its gill rakers. The
prey items include small copepods, barnacles, crustaceans, and sh eggs and larvae. Approximately one-half
ton of food material may be present in the stomach of
an individual shark. It has been estimated that an adult
basking shark cruising at a constant speed of two knots
passes approximately 2,000 tons of water over its gills per
hour. Adult basking sharks probably have few predators due
to their enormous size, young specimens though are preyed
upon by white sharks, sperm whales, and killer whales.
Basking sharks are highly migratory, appearing and then
disappearing seasonally at specic localities. These sharks
are especially abundant between October and April off
the California coast but move northward to Washington
and British Columbia during late spring and summer. Basking sharks are very social animals and are often observed
in small groups of three to 10, but at times number up to
500 or more individuals.
The white shark has a worldwide distribution from cold
temperate to tropical waters, though it is most common
in temperate waters between 53 and 68 F. In the eastern North Pacic the white shark occurs from the Gulf
of Alaska to the Gulf of California. It is fairly common
off central California and around the offshore islands of
The white shark occurs along the nearshore waters of
the California coast, including bays and estuaries, but
sometimes may be oceanic since individuals are common
around the offshore islands. There seems to be some
spatial segregation by size, as young white sharks under
eight and older ones over 16 feet are common off south-
346

A Status Report
1950
1960
1970
1980
1990
1999
ern California, while intermediate sized animals are more

common in northern California waters.
White sharks are oviphagous, with litters of between three
and 14 young. The low frequency with which pregnant
females have been captured suggests that they may segregate away from the main population and that only a
small proportion of the population may be gravid at any
one time. The Channel Islands off southern California
seem to be an area where large females and small white
sharks are occasionally captured, leading to speculation
that females may give birth there. Size at maturity is
somewhat problematic for females since few pregnant
individuals have been captured and accurately measured,
but 15 to 16.5 feet appears to be a close approximation.
Males mature at about 12 feet and grow to about 18 feet.
The largest reliably measured white shark from California
waters measured 18.8 feet; however, there is an unconrmed record of one individual that measured 33 feet.
The size at birth is four to ve feet. The growth rate of
white sharks has been estimated to be around 12 inches
per year, and they may live to a maximum age of 30 years
or more.
The white shark is perhaps the most formidable of large
marine predators. It has a broad spectrum of prey species
that includes bony shes, other sharks, rays, and marine
mammals. Sharks over 10 feet long tend to feed on marine
mammals while those less than 6.5 feet feed more on bony
and cartilaginous shes. White sharks tend to congregate
around seal rookeries, especially when these mammals are
breeding. Sub-adult and young non-breeding adult seals
appear to be most susceptible to predation.
The salmon shark range in the eastern Pacic Ocean is
from the Bering Sea to central Baja California. It is a
coastal and oceanic shark of subarctic and temperate
waters, most often found in temperatures of less then 64
F and depths less than 1,200 feet. The salmon shark is

December 2001
References
Salmon sharks are oviphagous with litters of two to

ve young. Birth usually occurs in the spring between
March and May after a 12-month gestation. Males mature
between six and eight feet, and females at 6.25 to 8.25
feet. The maximum reported size is 10 feet. Size at birth
is 25.5 to 31.5 inches. Estimated age at maturity is ve
years for males and nine or 10 years for females, with a
maximum age of between 20 and 30 years.
Ainley, D.G., R.H. Henderson, H.R. Huber, R.J. Boekelheide, S.G. Allen, and T.L. McElroy. 1985. Dynamics of
white shark/pinniped interactions in the Gulf of the Farallones. Southern Calif. Acad. Sci. Mem. 9: 109-122.
The salmon shark feeds mostly on bony shes. They may

follow their main prey, salmon, as they migrate around
the North Pacic Ocean basin. Salmon sharks are known
to forage in groups of 30 to 40 individuals using social
facilitation to hunt salmon and other schooling species.
When attacking a school of salmon these sharks usually
initiate the attack from below and catch their prey by
running it down in a high-speed chase rather than
ambushing it.
Parker, H.W. and F.C. Stott. 1965. Age, size, and vertebral
calcication in the basking shark, Cetorhinus maximus.
Zool Meded., 40(34): 305-319.
Cailliet, G.M., L.J. Natanson, B.A. Welden, & D.A. Ebert.

1985. Preliminary studies on the age and growth of
the white shark, Carcharodon carcharias, using vertebral
bands. Southern Calif. Acad. Sci. Mem. 9: 49-60.
common on continental offshore waters to close inshore,

but also ranges far from land, over deep oceanic waters.
Paust, B.C. and R. Smith. 1986. Salmon shark manuel.

The development of a commercial salmon shark, Lamna
ditropis, shery in the North Pacic. Uni. Alaska, Alaska
Sea Grant Rept. 86-01, May 1986: 1-430.
he basking shark has not been commercially shed for

more than 30 years, and no recent stock assessment
has been made.
Although no demographic studies exist to estimate the
white sharks population in our area, circumstantial evidence suggests that their numbers may be increasing in
response to the burgeoning marine mammal population.
With Californias increasing human population this may
inevitably lead to more human-shark interactions. One
researcher has estimated that between 10 and 20 white
sharks are caught per year along the California coast.
Unfortunately, more accurate data are unavailable.
There is virtually no information on the salmon sharks
abundance and stock structure in the eastern North Pacic.
David Ebert
US Abalone

December 2001

A Status Report
347
Opah
pah (Lampris guttatus) are taken commercially as

an incidental catch in the drift gillnet shery (94
percent), but are also captured in the high seas longline
shery (three percent) beyond the U.S. Exclusive Economic Zone (200 mile limit) off California. Prior to 1976,
they were also recorded as incidental catch in the Pacic
halibut, sardine, salmon, and albacore sheries.
Between 1976 and 1989, only 1,660,856 pounds of opah
were landed in California, with no landings in some years,
and the largest landings following the 1982-1983 El Nio
(516,126 pounds in 1984). Between 1990 and 1999, approximately 1,470,653 pounds of opah were landed in California, with annual landings ranging from 81,669 to 246,530
pounds. The highest landings of the decade occurred in
1998; once again associated with a warm water event (the
1997-1998 El Nio). Although the majority of opah landed
in California since 1990 were landed from San Luis Obispo
County south (about 50 percent from San Diego County
alone), landings were reported as far north as Crescent City.
Sport shermen targeting albacore from British Columbia
to Baja California occasionally catch opah. Within California, many sport caught opah are taken from the northern
Channel Islands south to the Coronado Islands, just below
the U.S.-Mexico border. Anglers state that opah hit live
bait or articial lures with considerable fury.
Opah esh is tasty, can be prepared in a variety of ways,
and is excellent when smoked. The salmon-colored esh,
darker over the pectoral n, is very fatty just below the
skin but is otherwise rich, dry, rm and delicate.
ne of two living species known within the Lampridae

family, this species is most commonly referred to by
its West African name, opah; however, it may also be
called African pompano, giant pompano, Hawaiian moonsh, moonsh, mariposa or Jerusalem haddock. The genus
Lampris is derived from the Greek lampros meaning radiant, while the species guttatus is likely derived from
the Latin word for spot, guttat. The opahs laterally compressed, oval body is an iridescent, silvery-blue with
round to oval white spots. The snout, lips and ns are a
brilliant red. The bones of the small, toothless mouth are
capable of protruding forward, forming an unusual upper
jaw mechanism employed during feeding. The forked
caudal n and lateral red musculature likely function in
low-speed swimming, the caudal n and lateral white
musculature in acceleration and the moderately long pectoral ns in maintaining normal cruising speeds. The
modes of locomotion associated with the opahs musculature are well-suited to its pelagic lifestyle. Many pelagic
shes undergo periods of sustained swimming with intermittent bursts of speed used during activities such as
feeding. The opah maintains neutral buoyancy by means
of a functional air bladder and a skeletal structure of
oil-lled, porous bones.
Opah occur worldwide in temperate and tropical seas. In
the eastern Pacic, they occur from Chile to the Gulf of
Alaska. All life stages of this species are pelagic and oceanic, occurring from the sea surface to a depth of 1,680
feet. Seasonal movements are not known in the northeastern Pacic, but in the northeastern Atlantic opah catch
has been reported in the North Sea and waters off Iceland
solely during the summer.
Little is known about opah reproduction. Spawning locations and seasons are unknown; however, a mature female
was taken in the spring off California. Neither reproductive capacity nor the size of eggs is known. Very small
opah, nearly one-half inch long, resemble miniature adults
in body form, and have a complete set of n rays. Fish up
to eight inches in length are referred to as juveniles while
those greater than 41 inches are called adults, although
the exact size and age at maturity is unknown. Opah
are known to grow to at least 54 inches in length, but
have been reported to reach 72 inches. They are known
to reach a weight of at least 160 pounds and have been
reported to reach 500 to 600 pounds. The maximum age
of opah is unknown.
Opah, Lampris guttatus

Credit: J.B. Philips
348

A Status Report
The diet of larvae and juveniles is undetermined. As

adults, opah are midwater predators that eat cephalopods, crustaceans and bony shes such as anchovy, lancetsh, and cutlasssh. Aside from humans, predators of
opah have not been documented.

December 2001
Opah
Opah
600
500
400
300
200
100
0
1916 1920
1930
1940
1950
1960
1970
1980
1990
1999
Commercial Landings
1916-1999, Opah
landing receipts. Commercial
landing data not available for
Opah prior to 1976.
References
he size of the opah population, worldwide or off the

coast of California is not known. Opah are probably
solitary sh as few are encountered at any one time. It
is not known whether local subpopulations exist or how
far individual opah travel. Based upon trends over the
last two decades, opah landings in California are likely to
increase after El Nio events.
Freeman, K. 1984. Opah the moonsh. Pacic Fishing.

August: 25-27.
Parin, N. V., and N. S. Kukuyev. 1983. Reestablishment

of the validity of Lampris immaculata Gilchrist and the
geographical distribution of the Lampridae. J. Ichthyol.
23(1): 1-12.

Herald, E. S. 1939. The opah (Lampris regius) and its

occurrence off the California coast. Calif. Fish Game 25(3):
228-232.
Olney, J.E., G.D. Johnson, and C.C. Baldwin. 1993. Phylogeny of lampridiform shes. Bulletin of Marine Science
52(1): 137-169.
Sarah D. MacWilliams
M. James Allen

December 2001

A Status Report
349
Louvar
ff California, louvar (Luvarus imperialis) tend to be

seasonal transients associated with warm water currents late in the year. When present, they are considered
a desirable, but incidental catch species primarily in the
shark and swordsh drift gillnet shery. Although primarily taken in this shery, landings from other gear types
such as set gillnet, hook-and-line, harpoon, trawl, and
round haul nets have been recorded. The majority of
catches occur off the Southern California Bight, with success being highest in the area encompassing Point Loma,
San Clemente Island, and Cortez Bank. In the drift gillnet
shery, sh tend to be caught at depths of 18 to 78 feet.
Inasmuch as louvar are strongly associated with warmer
water currents, catches of this species typically increase
during the late summer through fall and show a dramatic
rise during strong El Nio events. Louvar occasionally are
found stranded on the beach or drifting dead at the sea
surface. There is not a signicant recreational shery
for louvar.
From 1990 through 1999, a total of 95,844 pounds were
landed in California; annual landings ranged from 5,190
pounds in 1994 to 17,498 pounds in 1992. Annual landings
since the mid-1980s have shown uctuations from year-to-
year but overall have remained relatively stable, with an

average of 10,923 pounds (1986-1989), and 9,584 pounds
(1990-1999).
Landings off California from 1990 through 1999 had a total
ex-vessel value of $297,500 with an average of $29,750
per year. The ex-vessel price per pound ranged from
$2.48 in 1992 to $3.71 in 1998, with a mean value of $3.20.
Although landing amounts have remained relatively constant, the average price paid for louvar has increased over
three-fold since 1986. Louvar esh is delicate and white
with a mild avor, and is considered by many shermen to
be among the most delicious of shes. This admiration has
been carried over to the markets where the fresh sh are
sold to the better restaurants.
uvarus imperialis, meaning silver emperor, is the

only member of the family Luvaridae. This streamlined
sh has a strongly compressed body and a blunt head with
a small, terminal, toothless mouth and a horizontal groove
above each eye. The caudal n is lunate with a keel on the
caudal peduncle. Males have long laments in front of the
soft dorsal and anal ns. Adults have frothy pink bodies
covered with dark spots and crimson ns, although after
death the body turns silvery. Except for the blunt head,
louvar are adapted for rapid swimming, with their lunate
caudal n and keeled caudal peduncle. When swimming
slowly, louvar presumably scull with their caudal n.
Louvar occur worldwide in temperate and tropical seas.
In the eastern Pacic they are found from central Washington to Chile. Although generally uncommon, they are
relatively abundant in southern California. All life stages
of this species are pelagic and oceanic. Adults occur from
the sea surface to a depth of 1,970 feet, but most are
found at depths below 660 feet. The larvae have been
taken at temperatures of 70.9-82.2 F. Spawning occurs
in temperate waters between 40 N and 40 S latitude,
from late spring to summer in the Northern Hemisphere.
A ripe individual was taken off Morro Bay, California in
May. Louvar fecundity is very high, which is typical of nonschooling, oceanic shes; a female 66.9 inches (5.6 feet)
long had a fecundity of 47.5 million eggs.
Larvae range from 0.14 to 0.42 inches in length. The
larvae and small juveniles look sufciently different from
the adult that they were once thought to be different
species. They have strong, serrated dorsal and anal spines
and a short body. The smallest juveniles have long, deep
ns and dark spots on the body. Larger juveniles (four
to eight inches) are similar to the adult but have longer
dorsal and anal ns.
Louvar, Luvarus imperialis

Credit: Charles Cranford
350

A Status Report

December 2001
Louvar
Louvar
20
16
12
8
4
0
1916 1920
1930
1940
1950
1960
1970
1980
1990
1999
Commercial Landings
1916-1999, Louvar
Commercial landing data are not
available prior to 1984.
The size and age of louvar at rst maturity is not known;

however, a 295-pound female was mature. Louvar grow to
at least 74 inches and 305 pounds. Because the otoliths
are tiny and not useful for aging, the maximum age
is unknown.
As midwater browsers, they feed primarily on gelatinous

zooplankton such as jellysh, ctenophores, and freeswimming tunicates (salps and pyrosomes), but occasionally eat small sh. Only about 20 percent of the louvar
taken have had food in their stomachs.
Michael Dege
The louvar stomach is lined with numerous papillae and

the coiled intestine is extremely long. The intestine of
adults is about eight to nine times as long as the sh.
These features presumably are adaptations for feeding
on jellysh.
An eight-inch louvar was found in the stomach of a wahoo.
Otherwise, predators other than man are not known. The
gastrointestinal areas of louvar are often parasitized by
digenean trematodes.
he size of the louvar population worldwide or off

California is not known. Louvar are solitary sh and
few are taken at any one time. Because the population is
worldwide in tropical and temperate seas, the California
shery probably has little impact on the species as a
whole. It is not known whether local subpopulations exist
or how far individual louvar travel. Using recent landings
as an indicator, the local availability of the species is likely
to become more abundant off California following warm
water periods or El Nio events. Although commercial
landings of louvar are recorded by the California Department of Fish and Game, the louvar is not presently a
target species and the shery is not actively managed.

December 2001

M. James Allen
References
Decamps, P. 1986. Luvaridae. Pages 998-999 In: P. J. P.
Whitehead, M.-L. Bauchot, J-C. Hureau, J. Nielson, and E.
Tortonese (eds.), Fishes of the north-eastern Atlantic and
the Mediterranean, Vol. 2. UNESCO, Paris, Fr.
Fitch, J.E., and R. J. Lavenberg. 1968. Deep-water Fishes of
California. Univ. Calif. Press, Berkeley, CA. 155 p.
Gotshall, D. W., and J. E. Fitch. 1968. The louvar Luvarus
imperialis in the eastern Pacic, with notes on its life
history. Copeia 1968(1):181-183.
Nishikawa, Y. 1987. Larval morphology and occurrence of
the louvar, Luvarus imperialis (Luvaridae). Jpn. J. Ichthyol.
34(2):215-221.
Tyler, J. C., G. D. Johnson, I. Nakamura, and B. B. Collette.
1989. Morphology of Luvarus imperialis (Luvaridae), with a
phylogenetic analysis of the Acanthuroidei (Pisces). Smithson. Contrib. Zool. No. 485. 78 p.

A Status Report
351
Dolphin
he dolphin (Coryphaena hippurus), also known as mahi

mahi, or more commonly in California, as dorado,
occurs in the California recreational catch primarily during
warm water years. Most catches occur in the Southern
California Bight, especially south of Los Angeles. Before
1972, the annual California commercial passenger shing
vessel (CPFV) catches during the July through October
shing season seldom exceeded a few hundred sh. Thereafter over 1,000 were taken in 23 of the next 25 seasons.
A major shift occurred in 1990 when the catch exceeded
31,000 sh, and averaged 15,602 sh per year between
1990 and 1997 (range: 1,000 to 31,548).
In commercial sheries, an estimated average of 1,084
dolphin have been landed and 324 released per year by
the high seas longline shery landing in California during
the period August 1,1995, through December 31, 1999. It
is occasionally taken by albacore bait and troll boats and
tuna purse seine vessels. It is rare in the drift gillnet
catch, possibly because its surface-swimming habits take
it above the reach of the top of these nets. Judging from
the length of net extenders deployed, observed sets have
averaged about 35 feet below the surface over the past
decade. During the summer of 1996, when over 21,000
dorado were taken by the CPFV eet, the >68 F layer
was observed to be less than 33 feet deep, indicating
a very shallow suitable habitat zone for dolphin. This
is also a species that commonly associates with surface

oating objects, and thus may have evolved avoidance
capabilities that prevent it from becoming entangled in
drifting materials.
rowth in dolphin is extremely rapid. Fish reach maturity in less than a year (at about 14 inches or seven
months old) and only rarely live beyond three to four
years. Actual growth rates vary among regions and are
sensitive to prevailing water temperatures. In captivity,
dolphin grow about 0.05 inches per day at 64F, 0.13
inches per day at 77F, and 0.23 inches per day at 84F.
Length/age data from sh taken in the wild show dolphin
have an average growth of about a 0.09 inches per day.
In the western Pacic, dolphin reach a length of 15 inches
the rst year, 27 inches the second year, 35 inches the
third year, and 43 inches the fourth year.
Larval dolphin feed mainly on crustaceans, particularly
pontellid copepods, with sh larvae appearing in the diet
of young juveniles greater than eight inches. Adult dolphin
are mainly piscivorous, with ying sh being the most
important in volume and occurrence. Jacks, mackerels,
rabbitshes, squids and portunid crabs are also taken in
various parts of their range. Adults can swim faster than
33 feet per second, and can feed at low light levels.
All life stages of dolphin serve as prey for other oceanic
shes, particularly marlin, epipelagic sharks, swordsh,
sailsh, and other dolphin.
There is little information about Pacic Ocean migrations,
but dolphin are thought to migrate relatively long distances in the western Atlantic and Mediterranean. In the
eastern Pacic, temperature seems to be an important
factor in dening the range and possibly the movements of
this species, the northern barrier being the California Current, and in the south, the Peru Current. Various authors
report seasonal patterns in catches, possibly relating to
spawning migrations or seasonal intrusion of preferred
warm water temperatures. Norton noted the dramatic
increase in recreational catches of dolphin off southern
California and northern Mexico over the past 30 years
(especially during the last decade). He suggested that
the habitat of dolphin has been expanding northward
in response to an oceanic and atmospheric regime shift
that has brought periods of warmer water and enhanced
northward current ow to California. It has also brought
less cold water upwelling off northern Mexico, which had
formerly inhibited northward dispersal.
Dolphin, Coryphaena hippurus

Credit: NMFS
352

A Status Report
Dolphin are oviparous with pelagic eggs and larvae; fertilization is external. Spawning is thought to occur year
round in waters above 75 F, although there may be

December 2001
Dolphin
Dolphin
90
80
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
1916 1920
1930
1940
1950
1960
1970
1980
1990
1999
reproductive peaks with eggs released in batches within

a given reproductive pulse. Fecundity increases sharply
with size, and assuming three spawns a year, estimated
total egg production varies from about 240,000 to almost
3 million eggs per year for sh. Certain times of the year
may be more conducive to larval survival, e.g., in Hawaii
the strongest cohorts are spawned in July. Spawning of
the California-Mexico dolphin population evidently takes
place in waters south of the U.S. West Coast EEZ. In
CalCOFI larval sh surveys, larvae have been collected
off central and southern Baja California, Mexico, and only
occasionally in warm water years, off southern California,
with peak abundance in August and September. Age at
female maturity is 0.6 years with maximum reproductive
age at four.
Little is known of stock structure in the Pacic. Because of

the dolphins brief life-cycle and seasonal catch patterns,
it seems unlikely that the U.S.-Mexico stock is shared
with Hawaii or shing nations in the central and western
Pacic, however, stock mixing cannot be ruled out. The
relationship of the Mexico stock to stocks occurring further south along the Pacic coast of Central and South
American is not known. Because seasonal migrations in
the North Pacic show a reverse tendency to that in the
Southern Hemisphere, there may be at least two stocks in
the Pacic Ocean separated by the equator.
Stephen J. Crooke
Dolphin
35
he status of the population is unknown. Since California is on the northern range of dolphin, our sheries
may be subject to a great deal of variation due to changes
in oceanographic patterns and even moderate variations
in stock size.
Susan Smith
References
Lasso, J. and L. Zapata. 1999. Fisheries and biology
of Coryphaena hippurus (Pisces: Coryphaenidae) in the
Pacic Coast of Columbia and Panama. Scientia Marina 63
(3-4): 387-399.
Massut, E. and B. Morales-Nin (eds.) 1999. Biology and
Fishery of Dorado and Related Species. Scientia Marina
63(3-4):261-266.
Norton, J.G. 1999. Apparent habitat extensions of dorado
(Coryphaena hippurus) in response to climate transients in
the California Current. Scientia Marina 63(3-4):239-260.
30
25
20
15
10
5
0 1947
Commercial Landings
1916-1999, Dolphin
and commercial landing
receipts. No commercial landings are reported for dolphin
prior to 1977.
1950
1960
1970
1980
1990
1999
Palko, B.J., G.L. Beardsley, and W.J. Richards. 1982. Synopsis of the biological data on dolphin-shes, Coryphaena
hippurus Linnaeus and Coryphaena equiselis Linnaeus. FAO
Fisheries Synopsis No.
Recreational Catch 1947-1999 , Dolphin


December 2001

A Status Report
353
Commercial Landings - Highly Migratory Finfish and Sharks

354
Commercial Landings Highly Migratory Finfish and Sharks

Year
Albacore
Tuna1
Pounds
Tunas
Bluefin
Tuna1
Pounds
Skipjack
Tuna 2
Pounds
Yellowfin
Tuna 2
Pounds
Blue
Shark3
Pounds
Sharks
Shortfin
Mako Shark3
Pounds
Thresher
Shark3
Pounds
Unspecified
Shark3
Pounds
1916
1917
1918
1919
1920
1921
1922
1923
1924
1925
1926
1927
1928
1929
1930
1931
1932
1933
1934
1935
1936
1937
1938
1939
1940
1941
1942
1943
1944
1945
1946
1947
1948
1949
1950
1951
1952
1953
1954
1955
1956
1957
1958
1959
1960
1961
1962
1963
1964
1965
1966
1967
1968
1969
1970
1971
1972
1973
1974
1975
1976
1977
1978
1979
22,899,309
30,556,242
7,265,422
13,630,899
18,876,647
15,276,727
13,231,823
12,514,833
17,695,362
22,206,923
2,469,921
4,656,959
4,065,729
6,110,330
7,288,685
6,976,401
3,087,215
2,794,452
4,287,296
5,678,793
2,456,004
4,743,709
13,574,635
16,423,234
7,078,334
4,314,508
11,091,866
21,384,864
20,989,479
21,333,779
18,077,899
13,427,281
37,609,789
44,290,320
66,123,624
48,436,233
72,328,772
80,022,721
64,573,673
73,846,973
57,377,986
83,089,272
54,673,098
62,482,446
71,452,175
59,414,251
73,354,129
65,804,803
74,720,964
68,025,134
73,908,838
71,747,685
76,099,731
71,055,426
29,931,714
36,116,734
21,001,214
8,640,852
11,806,150
15,412,778
27,759,376
15,904,840
21,549,428
8,442,098
---------14,990,860
10,530,272
1,971,813
2,811,283
3,218,090
3,241,110
3,803,677
6,526,533
4,898,465
13,700,870
7,526,857
21,921,282
3,534,030
2,125,001
1,449,828
18,357,828
25,319,614
19,669,935
13,217,984
17,732,359
11,835,715
19,970,268
9,519,012
12,844,564
10,178,768
20,343,550
20,594,309
22,031,802
20,837,673
6,696,987
4,389,471
2,846,841
3,864,530
4,576,685
9,835,062
21,795,967
13,952,523
12,788,843
20,637,570
31,477,208
15,797,703
13,416,411
22,155,190
33,119,729
32,701,801
26,831,939
16,734,506
37,939,210
13,735,595
13,016,373
15,607,319
8,655,295
17,250,966
24,877,721
20,187,207
11,605,792
16,360,774
18,789,445
6,939,994
9,561,343
13,273,516
------3,022,964
6,892,427
7,957,277
1,134,993
11,857,833
11,462,522
3,774,058
14,222,453
20,951,348
33,805,960
15,946,910
27,066,588
20,485,587
16,506,761
21,636,577
17,093,041
16,409,439
19,803,954
29,271,030
54,698,995
26,152,974
31,186,950
56,910,522
25,707,064
38,735,228
28,893,784
30,037,236
33,347,896
41,087,994
52,460,168
58,771,706
78,574,657
128,041,078
118,637,672
88,891,667
130,653,919
169,463,946
120,524,989
135,995,434
111,436,303
148,158,256
146,194,191
74,798,635
86,747,632
99,059,469
106,284,833
72,554,280
89,919,213
65,225,532
114,958,800
60,673,827
48,680,081
76,480,634
101,377,638
35,944,884
29,809,281
59,975,341
73,810,130
122,694,052
81,620,289
137,185,991
94,796,032
---------348,081
1,965,024
1,297,451
7,405,279
10,836,925
3,063,398
13,237,898
12,564,986
25,933,966
32,253,206
37,444,924
56,657,768
36,581,376
36,923,410
51,075,630
61,137,102
72,294,127
78,361,272
92,406,606
78,363,005
110,417,801
113,898,209
76,701,820
41,466,614
49,261,328
63,143,891
87,331,440
127,246,675
150,459,384
191,723,981
185,612,094
190,446,466
173,668,653
185,517,690
140,544,952
149,103,693
162,818,007
203,885,507
182,041,635
218,075,149
210,992,058
272,648,098
262,310,262
218,148,910
162,326,222
202,855,729
196,435,355
189,844,772
167,251,535
212,238,450
240,746,510
231,956,638
150,941,111
241,704,982
232,793,961
246,110,479
234,252,185
276,064,610
195,596,189
191,100,304
165,845,675
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------19,911
---35,334
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------129,522
302,073
735,743
36,247
287,872
403,093
612,683
811,349
539,333
282,018
360,363
392,634
372,332
506,723
325,653
623,816
833,985
647,297
596,134
850,888
471,030
526,280
555,256
471,861
914,205
7,504,329
9,227,750
7,860,030
7,617,334
3,551,566
3,729,334
2,613,431
2,438,096
1,608,846
2,637,926
2,480,555
1,550,992
717,247
842,324
623,238
449,753
770,337
576,201
1,085,314
728,900
491,713
602,191
694,191
623,972
753,177
665,367
646,569
648,265
653,790
596,898
499,947
478,235
420,318
421,335
400,769
418,694
497,359
533,954
862,204
1,070,685
1,184,411
1,157,227

A Status Report

December 2001
Year
Albacore
Tuna1
Pounds
Tunas
Bluefin
Tuna1
Pounds
Skipjack
Tuna 2
Pounds
Yellowfin
Tuna 2
Pounds
Blue
Shark3
Pounds
Sharks
Shortfin
Mako Shark3
Pounds
Thresher
Shark3
Pounds
Unspecified
Shark3
Pounds
1980
1981
1982
1983
1984
1985
1986
1987
1988
1989
1990
1991
1992
1993
1994
1995
1996
1997
1998
1999
11,958,760
20,584,321
9,436,938
16,545,410
26,126,747
14,197,002
7,248,173
3,511,503
2,669,538
1,918,914
1,902,318
1,493,811
2,772,642
4,027,882
6,989,093
1,833,340
11,332,004
7,398,111
5,311,746
12,294,268
5,371,000
1,912,748
5,301,256
1,682,296
1,400,998
7,173,299
10,431,044
1,814,041
1,771,706
2,246,118
2,040,073
228,896
2,396,650
1,163,581
2,012,277
1,567,454
10,327,599
4,958,129
4,281,798
364,508
174,406,052
127,578,862
92,381,839
99,196,795
68,896,983
6,562,190
3,000,340
12,619,100
19,539,462
9,932,415
4,472,810
7,511,801
5,700,648
10,006,587
4,653,967
15,428,051
12,024,568
13,381,560
12,614,505
8,286,038
190,185,117
167,751,112
136,176,299
122,885,366
77,299,186
33,123,315
47,436,173
51,149,000
43,033,185
38,834,297
18,759,062
9,209,749
7,384,579
8,254,649
11,141,997
6,685,493
7,376,529
10,524,823
12,736,163
2,981,179
192,130
203,074
57,838
13,983
3,864
2,385
3,316
3,410
7,147
13,521
43,675
1,200
2,880
522
24,828
7,360
320
236
1,070
116
155,336
277,345
533,839
330,260
242,837
226,695
473,684
612,020
489,217
388,322
577,128
322,097
215,876
185,254
193,782
145,278
142,013
210,518
148,331
94,646
1,806,007
1,974,037
2,397,171
1,726,646
1,659,104
1,540,799
606,595
525,104
536,711
649,984
461,606
758,266
394,192
356,059
427,513
342,335
405,042
411,487
413,775
328,415
1,423,633
909,596
449,024
433,410
314,251
277,951
201,201
167,867
44,236
22,775
18,111
10,704
6,966
9,773
12,422
25,076
9,618
12,919
11,867
13,354

1
Data includes shipments and landings from areas north and south of the State between 1916 and 1969.
2
Data includes shipments and landings from areas south of the State between 1916 and 1969.
3
All shark landings were aggregated until 1977.

December 2001

A Status Report
Commercial Landings Highly Migratory Finfish and Sharks, contd
355

356
Commercial Landings Highly Migratory Finfish and Sharks, contd

Year
Dolphin Fish
Pounds
Louvar
Pounds
Opah
Pounds
Swordfish
Pounds
1916
1917
1918
1919
1920
1921
1922
1923
1924
1925
1926
1927
1928
1929
1930
1931
1932
1933
1934
1935
1936
1937
1938
1939
1940
1941
1942
1943
1944
1945
1946
1947
1948
1949
1950
1951
1952
1953
1954
1955
1956
1957
1958
1959
1960
1961
1962
1963
1964
1965
1966
1967
1968
1969
1970
1971
1972
1973
1974
1975
1976
1977
1978
1979
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------10,646
159
694
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------2,458
----------
------18,442
18,252
12,513
14,803
23,256
11,691
31,833
27,045
45,543
130,288
426,001
693,081
562,729
340,769
661,470
850,699
263,958
669,283
577,402
625,307
722,478
594,360
887,168
916,739
445,908
336,386
751,596
363,093
863,494
1,009,957
1,113,808
198,361
26,494
228,034
265,690
142,831
23,055
134,659
275,174
375,986
471,775
448,220
324,754
368,855
39,057
98,074
183,023
327,174
468,772
305,067
199,398
1,031,583
944,745
154,418
265,982
613,544
649,502
865,536
83,623
511,388
2,604,233
586,529

A Status Report
Year
Dolphin Fish
Pounds
Louvar
Pounds
Opah
Pounds
Swordfish
Pounds
1980
1981
1982
1983
1984
1985
1986
1987
1988
1989
1990
1991
1992
1993
1994
1995
1996
1997
1998
1999
4,507
8,344
2,424
1,183
7,774
424
3,453
714
377
828
1,510
713
7,123
37,250
82,211
10,915
19,502
10,318
6,970
35,795
------------18,009
------11,674
10,917
8,196
14,105
6,147
17,498
15,020
5,191
5,300
9,512
6,343
10,951
8,509
---2,989
69,347
179,914
516,126
394,873
218,769
92,493
67,868
116,966
103,606
81,678
112,785
123,614
155,811
143,473
180,340
178,147
247,586
144,947
1,197,187
1,142,897
1,691,161
2,675,218
4,393,278
5,196,685
3,845,932
2,741,015
2,484,428
2,861,277
1,871,535
1,564,946
2,354,831
2,684,569
2,574,758
1,764,736
1,768,544
2,205,694
2,054,089
3,054,630

1
Data includes shipments and landings from areas north and south of the State between 1916
and 1969.
2
Data includes shipments and landings from areas south of the State between 1916 and 1969.
3
All shark landings were aggregated until 1977.

December 2001
Year
Albacore
Tuna
No. of Fish
Bluefin
Tuna
No. of Fish1
Skipjack
Tuna
No. of Fish1
Yellowfin
Tuna
No. of Fish1
Striped
Marlin
No. of Fish1
Dolphin Fish
No. of Fish1
1947
1948
1949
1950
1951
1952
1953
1954
1955
1956
1957
1958
1959
1960
1961
1962
1963
1964
1965
1966
1967
1968
1969
1970
1971
1972
1973
1974
1975
1976
1977
1978
1979
1980
1981
1982
1983
1984
1985
1986
1987
1988
1989
1990
1991
1992
1993
1994
1995
1996
1997
1998
1999
11,445
15,414
22,692
118,087
75,924
187,267
23,363
20,098
78,688
65,814
41,540
6,482
39
76,075
184,891
229,314
158,372
112,358
99,771
74,680
96,497
129,710
48,887
112,106
160,361
86,890
9,858
12,814
81,562
84,973
70,274
92,646
10,196
21,309
26,648
36,690
17,161
211,285
172,493
27,322
7,046
559
29,728
3,816
1,009
380
393
171
1,296
1,873
88,133
155,985
254,983
2,194
104
1,941
27
7,142
145
4,276
966
8,179
34,187
6,428
884
1,330
97
2,268
2,453
737
693
92
1,998
3,166
1,231
1,470
1,833
749
1,470
5,347
5,765
3,348
2,040
1,838
479
1,087
729
542
665
1,912
2,834
4,980
693
1,859
321
6,519
3,756
5,289
8,586
10,535
2,309
14,648
2,478
7,974
18,985
36,390
698
460
9
31
132
38
279
50
10
13
6,453
491
514
378
11
40
8,149
3,961
2,142
1,012
1,656
4,250
9,998
15,561
62
281
855
1,345
455
5,400
21,423
10,520
487
3,891
435
32
103,040
30,357
238
2,249
8,181
1,898
19,736
16,305
6,319
52,302
23,823
15,327
43,048
6,356
19,170
13,735
2,707
137
18
11
6
56
34
------1
78
325
13
4
2,124
21
3
80
103
101
241
10,801
8,499
4,210
3,840
6,622
849
1,783
2,524
2,556
4,437
7,689
6,708
4,042
11,217
4,559
2,035
116,298
8,648
3,898
5,505
14,794
20,065
19,076
49,118
11,453
73,739
37,142
46,831
87,347
72,449
89,097
75,367
21,215
37
58
28
115
58
57
4
9
6
32
22
84
349
9
8
2
37
48
46
40
81
60
66
52
32
12
34
29
5
10
33
13
34
58
67
33
65
287
68
43
168
134
40
105
11
25
30
42
35
17
24
16
2
15
------1
---2
---12
---2
2,805
---4
1
3
---139
4
341
48
198
929
170
103
188
206
5,941
1,967
604
6,509
4,300
2,330
9,184
8,840
1,281
1,099
4,992
6,532
1,307
1,866
3,518
3,349
2,341
31,548
1,301
22,727
8,952
5,318
5,022
21,939
28,606
6,485
3,633
Recreational Catch - Highly Migratory Finfish and Sharks
Recreational Catch Highly Migratory Finfish

All data based on CPFV logbooks.
1

December 2001

A Status Report
357
358

A Status Report

December 2001
ore than 80 species of marine sh are included

under the Pacic Coast Groundsh Fishery Management Plan (FMP) that was adopted by the Pacic Fishery
Management Council (PFMC) in 1982. In general, the FMP
provides for management of bottom dwelling nsh species (including all rocksh and whiting) that are found in
U.S. EEZ waters off Washington, Oregon and California.
Of these, fewer than 20 of the commercially and recreationally most important have ever been comprehensively
assessed. Each year, stock assessments are conducted on
ve to 10 species, typically as part of a three-year rotation. Only Pacic whiting is assessed each year. Species
and species groups that are actively managed under the
FMP are: Minor rocksh (which includes most rocksh);
Pacic Ocean perch; sablesh; thornyheads; Dover sole;
whiting; canary rocksh; widow rocksh; yellowtail rocksh; bocaccio; chilipepper rocksh; cowcod; darkblotched
rocksh; splitnose rocksh; and lingcod.
Groundsh management is complicated and demanding
because sheries for many of the species are interrelated, but the various stocks have responded differently
to shing pressure. For example, atsh populations such
as Dover, Petrale, and English soles have been subjected
to signicant commercial sheries for decades, yet have
not shown the magnitude of declines that have occurred
in some of the rocksh populations.
The current status of many rocksh and lingcod off the
west coast is poor, and signicant changes in the groundsh shery have been necessary to address this situation.
There are over 60 different species of rocksh in California. Formal assessments of these sh populations are
challenging, due to the number of species and the large
commitment of time and effort to conduct the necessary
research and analysis. To date, 15 rocksh species have
been formally assessed, and the results are not encouraging. Nearly all of these species are currently below optimal abundance levels. Lingcod and six rocksh species,
including four that are important to California anglers and
commercial shermen (bocaccio, canary rocksh, widow
rocksh and cowcod), are at such low levels (estimated
at or below 25 percent of the pristine population of each
species) that they have been declared overshed by the
PFMC. Federal law requires that steps be taken to rebuild
overshed stocks under strict guidelines that place an
emphasis on a reasonable likelihood of achieving success
within specied time periods for each species.
Several factors affect the abundance of rocksh and lingcod and the ability to manage them effectively. Recent
analyses have shown that rocksh stocks are not as productive as previously thought. This is due in part to

December 2001
improved information about rocksh life history (such

as age, growth, and reproduction), better stock assessments and environmental conditions that generally have
not been favorable to rocksh reproduction or survival for
many years. As a result, rocksh cannot support harvest
rates as high as previously thought. Management is further
complicated because the habitats and ranges of many
rocksh species overlap, so that it is difcult to catch one
species without catching other species at the same time.
Fishing must be reduced for an entire group of rocksh
in order to realize lower catches that are necessary to
rebuild overshed stocks. For example, although a few
shelf rocksh species such as chilipepper and yellowtail
appear to be comparatively healthy, their allowable harvest has been set at levels below the potential yield to
protect the weaker species of shelf rocksh that tend to
be caught with them, such as bocaccio and canary.
Groundfish:
Overview
Prior to 2000, the allowable catch of all rocksh in the

PFMCs southern management area for rocksh (most of
California) was combined into a single quota. To better
align shing opportunities with the resources that support
them, shery managers have grouped rocksh into three
new categories nearshore, shelf, and slope. In addition,
management has been rened by setting individual quotas
for a few species, which reduces the aggregate quota
for other remaining rocksh species. While this approach
lowers the harvest of overshed rocksh species, such as
bocaccio, it also reduces the opportunities for nearshore
species that are no longer grouped with certain deepwater
species that are typically under-harvested.
No individual sector is responsible for creating the current
situation. For example, since 1982 commercial landings
accounted for about 56 percent of all lingcod and about
81 percent of all rocksh catches in California, while the
recreational shery took the remainder. In order to return
depressed rocksh and lingcod stocks to a healthy condition, everyone has been asked to share in the conservation measures needed for recovery. For the recreational
shery, bag limits have been reduced, gear restrictions
imposed, seasons closed, and minimum size limits established. In the commercial shery, the aggregate rocksh
quota for 2001 was reduced by about 57 percent compared to 1997, and the allowable commercial lingcod landings were reduced by about 83 percent during the same
period. Rocksh rebuilding plans call for decades of ongoing special efforts to allow the overshed species to
recover, while lingcod is more prolic and is expected to
be restored much more quickly, by 2009. Although the
lingcod stock seems to be responding favorably to the
initial stages of the rebuilding plan, it will be important
to coordinate lingcod and rocksh management because
they are found on the same shing grounds and are often
caught together.

A Status Report
359
A total of about 1,900 businesses in California are directly

affected by commercial groundsh catch regulations. Most
of the affected businesses are shing vessels. There are
approximately 1,580 commercial shing vessels in California that catch and sell groundsh as part of their operations. That eet is comprised of two main elements -- the
limited entry eet and the open access eet.
Vessels in the limited entry eet have a federal permit
that gives greater rights concerning the harvest of groundsh. Consequently, vessels with limited entry permits generally rely heavily on groundsh as a major source of
income. There are 288 limited entry vessels in California.
Vessels that land groundsh under open access provisions
may or may not depend on groundsh as a major source
of income. Many vessels that predominately sh for other
species also may inadvertently catch and land groundsh.
Although 1,295 open access vessels landed groundsh
in California during 1997, most landed less than 1,000
pounds. A total of 525 open access vessels each landed
more than 1,000 pounds of groundsh during the calendar
year. In addition to the commercial shing eet, there
are approximately 325 wholesale sh buying businesses
in California that purchase groundsh from commercial
shing vessels.
The 1999 California commercial groundsh harvest was
approximately 34.0 million pounds, with an ex-vessel
value of $19.7 million. This was a 12-percent decline in
value from 1998 ($22.3 million), and the lowest total in
360

A Status Report
recent history. Groundsh production exhibited a longterm downward trend in landings during the 1990s, with
annual landings reduced by roughly 60 percent during
the decade. For the rst time, rocksh became the most
signicant element of the groundsh shery during 1998,
when they comprised over 50 percent of the value and
nearly 37 percent of the tons landed. Another traditionally important component was the DTS Complex (Dover
sole, thornyheads, sablesh), which accounted for most
of the remainder of the landings. The number of federal
limited entry groundsh permits registered to shermen
in California continued a slow decline during 1999 for
all three gear types; at mid-season there were 162
vessels with trawl permits, 113 longline permits, and 13
trap permits.
In response to the sharp decline in groundsh landings
and the generally poor condition of West Coast groundsh
stocks, the secretary of commerce formally announced a
disaster determination for the shery in January 2000.
The intent of the declaration was to minimize economic
and social impacts on shing communities while protecting
and rebuilding groundsh stocks. Although, the declaration did not include relief funding, it was the rst step
in the process of securing funds from Congress to assist
affected shermen.
J. Thomas Barnes

December 2001
Bocaccio
B
ocaccio (Sebastes paucispinis), sometimes called red

snapper, rockcod, grouper, salmon grouper, or tomcod
(as juveniles), was the dominant rocksh in Californias
early longline shery. It was the most abundant rocksh
in the bottom trawl shery from Morro Bay to Fort Bragg
until the mid-1980s. In the late 1980s, two-thirds of the
bocaccio landed were taken by trawl, with the remainder
being taken by set net, longline, and the recreational
shery. Before 1970, estimated landings by all sheries
averaged approximately six million pounds per year. Following 1970, combined landings increased, peaking in 1983
at over 15 million pounds. Landings have declined steadily
since then, and fell below 0.5 million pounds in 1998. In
1978, nearly 40 percent of the sampled trawl landings
contained half or more bocaccio by weight, but this value
has declined to a very small percentage of landings in
recent years.
Recreational catches of bocaccio are generally made on
rocky reefs by party boat shermen at depths of 250 to
750 feet. In some years, however, juveniles concentrate
in shallow sandy areas near piers off central and southern
California, where they are easily taken on small baited
hooks. Estimated catches for the recreational shery are
available from 1980 onward and averaged 15 percent of
the total landings in recent years. Recreational catches
since 1984 have shown the same decline as the trawl shery.
ocaccio range from central Baja California to Kodiak

Island, Alaska, and are common from northern Baja
California to the Washington-British Columbia border.
Genetic studies indicate partial separation between the
bocaccio population off the Pacic Northwest and that off
California.
The number of developing eggs increases from 20,000

in a 15-inch sh to about 2.3 million in a sh 30.5
inches long.
Off central and northern California, larval release occurs
from January through May, peaking in February. In southern California spawning takes place from October through
July, peaking in January. In central California, most larvae
that survive to the juvenile stage are born in January and
February, but months of successful reproduction can shift
substantially from year to year. In southern California,
some females produce as many as three broods in a
season, but multiple brooding is uncommon farther north.
Bocaccio
Larval bocaccio are initially pelagic and are most common

within 100 feet of the sea surface, where they feed on
plankton. Larval bocaccio have been captured in plankton
nets as far as 300 miles from shore. By late May or
early June, they settle to the bottom at lengths of 1.5
to 2.5 inches, often in kelp beds. Before completing their
rst year of life, these fast growing young-of-the-year
start eating the young of other rockshes, surfperch,
jack mackerel, and various small inshore shes. Adults
are found from depths of 60 to 1550 feet. They feed
on smaller rockshes, sablesh, anchovies, lanternsh,
and squid.
uring the past two decades bocaccio landings have

been dominated by the 1977, 1984, and 1986 year
classes. A long string of recruitment failures occurred
from 1989 to 1998, which under intense shing led to a
severely depleted population. By 1999, abundance had
fallen to about three percent of the level seen in 1969,
and the Pacic Fishery Management Council declared the
population as overshed. Evidence from entrainment of
young sh at the San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station
indicates that the 1999 year class is large.
Among rockshes, bocaccio are noted for their relatively

rapid growth, large adult size, and high variation in yearclass strength. They are known to attain a length of 36
inches, a weight of 15 pounds, and a maximum age of
about 50 years. Some fast growing individuals are caught
with trawl gear at age one, and substantial numbers are
landed by age two at lengths of about 16 inches.
Bocaccio are live-bearing sh. At extrusion (release),
larvae are about 0.25 inch in length and absorb yolk from
the egg stage during the rst eight to 12 days. They grow
rapidly to about seven inches by the end of their rst
year. A few mature when they are three years old, about
14 inches long and one pound. Fifty percent are mature
at 16.5 inches and four years. Males mature at a slightly
smaller size than females. By the time they are 10 years
old, they average over 24 inches and weigh ve pounds.

December 2001
Bocaccio, Sebastes paucispinis

Credit: DFG

A Status Report
361
14
Bocaccio Rockfish
Bocaccio
Commercial Landings
1916-1999,
Bocaccio Rockfish
Data Source: CalCom, a cooperative
survey with input from Pacific Fisheries Information Network (PacFin),
National Marine Fishery Service
(NMFS), and California Department
of Fish and Game (DFG). Data
are derived from DFG commercial
landing receipts with expansions
based on port samples collected by
PacFin samplers. Expansion data not
available for years prior to 1978.
12
10
8
6
4
2
0
1916 1920
1930
1940
1950
1960
1970
1980
1990
1999
References

MacCall, A. D., S. Ralston, D. Pearson and E. Williams.

1999. Status of bocaccio off California in 1999 and outlook
for the next millennium. In Status of the Pacic Coast
groundsh shery through 1999 and recommended acceptable biological catches for 2000. Pacic Fishery Management Council, 2130 SW Fifth Ave., Suite 224, Portland, OR
97201.
David H. Thomas
Revised by:
Alec D. MacCall
Moser, H.G. 1967. Reproduction and development of

Sebastodes paucispinis and comparison with other rockshes off southern California. Copeia. 1967:773-797.
Wilkins, M.E. 1980. Size composition, age composition, and
growth of chilipepper, Sebastes goodei, and bocaccio, S.
paucispinis, from the 1977 rocksh survey. Mar. Fish. Rev.
42:48-58.
Historic photo of a catch of boccaccio and chilipepper being unloaded from a trawler.
Credit: DFG
362

A Status Report

December 2001
Cowcod
C
owcod (Sebastes levis) are important to commercial

and recreational sheries in California. Estimated total
catch peaked in 1976 at 213 tons, and then trended downward to 14 tons in 1999. Recreational catch of cowcod
exceeded commercial landings between 1959 and 1980
but commercial catch has been larger since. Recreational
landings peaked in 1976 at 154 tons, and then declined to
less than two tons from 1997 through 1999. Commercial
landings reached a record 155 tons in 1984. Fishing
grounds nearest to major ports have been progressively
exploited. Most of the remaining productive cowcod shing grounds in the Southern California Bight are found well
offshore, out-of-range for many private skiffs.
Cowcod reach the largest size of any rocksh in central
and southern California, and are a highly prized trophy
in the recreational shery. The ofcial California record
for sport caught cowcod is 21 pounds 14 ounces, but the
recreational shery has produced conrmed specimens as
large as 34 pounds in recent years.
Cowcod are caught along with other species of rocksh
by the recreational shery. Recreational effort is directed
at cowcod from private shing boats and commercial passenger shing vessels (CPFVs). CPFVs include both charter
boats (carrying a prearranged or closed group of anglers),
and party boats (generally open to the general public,
without prior reservation). The CPFV industry began in
southern California around 1919, and by 1939 the eet consisted of over 200 boats. CPFV operators targeted numerous species prior to 1950, such as tuna, giant sea bass,
marlin, swordsh, mackerel, California halibut, kelp and
sand bass, bonito, barracuda, and yellowtail. However,
early reports do not list rocksh as a CPFV target group
during the rst half of the century.
Following World War II, there was a notable expansion of
the CPFV eet, and in 1953 it totaled about 590 boats.
By 1963, the statewide CPFV eet had declined to 476
vessels, 450 of which operated out of central and southern
California ports. The majority of the 1963 CPFV eet (256
vessels) was based in the Southern California Bight. Species of preference for the southern California CPFV eet
in 1963 did not include Sebastes, although rocksh were
listed as an important part of the catch. As recently as
1969, there were reports that some [CPFV] shermen
would rather sh for yellowtail, and catch little or nothing, than to take home a sack of rocksh. Those who
prefer rocksh to yellowtail are in a minority. However,
by 1974 attitudes of the typical CPFV sherman had
changed, and there was increased effort directed toward
rocksh. With the decline in availability of traditional
sportsh in the 1960-1970s, less lively food sh

December 2001
such as Sebastes were sought in order to maintain

angler satisfaction.
Although highly sought in recent decades, cowcod have
consistently composed a very small fraction of the recreational rocksh catch. Cowcod were estimated to comprise greater than one percent of the CPFV rocksh catch
in 1961, 0.4 percent of total rocksh during the 1970s,
and only 0.3 percent from 1985 through 1987. Cowcod
seasonal catch in the sport shery tends to peak in late
autumn through early spring, which is the time of year when
southern California CPFVs normally target bottom shes.
Cowcod
Historically, commercial landings were highest in the

Southern California Bight but landings in the Monterey
area have been larger during most recent years. Hookand-line and set net gear shed in deep water on rocky
bottom accounts for the bulk of historical landings in
the commercial shery. Set net catches declined after
1989, but hook-and-line has remained important. Trawling
accounts for most cowcod landings in northern areas.
Trawls tend to take cowcod that are smaller and more
often immature than sh taken by hook-and-line. Prior to
2000, discard of cowcod in commercial and recreational
sheries was probably insignicant. Beginning in 2000,
new regulations limited commercial landings to one sh
per trip, which may have resulted in increased discards.
Fourteen species of rocksh have been landed in the
cowcod market category; of these, the bronzespotted
rocksh is the most common. Species associated with
cowcod vary by gear type. In the trawl shery, which
is primarily in the Monterey management area, the main
species taken with cowcod are chilipepper, bocaccio, and
widow rocksh. In the hook-and-line and set net shery,
which is primarily in the Conception management area,
bronzespotted rocksh, bocaccio, and vermilion rocksh
are most important.
Cowcod are valuable in the commercial shery. Fishermen
received $1.37 per pound for cowcod in 1998, more than
double the price for unspecied rocksh. In general,

Cowcod, Sebastes levis
Credit: DFG

A Status Report
363
400
Cowcod
Cowcod
Commercial Landings
1916-1999, Cowcod
of Fish and Game (DFG). Data are
derived from DFG commercial landing receipts with expansions based
on port samples collected by PacFin
samplers. Cowcod landings expansion
data not available for 1979 and years
prior to 1978.
350
300
250
200
150
100
50
0
1916 1920
1930
1940
cowcod landed by hook-and-line command higher prices

than those landed by set net or by trawl.
Prior to 2000, the Pacic Fishery Management Council
managed cowcod under regulations established annually
for commercial groundsh, the Sebastes complex and
remaining rocksh. Remaining rocksh were managed as
a group without specic allowable biological catch or
optimum yield levels for individual species. During those
years, Sebastes complex cumulative trip limits were high
relative to landings of cowcod, and it is unlikely that the
regulations had affected commercial shing for cowcod.
Specic regulations to limit the commercial and recreational take of cowcod were rst established in 2000.
In order to achieve an optimum yield of 5.5 tons for
recreational and commercial landings combined, the recreational bag limit in 2000 was reduced to one cowcod
(with a maximum of two cowcod per boat), and commercial regulations allowed only one cowcod to be landed
per shing trip.
1950
1960
As with other species of Sebastes, fertilization is internal

and females give birth to rst-feeding stage planktonic
larvae during the winter. Gonad-somatic indices of
females are highest from November through April. Peak
abundance of cowcod larvae is January through April,
364

A Status Report
1980
1990
1999
with some larvae present from November through August.

Larvae spend about 100 days in the plankton and settle
to the bottom as juveniles at about two to 2.4 inches in
length. In Monterey Bay, juveniles recruit to ne sand and
clay sediments at depths of 130 to 330 feet during the
months of March through September. Adults are found at
depths of 300 to 1,680 feet usually on high relief rocky
bottom. Cowcod reach 37 inches FL and 33 pounds.
Cowcod have been aged by counting annuli in sectioned
and polished otoliths. Although age determinations have
not been validated, there was good agreement among
independent readers. Based on a sample of 259 specimens
collected in the 1970s and 1980s, the youngest sh in
the landings was age seven, and the oldest was age 55.
Cowcod are thought to become fully recruited to recreational and commercial sheries at age 17, which is similar
to the age at which all females become mature.
The approximate length (inches) and age of rst, 50 percent and 100 percent maturity is as follows:

owcod range from central Oregon to central Baja California, and offshore to Guadalupe Island. The geographic center of distribution is the southern California
Bight. They are uncommon off Oregon and northern California. Adult cowcod habitat is primarily rocky reefs from
165 to 1,000 feet, most of which are found in the vicinity
of offshore banks and islands in the Southern California
Bight. Smaller sh generally occur at the shallower end of
the depth range.
1970
Male
Maturity
Female
Length (in)
Age
Length (in)
Age
First
13.5
16.5
11
50%
17.5
12
17
11
100%
19
14
20
16
owcod were reported to be abundant off southern

California in the 1890s. However, the rst formal stock
assessment of cowcod was in 1999. Results of the assessment suggest that spawning biomass in 1916 was near the

December 2001
References
Based on the results of the 1999 stock assessment,

cowcod were formally declared overshed by the National
Marine Fisheries Service in 2000. A rebuilding plan will
be adopted to provide assurance that abundance will be
restored to 40 percent of the unshed stock size in a
minimal length of time. However, due to the unproductive
nature of the stock, it is likely that rebuilding will require
many decades.
Karpov, K.A., D.P.Albin and W.H. Van Buskirk. 1995. The

marine recreational shery in northern and central California; A historical comparison (1958-86), a status of the
current. Calif. Dept. Fish and Game Fish Bull.(176): 192 p.
J. Thomas Barnes
Young, P.H. 1969. The California partyboat shery

1947-1967. Calif. Dept. Fish and Game, Fish Bull.
145. 91 p.

December 2001
Butler, J. L., L. D. Jacobson, J.T. Barnes, H.G. Moser and

R. Collins. 1999. Stock assessment of cowcod. In: Pacic
Fishery Management Council. 1999. Appendix: Status
of the Pacic Coast Groundsh Fishery through 1999 and
recommended biological catches for 2000: Stock assessment and shery evaluation.
Cowcod
virgin level and it remained stable through a rather long

historical period (1916-1950). Biomass began to decline
slowly in the 1950s and accelerated through the 1970s.
Recruitment declined dramatically and biomass continued
to decline after the early 1980s. The best estimate of
cowcod spawning biomass in the Southern California Bight
during 1998 is 262 tons, which is about seven percent of
the estimated unshed stock size.
Love, M. S., J. E. Caselle, and W. V. Buskirk. 1998. A

rocksh (Sebastes spp.) catch in the Southern California
Bight, 1980-1996. CalCOFI Rep. 39: 180-195.

A Status Report
365
Chilipepper
he chilipepper (Sebastes goodei) is one of Californias

most important rocksh species; it is a major contributor to commercial and sport landings. In fact, from
1996 through 1998 chilipepper was ranked rst in statewide commercial rocksh landings, with an annual average of over 3.8 million pounds. Important ports of landing
are throughout central and much of northern California,
including Fort Bragg, Bodega Bay, San Francisco, Princeton, Monterey, Moss Landing, and Morro Bay. Chilipepper
also contribute to southern California rocksh landings,
although not so heavily.
In the late 1800s, chilipepper and most other rocksh
were caught by Portuguese longline shermen who shed
Monterey Bay from small two or three-person vessels.
Longlines provided most, if not all, rocksh landings until
the mid-1940s. Improvements in otter trawl technology
subsequently led to trawl gear replacing longlines as the
primary gear used to catch rocksh. Trawl gear enabled
shermen to make much larger landings with larger vessels. Trawlers have since accounted for the great majority
of chilipepper landings, followed by set gill net and hookand-line gears. During the 1990s, gill net landings have
declined to very low levels, whereas hook-and-line gears
have comprised a relatively higher portion of the catch.
Historically, chilipepper was not considered an important
component of the party boat anglers catch in central
and northern California due to its deep offshore distribution. In the early 1980s, Monterey and Santa Cruz party
boat skippers began shing chilipepper schools in the
vicinity of the Monterey underwater canyon in late spring
through summer. In contrast, southern California chilipepper partyboat landings peak during the winter months.
Chilipepper was ranked third among rockshes taken
off central and northern California in 1989-1990, but its
relative importance in the recreational shery has dwindled throughout the 1990s. Since 1995, sport landings
have comprised less than two percent of the total
chilipepper catch.
hilipepper range from Queen Charlotte Sound, British

Columbia to Magdalena Bay, Baja California. Adults are
found on deep rocky reefs, as well as on sand and mud
bottoms, from 150 to 1,400 feet; juveniles school and are
frequently found in shallow nearshore waters, particularly
in kelp beds. Spawning occurs from September to April
with a peak occurring in December and January. About
50 percent of female chilipepper are sexually mature at
four years when they are between 11 and 12 inches, while
males mature at two years and between eight and nine
inches. Chilipepper attain a maximum age of 35 years
and a size of up to 23 inches, with females growing
substantially larger than males.
Adults feed on krill and other small crustaceans, squid,
and a variety of small shes. Probable predators of chilipepper include marine birds and mammals, king salmon,
lingcod, Pacic hake, sablesh, and other rocksh.
he last stock assessment of chilipepper, conducted in

1998, indicated that unlike most other rocksh populations, the stock was in quite good condition. At that time,
the population size was determined to be 35,000 tons,
which is about 50 percent of the unexploited level. The
healthy status of the chilipepper stock has been due to
a very strong 1984 year-class that supported the shery
throughout the 1990s, although recent recruitments have
been lower and the stock is slowly but steadily declining.
Based on the assessment, the Pacic Fishery Management
Council set the acceptable biological catch at 4,100 tons,
although the Council lowered the total allowable catch
(TAC) to 2,000 tons out of concern for bocaccio bycatch in
chilipepper sheries. Even with the lower TAC, the various
sheries have not been catching the quota.
Stephen Ralston
Kenneth T. Oda
Chilipepper, Sebastes goodei

Credit: DFG
366

A Status Report

December 2001
Chilipepper Rockfish
6
5
4
3
2
1
Bocaccio/Chilipepper Rockfish
1916 1920
1930
1940
1950
1960
1970
1980
1990
1999
Commercial Landings
1916-1999,
Chilipepper Rockfish
Data Source: CalCom Database
utilizing DFG commercial landing receipts. Expansions of port
samples are conducted by Pacific
States Fishery Management
Council with input from DFG.
Chilipepper
12
10
8
6
4
2
0
1916 1920
1930
1940
1950
1960
1970
1980
1990
1999
Commercial Landings
1916-1999,
Bocaccio/Chilipepper
Rockfish
The market category Bocaccio/
Chilipeper Rockfish were aggregated within the market
category Rockfish prior to 1979.
References
Lenarz, W. H. 1987. A history of California rocksh sheries, pp. 35-41. In: B. R. Melteff (ed.), Proceedings of the
International Rocksh Symposium, University of Alaska,
Alaska Sea Grant Report No. 87-2.
Love, M. S., P. Morris, M. McCrae and R. Collins. 1990.
Sebastes) from the southern California Bight. NOAA Tech.
Rept. NMFS 87. 38 p.
S. paucispinis, from the 1977 rocksh survey. Mar. Fish.

Rev. (Mar-Apr): 48-53.
Wyllie-Echeverria, T. 1987. Thirty-four species of California rockshes: maturity and seasonality of reproduction.
Fish. Bull. (U. S.) 85: 229-250.
Phillips, J. B. 1964. Life history studies on ten species of

rocksh (Genus Sebastodes). Calif. Dept. Fish and game,
Ralston, S., D. E. Pearson, and J. A. Reynolds. 1998. Status
of the chilipepper rocksh stock in 1998. In: Appendix to
the Status of the Pacic Coast Groundsh Fishery Through
1998 and Recommended Acceptable Biological Catches for
1999, Stock Assessment and Fishery Evaluation. 99 p.
Wilkins, M. E. 1980. Size composition, age composition,
and growth of chilipepper, Sebastes goodei, and bocaccio,

December 2001

A Status Report
367
Blackgill Rockfish
ntil the 1970s, the relative abundance of shallowwater rockshes precluded substantial commercial
exploitation of blackgill rocksh (Sebastes melanostomus).
Beginning in the mid-1970s, a shery developed in deep
waters off southern California and spread northward. Most
blackgills are taken in central and southern California.
The shery was rst conducted with vertical longlines
and then with longlines and gill nets. Currently, most
blackgills in southern California are taken with horizontal
setlines, while trawls take the majority of sh further
north. Statewide landings increased dramatically, peaking
in 1983, then declined to about one-third in the late
1990s. From a recent stock analysis, it appears that the
blackgill population has been substantially reduced on
particular reefs. Blackgills are a very important rocksh
species in the Asian sh markets of southern California.
In 1998, the California commercial catch of about 336,000
pounds was worth $231,000. In recent years, as the rocksh recreational shery moved to deep banks, blackgills
have become an occasional catch in southern California.
his is a spiny and heavy-bodied species. Juveniles are

reddish with distinct brown saddles and a dark blotch
on the gill cover. Adults are dark red or dark pink with or
without dark saddles and have a black edge on the rear of
the gill cover. Blackgills reach two feet in length.
Blackgills are found from at least central Vancouver Island
(British Columbia), and perhaps to northern Vancouver
Island, to Isla Cedros, (central Baja California). Pelagic
juveniles have been taken as far south as Punta Abreojos
(southern Baja California), strongly implying that adults
live in southern Baja California. Blackgills are relatively
uncommon from Oregon northward. It appears that some
records from north of Washington probably refer to rougheye and shortraker rockshes. Adults are found in 288 to
2,520 feet, usually deeper than 660 feet, and are most
abundant from 825 to 1,980 feet. Juveniles live in the
shallower part of the depth range.
Pelagic juveniles settle out of the plankton at a minimum
of about one inch long, generally in waters greater than
about 660 feet. Small immature individuals are taken
in bottom trawls on at substrates, but seldom over
rocks. They are also found on shell mounds of some
deeper-water oil platforms. Adults live on deep high relief
rock outcrops in areas with extensive caves and crevices.
Although they are often seen hiding in crevices or closely
associated with rocky substrates, shermen have reported
taken them in midwater above reefs.
Blackgills live to at least 87 years, although the largest
specimens have not been aged. However, no age validation has been done on this species. Females reach a
larger size and probably live longer. By the middle of their
life span, females tend to be larger at any given age.
Males reach maximum lengths earlier than females. Off
northern and central California, males appear to mature
at a smaller length than females; this is not the case off
southern California. Based on two California studies, the
smallest mature sh are 12 inches, 50 percent are mature
at 14 inches and all are mature at 16 inches. Off Oregon,
50 percent maturity for males is 15 inches and for females
is 16 inches. Blackgills appear to mature at a very late
age. One percent of females is mature at about 13 years,
50 percent at 20 years, and 99 percent at about 26 years.
Similarly, one percent of males is mature at about 13
years, 50 percent at about 19 years, and 95 percent at
about 24 years. Off southern California, females release
larvae from January to June, off northern and central
California from February to April (both with February
peaks) and off Oregon in April. Females produce between
about 152,000 and 769,000 eggs per season in one brood.
Blackgills feed primarily on shes, including lanternshes.
he rst stock assessment of this species, completed

in 1998, estimated that the current shable/mature
biomass was at between 40 and 54 percent of the
virgin level.
Milton Love
John Butler
Blackgill Rockfish, Sebastes melanostomus

Credit: DFG
368

A Status Report

December 2001
Blackgill Rockfish
3.0
2.5
2.0
1.5
1.0
0.5
0.0 1916
1920
1930
1940
1950
1960
1970
1980
1990
1999
Commercial Landings
1916-1999,
Blackgill Rockfish
samplers. Expansion data not available for years prior to 1978.
Blackgill Rockfish
3.5
References
Barss, W. H. 1989. Maturity and reproductive cycle for 35
species from the family Scorpaenidae found off Oregon.
Butler, J. L., L. D. Jacobson and J. T. Barnes. 1998.
Stock assessment for blackgill rocksh. Appendix to the
Status of the Pacic Coast Groundsh Fishery through 1998
and Recommended Acceptable Biological Catches for 1999.
Pacic Fishery Management Council.
Moser, H. G. and E. H. Ahlstrom. 1978. Larvae and pelagic
juveniles of blackgill rocksh, Sebastes melanostomus,
taken in midwater trawls off southern California and Baja
California. J. Fish. Res. Bd. Can. 35(7):981-996.
Sebastes) from the southern California Bight. NOAA Tech.
Rep. NMFS 87, 38 p.
rockshes: Maturity and seasonality of reproduction. Fish.
Bull. 85:229.

December 2001

A Status Report
369
Widow Rockfish
Over 50 percent of the widow rocksh commercial catch

is landed in the most northern portion of the state (i.e.,
Eureka and Crescent City), while San Francisco and Bodega
Bay have also been historically important, accounting for
about 30 percent of all landings. Although a small amount
of catch is landed at Fort Bragg and Monterey, very little
appears further south. When processed, widow rocksh
are typically lleted and marketed as Pacic red snapper
or rockcod, with the ex-vessel landed value generally
in the vicinity of $1,000,000 annually. Widow rocksh
are almost exclusively caught by trawlers, which have
accounted for over 80 percent of the catch each year.
Before the advent of restrictive trip landing limits, most
of the sh were caught with very large midwater trawls,
and during the early days of the shery, it was often
difcult to avoid capturing more widow rocksh in one
tow with a midwater trawl than trip limits allowed. As a
consequence, many vessels now use less efcient bottom
trawls. Widow rocksh are also taken in the gill net and
longline sheries, although the gill net catch has declined
from its peak in 1987, when it accounted for 21 percent
of landings.
The maximum recorded age for widow rocksh is 59 years,

but sh older than 20 years are now uncommon. Most are
less than 21 inches long, corresponding to a weight of
just under ve pounds. The maximum size is 24 inches or
about 7.3 pounds. At rst, growth is fairly rapid and by age
ve widow rocksh average 13.5 inches. By age 15, growth
slows greatly, when the average size is about 19 inches for
females and 17.5 inches for males. Widow rocksh do not
become reproductive until years after birth. For example,
only 50 percent are mature by age ve, but almost all
are mature by age eight when they are 16.5 inches long.
Off California, fecundity ranged from 55,600 eggs for a
12.8-inch female to 915,200 eggs for an 18.8-inch sh.
The release of larvae by widow rocksh peaks in JanuaryFebruary and appears to occur in the same areas where
they are caught during that season. The larvae are about
0.2 inch when released. The young sh lead a pelagic
existence until they are about ve months old. During the
latter part of the pelagic stage, the two-inch sh feed
mostly on copepods and small stages of euphausiids. Adult
widow rocksh feed on midwater prey such as lantern sh,
small Pacic whiting euphausiids, sergestid (deep-water)
shrimp, and salps. Juvenile rocksh, including widow rocksh, are important prey items for sea birds and chinook
salmon in May and June. Little is known about predation
of adult widow rocksh.
idow rocksh (Sebastes entomelas) is one of the top

three rocksh species in California commercial landings, although it is a minor constituent in the recreational
shery. During the 1970s, there were occasional reports of
large trawl catches of brownies made incidental to the
harvest of other rocksh, but commercial landings were
small until markets improved in 1979 and the midwater
trawl shery exploded. At that time, shermen began
targeting widow rocksh and annual California landings
exceeded 10,000 tons by 1982. Since 1983, however,
strict regulations have limited the commercial harvest and
recent landings in California have been in the vicinity of
1,000 tons. Along the entire U. S. Pacic Coast, annual
landings are restrained by a quota imposed by the Pacic
Fishery Management Council that applies to the sheries
of California, Oregon and Washington. Trip landings and
frequency are adjusted in order to maintain a year-round
shing season.
idow rocksh are found from Todos Santos Bay, Baja

California, to Kodiak Island, Alaska. Peak abundance
is off northern Oregon and southern Washington, with signicant aggregations occurring south to central California.
While many commercial catches occur at bottom depths
between 450 and 750 feet, young sh occur near the surface in shallow waters, and adults have been caught over
bottom depths to 1,200 feet. Widow rocksh often form
midwater schools, usually at night, over bottom features
such as ridges or large mounds near the shelf break. The
schooling behavior of widow rocksh is quite dynamic and
probably related to feeding and oceanographic conditions.
There appears to be some seasonal movement of sh
among adjacent grounds, and there is evidence that sh
move from area to area as they age, with sh of the same
size tending to stay together.
Widow Rockfish, Sebastes entomelas

Credit: DFG
370

A Status Report

December 2001
Widow Rockfish
25
20
15
10
5
0 1916
1920
1930
1940
1950
1960
1970
1980
1990
1999
Commercial Landings
1916-1999,
Widow Rockfish
References
Boehlert, G. W., W. H. Barss, and P. B. Lamberson. 1982.

Fecundity of the widow rocksh, Sebastes entomelas, off
the coast of Oregon. Fish. Bull., U. S. 80:881-884.
he population was virtually unshed prior to 1979.

By 1982, it became obvious that the population was
being rapidly depleted and would soon be overshed,
if catches were not restricted. The shery was placed
under stringent regulations in 1983. Even so, the stock
was recently declared overshed by the Pacic Fishery
Management Council because spawning potential was
reduced to below 25 percent of the unshed condition.
In response, a rebuilding plan for the stock will be implemented in 2002 that will reduce catches to less than 1,000
tons per year. With a harvest rate of less than three
percent the stock should rebuild in about 35 to 40 years
to the productive shery it once was, with yields in excess
of 3,000 tons per year.
Widow Rockfish
30
Gunderson, D. R. 1984. The great widow rocksh hunt of

1980-82. N. Am. J. Fish. Manage. 4:465-468.
Lenarz, W. H., and D. R. Gunderson (editors). 1987. Widow
rocksh: Proceedings of a workshop, Tiburon, California,
December 10-11, 1980. U. S. Dept. Commer., NOAA Tech.
Rep. NMFS 48.
Ralston, S., and D. Pearson. 1997. Status of the widow
rocksh stock in 1997. In: Appendix to the Status of the
Pacic Coast Groundsh Fishery Through 1997 and Recommended Acceptable Biological Catches for 1998; Stock
Assessment and Fishery Evaluation. 54 p.
Williams, E., A.D. MacCall, S.V. Ralston, and D.E. Pearson.
2000. Status of the widow rocksh resource in Y2K. In:
Appendix to the Status of the Pacic Coast Groundsh
Fishery Through 2000 and Recommended Acceptable Biological Catches for 2001; Stock Assessment and Fishery
Evaluation. 122 p.
Stephen Ralston
William H. Lenarz
College of Marin, Kenteld

December 2001

A Status Report
371
Yellowtail Rockfish
ellowtail rocksh (Sebastes avidus), frequently called

greenies by commercial shermen, are a major component of the groundsh shery. Over the period from
1983 to 1998, yellowtail rocksh accounted for 13 percent
of all rocksh landed on the U.S. West Coast and six
percent of all groundsh, exclusive of Pacic whiting.
Among the rocksh/rockcod, only widow rocksh have
supported a greater West Coast harvest. The center of
yellowtail rocksh population abundance is off the states
of Oregon and Washington, with lower abundance off
California. Even so, from 1980 to 1998, the total combined
landings among all yellowtail rocksh sheries in the state
have ranged from 370 to 2,460 tons per year, with an
average catch over that period of 1,080 tons per year.
Catches exceeded 2,200 tons per year during 1982 and
1983, declined to 550 tons per year through 1988, rose to
levels above 1,100 tons per year from 1989 through 1992,
and then declined to about 550 tons per year thereafter.
After bocaccio and blue rocksh, yellowtail rocksh was
the third most abundant rocksh taken in the California
recreational shery for several years.
Over the last two decades, the recreational shery has
been responsible for a substantial portion of the yellowtail rocksh catch in California, accounting for over
one-third of all landings. Among the commercial sheries,
trawl shing has produced the greatest catch (28 percent
of total landings), but hook-and-line and setnet sheries
have also been important, accounting for 24 percent and
13 percent, respectively. Thus, yellowtail rocksh have
been harvested in signicant quantities by all groundsh
sheries in the state, perhaps more so than any other
species, with the exception of bocaccio.
The northern distribution of the yellowtail rocksh stock
is distinctly evident in the commercial landings statistics
compiled from each port of landing within the state. Of
the combined greenie catch, 94 percent has been taken
from Monterey north. Similarly, in the recreational shery
86 percent of the catch has come from northern California

waters. There are, however, differences in the types of
commercial shing conducted at each port. For example,
from Fort Bragg north, trawling has been the primary
method of harvesting yellowtail. In contrast, commercial
sheries in San Francisco, Bodega Bay, and Monterey have
relied more heavily on hook-and-line and setnet xed
gear to capture this species. In recent years, the setnet
shery has declined to negligible quantities, but from 1983
to1986 large quantities of yellowtail rocksh were taken in
the gill net shery that operated between Monterey and
San Francisco.
ellowtail rocksh are found from Kodiak Island, Alaska

to San Diego, although they are rare south of Point
Conception. They are wide-ranging and are reported to
occur from the surface to 1,800 feet and are known to
form large schools, either alone or in association with
other rocksh, including widow rocksh, canary rocksh,
redstripe rocksh, and silvergray rocksh. They are primarily distributed over deep reefs on the continental
shelf, especially near the shelf break, where they feed on
krill and other micronekton.
There is some controversy about the existence of distinct
stocks of this species. Some allozyme and parasitological
evidence supports the view that multiple stocks exist,
whereas other genetic data indicate one single coastal
stock. Within U.S. waters, the species is currently managed as two stocks, with a separation at Cape Mendocino,
although that boundary is purely based on human considerations, including differences in shing patterns and data
availability.
Like many other species of rocksh, yellowtail are longlived. The age distribution of sh sampled in commercial
sheries off Oregon and Washington can span six decades,
with the oldest known specimen a 64-year-old male. They
typically reach their maximum size at about 15 years of
age and the largest recorded specimen was a 28-inch
female. Females begin to mature at 10 to 15 inches, with
half reaching maturity by a size of 15 to 18 inches; males
do not grow quite as large as females.
Yellowtail Rockfish, Sebastes flavidus

Credit: J. Mello DFG
372

A Status Report

December 2001
Yellowtail Rockfish
2.4
2.0
1.6
1.2
0.8
0.4
0.0 1916 1920
1930
1940
1950
1960
1970
1980
1990
1999
Commercial Landings
1916-1999,
Yellowtail Rockfish
References
Eschmeyer, W. N. 1983. A Field Guide to Pacic Coast

Fishes of North America From the Gulf of Alaska to Baja
California. Houghton Mifin Co., Boston, 336 p.
recent assessment of the northern portion of the

population indicates that unlike many of our rocksh
stocks, the resource is very healthy. Based on a wide
variety of information collected over the last 30 years
or more, population abundance is currently believed to
be about 77,000 tons, down to 60 percent of the virgin
population size, but still well above the target population
size, which is 40 percent of the unexploited level.
Yellowtail Rockfish
2.8
Tagart, J. V., F. R. Wallace, and J. N. Ianelli. 2000. Status

of the yellowtail rocksh resource in 2000. In: Status
of the Pacic Coast Groundsh Fishery Through 2000 and
Recommended Acceptable Biological Catches for 2001;
Stock Assessment and Fishery Evaluation. 125 p.
Stephen Ralston

December 2001

A Status Report
373
Thornyheads
ongspine (Sebastolobus altivelis) and shortspine ( S.

alascanus) thornyheads are both important to commercial sheries in California, Oregon, Washington, Canada
and Alaska, but are insignicant in recreational sheries.
In California, Oregon and Washington, thornyheads are
taken in the deepwater commercial shery for Dover sole,
thornyheads, and sablesh, known as the DTS complex.
In terms of landed weight and ex-vessel value, the DTS
complex is the most important element in the California
groundsh shery.
Fishing for thornyheads is typically by bottom trawl and
longline gear on sand or ne sediment, and in relatively
deep water (1,800 to 3,000 feet, although some shing
grounds are as shallow as 600 feet). Fishermen report
that there are areas where both thornyhead species are
found together and other areas where one or the other
is prevalent. Most of the thornyheads landed in California
are taken in the Eureka, Fort Bragg, and Morro Bay areas.
Few thornyheads are taken south of Point Conception.
Although there are physical differences between the two
species and shortspine thornyheads grow to larger size,
distinguishing between them can be difcult under eld
conditions. Landings and other data for each species may,
therefore, be less reliable than data for thornyheads as
a group. It is likely that thornyhead landings were mostly
shortspine during the early years when the shery operated in relatively shallow water. Longspine thornyheads
were not landed in large quantities until later when the
shery expanded into deeper water. The long-term trend
is toward a lower proportion of shortspine in landings.
During the 1980s, thornyhead landings were about 75
percent shortspine, which decreased to only 25 percent
shortspine thornyheads in the 1990s.
The west coast shery for thornyheads rst developed in
northern California during the 1960s, when large thornyheads (primarily shortspine, minimum size 12-14 inches)
were marketed as rocksh llets in domestic markets.
Longspine Thornyhead, Sebastolobus altivelis

Credit: DFG
374

A Status Report
Increased landings during the 1980s were the result of

higher prices and demand for thornyheads, primarily as
a headed and gutted product exported to Japan. As
markets for thornyhead matured, minimum marketable
size decreased and smaller longspine thornyheads became
valuable. During the 1980s, most processors began accepting sh as small as 10 inches, the shery expanded
into deeper waters, and landings of longspine thornyhead
increased. By the 1990s, a two-tier price structure (higher
prices for large sh) replaced the minimum size limits that
had been previously imposed by the buyers.
Market factors and shery regulations effect discard rates,
particularly for small sh. Discard rates have changed over
time but have often been substantial. During the late
1990s, trip limits imposed by shery managers caused
additional discarding of shortspine thornyhead because
shortspine trip limits were reached before the limits for
longspine. In 1999, managers assumed a 30 percent discard
rate for shortspine thornyheads, and a ve percent discard
rate for longspine thornyheads.
California landings of thornyheads are consistently the
largest on the West Coast. During most years, the California shery accounted for over one-half of the combined
California, Oregon and Washington landings. From 1953
to 1969, annual thornyhead landings in California were
below 440 tons. Thornyheads became more common in
landings when California trawlers began shing intensively
for Dover sole in the early 1970s. Landings averaged 1,540
tons annually from 1970 to 1979, increased throughout the
1980s, and reached a record high of 7,800 tons in 1992.
Following the record high, landings during the remainder
of the 1990s trended sharply downward due to harvest
restrictions, to a low of 1,628 tons in 1999.
As export markets developed in the 1980s, nominal prices
paid to shermen increased by more than 60 percent,
from $0.23 in 1983 to $0.38 per pound by the end of
the decade. Gross revenues for thornyheads landed in
California rose from $728,000 in 1980 to $5,971,000 in
1990 (dollar amounts not adjusted for ination) as the
result of increased prices and landings. The relative value
of thornyheads in the groundsh shery also increased
during that time. Revenues from thornyheads were only
12 percent of total revenues for the deepwater shery
(DTS complex) during 1980, but increased to 39 percent by
1990. The value of California thornyhead landings trended
upwards through the mid-1990s, and reached a high of
$8,292,000 in 1995, which coincided with record high exvessel prices (excluding live sh) of $1.05 per pound.
Annual thornyhead revenues declined after 1995 due the
decreased tons landed and slightly lower prices (excluding
live sh). Annual revenues from landings totaled about
$3,286,000 during both 1998 and 1999.

December 2001
Thornyheads
12
10
8
6
4
2
0
1916 1920
1930
1940
1950
1960
An important specialty market has developed for live

thornyheads since 1993, which takes advantage of their
lack of a swim bladder and ability to survive after capture
at depth, and ex-vessel prices that are several times
higher than for dead sh. Landings of live thornyhead
increased from two tons in 1993 to an estimated 107
tons in 1999. Despite steady growth, the live shery has
remained a minor part of the total tons of thornyheads
landed. However, due to the high ex-vessel prices, live
sh accounted for a signicant fraction (18.8 percent,
or $619,000) of the total value of thornyhead landings
in 1999.
With the 4.5-inch mesh cod ends currently used in the
commercial trawl shery, thornyheads become vulnerable
to bottom trawls at about ve to seven inches in length
and at an age of about eight to nine years. Thornyheads
are seldom taken by gill nets or in the recreational shery
because of the depths at which they live.
Thornyheads are managed by the Pacic Fishery Management Council under the Groundsh Management Plan.
Shortspine and longspine thornyheads were rst regulated
in 1990. Annual quotas and associated shing regulations
were established for thornyheads as a group during
1990-1994 because of difculties in separating the two
species in the landings. Beginning in 1995, individual
quotas and trip limits were adopted and enforced for
each species. The separate trip limits for each species
resulted in a requirement that catches be sorted by species prior to weighing. Shortspine trip limits have been
about 75 percent smaller than limits for longspine in
recent years, which has likely caused some discards of
shortspine because vessels could continue shing for longspine after the shortspine limits were reached. During
2000, the total West Coast optimum yield for shortspine
thornyheads was 1,250 tons of landed catch, and for
longspine thornyhead it was 4,980 tons.

December 2001
Commercial Landings
1916-1999, Thornyheads
Data for total thornyhead includes
landings for lonspined thornyhead,
shortspined thornyhead, and
unspecified thornyhead. Expansion
data not available for years
prior to 1978. Landings data
for lonspined thornyhead, shortspined thornyhead, and unspecified thornyhead are presented in
the landings tables at the end of
Groundfish Chapter. Data Source:
1970
1980
1990
1999
CalCom, a cooperative survey with
input from Pacific Fisheries Information Network (PacFin), National Marine Fishery Service (NMFS), and California Department
of Fish and Game (DFG). Data are derived from DFG commercial landing receipts with
expansions based on port samples collected by PacFin samplers.
Thornyheads
14
hornyheads (genus Sebastolobus) belong to the same

family (Scorpaenidae) as the rockshes (Sebastes spp.)
but are distinguished from them in having more dorsal
and head spines, in losing their swim bladder at the time
they settle to the bottom, and in spawning gelatinous
egg masses. Shortspine thornyheads grow to larger size
and when small are found in shallower water than longspine thornyheads. Population dynamics of the two species differ. Shortspine thornyheads have longer life span,
lower natural mortality, and smaller biomass than longspine thornyheads. Consequently, shortspine thornyheads
are less productive than longspine thornyheads with
respect to shery yields.
Shortspine thornyheads tend to migrate toward deep
water as they grow, and larger shortspine thornyheads
may be found in deeper water with longspine thornyheads. Longspine thornyheads, in contrast, spend their
entire lives in a more narrow range of depth. The adults
of both species are major components of the assemblage
of shes on the continental slope. Both species have
special enzymatic adaptations that allow metabolic activity despite the high pressure, low oxygen, and low temperature at the depths where they live. Peak spawning
biomass for both species is in the deep oxygen minimum
zone at 1,200 to 3,000 feet, where concentrations of
dissolved oxygen may be less than 0.5 parts per thousand.
Longspine thornyheads have been described as oxygen
minimum zone specialists.
Estimates of ages for both species are based on counts of
growth rings in thin-sectioned otoliths. Shortspine thornyheads can grow to 30 inches and may be quite long-lived.
Radiochemical analysis of otoliths from shortspine thorny-

A Status Report
375
Thornyheads
heads suggest larger size-at-age than were obtained by

annuli counts. It is particularly difcult to determine the
age of older individuals, but recent estimates indicate
that the maximum age of shortspine thornyheads off California may be in excess of 100 years. Longspine thornyheads grow to a maximum length of 15 inches. Their
maximum age is probably at least 45 years.
Shortspine thornyhead are found at depths of about 100
to over 5,000 feet along the west coast of North America
from northern Baja California to the Bering Sea and across
the North Pacic to the coast of Japan. It is not known
if separate stocks exist. Off California, shortspine thornyhead spawn during late winter and early spring. Males off
Alaska may spawn at about 6.5 inches in length (estimated
age ve). About half of all females off California are sexually mature at 8.25 inches in length (estimated age 13) and
almost all are sexually mature at 13.5 inches (estimated
age 28). A female may release as many as 400,000 eggs
annually in gelatinous egg masses that oat to the surface.
Larvae free themselves from the egg when about 0.25 inch
in length and transform to juvenile sh at about 0.75 inch.
Larvae and young juveniles are pelagic for 14 to 15 months
and settle to the bottom when about one inch long during
January to June of the year after they hatch. Juveniles
settle in shallow water along the upper boundary of
their habitat and move to deeper water as they grow.
They spend the rest of their lives closely associated with
the bottom. Shortspine thornyheads in Alaska are known
to eat crustaceans, crabs, worms, clams, octopus, sea
cucumbers, and sh. Longspine thornyheads feed primarily on polychaetes and small crustaceans.
Longspine thornyheads are found from Cape San Lucas,
Baja California to the Aleutian Islands in water from
about 1,000 to over 5,000 feet deep. It is not known
if separate stocks exist. Like shortspine thornyheads, longspine thornyheads spawn in the late winter and early
spring. Half of the females are sexually mature at about
7.5 inches (estimated age 14) and most are mature at
8.75 inches (estimated age 18). A female may produce as
many as 100,000 eggs annually, which, like the eggs of
the shortspine thornyhead, are released in gelatinous egg
masses that oat to the surface. Two to four batches of
eggs may be spawned each year. Larval sh are pelagic
after hatching and transform into juveniles during July
to December. Young juveniles are pelagic for as long
as 20 months and begin settling to the ocean bottom
when about two inches long. Settlement starts during the
summer of the year after they hatch. Juvenile longspine
thornyheads settle in deeper water than do shortspine
thornyheads, with newly settled juveniles occupying the
same depth range as adults. There does not appear to be
a tendency for individuals to move deeper as they grow.
376

A Status Report
tock assessments are carried out for both longspine

and shortspine thornyheads. Results are used by shery managers to determine allowable shing mortality
each year. Shortspine thornyheads along the west coast
of the U.S. were assessed in 1998 by two independent
analyses. Both assessments used data from the shery and
data from scientic trawl surveys. Based on the combined
results, the stock in 1999 had declined to 32 percent
of unshed abundance. The best estimate of spawning
biomass from central California to the U.S./Canada boundary in 1998 was 32,365 tons, compared to an estimated
unshed stock size of 95,755 tons. Maximum surplus production and yield for thornyheads probably occurs at biomass levels greater than 40 percent of unshed stock size.
Consequently, current abundance of shortspine thornyhead is less than desired, and recent shing quotas have
been set at levels to allow some growth in stock size.
The most recent assessment of longspine thornyheads
was done in 1997, using shery and survey data to estimate changes in abundance and associated uncertainty.
The assessment covered the portion of the stock found
from central California to the U.S./Canada international
boundary. Results indicate that spawning biomass steadily
declined in recent decades, from a high of 36,958 tons
in 1964 to 20,203 tons in 1996. The degree to which
longspine thornyheads have been shed down is generally
thought to be appropriate for attaining maximum shery
yields from the stock, based on biological characteristics
and population dynamics of the species.
J. Thomas Barnes and Sandra L. Owen
Lawrence D. Jacobson

December 2001
Thornyheads
References
Jacobson, L.D., and R.D. Vetter. 1996. Bathymetric demography and niche seperation of thornyhead rocksh: Sebastolobus alascanus and Sebastolobus altivelis. Can. J. Fish.
Aquat. Sci. 53: 600-609 (1996).
Moser, H.G. 1974. Development and distribution of larvae
and juveniles of Sebastolobus (Pisces: family Scorpaenidae). Fish. Bull. 72: 491-494.
Rogers, J., T. Builder, P. Crone, J. Brodziak, R. Methot,
R. Conser, and R. Lauth. 1998. Status of the thornyhead
resource in 1998. In Pacic Fishery Management Council.
1998. Appendix: Status of the Pacic coast groundsh shery through 1998 and recommended acceptable biological
catches for 1999, Stock assessment and shery evaluation.
Rogers, J.B., L.D. Jacobson, R. Lauth, J.N. Ianelli, and
M. Wilkins. 1997. Status of the thornyhead resource
in 1997. Appendix to: Status of the Pacic coast
groundsh shery through 1997 and recommended acceptable biological catches for 1998, Stock assessment and
shery evaluation.

December 2001

A Status Report
377
Bank Rockfish
Juveniles and sub-adults tend to be found in shallower

waters than adults are.
ost bank rocksh (Sebastes rufus) are taken commercially by trawls, although gill nets were also important early in the shery. Most of the catch occurs off
California, although substantial landings are occasionally
made off southern Oregon. Until the 1980s, bank rocksh
were a relatively minor part of the commercial catch.
However, as shing effort off California expanded into
deeper waters, landings of this species sharply increased.
From 1981 to 1992, banks ranked among the top 10 rocksh species taken in California, averaging 1,115 tons annually, and ranked among the top three rocksh species
landed at Monterey and Morro Bay. In general, catches
after 1992, though variable, have remained somewhat
steady. Since the 1970s, there has been a decrease in
both age and length of individuals in the shery. In 1998,
about 450,000 pounds of bank rocksh were caught in
the California commercial shery; these were valued at
about $207,000.
While bank rocksh are rarely caught in the recreational
shery north of Pt. Conception, California, they are a
frequent catch of recreational anglers in deep waters off
ank rocksh are oval-shaped sh with small head

spines. They are dusky red or red-brown, often with a
clear pinkish-orange zone along the lateral line and black
spotting on the body and spinous portion of the dorsal
n. However, some individuals may not have spots. This
species reaches a maximum length of 21.7 inches.
Bank rocksh are found from Queen Charlotte Sound,
British Columbia to central Baja California and Isla Guadalupe (off central Baja California). They are abundant from
the southern Oregon-northern California area to at least
southern California. They live in depths between 100 and
1,500 feet, but most commonly between 300 and 800 feet.
Demersal juveniles and adults often are found over high

relief boulder elds or steep cliff faces with plenty of
crevices and caves. They also are found over cobblestones
or on mixed mud-rock bottoms, where they shelter near
or beneath the hard substrate. Small numbers have been
observed around the bottom of deeper offshore oil platforms. Banks usually are found either alone or in small
groups of up to 30 individuals, often hiding in, or very
close to, sheltering sites. It is also possible that this
species previously formed large schools before it was subjected to intense shing pressure. In southern California,
banks are often found with blackgill rocksh.
Bank rocksh live to at least 53 years. They are among
the slowest growing of the rockshes. Females grow larger
than males and, at least among older sh, appear to be
larger at a given age. Males reach maximum length at a
slightly faster rate than females and mature at a smaller
size than females. A few males are mature at 11 inches
and 10 years, and all are mature at 14.8 inches and
20 years. Off California, banks release larvae from December to May (peaking in January and February) and from
January to April off Oregon. Individual females produce
between about 65,000 and 608,000 eggs. Off southern
California, females release larvae in several batches per
season, although this is not the case further north. Little
is known of their food habits, although krill and gelatinous
zooplankton have been found in their stomachs.
n 2000, a partial stock assessment was made on bank

rocksh. This assessment implied that there has been
a substantial decrease in the bank rocksh population,
particularly in the 1990s.
Milton Love
Diana Watters
Bank Rockfish, Sebastes rufus

Credit: DFG
378

A Status Report

December 2001
Bank Rockfish
4
3
2
1
0
1916 1920
1930
1940
1950
1960
1970
1980
1990
1999
Commercial Landings
1916-1999,
Bank Rockfish
derived from DFG commercial landing receipts with expansions based on
port samples collected by PacFin samplers. Expansion data not available
for years prior to 1978.
Bank Rockfish
References
Barss, W. H. 1989. Maturity and reproductive cycle for 35
species from the family Scorpaenidae found off Oregon.
Ore. Dep. Fish Wildl., Inf. Rep. 89-7.
Sebastes) from the southern California bight. NOAA Tech.
Rep. NMFS 87.
Pearson, D. E. 2000. Data availability, landings, and length
trend of Californias rocksh. NMFS, SWFSC Adm. Rep.
SC-00-01.
Watters, D. 1993. Age determination and conrmation
from otoliths of the bank rocksh, Sebastes rufus (Scorpaenidae). M.S. thesis, San Jose State Univ.
rockshes: maturity and seasonality of reproduction. Fish.
Bull. 85:229-250.

December 2001

A Status Report
379
Shortbelly Rockfish
he shortbelly rocksh (Sebastes jordani) is the most

abundant rocksh off California but has been shed
very little. A directed shery occurred in 1982, when a
joint venture with the USSR caught 700 tons off central
California. Otherwise, a few shortbelly rocksh occasionally appear with other rocksh landed in California ports.
There is no domestic market for shortbelly rocksh at
present. If a market develops, special shing permits will
be required, because shing with legal mesh sizes is not
practical for this small species. Large catches of shortbelly
rocksh can be made using midwater or bottom trawls
with ne mesh cod ends. Research has shown, however,
that while directed shing for shortbelly rocksh results
in low incidental catches of other species when midwater
trawls are used, high incidental catches can occur when
bottom trawls are used. Because of the concern that
bottom trawls would take unacceptably high numbers
of small sh of other important species, scientists have
recommended against the use of bottom trawls for
shortbelly rocksh.
The potential shery for shortbelly rocksh is controversial. Some shermen express concern that signicant
amounts of salmon may be caught incidentally to shing
for shortbelly rocksh, but scientists have not observed
incidental salmon catches on numerous research cruises
and believe that a shery for shortbelly rocksh is
likely to be offshore from concentrations of salmon. Fishermen and environmental groups also express concern
because young-of-the-year shortbelly rocksh are forage
for salmon, sea birds and marine mammals. Scientists
have recommended quotas that are thought to be sufciently low so as not to impact either the recruitment or
the availability of young-of-the-year shortbelly rocksh for
forage. Scientists have also recommended close monitoring of shing for shortbelly rocksh to verify that high
incidental catches of this species and/or depletion of
forage do not occur.
Shortbelly Rockfish, Sebastes jordani

Credit: David Ono, DFG
380

A Status Report
The quota for catches off California, Oregon and Washington in 2000 is 13,900 tons. Applications by joint venture
companies to sh for shortbelly rocksh submitted in
the early 1990s were not approved. Those companies
intended to use the catch for surimi (articial crab).
There has been little current interest in development
of a shery. Bocaccio is one of the most common
bycatch species. Since bocaccio has been declared an
overshed species, it is unlikely that a commercial shery
for shortbelly rocksh will be allowed to develop in the
foreseeable future.
hortbelly rocksh are found from Punta Baja, Baja

California, to La Perouse Bank, British Columbia. Largest numbers are found between the Farallon Islands and
Santa Cruz, and off the Channel Islands. Young-of-the-year
shortbelly rocksh have been observed in the surf line,
and adults have been reported as deep as 930 feet. The
peak abundance of adults is over bottom depths of 400 to
700 feet. Adults commonly form very large schools over
smooth bottom near the shelf break. Schools are often
near or on the bottom during the day and tend to be less
dense and higher in the water column at night. The size of
shortbelly rocksh tends to increase with bottom depth.
The maximum reported age for shortbelly rocksh is 32
years, but sh older than 10 years are uncommon. Most
are less than 11.5 inches in length, which corresponds to a
weight of 0.5 pound. The largest measured specimen was
13.4 inches, about 0.7 pound. Early growth is fairly rapid,
and by age three the average size is 7.8 inches for males
and 8.3 inches for females. Growth slows by age eight,
when the average size is 9.7 inches for males and 10.3
inches for females. About 50 percent of female shortbelly
rocksh are mature by age three, and almost all are
mature by age four. Fecundity ranges from 6,200 eggs for
a 6.8-inch sh to 50,000 eggs for a 12.0-inch sh.
Plankton surveys during the January-April parturition
season indicate that larvae are released in the same areas
inhabited in the summer and fall by large aggregations of
adults. However, the sh may be more dispersed during
late winter because aggregations of adults have been difcult to locate then. Larvae are about 0.2 inch when
released. The young sh lead a pelagic existence until
June, when they are about ve months old, after which
they settle out to lead a semi-pelagic existence. In June,
the young shortbelly rocksh begin to take on the behavior of adults. Divers have occasionally observed them in
large, compact schools in fairly shallow water. Large numbers of moribund young-of-the-year shortbelly rocksh are
sometimes found on beaches after periods of wind patterns that are thought to cause currents, which carry

December 2001
Shortbelly Rockfish
140
120
100
80
60
40
20
0
1916 1920
1930
1940
1950
1960
them into shallow waters. These sh did not appear to be

either starved or diseased. They appear to be maladapted
to contact with the abrasive bottom when in the nearshore environment.
During the latter part of the juvenile pelagic stage, the
two to three-inch shortbelly rocksh feed mostly on copepods and young stages of euphausiids. Adults feed primarily on euphausiids but also consume some copepods.
Young-of-the-year shortbelly rocksh are important prey
for salmon and sea birds. They have also been found in
the diet of lingcod and northern fur seals. Adult shortbelly
rocksh are occasionally found in the diet of large sh
such as lingcod.
1970
1980
1990
1999
Commercial Landings
1916-1999,
Shortbelly Rockfish
Shortbelly Rockfish
160
References
Chess, J. R., S. E. Smith, and P. C. Fisher. 1988. Trophic
relationships of the shortbelly rocksh, Sebastes jordani,
off central California. CalCOFI Rep. 29:129-136.
Kato, S. 1981. Checking out shortbelly rocksh - Colintino
Rose IIs mission accomplished. Pacic Fishing (November,
1981):96-100.
Lenarz, W. H. 1980. Shortbelly rocksh, Sebastes jordani:
a large unshed resource in waters off California. Mar.
Fish. Rev. (March-April):34-40.
Pearson, D. E., J. E. Hightower, and J. T. H. Chan. 1991.
Age, growth, and potential yield for shortbelly rocksh
(Sebastes jordani). Fish. Bull. 89:403-409.
he population is at the unshed level. Biomass estimates have been attempted on four hydroacoustic
surveys from Santa Cruz to the Farallon Islands in 1977,
1983, 1986, and 1989. Large aggregations needed for the
hydroacoustic technique were found only on two of the
four surveys. The two estimates of biomass were 168,000
tons and 325,000 tons. It was estimated that the biomass
in this area could support annual catches of at least
14,800 tons without reducing the spawning stock below
levels thought to be needed to maintain good recruitment. Recent larval abundance surveys have suggested
that recruitment is low which may be related to unfavorable oceanographic conditions.
William H. Lenarz
College of Marin
Revised by:
Donald E. Pearson

December 2001

A Status Report
381
Dover Sole
he stature of Dover sole (Microstomus pacicus) has

evolved from that of an undesirable by-product of
bottom trawling prior to the 1940s, to the most abundant
groundsh in statewide landings. This phenomenal rise
was the result of market demand during and following
World War II and technological advances in sh handling
and processing.
At the advent of trawling in the 1870s, Dover sole were
inadvertently caught by lateen sailboats using paranzella
nets. Californias Dover sole shery expanded from its
beginning in San Francisco Bay to its present scope
extending from Santa Barbara to the Oregon border. The
developing trawl shery experienced major changes in
vessels and netting. Sailboats were replaced by steam,
gasoline, then diesel-powered vessels. The original paranzella trawl net was supplanted by the more efcient otter
trawl in the 1920s. By the 1980s, some trawl shermen
began to use roller or bobbin trawls to capture Dover
sole and other deep-slope groundsh instead of more
conventional trawls with rubber mudlines between the
trawl doors and footrope to create a sh-herding mud
cloud. A quick-freezing method, developed during World
War II, hardened the soft esh of the Dover sole to
produce marketable llets. This advance and the wartime
demand for sh allowed trawlers to turn their attention to
the large north coast population of Dover sole.
The directed Dover sole shery began in 1943 when
28 tons were landed. Between 1944 and 1947, landings
ranged from 62 tons to 1,400 tons. The shery expanded
to 3,600 tons in 1948, at which time Dover sole landing
records were separated from nominal or unspecied sole
landings, and rose further to 5,850 tons by 1952. Annual
landings then remained stable at approximately 4,000 tons
until 1969. From 1969 through 1989, landings averaged
10,200 tons and from 1990 through 1999, average landings
dropped to 5,892 tons.
Commercial Dover sole landing limits were imposed coastwide in 1989 and 1990 by the Pacic Fishery Management
Dover Sole, Microstomus pacificus

Credit: DFG
382

A Status Report
Council (PFMC) as a trip limit on the aggregate poundage

of Dover sole, thornyheads, and sablesh (the DTS complex). Prior to that time, market demand and gear regulations controlled statewide Dover sole landings. The intent
of this regulation was to reduce the harvest of sablesh
by restricting effort for the DTS complex. While reduced
quotas and increasingly restrictive trip limits were placed
on the DTS complex coast-wide during the 1990s, the
major reason for the decline in California Dover sole landings was a reduction in market demand. The port of
Eureka has historically supported the largest Dover sole
shery and was strongly impacted by the loss of a major
Army contract. Fort Bragg, Crescent City, San Francisco,
Monterey, and Morro Bay are other ports with signicant
Dover sole landings.
Sport utilization of Dover sole is practically nonexistent.
The depth distribution of Dover sole normally places
them beyond most sport shing activity, and Dover sole,
because of their feeding habits, are not vulnerable to
hook-and-line shing.
over sole occur from the Bering Sea to northern Baja

California on mud bottoms at depths from 180 to
4,800 feet. Although early tagging experiments off Oregon
and California suggested Dover sole move inshore in the
summer, a more recent California Department of Fish and
Game (DFG) tagging study discovered that not all Dover
sole participate in the summer inshore movement. Most of
the mature sh tagged and released in deep water were
recovered in deep water regardless of season. The DFG
tagging data indicate that two substocks may exist one
that migrates and one that does not. Juvenile Dover sole
settle on the continental shelf and gradually move down
the slope over their lifetime, reaching the oxygen-minimum zone as they become sexually mature.
Growth is rapid during the early years of life but decreases
with age. Five-year-old Dover sole grow 0.7 inch per year,
but by 10 years of age, growth slows to 0.4 inch annually.
Dover sole may attain an age of over 50 years and reach
30 inches in length. Fifty percent of Dover sole females
12 inches long are mature. The youngest mature Dover
sole in 1987-1988 studies was six years old, whereas earlier
studies reported mature ve-year-old females.
Dover sole may spawn nine batches to release all eggs in
a spawning season. Egg production is correlated with size.
Fish of 0.6 pound produce 33,000 eggs, while 2.4-pound
sh produce 54,000 eggs on average. Incubation time for
the buoyant eggs may vary from 10 days to one month
depending on the ambient water temperature. Larvae
are unusually large (one to two inches long) and have a

December 2001
Dover Sole
25
20
15
10
5
0
1916 1920
1930
1940
1950
1960
1970
1980
1990
1999
prolonged pelagic life of at least one year before settling

to the bottom. Larvae have been found along the entire
California coast, as far as 60 miles south of the U.S.Mexico border and up to 280 miles offshore.
Francis D. Henry
Dover sole feed commonly on polychaete worms, pelecypod and scaphopod mollusks, shrimp, and brittle stars.
Only Pacic sleeper sharks and spiny dogsh are known to
prey on Dover sole.
Revised by:
David Thomas
n 1987 and 1988, the National Marine Fisheries Service

(NMFS) conducted two surveys to assess the adult biomass of Dover sole in the area from Point Conception
to Monterey Bay. The surveys found that 98 percent of
the spawning biomass of Dover sole in central California
waters live on the continental slope between 2,100 and
3,300 feet deep, an area characterized by low oxygen
concentrations and very cold temperatures. A 1991 assessment using 1990 NMFS bottom trawl survey data provided
estimates of biomass and yields for the area from Cape
Mendocino, California to Cape Blanco, Oregon (Eureka
area). Another assessment, conducted in 1992, included
the Eureka area and the Columbia area and another
completed in 1995 included the northern Monterey area as
well as the US Vancouver area.
The last Dover assessment, conducted in 1997, treated the
entire population in the Monterey area through the U.S.
Vancouver area as a single stock based on research on the
genetic structure of the population. The Point Conception
area population has yet to be fully assessed. Using yield
recommendations presented in the 1997 assessment, the
PFMC set a coastwide landed catch limit of 8,955 tons.
This stock is believed to be in equilibrium and near the
target biomass level that would provide maximum sustainable yield.

December 2001
Commercial Landings
1916-1999,
Dover Sole
Prior to 1931, all soles were combined as one group; individual
species were tabulated separately
when they became sufficiently
important. Data Source: DFG
Catch Bulletins and commercial
landing receipts.
Dover Sole
30
N. Chyan-huei Lo
References
Brodziak, J., L. Jacobson. R. Lauth, and M. Wilkins.
1998. Assessment of the Dover Sole Stocks for 1997. In:
Status of the Pacic coast groundsh shery through 1997
and recommended acceptable biological catches for 1998.
Pacic Fishery Management Council, Portland Oregon.
Hagerman, F.B. 1952. The biology of the Dover sole
(Microstomus pacicus) (Lockington). Calif. Dept. Fish and
Hunter, J.R., B.J. Macewicz, N.C.H. Lo, and C.A. Kimbrell.
1992. Fecundity, spawning, and maturity of female Dover
sole, Microstomus pacicus, with an evaluation of assumptions and precision. Fish. Bull., U.S. 90: 101-128.
Turnock, J. and R. Methot. 1992. Status of west coast
Dover sole in 1992. In: Status of the Pacic coast groundsh shery through 1992 and recommended acceptable
biological catches for 1993. Pacic Fishery Management
Council, Portland, Oregon.
Turnock, J., M. Wilkins, M. Saelens, and R. Lauth. 1995.
Status of west coast Dover sole in The US Vancouver and
Northern Monterey Areas in 1995. In: Status of the Pacic
coast groundsh shery through 1995 and recommended
acceptable biological catches for 1996. Pacic Fishery
Management Council, Portland, Oregon.

A Status Report
383
English Sole
nglish sole (Pleuronectes vetulus) has been commercially important since the introduction of the rst
trawl net, the paranzella, in San Francisco in 1876. The
use of trawl nets made the catch of sole species one
of the leading categories of sh landed in California, and
English sole was the leading atsh in that group until
Dover sole took rst place in 1949. Since then, English
sole has been second in pounds landed except for 1970
through 1972, when petrale sole was second. The peak
year for English sole was 1929, when 8.7 million pounds
were caught off central California and at new shing areas
off Fort Bragg and Eureka. Annual landings in California
averaged 2.8 million pounds during the 10 years from 1980
to 1989 and dropped to an average 1.3 million pounds
between 1990 and 1999. The majority of recent California
landings were made by trawlers shing on the grounds
off Eureka and San Francisco. Little is taken commercially
south of Point Conception.
English sole are shed primarily by trawling in water 120
to 900 feet deep on sandy bottoms. Because of the shallow water in which this species is found, relatively small
vessels can participate in the shery. A very small portion
of the catch is taken by commercial hook-and-line or by
gill net, and it is not an important species for recreational
shing. Female sh greater that 11 inches comprise the
majority of landings because females tend to be longer
and heavier than males, and markets request sh of at
least 11 inches in order to produce reasonable size llets.
While English sole llets are desirable for the market and
restaurant trade, demand is affected by the abundance of
other atsh and roundsh as well as the availability and
price of imported sh products.
English Sole, Pleuronectes vetulus

Credit: DFG
384

A Status Report
nglish sole range from San Cristobal Bay, Baja California to northwest Alaska in water as deep as 1,800 feet.
Fish tend to move to deeper water in the winter and
shallower water in the summer, and shing effort follows
these movements. Tagging studies in California, Oregon,
Washington, and British Columbia show that, although
there is little overall migration, small seasonal northsouth movements probably occur, and some sh have been
found to move in excess of 200 miles. Analysis of tag
returns also suggest that four separate stocks are found in
California: south of Point Conception, Point Conception to
Bodega Bay, Monterey to Eureka, and Eureka to southern
Oregon. The overlap in areas is a result of apparent northsouth movement of the stocks. Some seasonal intermingling between stocks probably also occurs.
Three-year-old female English sole, on average, are only
about eight inches, while 10-year-old females are about
14 inches. Fifty percent of female English sole are usually
mature at ve years and nine inches. Spawning generally
occurs over sand and mud-sand bottoms at depths of 200
to 360 feet from September to April. In California, peak
spawning occurs from December through February, with
annual variations in timing apparently related to water
temperature. Each sh probably spawns only once per
year. Egg diameter is approximately 0.04 inch. Fertilized
eggs are buoyant when rst released, but shortly before
hatching they begin to sink into the water column.
When the eggs hatch, in four to 12 days, the larvae are
approximately 0.1 inch long. Typically the larvae are in the
midwater column but sink deeper as they approach metamorphosis. During development, the larvae may be carried toward shore on lower-level water currents. Spawning
and development during times of rapid plankton growth
may result in good recruitment. During their pelagic phase
of six to 10 weeks, the larvae grow to about 0.75 inch,
then settle to the bottom and metamorphose to the adult
benthic body form.
After metamorphosis, and for the rst year of life, juvenile
English sole are found in shallow bays and estuaries and
feed all the way up to the intertidal zone. Juveniles are
found in sand, mud, and eelgrass habitats. The population
density of juvenile English sole in estuaries is several
times higher than on the open coast; however, it is not
known how important estuaries are to survival of juvenile
English sole. In southern California, the shallow open coast
may be more important as juvenile habitat than it is
further north. As the sh grow they tend to move to
deeper water. While in the estuary and nearshore shallowwater environment, juveniles feed on copepods, the palps
of segmented worms, siphons of small clams, brittle stars,
and other small invertebrates. At the end of their rst

December 2001
English Sole
3
2
1
0
1916 1920
1930
1940
1950
1960
1970
1980
1990
1999
year of life (about ve inches), most juveniles have moved

to offshore waters.
Donald E. Pearson
Adult sh are seldom found in estuaries. They are opportunistic feeders eating shallowly burrowed or surfaceactive prey such as worms, small crustaceans, clams, and
occasionally small sh, crabs, and shrimp. Adults can also
dig into the sediment to reach deeper prey. The largest
recorded English sole, from British Columbia, was 22.5
inches, and 21-inch sh have been taken in California.
The oldest recorded age is 22 years. English sole are
aged by counting the annual rings on the interopercular
bone. The English sole is capable of interbreeding with the
starry ounder producing an inter-generic hybrid called
the hybrid or forkline sole or ounder.
Sandra L. Owen
ittle information is available to estimate the status of

the English sole stock in California. Catch-per-unit-ofeffort data exist but are complicated by the multiple species aspect of trawl shing. In 1993, an assessment using
data collected from 1977 through 1992, was conducted for
the English sole stocks off Oregon and Washington. Results
indicate that the biomass increased steadily during the
assessment period, which was attributed to high recruitment. The author concluded that English sole stocks can
sustain a high exploitation rate because a large portion
of the spawning stock is comprised of small females
that are not caught by the shery due to the small
size-at-maturity.
The California shery is currently managed by the Pacic
Fishery Management Council through gear regulations such
as trawl net mesh size and a recommended Acceptable
Biological Catch (1,100 metric tons at present). Landings
are monitored and populations continually assessed for
signs of biological stress.

December 2001
Commercial Landings
1916-1999, English Sole
Prior to 1931, all soles were
combined as one group; individual species were tabulated
separately when they became
sufficiently important. Data
English Sole
9
8
7
6
5
4
Revised by:
Dave Thomas
References
Jow, T. 1969. Results of English sole tagging off California.
Pac. Mar. Fish. Commis. Bull. 7:15-33.
Kruse, G.H. and A.V.Tyler. 1989. Exploratory simulation of
English sole recruitment mechanisms. Transactions of the
AFS 118:101-118.
Krygier, E.E. and W.G. Pearcy. 1986. The role of estuarine
and offshore nursery areas for young English sole, Parophrys vetulus Girard, of Oregon. Fish. Bull., U.S. 84:119-132.
Lassuy, D.R. 1989. Species proles: life histories and environmental requirements of coastal shes and invertebrates (Pacic northwest)English sole. U.S. Fish Wildl.
Serv. Biol. Rep. 82(11.101). U.S. Army Corps of Engineers,
TR EL-82-4. 17 p.
Rosenberg, A.A. 1982. Growth of juvenile English sole,
Parophrys vetulus, in estuarine and open coastal nursery
grounds. Fish. Bull., U.S. 80:245-252.
Sampson , D. B. and Al-Jufaily, S.M. 1999. Geographic
variation in the maturity and growth schedules of English
sole along the U.S. west coast. J. Fish Bio. 54:1-17.
Toole, C.L. 1980. Intertidal recruitment and feeding in
relation to optimal utilization of nursery areas by juvenile
English sole (Parophrys vetulus: Pleuronectidae). Env.
Biol. Fish. 5:383-390.

A Status Report
385
Petrale Sole
he California shery for petrale sole (Eopsetta jordani)

began in the San Francisco Bay area during the late
1880s. Petrale were then, as they are now, a highly desirable atsh. Most are lleted for the fresh market, with
the remainder being cleaned and smoked or dried. The
majority of the petrale sole landed are taken commercially with bottom trawls, along with various other atshes and rockshes, although some are caught by longline or entangling nets. The sport shery is negligible,
with only a few thousand pounds being landed annually.
The principal sport catch is made by partyboats shing for
bottomsh species such as rockshes.
In 1924, there were 66,000 pounds of petrale sole landed.
From 1924 through 1933, annual landings averaged about
250,000 pounds, with over 1.4 million pounds landed in
1931. The trawler eet increased greatly in size and
efciency following World War II. New gear technology
allowed trawling on new grounds at greater depths, resulting in larger landings. Also contributing to increased production was the discovery of winter spawning grounds at
depths of 900 to 1,200 feet. Concentrations here were
very dense and catches increased accordingly. Over ve
million pounds were landed in 1948. Between 1982 and
1991, landings averaged 1.7 million pounds. From 1992 to
1999 landings averaged 1.3 million pounds.
etrale sole are found from the Bering Sea to northern

Baja California on sandy bottoms at depths ranging
from 60 to 1,500 feet. These sh have been known to
move great distances; tagged sh released off Eureka,
California have been recovered in British Columbia. Nevertheless, most tagged petrale sole are recovered within
short distances of the release point.
Tagging studies in Washington, Oregon, and California indicate that petrale sole concentrate for spawning in deep
water during winter and, shortly after spawning, disperse
inshore and northward through the spring and summer
months. During fall and winter, they show an offshore and
southerly movement again concentrating on local deep
water spawning grounds. Seasonal landing distributions
show the same pattern. During winter, a targeted shery
occurs in deep water and large catches and landings of
petrale are made, while during summer, they are caught
in association with many other groundsh and individual
petrale landings are relatively small. Within California,
four spawning populations of petrale sole have been delineated by tagging experiments and by locating spawning
sh. These are in the Cape Mendocino, Point Delgado,
Point Montara, and Point Sal areas.
Age and growth studies on petrale sole in California have
been very limited. However, growth appears to be rapid
during the rst few years for both male and female sh,
after which the growth rate becomes disproportionate,
with females growing more rapidly than males. The maximum recorded sizes and ages of California petrale sole are
19.5 inches and 21 years for males and 25.2 inches and 25
years for females. Petrale sole enter the shery at about
three years of age, but most of the petrale catch consists
of females between ve and seven years old and about 14
to 17 inches long.
Petrale sole reproduce in water between 900 and 1,200
feet deep from November through March, with peak
spawning during January and February. Males reach rst
maturity at three years of age and 11.7 inches long, and
females at four years and 12.5 inches. About 50 percent of
the males are mature at seven years and 16 inches. The
largest immature male recorded was 15.2 inches and eight
years; the largest immature female, about 18.5 inches and
nine years. Eggs are pelagic and hatch in about 8.5 days
at 44.6 F.
Petrale sole are among the largest California atsh. They
feed on euphausiids, shrimp, anchovies, herring, juvenile
hake, small rocksh, and other atsh.
1999 stock assessment, which focused on petrale

stocks off Oregon and Washington did not estimate
absolute
biomass or offer a harvest projection for California.
However, the authors did examine some limited data
from California including a set of shelf survey indices of
biomass and noted that this index has been steadily
Pertrale Sole, Eopsetta jordani
Credit: DFG
386

A Status Report

December 2001
Petrale Sole
5
4
3
2
1
0
1916 1920
1930
1940
1950
1960
1970
1980
1990
1999
Commercial Landings
1916-1999, Petrale Sole
combined as one group;
individual species were tabulated
sufficiently important. Data
increasing since 1980. This assessment suggests recent

California catches are sustainable, prompting the PFMC
to retain a statewide acceptable biological catch of 3.3
million pounds.
References
David H. Thomas
Memory, R.L. 1987. Progress report on the status of

petrale sole in the INPFC Columbia-Vancouver areas in
1987. Appendix E in Status of the Pacic coast groundsh
shery through 1985 and recommended acceptable biological catches for 1986. Pacic Fishery Management Council,
Portland, Oregon.
Petrale Sole
Best, O.A. 1963. Movement of Petrale sole, Eopsetta jordani (Lexington) tagged off California. Pac. Mar. Fish.
Comm. Bull. 6:24-38.
Forrester, C.R. 1969. Life history information on some

groundsh species. Fish. Bd. Canada, Tech. Rept. 105:1-17.
Ketchen, K.S. and C.R. Forrester. 1966. Population dynamics of the Petrale sole, Eopsetta jordani, in waters off
western Canada. Bull. Fish. Res. Bd. Canada 153:1-195.
Sampson, D.B. and Lee, Y.W. 1999. An Assessment of
the Stocks of Petrale Sole Off Washington, Oregon, and
California in 1998. Appendix in Status of Pacic coast
groundsh shery through 1999 and recommended acceptable biological catches for 2000.

December 2001

A Status Report
387
Rex Sole
compressed head, a small mouth, and a nearly straight

lateral line that lacks an accessory branch.
he rex sole (Errex zachirus, formerly Glyptocephalus

zachirus) is taken commercially by bottom trawl nets
from southern California to the Bering Sea at depths of
300 to 1,200 feet. Despite its wide-distribution, this species does not lend itself to a high-production targeted
shery, because it rarely aggregates in any one location
at any certain time of year. It is rarely taken by
sport shermen.
The commercial shery for rex sole in California had been
steady and stable between 1970 and 1989, with most
catches made incidentally to other groundsh species.
Annual California landings of rex sole from 1970 to 1989
averaged 1.6 million pounds, with a range of 1.3 to 2.0 million pounds. However, during the 1990s landings declined
along with landings of other groundsh. By the end of
the 1990s, landings were down to approximately 630,000
pounds worth $243,772 to shermen. Prices have been
steady at $.35 to $.40 per pound for the past decade.
Traditionally, the majority of the landings in California
have come from the Eureka-Crescent City area. Since
1985, rex sole landings from other ports as far south as
Morro Bay have grown relative to landings in the EurekaCrescent City area.
Rex sole is primarily processed for the fresh food market,
where it is held in high esteem by seafood connoisseurs
because of its bright, white esh and its sweet, distinctive
taste. Most rex sole are marketed in a dressed form
(eviscerated with the head off), which gives processors a
35 to 45 percent yield by weight. Rex sole is generally not
lleted because its thin, slight body does not allow for
efcient recovery.
he rex sole belongs to the family Pleuronectidae,

the right-eyed ounders. It is distinguished by a long
narrow pectoral n on the eyed side of the body, a short
Rex sole rst appear in the trawl catch when they are
about 12 inches long and 10.5 years of age. They can
attain a length of 23.25 inches and an age of 24 years.
Male rex sole rst spawn in their second year when about
ve inches long. Females rst spawn at age three and
about eight inches. Rex sole become fully mature at age
four and about nine inches in length. After 3.5 years of
age, females grow somewhat faster than males; they also
tend to live longer.
Although rex sole in spawning condition have been collected throughout the year, peak spawning activity is from
February through March off San Francisco and during the
summer off Eureka. Spawning rex sole are most abundant
at depths of 300 to 900 feet.
The number of eggs produced by a single female rex sole
increases with size. A 9.5-inch female will produce about
3,900 eggs, while a 23.25-inch female can have as many
as 238,000 eggs. Rex sole eggs average about 0.10 inch in
diameter, are fertilized near the sea bed, become pelagic,
and probably require a few weeks to hatch.
Rex sole eggs hatch to produce pelagic larvae that are
about 0.25 inch in length. Larvae have been collected
from nearshore to 200 miles offshore during California
Cooperative Oceanic Fishery Investigations (CalCOFI) surveys and are most abundant from April to July. The larvae
retain an extended pelagic existence for about a year
before settling out to the bottom as two-inch-long juveniles. The long pelagic phase may make rex sole larvae
more susceptible to dispersal and drift by currents, a
factor that might affect survival and subsequent year-class
strength. Juveniles are common on the outer edge of the
continental shelf, which is possibly used as a nursery area,
at depths of 490 to 660 feet.
Little is known about rex sole movements and migrations.
They are found from shallow water (60 feet usually deeper
than 200 feet) to depths of 2,100 feet. They show a preference for a muddy-sandy bottom but also frequent both
sand and mud bottoms.
Stomach analyses show that rex sole feed primarily on
amphipods and polychaetes; shrimp are also eaten. Rex
sole are preyed upon by sharks, skates, rays, lingcod, and
some rocksh.
Rex Sole, Errex zachirus

Credit: DFG
388

A Status Report

December 2001
Rex Sole
Rex Sole
2.5
2.0
1.5
1.0
0.5
0.0
1916 1920
1930
1940
1950
1960
1970
1980
1990
1999
Commercial Landings
1916-1999, Rex Sole
combined as one group;
individual species were tabulated
sufficiently important. Data Source:
DFG Catch Bulletins and commercial
landing receipts.
References
he rex sole is listed under the other atsh category

in the Pacic Coast groundsh plan. It is believed
to be adequately protected by trawl mesh-size regulations, which result in the retention of only the larger
sh. Yet, insufcient information is available to determine
possible trends in stock abundance. Increased restrictions
on trawling effort may be partially responsible for recent
reductions in landings.
Hosie, M. J. 1976. The rex sole. Oregon Department of Fish

and Wildlife Information Report 76-2:1-5.
Lawrence F. Quirollo
Pearcy, W.G. , M.J. Hosie, S.L. Richardson 1977. Distribution and duration of pelagic life of larvae of Dover sole,
Microstomus pacicus; rex sole, Glyptocephalus zachirus;
and petrale sole, Eopsetta jordani, in waters off Oregon.
Fish. Bull. U.S. 75: 173-184.
Revised by:

December 2001
Hosie, M.J. and H.F. Horton. 1977. Biology of the rex sole,
Glyptocephalus zachirus, in waters off Oregon. Fish. Bull.,
U.S. 75:51-60.
Pearcy, W. G. 1978. Distribution and abundance of small
atshes and other demersal shes in a region of diverse
sediments and bathymetry off Oregon. Fish. Bull., U.S.
76:629-640.

A Status Report
389
Sablefish
he sablesh (Anoplopoma mbria) resource off California has a lengthy history of commercial exploitation.
Prior to 1935, landings averaged about 500 tons annually.
By 1935, annual landings had risen to 1,400 tons at a
time when sablesh livers, because of their high vitamin A
content, commanded a higher price than the edible parts
of the sh. Landings increased to over 3,000 tons in 1945
due to strong wartime market demand, then varied from
approximately 770 to 2,200 tons per year until 1972.
More intensive exploitation of sablesh began in 1972
with the development and widespread use of sablesh
traps, which proved highly effective. Foreign shing eets
from the U.S.S.R, Japan, and the Republic of Korea shed
for sablesh off California from 1967 to 1979, catching
relatively minor quantities in most years. However, in
1976 the Republic of Korea reported a catch of 9,500
tons off California. The establishment of the U.S. 200-mile
shery conservation zone in 1977 phased out foreign shing in those waters; consequently Japan, the principal
foreign market for sablesh, became increasingly reliant
on imports of U.S.-caught sablesh. Japanese demand for
sablesh helped drive California landings to a record high
of 14,287 tons in 1979, followed by a market collapse the
next year to just 5,141 tons.
The rst commercial sablesh landing limits were imposed
coastwide in 1982 by the Pacic Fishery Management
Council. Prior to that time, market demand, not resource
availability or quotas, was the dominant force controlling
statewide sablesh landings. From 1982 to 1989, regulations constrained statewide sablesh landings to an average of approximately 6,175 tons. Annual coastwide landing
quotas remained at 19,183 tons from 1982 to 1984, then
gradually declined to 9,800 tons in 1990 as the stock was
shed down to the recommended long-term target level.
Between 1990 and 2000, the Allowable Biological Catch
(ABC) was reduced slightly to 10,661 tons.
The economic importance of sablesh to California has
increased considerably in recent years. In 1989, sablesh,
worth $3.63 million, ranked fourth in ex-vessel value

among groundsh species. Between 1990 and 1999, California landings had an average ex-vessel value of 5.1 million dollars. Sablesh are marketed commonly as black
cod and smaller sh are often lleted and sold as buttersh. The high oil content of the esh produces an
excellent smoked product, and most of the large individuals are sold domestically in this form. Sablesh are
typically exported in frozen, dressed (headed-and-gutted)
form. There is a large price difference with size.
Sport utilization of sablesh is negligible, with rare
instances of large catches when schools of small sablesh
concentrate around public piers. The depth distribution
of sablesh normally places them beyond most sport
shing activity.
Sablesh are captured commercially with longline, trap,
bottom trawl, and gill net gears. Before 1943, sablesh
were landed principally by small two- to three-man longline boats shing deep for large sablesh for the smoked
sh market. Catches by trawlers became signicant in
1944. The distribution of landings among gear types has
varied considerably over time, but bottom trawlers have
accounted for about 70 percent of annual California landings in recent years. In recent years, a small number of
sablesh have been caught in the recently developed livesh shery.
Trawls and gill nets capture sablesh in mixed-species
catches with a variety of other groundshes, whereas
longline and trap gears target on sablesh. Off California,
most trawl-caught sablesh are taken in association with
Dover sole and thornyheads in deep (1,200-4,200 feet)
water. Longlines and traps are also shed at such depths
for sablesh, but gill net-caught sablesh commonly are
captured with rocksh at depths less than 900 feet.
Because of the immense shing power of the West Coast
groundsh eet and a robust market demand, rather
intensive management of sablesh became necessary in
the 1980s to prevent overexploitation and to accomplish
other management goals. Trip landing and frequency
limits, a 22-inch minimum size limit, user-group allocations, as well as more commonly used quotas and gear
restrictions, have been applied to the commercial sablesh shery by the PFMC. Trip landing and frequency
limits prevent early quota attainment, thereby reducing
the discard of sablesh by-catch in non-directed sheries
and providing year-round availability of fresh sablesh
to domestic consumers. The minimum size limit, implemented in 1983, prevents the excessive harvest of juvenile
sablesh. Quota allocation distributes the harvest among
user groups to achieve social and economic goals. Quotas
and gear restrictions are designed to ensure the optimal
long-term harvest of sablesh.
Sablefish, Anonlopoma fimbra

Credit: DFG
390

A Status Report

December 2001
Sablefish
Sablefish
35
30
25
20
15
10
5
0
1916 1920
1930
1940
1950
1960
The sablesh resource is unique among West Coast

groundshes, for the annual commercial catch quota has
been allocated between trawl and non-trawl gears since
1986. Trawl/non-trawl allocations, based on historical
shares and incidental catch requirements, have ranged
from 58:42 to 52:48 during 1986 to 2000. Separate allocations are needed because trawl-landing restrictions put
trawlers at a disadvantage with non-trawl shermen when
both groups compete for a joint quota. Most non-trawl
shermen land only sablesh; thus an unrestricted open
shery followed by a closure is acceptable to them. Quota
allocation allows each group to use their optimal harvest
strategy within regulatory constraints.
he geographic distribution of sablesh extends from

the Asiatic coast of the Bering Sea to northern Baja
California. Tagging studies by the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), Department of Fisheries and OceansCanada, and the Alaska Department of Fish and Game
indicated that adult sablesh are relatively sedentary,
as most sh were recaptured within 50 nautical miles
of release sites. However, some sablesh, particularly
those tagged in southern California, have moved in excess
of 1,000 nautical miles. Adult sablesh are found from
less than 300 to more than 4,800 feet deep, but peak
abundance off California is at about 1,200 to 1,800 feet.
Length and age generally increase with depth.
The spawning season extends from October through February. A central California study determined that spawning occurs at depths greater than 2,700 feet. Initially,
larval sablesh inhabit surface waters offshore; later they
move into nearshore nursery areas. Juveniles aggregate in
water depths of continental slope and abyssal areas. The
diet of juvenile sablesh includes copepods, amphipods,
euphausiids, sh eggs, and sh larvae. Adults eat euphausiids, tunicates, and sh.

December 2001
1970
1980
1990
1999
Commercial Landings
1916-1999, Sablefish
landing receipts.
Approximately 50 percent of female sablesh reach maturity at 23.6 inches long and six years of age off California.
Females grow faster than males from age two and attain a
larger maximum size. Sablesh may attain an age of over
50 years and reach a size of 47 inches and 126 pounds but
are usually less than 30 inches and 25 pounds. Sablesh
enter the trawl shery as early as one year of age but are
fully selected by trawl and nontrawl sheries at ages four
to six. Large, older sh are most selected by the trap and
longline sheries.
Sablesh are conventionally aged using the broken and
burnt otolith method. There is very poor agreement
among agers and therefore the estimated ages are questionable. This is in spite of a considerable amount of
research on the problem.
or management purposes, a unit stock is assumed to

exist in waters off California to the Canadian border.
Considerable progress has been made in the 1980s towards
understanding the dynamics, structure, and size of this
stock. Two types of sheries-independent surveys were
conducted by the NMFS, triennial groundsh trawl surveys
(initiated in 1977) from Monterey Bay to the Canadian
border and biennial sablesh trap surveys in the INPFC
Conception to Eureka areas (Mexican border to 43 00 N
latitude). In 1991, the biennial trap survey was discontinued due to a lack of funding. In addition, a systematic
landings sampling program and trawl logbook data provided insight into catch-per-effort, and age- and lengthcomposition trends. In general, these disparate data sets
presented a somewhat equivocal picture of stock status in
California waters.
Fisheries-independent and dependent studies have had
conicting results. Stock assessments have been hampered
by the lack of reliable age data. In 1998, two independent
stock assessments were performed which resulted in bio-

A Status Report
391
Sablefish
mass estimates ranging between 33,000 and 319,000 tons.

Given the highly uncertain status of the population, it
is unclear whether management has been too liberal or
too conservative.
Francis D. Henry
Revised by:
Donald E. Pearson
References
Hastie, J.D. 1988. Catch and revenue characteristics
of vessels harvesting sablesh off the west coast of
the United States. NOAA Technical Memorandum NMFS
F/NWC-144.
Hunter, J.R, B.J. Macewicz, and C.A. Kimbrell. 1989.
Fecundity and other aspects of the reproduction of sablesh, Anoplopoma mbria, in central California waters.
Melteff, B.R. 1983. Editor. Proceedings of the International
Sablesh Symposium. Alaska Sea Grant Report 83-8. Alaska
Sea Grant College Program, University of Alaska-Fairbanks.
Methot, R.D., P.Crone, R.J. Conser, J. Brodziak, T. Builder,
D. Kamikawa. 1998. Status of the sablesh resource of the
U.S. pacic coast in 1998. In Status of the Pacic coast
groundsh shery through 1998 and recommended acceptable biological catches for 1999. Pacic Fishery Management Council, Portland, Oregon.
Parks, N.B. and F.R. Shaw. 1989. Relative abundance
and size composition of sablesh (Anoplopoma mbria)
in the coastal waters of California and southern
Oregon, 1984-1988. NOAA Technical Memorandum NMFS
F/NWC-167.
392

A Status Report

December 2001
Pacific Hake
T
he Pacic hake (Merluccius productus), also known

as Pacic whiting, makes up more than 50 percent
of the potential annual harvest of West Coast groundsh
off Washington, Oregon, and California and is the largest
groundsh resource managed under the Pacic Fishery
Councils Groundsh Management Plan. Pacic hake was
considered an underutilized domestic species until 1991,
the rst year the entire harvest was captured and processed by the U.S. seafood industry.
A member of the cod family, Pacic hake is a delicate
sh that requires careful handling to achieve a marketable
product. The sh must be chilled, processed, and frozen
soon after the harvest. Also, Pacic hake are infected with
a myxosporidian parasite that can appear as black spots
within the esh. Protease enzymes associated with the
parasite can cause degradation of the esh if the sh are
not handled properly.
The Pacic hake shery is a high-volume, low-value shery (ex-vessel prices have ranged from $0.025-$0.08 per
pound). Its product contains, on average, about 15 percent
protein and three percent fat. Domestic production had
been primarily geared towards the frozen headed and
gutted market, shipped in high volume on a penny-apound margin. However, with the growth of the domestic
shery in the 1990s, there has been signicant growth
in the production of surimi (sh paste), Individual
Quick Frozen (IQF) llets, and frozen blocks. Today
60 to 80 percent of production is surimi, 10 to 20
percent headed and gutted, 10 to 20 percent llets. A
signicant proportion of the waste products is processed
into shmeal and fertilizers including hydrolosate and
compost-based products.
Economic contributions to the Pacic Coast states of hake
harvesting/processing vary according to product form and
harvest/processing mode. Each pound harvested and processed in headed-and-gutted form contributes about $0.38
per round pound. For surimi, the state contribution is
between $0.27 and $0.32 per round pound. In 1999, the
hake shery generated an estimated cumulative economic
impact to West Coast states of between $134 and $185
million dollars.
The shery has been multi-national in character, having
been exploited commercially since before 1900 by the U.S.
shing industry and since 1966 by foreign eets. A small
domestic shery has existed for coastal hake since at least
1879. Most catches prior to 1960 were made incidental
to the pursuit of more valuable trawl-caught species and
were either discarded or delivered to reduction plants
producing animal food and shmeal. The average annual
California catch from 1959 to 1966 was 248 tons.

December 2001
In 1964, the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS)

demonstrated that large catches of hake (to 60,000
pounds per half-hour haul) could be achieved off coastal
Washington and Oregon using newly developed depth
telemetry systems on midwater trawlers. This shery grew
from 484 tons in 1964 to 15,883 tons in 1967.
Knowledge of the large hake resource off the West Coast
attracted a large eet of Soviet trawlers and accompanying support vessels in 1966. Between 1973 and 1976,
Poland, the Federal Republic of Germany (West Germany),
the German Democratic Republic (East Germany), and
Bulgaria entered the shery. Japan also participated in
the shery before 1977; their peak harvest was 9,104 tons
in 1974. The estimated catches of Pacic hake during this
period of expansion ranged from 130,000 tons to 262,000
tons. Catches peaked in 1976 and were subsequently
reduced due to restrictions on foreign effort imposed by
the Magnuson Fisheries Conservation and Management Act
(MFCMA) of 1976.
Pacific Hake
Two types of shing operations involving foreign vessels

were conducted off Washington, Oregon, and northern
California after the implementation of the MFCMA in 1977.
In one shery (the foreign trawl shery or directed shery), sh were caught and processed by foreign vessels.
In a second shery, known as the joint venture (JV) shery, U.S. trawl vessels deliver their catch to foreign processing vessels at sea.
The joint venture shery for Pacic hake started in
1978 between foreign nations and the United States and
Canada. Consistent with the intent of the MFCMA to
encourage development of domestic sheries, landings of
hake declined in the foreign directed shery while increasing in the JV shery. In 1978, the foreign catch amounted
to 98 percent of the total hake catch in the U.S. management zone. The foreign catch declined to 11 percent of
the total by 1988, and in 1989 there was no foreign catch.
U.S. shermen harvested the entire annual hake quota in
1989, eliminating the foreign directed shery, and in 1991
Pacific Hake, Merluccius productus

Credit: DFG

A Status Report
393
Pacific Hake
domestic processors were able to process the entire catch

thereby eliminating the JV shery.
The phase out of foreign sheries opened development to
domestic sheries. This took the form of domestic factory
trawlers, which catch and process their catch, motherships which take sh at sea from catcher vessels, and the
development of shoreside processing plants. Development
was accelerated by the discovery of enzyme inhibitors
that made it possible to utilize hake for surimi.
The domestic at-sea and shore-based sheries grew
through the 1990s with the at-sea sector harvest increasing from 4,700 tons in 1990 to 197,000 in 1991. The Pacic
Fisheries Management Council (PFMC) reduced the at sea
harvest in following years to allow growth in the shoreside
sector. Prior to 1991, shore-based deliveries of Pacic
hake were relatively small with an annual harvest of less
than 10,000 tons. Between 1985-1991, the shore-based
shery concentrated off northern California with processing plants at Eureka and Crescent City. As the domestic
shoreside shery grew, additional processing plants were
opened in Oregon and Washington. Shoreside deliveries
increased from 8,115 tons in 1990 to 87,862 in 1998. In
California, landings have increased from 41 tons in 1980 to
about 11,000 tons in 1999.
In the early 1990s, shing seasons began April 15. Since
1998, PFMC has used a season-ending, forward-counting
protocol to estimate the season opening for the shorebased sector only (the offshore sector still opens May 15).
Using October 15 as the season ending date, the PFMC
estimates daily harvesting and processing capacity and
shore-based quotas to determine the season opening date.
The greater the quota or the lower the daily capacity,
the earlier the season opening. Before 1995, the season
opened April 15, between 1995 and 1998 the season
opened May 15, (mostly to avoid salmon bycatch), and
since 1998 the season has opened June 15. The shift
in season opening date has had a signicant effect on
improving economic benets (recovery, quality, price,
and growth).
In 1996, the Makah Tribe in Washington requested an
allocation of hake as part of its treaty entitlement. NMFS
allocated 15,000 tons of the domestic TAC to the Makahs,
increasing it to 25,000 in 1997 and 1998, and to 32,000 in
1999. The sh are harvested by Makah trawl vessels and
delivered to a oating processor mothership. The shery
is limited to the Makahs usual and accustomed shing
grounds off the northern Washington coast.
In 1997, the PFMC adopted a sector allocation formula
dividing U.S. non-tribal hake harvest guideline between
factory trawlers (34 percent), vessels delivering to at-sea
processors (24 percent), and vessels delivering to shorebased processing plants (42 percent). Shortly after this
394

A Status Report
allocation agreement was approved by the PFMC, shing

companies with factory trawler permits established the
Pacic Whiting Conservation Cooperative (PWCC). The primary role of the PWCC is to allocate the factor trawler
quota between its members. Benets of the PWCC include
more efcient allocation of resources by shing companies, improvements in processing efciency and product
quality, and a reduction in waste and bycatch rates relative to the former derby shery in which all vessels
competed for a eet-wide quota.
The rapid development that took place in the 1990s
has resulted in full utilization of the combined U.S. and
Canadian hake catch. The 1994 combined catch reached
359,000 tons, the largest yield since the inception of the
shery. Since 1994, the total hake harvest has declined
slightly, as biomass declined from high levels, and averaged 312,000 tons from 1996 to 1999.
acic hake are distributed from the Gulf of Alaska to

the Gulf of California. Four major stocks have been
identied within this area. The most abundant and widely
distributed stock (which is the subject of this report)
spawns between central California and northern Baja California and is referred to as the coastal stock. Two
of these stocks are generally referred to as the inside
stocks; they live and spawn in Puget Sound and the Strait
of Georgia. A fourth major stock occurs off the west coast
of southern Baja California.
The hake that spawn in Puget Sound and Strait of Georgia
are considered a separate genetic stock from oceanic
coastal hake. These hake spawn and live their lives
entirely within Puget Sound, are small in size (14 to 18
inches total length), and lack the specic myxosporidian
parasite that causes rapid postmortem esh decomposition in coastal stocks. The differences in parasitization
between inside and offshore stocks indicate the absence
of interchange between populations.
The oceanic coastal stock of adult Pacic hake is migratory and inhabits the continental slope and shelf within
the California Current system from Baja California to British Columbia. It is often classied as a demersal species
(living on or near the sea bed), but its distribution and
behavior suggests a pelagic existence. It exhibits extreme
night and day movement during spring and summer feeding migrations as it feeds on a variety of pelagic shes
or zooplankton. It is commonly found at depths of 160
to 1,500 feet but has been found from the surface to
2,600 feet.
Coastal Pacic hake are pelagic spawners that appear to
spawn from January to March. The location of spawning

December 2001
Coastal stock females mature at 16 inches total length

or larger, and at weights greater than 0.9 pounds. These
minimum sizes are achieved by some three-year-old sh
and most four-year-old sh. Fecundity estimates range
from 80,000 to 500,000 eggs per female, depending on
body size. The pelagic eggs drift with the ocean currents
and hatch in about three days. Larval hake are abundant
from December through April within 25 miles of the coast
from central California to northern Baja California. Peak
occurrences of eggs and small larvae pinpoint January and
February as the chief spawning months. The majority of
eggs and larvae are found over the areas of the continental
slope where bottom depths ranged from 430 to 1,640 feet.
Hake reach about 70 to 75 percent of their maximum
length and about 50 percent of their maximum weight by
age 4.3 years. As hake get older, differential growth is
observed between the sexes with females attaining larger
lengths and weight at age than males. Average maximum
sizes are 22 inches fork length (FL) and 2.25 pounds for
males, and 24 inches FL and three pounds for females.
The largest female hake measured off California was 34
inches FL.
In late winter, following spawning, adult hake migrate
north in deep water overlying the continental slope to the
summer feeding grounds off northern California, Oregon,
Washington, and Vancouver Island. The peak period of
northward migration appears to be in March and April. The
migration behavior of hake is strongly age dependent, and
inuenced by oceanographic conditions. In warm years, a
signicant portion (up to 50 percent) of the stock may
move into Canadian waters off Vancouver Island. Large
adults may travel up to 1,100 miles, while newly mature
hake may travel a maximum of 900 miles from southern
California spawning grounds during the summer feeding
period. Hake caught from Oregon to Vancouver Island
range from 16 to 18 inches FL and are four to 10 years
old. Young-of-the-year are usually concentrated off central
and northern California, and one year old hake are found in
nearshore waters from central California to northern Oregon.
Range extensions to the north occur during El Nios, as
evidenced by reports of whiting from southeast Alaska
during warm water years. During the warm periods experienced in 1990s, there have been changes in typical patterns of distribution. Spawning activity has been recorded
north of California, and frequent reports of unusual numbers of juveniles from Oregon to British Columbia suggest
that juvenile settlement patterns have also shifted northward. Because of this, juveniles may be subjected to

December 2001
increased predation from cannibalism and to increased

vulnerability to shing mortality.
When northward-migrating hake inhabit waters overlying
the continental shelf and slope, they form schools, which
may be characterized as long, narrow bands whose axis
is usually oriented parallel to the depth contours. Exceptions to this generality are those schools that align perpendicular to the edge of the continental shelf and extend
offshore at a uniform depth, such that they are high-off
the bottom over the continental slope. School sizes may
vary in length from several hundred feet to 12 miles. The
widths of schools have reached 7.5 miles at times. Most
schools usually have a vertical height of 20 to 70 feet.
Pacific Hake
appears to center on the Southern California Bight, but

spawning may take place within an area from San Francisco to Baja California at depths of 660 to 1,600 feet and
as far as 300 miles offshore. Active spawners aggregate in
loose, stationary bands that can be up to 150 feet thick.
During the summer, when feeding adults are distributed

over the continental shelf, schools exhibit pronounced
movement into midwater associated with nighttime feeding activities. Hake feed during the evening on euphausiids, shrimp, and pelagic shes. Vertical movement away
from the sea bed occurs at nightfall and descent back
towards the bottom occurs near dawn. At dawn, coastal
hake descend and begin to regroup into schools near the
sea bed (seven to 70 feet above the ocean oor), usually
in the same area where they were the day before. The
degree to which hake congregate during the day appears
to be related to the type of food that was available
during the feeding period. Schools are more dispersed
when feeding on sh and other mobile nekton, but more
compact when feeding on euphausiids.
The southward spawning migrations of the adults appears
to occur in November and December, just prior to the
spawning period. Availability of Pacic hake to bottom and
midwater trawls off Oregon, Washington, and Vancouver
Island drops sharply in November and is practically nil
during winter.
Hake are a favorite prey for a great many creatures,
especially marine mammals such as seals, sea lions, porpoises, and small whales. Hake have also been found
A catch of Pacific Hake is brought aboard

Credit: DFG

A Status Report
395
Pacific Hake
Pacific Hake
18
Commercial Landings
1916-1999, Pacific Hake
Data reflects commercial landings
that occurred at California ports, but
not foreign vessel catches landed
outside of California. The reduction
in commercial landings of Pacific
Hake in 1960 is due to a change
in the recording method for hake
landed for animal feed.
15
12
9
6
3
0
1916 1920
1930
1940
in the stomachs of swordsh, lingcod, soupn sharks,

Pacic halibut, electric rays, and an assortment of other
piscivorous shes.
he coastal Pacic hake stock is at moderate abundance. Stock biomass increased to a historical high
of 5.7 million tons in 1987 due to exceptionally large
1980 and 1984 year classes, then declined as these year
classes passed through the population and were replaced
by more moderate year classes. The stock has uctuated
throughout its history from the irregular occurrences of
strong year classes, which appear about every three or
four years and remain in the shery for about ve to seven
years. Recruitment is highly variable and appears to be
strongly inuenced by oceanic environmental conditions,
especially water temperature at the time of spawning.
Over the past four years, stock size has been stable at
1.7 to 1.8 million tons. The mature female biomass in
1998 is estimated to be 37 percent of an unshed stock.
Although 1998 stock size is near a historical low, it is close
to average stock size under current harvest policies. The
exploitation rate was below 10 percent prior to 1993, then
increased to 17 percent during 1994-1998. Total U.S. and
Canadian catches have exceeded the ABC by an average
of 12 percent since 1993 due to disagreement on the
allocation between U.S. and Canadian sheries.
1950
1960
1970
1980
1990
1999
In the 1990s, hake recruitment averaged lower but was

less variable than in the 1980s. If this pattern continues,
the stock will continue to decline gradually. The most
recent hake assessment projected a moderate decline in
catches in 2001 as the 1994 year class, the most recent
strong-year class, passes out of the population and is
replaced by smaller sized year classes. However, the
dependence of the hake population on occasional large
year classes makes these projections highly uncertain.
Widespread changes in California current ecosystem contribute to that uncertainty. A coastwide U.S.-Canada
acoustic survey of the hake resource is planned for
summer of 2001.
Lawrence F. Quirollo
Revised by:
Vidar G. Wespestad
Pacic Whiting Conservation Cooperative
Martin W. Dorn
The prospects for the Pacic hake resource in the immediate future are for stable to slightly declining yields,
depending on the timing of the next strong year class. An
assessment survey conducted by the National Marine Fisheries Service in 1998 estimated the population biomass at
1.1 million tons, a decline of 15 percent from estimates
made during a previous survey in 1995.
396

A Status Report

December 2001
Pacific Hake
References
Bailey, K.M. 1982. The early life history of the Pacic
hake, Merluccius productus, Fish. Bull., U.S. 80:589-598.
Bailey, K.M., R. Francis, and P. Stevens. 1982. The life
history and shery of Pacic hake, Merluccius productus.
Dark, T.A. 1975. Age and growth of Pacic hake, Merluccius productus. Fish. Bull., U.S. 73:336-355.
Dark, T.A. (ed.). 1985. Pacic whiting: the resource, industry, and management history. Mar. Fish. Rev. 47(2):1-98.
Dorn, M.W. and R. D. Methot. 1990. Status of the
coastal Pacic whiting resource in 1991. In: Pacic Fishery
Management Council, Status of the Pacic Coast groundsh shery through 1991 and recommended acceptable
catches in 1992, p. A1-A44.
Dorn, M.W. 1995. The effects of age composition
and oceanographic conditions on the annual migration
of Pacic whiting, Merluccius productus. CalCOFI Rep.
36:97-105.
Dorn, M.W., M.W. Saunders, C.D. Wilson, M.A. Guttormsen,
K.Cooke, R.Kieser, and M.E. Wilkins. 1999. Status of the
coastal pacic hake/whiting stock in U.S. and Canada in
1998 In: Pacic Fishery Management Council, Status of the
Pacic Coast groundsh shery through 1998 and recommended acceptable catches in 1999.
Larkin, S. and G. Sylvia. 1999. Intrinsic sh characteristics
and intraseason production efciency: A management
level bioeconomic analysis of a commercial shery.
American Journal of Agricultural Economics, 81:29-43.

December 2001

A Status Report
397
Commercial Landings - Groundfish and Flatfish

398
Commercial Landings Groundfish and Flatfish

Year
Bank 5
Rockfish
Pounds
Blackgill 2; 5
Rockfish
Pounds
Bocaccio/
Chilipepper 3
Rockfish
Pounds
1916
1917
1918
1919
1920
1921
1922
1923
1924
1925
1926
1927
1928
1929
1930
1931
1932
1933
1934
1935
1936
1937
1938
1939
1940
1941
1942
1943
1944
1945
1946
1947
1948
1949
1950
1951
1952
1953
1954
1955
1956
1957
1958
1959
1960
1961
1962
1963
1964
1965
1966
1967
1968
1969
1970
1971
1972
1973
1974
1975
1976
1977
1978
1979
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------832,144
121,041
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------232,341
11,798
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------8,935,837

A Status Report
Bocaccio 4; 5
Rockfish
Pounds
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------6,611,589
3,766,632
Chilipepper 5
Rockfish
Pounds
Shortbelly 5
Rockfish
Pounds
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------2,613,559
2,701,208
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------7,195
10,000
Widow 5: 6
Rockfish
Pounds
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------1,167,141
4,833,977
Yellowtail 5 Unspecified
Rockfish
Rockfish
Pounds
Pounds
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------805,076
656,505
4,918,952
7,774,026
8,242,754
5,398,109
5,633,077
4,761,658
4,312,014
5,096,622
4,742,885
5,488,621
7,540,969
6,390,604
6,419,909
6,036,409
7,225,424
7,277,688
5,636,319
4,787,744
4,603,536
4,831,174
4,603,904
4,291,214
3,637,137
3,333,126
3,570,636
3,405,622
1,423,440
2,762,192
6,422,230
13,286,076
11,161,222
8,498,584
6,507,205
5,962,267
8,115,102
10,993,502
10,727,521
12,228,663
12,640,729
12,681,697
14,943,515
16,091,279
17,842,163
15,281,282
13,713,886
10,830,762
9,834,393
11,749,460
8,117,912
9,392,424
10,063,592
9,798,951
9,444,493
9,227,451
10,686,844
11,168,746
16,421,252
22,052,455
21,498,984
23,624,150
24,603,179
20,900,305
20,510,364
19,632,482

December 2001
Year
Bank 5
Rockfish
Pounds
1980
1981
1982
1983
1984
1985
1986
1987
1988
1989
1990
1991
1992
1993
1994
1995
1996
1997
1998
1999
158,725
2,202,588
2,210,769
2,613,466
4,046,635
2,760,142
3,940,317
2,922,307
2,361,829
1,585,979
1,598,223
1,595,339
1,165,990
758,709
728,970
957,140
1,245,261
937,738
1,231,818
72,213
Blackgill 2; 5
Rockfish
Pounds
976,735
2,104,908
2,924,400
2,023,211
1,187,141
1,420,096
1,973,521
1,736,977
2,336,632
1,133,985
1,358,878
827,030
1,785,896
883,202
855,640
772,323
815,583
595,059
503,921
120,773
Bocaccio/
Chilipepper 3
Rockfish
Pounds
10,115,735
7,831,367
10,604,864
9,841,652
7,196,636
6,299,317
6,766,491
5,029,313
4,023,966
4,110,006
3,853,439
4,122,938
-------------------------
Bocaccio 4; 5
Rockfish
Pounds
9,111,594
9,816,582
11,774,442
11,118,007
8,296,616
4,799,757
4,630,024
5,420,165
4,143,162
5,166,105
4,415,613
2,997,035
3,237,769
3,031,592
2,168,035
1,604,367
1,050,403
707,066
339,060
160,987
Chilipepper 5
Rockfish
Pounds
Shortbelly 5
Rockfish
Pounds
6,248,294
5,087,316
4,131,231
4,639,861
5,489,532
5,669,493
4,829,518
3,759,112
4,608,400
6,437,291
5,678,528
6,502,562
5,626,573
5,135,472
4,043,163
4,406,698
3,951,518
4,468,794
3,115,112
2,082,043
6,567
609
14,416
7,654
5,092
62,749
42,601
1,811
567
4,215
13,873
7,427
1,568
5,299
10,619
25,169
70,953
134,178
39,962
17,683
Widow 5: 6
Rockfish
Pounds
11,780,969
11,071,879
23,856,732
8,781,700
6,565,481
7,101,038
5,499,235
5,655,481
4,051,348
4,828,775
4,929,551
2,928,155
2,525,230
2,655,014
2,031,959
3,853,755
3,023,829
2,959,535
2,018,093
1,390,413
Yellowtail 5 Unspecified
Rockfish
Rockfish
Pounds
Pounds
595,152
862,289
1,632,561
1,956,643
1,931,196
1,381,153
1,335,237
834,014
490,820
1,978,450
1,985,856
1,412,624
1,604,573
645,218
723,745
684,933
596,949
925,866
969,512
210,986
25,692,416
27,295,022
19,827,921
19,599,497
18,181,423
14,383,905
13,815,096
15,816,720
13,090,228
15,358,303
16,036,264
11,326,256
8,613,030
7,177,482
4,329,766
4,329,467
3,851,420
3,859,850
3,019,099
639,655
- - - - Landing data not available.

Except where noted, rockfish commercial landings are presented as market category landings for all fishing modes rather than as individual species landings.
2
Aggregated by DFG as rockfish prior to 1986.
3
4
Aggregated as by DFG as Bocaccio/Chilipeper prior to 1992.
5
Data derived from CalCom Database utilizing DFG commercial landing receipts. Expansions, based on port samples, are conducted by CalCom with input from PacFin, NMFS, and DFG.
6
Aggregated by DFG as as rockfish prior to 1981.
7
Prior to 1931, all soles were combined as one group; individual species were tabulated separately when they became sufficiently important.
8
The reduction in commercial landings of Pacific hake in 1960 is due to a change in the recording method for hake landed for animal feed.
9
Aggregated as as rockfish prior to 1982.
10
11
1

December 2001

A Status Report
Commercial Landings Groundfish and Flatfish, contd
399

400

Year
Sole 6
Dover
Sole
Pounds
English
Sole
Pounds
Petrale
Sole
Pounds
Rex
Sole
Pounds
1916
1917
1918
1919
1920
1921
1922
1923
1924
1925
1926
1927
1928
1929
1930
1931
1932
1933
1934
1935
1936
1937
1938
1939
1940
1941
1942
1943
1944
1945
1946
1947
1948
1949
1950
1951
1952
1953
1954
1955
1956
1957
1958
1959
1960
1961
1962
1963
1964
1965
1966
1967
1968
1969
1970
1971
1972
1973
1974
1975
1976
1977
1978
1979
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------7,234,438
7,890,073
9,548,379
8,621,238
11,748,215
8,904,367
9,930,438
8,185,501
8,268,424
7,932,137
8,053,040
7,327,420
9,184,814
7,826,617
8,581,091
9,781,732
9,265,238
10,759,963
10,311,633
7,215,037
8,535,521
12,918,982
15,160,886
14,248,719
22,081,697
22,485,725
19,087,485
22,688,520
22,756,812
21,923,851
20,770,086
23,394,091
------------------------------------------------------5,280,154
6,035,966
6,286,867
5,750,060
4,953,934
6,270,424
5,056,535
3,278,638
2,020,562
3,092,170
3,066,865
5,857,240
7,176,727
8,379,502
8,171,645
5,713,258
8,080,693
5,631,659
4,911,468
4,099,106
3,748,245
4,134,779
3,826,297
4,819,872
5,150,234
4,617,491
2,375,383
3,645,918
4,206,048
4,254,545
4,592,752
4,892,391
4,844,868
5,821,909
5,811,438
3,804,047
3,282,316
2,964,015
3,001,965
3,209,733
3,813,499
4,314,262
4,282,998
3,403,057
3,974,782
5,006,960
---------------------------------------------1,375,535
1,227,223
953,424
2,456,989
1,988,325
1,126,527
1,802,721
2,026,166
2,558,461
1,575,489
893,426
611,580
918,925
1,123,986
1,232,801
2,666,285
2,947,177
5,089,684
4,952,156
4,366,598
2,726,304
2,893,619
3,350,163
4,171,901
3,619,530
2,830,158
3,456,819
3,157,678
2,632,451
2,475,661
3,390,739
3,041,164
3,317,948
2,697,670
2,662,257
2,927,190
2,768,537
2,946,605
2,867,064
3,415,708
3,704,384
3,575,245
2,876,989
3,430,685
3,269,998
2,977,557
2,200,713
2,634,044
3,061,810
---------------------------------------------831,240
555,558
559,743
715,498
631,432
515,648
451,497
515,254
667,496
593,359
371,130
387,545
495,672
413,286
442,179
570,418
842,968
893,248
982,307
1,068,456
1,013,890
1,185,451
1,020,877
1,183,538
1,094,437
1,147,523
1,234,494
1,422,891
1,443,005
1,107,372
1,208,829
1,408,245
1,565,672
1,410,647
1,490,475
1,635,399
1,766,038
1,930,583
2,259,165
1,741,479
1,467,875
1,661,610
1,584,734
1,381,737
1,646,421
2,012,820
1,548,006
1,537,347
1,914,805

A Status Report
Year
Sole 6
Dover
Sole
Pounds
English
Sole
Pounds
Petrale
Sole
Pounds
Rex
Sole
Pounds
1980
1981
1982
1983
1984
1985
1986
1987
1988
1989
1990
1991
1992
1993
1994
1995
1996
1997
1998
1999
18,046,924
20,418,283
22,089,490
18,913,890
21,563,452
26,499,393
24,365,419
23,723,648
18,071,140
17,027,320
13,933,132
17,021,228
19,054,146
14,426,111
9,888,498
13,417,995
14,107,539
11,693,676
7,874,411
8,417,498
4,573,524
3,773,262
3,221,471
2,607,636
2,098,964
2,341,942
2,385,989
2,914,768
2,351,350
2,321,586
1,967,050
1,789,777
1,268,119
1,044,544
1,019,307
1,101,103
1,281,212
1,430,131
941,187
849,836
2,350,525
1,775,054
1,741,721
1,287,287
1,301,912
1,888,394
1,600,400
1,815,856
1,752,940
1,853,165
1,495,680
1,619,211
1,172,949
1,021,859
1,211,845
1,305,154
1,803,549
1,830,750
1,042,029
1,249,628
1,899,609
1,727,754
1,466,411
1,410,762
1,252,976
1,979,244
1,856,179
1,818,777
1,854,324
1,651,684
1,226,691
1,369,558
970,859
1,007,925
1,256,861
1,517,177
1,097,983
1,000,369
637,697
629,453

1
2
3
4
5
6
7
9
10
Except where noted, rockfish commercial landings are presented as market category
landings for all fishing modes rather than as individual species landings.
Data derived from CalCom Database utilizing DFG commercial landing receipts.
Expansions, based on port samples, are conducted by CalCom with input from PacFin,
NMFS, and DFG.
Aggregated as as rockfish prior to 1982.10 Aggregated as as rockfish prior to 1983.

December 2001
Year
Cowcod 5
Pounds
1916
1917
1918
1919
1920
1921
1922
1923
1924
1925
1926
1927
1928
1929
1930
1931
1932
1933
1934
1935
1936
1937
1938
1939
1940
1941
1942
1943
1944
1945
1946
1947
1948
1949
1950
1951
1952
1953
1954
1955
1956
1957
1958
1959
1960
1961
1962
1963
1964
1965
1966
1967
1968
1969
1970
1971
1972
1973
1974
1975
1976
1977
1978
1979
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------24,653
----
Pacific
Hake 7
Pounds
189,219
254,331
193,018
133,181
141,981
90,218
74,516
78,969
60,780
22,017
58,335
84,553
108,648
145,669
56,088
12,501
29,001
37,539
56,901
73,843
50,791
63,454
36,428
13,661
18,049
15,044
41,981
10,505
4,751
2,415
550
876
4,600
1,535
500
24,972
6,145
103,926
611,522
956,545
1,376,217
1,150,006
1,135,138
1,097,069
325,088
3,275
78,530
139,699
111,529
119,255
69,002
14,430
6,494
27,047
9,775
34,685
10,525
34,175
32,210
38,508
28,521
86,813
747,709
1,836,264
Sablefish
Pounds
83,623
909,846
498,937
334,950
781,032
1,022,642
268,554
538,292
933,310
722,472
175,642
992,654
916,955
1,439,408
1,359,147
1,021,215
975,373
1,332,573
2,117,048
2,848,672
1,035,530
733,499
415,836
767,044
573,785
536,540
1,972,522
3,205,374
4,116,451
6,264,397
2,656,873
902,110
2,068,439
1,743,372
1,584,301
2,585,513
1,343,867
1,655,653
2,357,531
2,065,737
2,868,407
2,199,782
1,732,992
1,938,356
2,419,024
1,616,528
2,015,237
1,809,349
2,463,452
2,863,550
3,215,939
3,798,493
3,219,455
4,156,846
4,428,077
4,424,463
8,395,714
8,550,071
12,038,542
14,131,964
13,331,261
13,315,975
17,715,724
28,573,600
All Thornyhead 5
Pounds
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------2,668,993
4,095,918

December 2001
Longspine
Thornyhead 5
Pounds
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------432,833
310,877
Shortspine
Thornyhead 5
Pounds
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------2,229,418
3,755,624
Unspecified
Thornyhead 5
Pounds
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------6,742
29,417

A Status Report
401

402

Year
1980
1981
1982
1983
1984
1985
1986
1987
1988
1989
1990
1991
1992
1993
1994
1995
1996
1997
1998
1999
Cowcod 5
Pounds
32,435
190,424
141,863
166,142
352,869
294,987
339,676
198,967
209,633
96,880
74,945
48,244
153,820
110,041
76,102
145,648
105,483
117,747
34,188
27,157
Pacific
Hake 7
Pounds
1,527,992
1,467,276
2,251,253
2,160,904
5,147,912
6,604,729
6,574,845
9,959,960
14,401,883
16,088,904
12,166,681
15,196,946
10,868,278
6,834,597
7,964,783
9,018,285
6,395,184
14,028,191
12,617,919
2,883,014
Sablefish
Pounds
10,284,930
14,727,481
20,996,253
14,613,392
10,633,321
11,305,795
13,585,936
9,585,601
8,360,454
8,715,410
8,042,899
7,300,661
8,078,145
5,676,270
4,784,967
6,185,954
6,998,149
6,481,886
3,155,536
4,342,086
All Thornyhead 5
Pounds
3,411,449
3,805,719
4,506,242
3,596,221
4,695,974
6,485,049
6,501,347
6,438,777
10,008,902
11,906,498
11,898,501
6,329,277
9,654,483
9,182,924
7,289,241
8,016,679
7,309,101
6,194,508
4,173,425
3,296,044
Longspine
Thornyhead 5
Pounds
Shortspine
Thornyhead 5
Pounds
Unspecified
Thornyhead 5
Pounds
699,083
238,829
842,307
436,599
589,932
1,140,992
1,306,111
1,790,910
5,587,483
4,911,249
7,600,557
4,085,076
6,344,552
5,637,099
4,503,103
5,681,269
5,353,926
4,415,693
2,667,011
2,255,859
2,339,704
3,542,348
3,651,959
3,124,112
4,089,042
5,315,642
5,138,999
2,872,981
4,310,853
6,905,965
4,243,813
2,192,086
3,228,425
3,471,866
2,629,627
2,122,323
1,713,345
1,531,749
1,399,066
952,219
372,662
24,542
11,976
35,510
17,000
28,415
56,237
1,774,886
110,566
89,284
54,131
52,115
81,506
73,959
156,511
213,087
241,830
247,066
107,348
87,966

2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
1

A Status Report

December 2001
Year
1916
1917
1918
1919
1920
1921
1922
1923
1924
1925
1926
1927
1928
1929
1930
1931
1932
1933
1934
1935
1936
1937
1938
1939
1940
1941
1942
1943
1944
1945
1946
1947
1948
1949
1950
1951
1952
1953
1954
1955
1956
1957
1958
1959
1960
1961
1962
1963
1964
1965
1966
1967
1968
1969
1970
1971
1972
1973
1974
1975
1976
1977
1978
1979
Rockfish1
Group
Bolina 3
Pounds
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Group
Deep 9
Pounds
Group
Gopher 10
Pounds
Group
Red 3
Pounds
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

December 2001
Group
Rosefish 9
Pounds
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Group
Small 3
Pounds
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Group
Black/Blue 11
Pounds
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Group Canary/
Vermilion 11
Pounds
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

A Status Report
403

404

Year
Rockfish1
Group
Bolina 3
Pounds
Group
Deep 9
Pounds
1980
1981
1982
1983
1984
1985
1986
1987
1988
1989
1990
1991
1992
1993
1994
1995
1996
1997
1998
1999
39,213
---58,421
94,343
84,585
84,095
95,834
96,714
163,983
168,133
135,187
203,945
162,071
102,927
73,732
56,230
97,338
126,021
125,799
108,878
------36,025
50
405
40,430
681
1,876
------578
257
1,063
500
2,368
36,572
6,138
4,332
379
----
Group
Gopher 10
Pounds
---------53
26,103
43,811
72,714
95,702
156,017
158,110
147,435
183,231
172,256
170,079
147,069
167,911
221,345
141,643
135,196
28,375
Group
Red 3
Pounds
263,829
208
250,750
2,203,793
3,834,957
243,999
2,090,707
1,670,231
2,045,468
2,623,254
2,804,469
2,326,611
168,459
1,274,651
1,354,763
1,044,059
1,225,811
850,384
710,134
242,840
Group
Rosefish 9
Pounds
------361,583
1,077,155
1,343,759
1,593,975
1,359,133
1,143,584
911,889
803,828
1,028,221
910,364
854,455
756,903
549,425
650,930
594,180
773,483
2,761,055
409,839
Group
Small 3
Pounds
35,608
---3,487
86,560
356,287
549,829
560,443
620,535
1,016,713
687,511
1,030,960
808,536
497,502
774,437
1,099,405
924,333
1,210,981
1,487,399
1,236,840
288,096
Group
Black/Blue 11
Pounds
------------------------------------------10,309
384
2,226
8,192
2,695
487
Group Canary/
Vermilion 11
Pounds
------------------------------------------147
227
33
58
---164

2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
1

A Status Report

December 2001
alifornias salmonid populations were a vital component of American Indian society long before European
settlers arrived, and they still play a signicant role in
todays coastal communities. Salmon provide a living for
commercial shermen, generate recreational marine and
freshwater angling opportunities, support tourism within
our coastal and riverside communities, fulll Native American cultural and economic needs, and are important
elements of Californias highly diverse marine and
freshwater ecosystems.
There are seven salmonid species in California. The California sheries primarily harvest chinook or king salmon
(Oncorhynchus tshawytscha), which is the salmonid most
often encountered by shermen. Coho or silver salmon
(Oncorhynchus kisutch) are observed in small numbers
but are presently under a no-retention catch policy. Occasionally in odd-numbered years, pink salmon (Oncorhynchus gorbuscha) are landed. No sheries exist for
sockeye salmon (Oncorhynchus nerka) and chum salmon
(Oncorhynchus keta) due to their limited numbers in
California waters. Steelhead (Oncorhynchus mykiss) are
caught recreationally in streams and rivers from the
Central Valley basin north to the California/Oregon
border. Small numbers of cutthroat trout (Oncorhynchus
clarkii) are found in northern coastal streams, lagoons,
and estuaries.
Several government agencies are involved in the management of California salmon. The Pacic Fishery Management Council (PFMC) manages sport and commercial sheries in the Exclusive Economic Zone (three to 200 miles
offshore), the California Fish and Game Commission (FGC)
manages inland sport and ocean sport sheries in state
waters (to 3 miles offshore), and the California Department Fish and Game (DFG) manages commercial sheries
in state waters via a delegation from the California Legislature. California continues to have productive commercial and recreational sheries due to the various conservation measures enacted by the PFMC, FGC, and
National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS). These measures
allow for reduced harvest levels on Central Valley and
Klamath River fall chinook stocks, while safeguarding
the recovery of endangered or threatened chinook and
coho populations.
While Central Valley and Klamath River fall chinook
stocks continue to be healthy, three salmonid species
and ten distinct populations, or Evolutionary Signicant
Units (ESU), are listed under the federal Endangered Species Act (ESA): Sacramento River winter chinook (endangered), Central Valley spring chinook (threatened), California coastal chinook (threatened), central California

December 2001
coastal coho (threatened), southern Oregon/northern California coho (threatened), southern California steelhead
(endangered), northern California steelhead (threatened),
and Central Valley, central California, and south-central
California steelhead (threatened). In addition, three ESUs
are also listed under the California Endangered Species
Act (CESA): Sacramento River winter chinook (endangered), Central Valley spring chinook (threatened), and
central California coastal coho (endangered).
Californias main salmon conservation management objectives are as follows:
Klamath River fall chinook: a minimum adult natural

escapement rate of 33-34 percent, with a minimum
spawner escapement of 35,000 adults in natural areas
is required.
Sacramento River fall chinook: an escapement goal of

122,000 to 180,000 hatchery and natural adult sh
Sacramento River winter chinook: the ESA jeopardy

standard is a 31 percent increase in the adult spawner
replacement rate relative to the observed mean rate
for 1989 to 1993.
Central Valley spring chinook: the Central Valley

spring chinook population is under an NMFS nding of
no jeopardy, and it also benets from Sacramento
River winter chinook conservation measures.
Coastal California chinook: the ESA jeopardy standard

limits the ocean harvest rate for age-four Klamath
River fall chinook to 17 percent.
California coastal coho: the ESA objective requires no

retention of coho in any California shery and limits
marine shery impacts to no more than 13 percent,
as measured by projected impacts on Rogue/Klamath
hatchery coho.
Steelhead: shing regulations were revamped to

enact time and area closures, catch and release shing, or retention of hatchery steelhead only (marked
with an adipose n clip).
Salmonids: Overview
Salmonids:
Overview
Coho Salmon, Oncorhynchus kisutch

Credit: DFG

A Status Report
405
Salmonids: Overview
406
The annual economic value of Californias commercial

salmon shery from 1996 to 2000 ranged from 7.7 to
20.9 million dollars to the states economy, as assessed
by the PFMCS Fishery Economic Assessment Model. The
PFMCs economic estimate for Californias recreational
ocean salmon shery ranged from 13.9 to 22.5 million
dollars for the same period. A 1985 economic analysis
estimated that steelhead shing in the Sacramento River
and tributaries directly generated around 7.2 million dollars. Using the above estimates, all salmon sheries generate approximately 28.8 to 50.6 million dollars annually to
the California economy. The indirect economic benets
are difcult to separate and quantify, but it is clear
that Californias salmonid stocks are a signicant revenue
source for the state.
Traditional approaches for identifying and solving environmental issues, while still important, must evolve to
be effective with todays complex problems. Californias
salmon sheries have been increasingly regulated to
rebuild threatened or endangered populations, to equitably allocate available sh among stakeholders, and to
achieve natural and hatchery spawning escapement goals.
Freshwater habitat restoration and revised water management policies are necessary to return natural salmon
production to former levels. A collaborative combination
of marine and freshwater measures is needed to ensure
that salmonid populations will thrive and provide shing
opportunities, economic benets, and ecological value for
all Californians, now and in the future.
As the population of California continues to increase,

our relationships with our natural resources also change.
Scott Barrow and Marc Heisdorf


A Status Report

December 2001
Pacific Salmon
alifornias salmon resources are many things to the
people of California. They are a source of highly nutritious food for the general population and an important
source of income for commercial shermen. Recreational
anglers value them for their excellent sporting qualities
and American Indians celebrate them in annual events
welcoming the returning adults. Salmon play a key role,
and occupy a unique niche, within the States highly
diverse marine and inland ecosystems. They are a high
level predator, but also contribute to the sustenance of
other high level predators. In addition, their spawned-out
carcasses enhance the nutrient base of their ancestral
spawning streams. Like other anadromous species, their
survival depends on the quantity and quality of fresh
water spawning and rearing habitat available to them.
The destruction of that habitat over the past 150 years
has resulted in many naturally spawning populations of
salmon becoming so diminished that, in some cases, they
face biological extinction. We provide a brief overview of
the importance and role of salmon in the management of
Californias living marine shery resources.
f the ve species of Pacic salmon found on the

West Coast, chinook (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) and
coho (O. kisutch) are most frequently encountered off
California. Small numbers of pink salmon (O. gorbuscha)
are landed on occasion, mainly in odd-numbered years.
Chum salmon (O. keta) and sockeye salmon (O. nerka) are
rarely seen in California.
Salmon sheries existed in California long before European
settlers made their rst appearance in the state circa
1775. Harvests of Central Valley salmon by American Indians may have exceeded 8.5 million pounds annually. In
northern coastal areas, native peoples subsisted primarily
on salmon. Not only did salmon form the bulk of their
diet a family might eat up to 2,000 pounds of sh in a
year but it was also used as barter with other tribes.
Salmon was consumed fresh or dried and smoked for later
use throughout the year. The sh were of such signicance
to these early shers that ceremonies and rituals honoring
their existence and importance were created. Traditional
shing methods included the use of gill and dip nets,
shing spears, and communal sh dams.
Commercial salmon shing in California began in the early
1850s, coincidental with the massive inow of miners into
the gold country. By 1860, these gillnet salmon sheries
were well established in Suisun Bay, San Pablo Bay, and
the lower Sacramento and San Joaquin Rivers. The shery
gradually spread to include rivers north of San Francisco,
although the Sacramento-San Joaquin shery
remained the largest. Growth of this shery

December 2001
was stimulated by the canning industry; the rst salmon

cannery on the Pacic coast started operations on the
Sacramento River in 1864. By 1880, there were 20 canneries operating in the Sacramento-San Joaquin river
system and intensied shing efforts provided them with
an ample supply of salmon for processing. The shery
reached its peak in 1882 when about 12 million pounds
were landed. Shortly thereafter, the shery collapsed due
to a sudden decline in salmon stocks caused primarily
by the pollution and degradation of rivers by mining, agriculture, and timber operations combined with increased
landings. By 1919, the last cannery had shut down and
one by one, the rivers were closed to commercial shing.
Legislation closed the Mad River shery in 1919, the Eel
River shery in 1922, and sheries (including tribal) on
the Smith and Klamath rivers in 1933. In 1957, the last
inland commercial shing area open to the general citizens of California (Sacramento-San Joaquin rivers) was
permanently closed.
Pacific Salmon
The commercial ocean troll shery began in Monterey Bay

during the 1880s. These early shers trolled for salmon
using small sailboats that supported two hand rods, one
over each side with one hook and leader attached to
each line. The leader was approximately 30 feet long
and carried a lead sinker midway between the main line
and the lure. Circa 1908, several Sacramento River shermen transported their powered gillnet boats to Monterey
Bay and began trolling for salmon. These boats were
a great improvement over the sailboats, but were still
small compared to present standards. The shery grew to
approximately 200 boats and by 1916, had expanded north
to Fort Bragg, Eureka, and Crescent City.
During the 1920s and 1930s, a typical salmon troller shed
four to nine lines that each carried ve or more hooks
with up to 30 pounds of lead attached to keep the line at
the proper depth. Pulling weights, lines, and salmon onto
a moving boat by hand was a backbreaking job. Power
gurdies were soon developed to pull the lines and, by
the late 1940s, most of the professional salmon trollers
were using them. The shery changed little until the midChinook Salmon, Oncorhynchus tshawytscha
Credit: DFG

A Status Report
407
16
14
12
10
8
6
4
2
0
1916 1920
1930
1940
River and Ocean

16
14
12
10
8
6
4
2
0
1916 1920
1930
1940
1950
1960
1970
1980
1990
1999
1950
Recfreational Landings By Species

Total Commercial Salmon

Pacific Salmon
Commercial Landings
1916-1999, All Salmon
Catch Data includes salmon
taken in the ocean, and coastal
rivers including the Sacramento
and Klamath. The Klamath River
commercial fishery closed after
1933; and the Sacramento
commercial fishery closed after
1959. Coho were no longer
permitted for take after 1992.
landing receipts.
1960
1970
1980
1990
450
400
350
300
250
200
150
100
50
0 1960
1970
1980
1990
River Salmon
Ocean Salmon
450
1200
400
800
600
400
200
0 1960
350
300
250
200
150
100
50
1970
1980
1990
1999
Coho Salmon
Chinook Salmon
408
Recreational Catch 1960-1999 , By Species

Data Source: DFG, Ocean Salmon Project. Differentiation by salmon species (chinook
or coho) was not reported prior to 1962. Coho were no longer permitted for take
after 1992.
1400
1000
1999
Coho Salmon
Chinook Salmon
All Salmon
Commercial Landings By Species

Commercial Catch 1947-1999 , River and Ocean

Data Source: DFG Catch Bulletins and commercial landing receipts. Catch Data
includes salmon taken in the ocean, and coastal rivers including the Sacramento
and Klamath. The Klamath River commercial fishery closed after 1933; and the
Sacramento commercial fishery closed after 1959. Coho were no longer permitted for
take after 1992.
1999
1947 1950
1960
1970
1980
1990
1999
Commercial Catch 1960-1999 , By Salmon Species

Data Source: DFG Ocean Salmon Project. Coho were no longer permitted for take
after 1992.
Recreational Catch 1960-1999 , All Salmon

1940s. After the end of World War II, a signicant increase

in shing effort occurred in conjunction with improved
transportation and a rebound in salmon populations. In
1935, an estimated 570 trollers were active in the shery;
by 1947 the eet had nearly doubled to 1,100 vessels.
During the 1970s, the salmon eet grew to almost 5,000
vessels and included many summer shers who had other
jobs during the remainder of the year. Some of these
shers were serious about commercial shing and had
adequate ocean-going boats, but most used small sporttype boats that could be conveniently towed on a trailer.

A Status Report
Todays salmon troller still uses the basic shing techniques developed during the 1940s, including powered
gurdies and four to six main trolling lines. Now, however,
the vessels are also equipped with various electronic
devices that greatly aid in nding and staying on the sh.
Radio communications are possible among several vessels
simultaneously over large distances. Highly sensitive sonar

December 2001
Estimates of commercial salmon catches are available in

one form or another for years as early as 1874. In 1952,
DFG began a systematic sampling of commercial ocean
salmon landings. During the 1960s and 1970s, the industry
enjoyed relatively high and consistent harvests, mainly of
chinook, averaging about seven million pounds dressed
weight. The following two decades produced much
more variable catches. The largest commercial landings
observed in California occurred in 1988 when more than
1.3 million chinook (14.4 million pounds) and 51,000
coho (319,000 pounds) were landed. The lowest landings
occurred in 1992, an El Nio year, when only 163,400
chinook (1.6 million pounds) and 2,500 coho (11,300
pounds) were taken in the commercial shery. Although
oceanic and in-river conditions play a major role in salmon
catches, variation among years can also be attributed to
changes in shery regulations; since 1988, progressively
more restrictive regulations have been placed on the shery to protect salmon stocks of special concern.
The states jurisdiction over tribal commercial shing in
the Klamath Basin was challenged in 1969 when a Yurok
sherman had his gillnets conscated for shing on the
lower Klamath River. After years in the lower courts, the
First District Court of Appeals decided the issue in 1975
and found that the right of a tribal member to sh on a
reservation was created by presidential executive order,
which was derived from statute and thus not subject to
state regulation. In 1977, the Bureau of Indian Affairs
(BIA) took over the management of tribal reservation
sheries in the Klamath Basin and the lower 20 miles
of the Klamath River was opened to tribal gillnet shing
for subsistence and commercial harvest; however in 1978,
the BIA closed the shery. The so-called conservation
moratorium remained in effect until 1987 when the BIA
reopened commercial shing by American Indians on the
lower Klamath River. In 1993, the Department of the Interior determined that the Yurok and Hoopa Valley Indian
tribes possessed a federally reserved right to harvest
50 percent of the total available harvest of Klamath
Basin salmon.
Ocean sport shing for salmon became popular with
the development of the commercial passenger shing
vessel (CPFV) industry after World War II. In 1962, the
department expanded its dockside monitoring to include
recreational landings (private skiffs and charterboats).

December 2001
Between 1947 and 1990, the sport industry contributed

about 17 percent to the total salmon catch annually in California. During the last decade, however, the sport shery
has accounted for about 31 percent of the total landings
due to increased regulation of the commercial shery.
The catch has also been more evenly distributed between
CPFVs and private skiff anglers. Before the 1990s, CPFVs
accounted for more than 65 percent of the salmon
catch; during the 1990s, CPFVs landed 51 percent of the
total sport catch. The highest sport landings occurred
in 1995 when sport anglers landed a record 397,200 chinook salmon; the lowest landings during the last 30
years occurred in 1983, following the extreme 1982-1983
El Nio event.
Pacific Salmon
equipment aids the troller in nding the salmon or baitsh

schools and in pinpointing the depth at which to position
lures. Precise vessel positioning is made possible through
the use of global positioning systems. It is easy today
to replicate a troll path or tack within a few feet of
a previous or suggested path. Collectively, these instruments have probably more than doubled the efciency of
the modern troller compared to 70 years ago.
During the 1990s, a shing technique known as mooching

gained popularity among salmon sport anglers in California. Mooching is generally used when salmon are feeding
on forage sh such as anchovies or herring in fairly shallow, nearshore areas. Mooching differs from trolling in that
the bait is drifted to resemble dead or wounded prey
instead of being pulled through the water to simulate live
swimming prey. When trolling, the hook generally sets
itself as the salmon attacks the moving prey whereas
during mooching, line is fed out to the salmon when it
strikes to encourage the salmon to swallow the bait and
hook. Thus more salmon are gut-hooked when caught by
mooching. Onboard observations conducted by the departments Ocean Salmon Project (OSP) on commercial passenger shing vessels during 1993-1995 found that 60 percent of the sublegal salmon (<20 inches total length)
caught via mooching were hooked in the guts or gills.
Since studies have found that 80 to 90 percent of sublegal
salmon hooked in the gut or gills die, there was concern
that this new shing technique could seriously impact
stocks of special concern. Beginning in September 1997,
all sport anglers mooching with bait were required to
use circle hooks to reduce the hooking mortality on all
released salmon. Studies conducted by OSP during 1995
through 1997 found that the use of circle hooks signicantly reduced the hooking mortality on sublegal salmon.
Salmon Management History
n 1948, the Pacic Marine Fisheries Commission (PMFC)

was formed by the states of Alaska, Washington, Oregon,
Idaho and California. A primary objective of the compact
was to make better use of the marine resources shared by
the member states. Prior to that time, there was minimal
coordination of marine shing regulations between the
states. For example, in 1947 California had a 25-inch
minimum size limit and an April 1 to September 15 season
for both chinook and coho. Washington and Oregon both
had a 27-inch limit and year-round season for chinook and

A Status Report
409
Pacific Salmon
a July 1 to November 15 season for coho. Washington had

an 18-inch limit for coho, while Oregon had no size limit
for the species. The rst commercial salmon recommendation of the PMFC was a 26-inch total length minimum
size and March 15 to October 31 maximum season length
for chinook. For coho the recommended season was June
15 to October 31 except that California could open May
1 provided it retained its 25-inch minimum size limit for
the species. For many years the states uniformly adopted
the 26-inch standard and an April 15 opening date for
commercial chinook shing with a general September 30
closing date. The coho season opening was June 15 in both
Oregon and Washington with no, or a very low, minimum
size limit. California retained its 25-inch coho standard
until about 1970 when it was dropped to 22 inches and the
season opening date delayed until May 15.
In 1976, the Magnuson Fishery Conservation and Management Act (Act) established the Exclusive Economic
Zone and the authority of the Secretary of Commerce
to manage sheries covered under federal shery management plans from 3 to 200 miles offshore. The Act created
regional shery management councils to develop shery
management plans (FMPs) and recommend shing regulations to the states, tribes, and the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS). It also created the Pacic Fishery
Management Council (PFMC) that had management authority over the federal sheries off the coasts of Washington,
Oregon and California. Representation on the PFMC currently includes the chief shery ofcials of California,
Idaho, Oregon, and Washington, the NMFS, a Tribal representative, and eight knowledgeable private citizens. The
PFMC receives advice from a Salmon Technical Team and
an advisory panel of various industry, tribal, and environmental representatives. The PFMCs salmon plan was
developed in 1977 and was the rst FMP developed by the
organization. The PFMC annually develops management
measures that establish shing areas, seasons, quotas,
legal gear, possession and landing restrictions, and minimum lengths for salmon taken in federal waters off Washington, Oregon, and California. The management measures are intended to prevent overshing and to allocate
the ocean harvest equitably among ocean commercial and
recreational sheries. The measures must meet the goals
of the FMP that address spawning escapement needs and
allow for fresh water sheries. The needs of salmon species listed under the federal Endangered Species Act
(ESA) must also be met as part of the process. The measures recommended by the PFMC must be approved and
implemented by the U.S. Department of Commerce.
During the 1980s, California ocean salmon sheries were
increasingly regulated under quotas and area closures.
In 1980, a moratorium was placed on the issuance of
permits to new participants in the ocean commercial
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A Status Report
salmon shery. This was done to increase prots of individual shermen and to reduce overall shery impacts
on the resource. In 1983, a limited-entry program was
implemented that capped the shery at just over 4,600
commercial salmon vessels.
In 1989, Sacramento River winter-run chinook was listed
under the California and federal endangered species acts.
This, and subsequent listings, added another dimension to
salmon management. The ESA requires that NMFS assess
the impacts of ocean sheries on listed salmon populations and develop standards that avoid the likelihood of
jeopardizing their continued existence. As more salmon
populations have become listed, the ESA jeopardy
standards have become a dominant factor in shaping
ocean sheries.
NMFS has concluded that the harvest of the relatively
abundant Central Valley fall chinook stocks could continue
at reduced levels without jeopardizing the recovery of
listed chinook and coho populations. The California Fish
and Game Commission, PFMC and NMFS have implemented
various protective regulations to reduce shery impacts
on California populations of Central Valley winter and
spring chinook, and coastal chinook and coho, all of which
are listed. The PFMC began in 1992 to severely curtail
the ocean harvest of coho salmon in California due to the
depressed condition of most coastal stocks. Following the
federal listing of California coho stocks in 1996 and 1997,
NMFS extended the protective measures to a complete
prohibition of coho retention off California.
Although not listed under the ESA, Klamath River fall chinook salmon have continued to play an important role in
shaping ocean shing seasons. Ocean harvests of chinook
must be constrained to meet the spawning escapement
goal of the Klamath River fall chinook and to provide
for the federally reserved shing rights of the Yurok and
Hoopa Valley Indian tribes.
acic salmon are anadromous (they migrate from

the ocean to the freshwater streams to spawn) and
semelparous (die after spawning). Both chinook and coho
salmon have similar spawning requirements and habits.
Successful spawning requires water temperatures less than
56 F, clear water, suitable gravel rifes, and a stream
velocity sufcient to permit excavation of nests (redds)
and provide high subgravel ow to the deposited, fertilized eggs. The female digs the nest, lays the eggs, and
covers them after the male fertilizes them. After a period
of time, depending primarily on water temperature (usually 50 to 60 days in California), the eggs hatch into
yolk sac larvae (alevins), which remain buried in the

December 2001
When the salmon are about two inches long, their backs
become brown and their bellies a light silver so that they
blend inconspicuously with their background. Referred to
as ngerlings, the length of stream-residency by these
juveniles varies according to species and race. Following
a period of rapid growth, the salmon begin changing physiologically in preparation for life in the ocean. A young
salmon that has undergone the anatomical and physiological changes that allow it to live in the ocean is called
a smolt. Following an instinctive internal cue, the smolts
begin migrating in schools downstream towards the ocean.
Many of the sh pause in estuaries, remaining there until
the smoltication process is completed. The salmon then
enter the sea where they begin a period of rapid growth.
After spending two to six years in the ocean, depending on
species, the sexually mature salmon begin their arduous
journey upriver.
Chinook salmon
Chinook are the largest of the salmon species. Historically,
juvenile chinook have been reported in coastal streams as
far south as the Ventura River in southern California. Currently, they spawn in suitable rivers from the SacramentoSan Joaquin system northward. Spawning migrations can
require minimal effort, with spawning occurring within a
few hundred feet of the ocean, or it can be a major
undertaking, with spawning occurring hundreds of miles
upstream. In addition, dams and other diversion structures
can seriously impede the upstream passage of adults by
creating physical barriers and confounding migration cues
due to changes in river ow and water temperatures.
The female chinook selects a nesting site that has good
subgravel ows to ensure adequate oxygenation. Since
chinook eggs are larger and have a smaller surface-tovolume ratio, they are also more sensitive to reduced
oxygen levels than eggs of other Pacic salmon. Female
chinook will defend their redds once spawning has begun
and will stay on the nests from four days to two weeks,
depending on the time in the spawning period. Spawning
adults can be easily chased off redds by minor disturbances which may result in unsuccessful spawning. At the
time of emergence, fry generally swim or are displaced
downstream, although some fry are able to maintain their
residency at the spawning site. As they grow older, the
ngerlings tend to move away from shore into midstream
and higher velocity areas. Once smoltication is complete,
the young chinook migrate to the ocean, where they tend
to be distributed deeper in the water column than other
Pacic salmon species.

December 2001
Chinook spend two to ve years at sea before returning

to spawn in their natal streams. The small percentage of
chinook that mature at age two are predominately males
and are commonly referred to as grilse, or jacks. The
older age classes of chinook are composed of about equal
proportions of males and females.
The state record for a sport-caught chinook is 88 pounds,
landed by an angler on the Sacramento River in 1979. The
largest chinook on record is a 127-pounder taken from
a trap in Alaska. Ocean sheries can have a signicant
impact on the average age of spawning chinook because
ocean-shing gear often selects for larger, older sh. In
addition, minimum size limits allow for the harvest of
chinook in the sport shery starting at age two (20-inch
minimum) and in the commercial shery at age three
(26-inch minimum). As ocean harvest rates increase, the
average age of adult spawners declines. Fish destined to
mature at age ve must survive two more years of ocean
sheries than sh destined to mature at age three. It has
not been documented that the selectivity of the ocean
sheries for older maturing sh has adversely affected the
genetics of the populations, but it has probably reduced
the utilization of spawning habitats that are best suited
for larger, older sh. Larger sh, for example, are probably better able to utilize the larger gravel found in the
main stems of most river systems. High rates of ocean harvest in recent decades have led to the virtual disappearance of ve-year-olds in chinook salmon runs throughout
the state.
Pacific Salmon
gravel until the yolk sac is absorbed. The young salmon

(fry) wriggle up out of the gravel and begin feeding on
microscopic organisms.
All Pacic salmon exhibit a strong tendency to return at

a specic time each year to spawn in their natal streams.
This has resulted in the development of distinct stocks,
or populations, within each species that are, to varying
degrees, both reproductively and behaviorally isolated.
Stocks are often grouped into runs based on the time of
the year during which their upstream spawning migration
occurs. There are four distinct chinook runs in California
- fall, late-fall, winter, and spring. In a river where all
four runs of chinook spawn, adults migrate upstream and
juveniles migrate downstream during all months of the
year. The timing of chinook spawning is often inuenced
by stream ow and water temperature, and therefore
Steelhead, Oncorhynchus mykiss

Credit: DFG

A Status Report
411
Pacific Salmon
varies somewhat from river to river, and even within

river systems.
All four runs use the Central Valley (Sacramento River-San
Joaquin River) basin with the fall run being the most
numerous. Historical runs of winter and spring chinook in
the upper Sacramento drainage were signicantly reduced
by the construction of Shasta Dam in 1945. Spring chinook
also formed a major run in the San Joaquin River, but the
completion of Friant Dam in 1942 contributed to the runs
subsequent extinction.
On the coast, the Klamath, Eel, Mad and Smith rivers
have fall and late fall runs. Spring chinook are also present in several streams within the Klamath River basin
and occasionally appear in the Eel and Smith rivers. In
the Klamath Basin, the abundance of spring and fall chinook are believed to have been comparable prior to the
completion of barrier dams in upper river areas in the late
1800s. Smaller coastal rivers have only fall chinook.
Fall run. Fall chinook salmon are the most numerous
salmon in California today. They arrive in spawning areas
between September and December, depending upon the
river system, but peak arrival time is usually during October and November. Under current ocean harvest rates,
the fall chinook runs are dominated by three-year-old sh
followed by jacks and four-year-olds. Five-year-old sh are
rare. Spawning occurs in the main stem of rivers, as well
as in tributaries, from early October through December. In
general, there is a large outmigration of fry and ngerlings
from the spawning areas between January and March. An
additional outmigration from the spawning areas, consisting primarily of smolts, occurs from April through June.
The juveniles enter the ocean as smolts between April
and July.
Late fall run. In California, late fall chinook salmon are
found primarily in the Sacramento River system, but have
been reported from the Eel River as well. They arrive
in upper-river spawning areas between October and midApril. The runs of late-fall chinook tend to consist of
equal numbers of three and four-year-old sh. Spawning
occurs from January through mid-April, primarily in the
main stem of the Sacramento River. Some of the juveniles
start migrating seaward as fry during May, but the bulk
of the juveniles leave the upper river between October
and February. Late fall smolts enter the ocean between
November and April.
Winter run. Winter chinook salmon are unique to the
Sacramento River system. Adults arrive in the upper Sacramento River spawning area from mid-December through
early August, with a peak in March. Spawning occurs
primarily in the main stem of the upper Sacramento River
below Shasta Dam between late-April and mid-August.
May and June are peak spawning months. The juveniles
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A Status Report
migrate seaward from early July though the following

March, but the bulk of the juveniles move seaward in
September. Winter-run smolts enter the ocean between
December and May. The adults mature and spawn as
three-year-olds, unlike the other races, which include
many four-year-old sh. Because of winter chinooks
unique life history, ocean sheries, which are structured
to harvest the more abundant fall chinook runs during
spring and summer months, have less of an impact on
winter chinook than on other runs.
Spring run. Spring chinook salmon arrive in the spawning
areas between March and June, with the peak time of
arrival usually occurring in May or June, depending upon
ows. They rest in the deep, cooler pools during the
summer and then move onto the gravel rifes and spawn
between late August and early October. Emergence of fry
varies among drainages with fry emerging in some tributaries as early as November, while fry in other areas wait
until late March to appear. Juveniles either exit their natal
tributaries soon after emergence or remain throughout
the summer, exiting the following fall as yearlings, usually
with the onset of storms starting in October. Yearling
emigration from the tributaries may continue through the
following March, with peak movement usually occurring in
November and December. Juvenile emigration alternates
between active movement, resting and feeding. Juvenile
salmon may rear for up to several months within the
Delta before ocean entry. Spring chinook runs tend to
be dominated by three-year-old sh followed by four-yearolds and jacks.
Ocean distribution. The development and widespread use
of the coded wire tag since the mid-1970s have provided
extensive data on the ocean distributions of Pacic coast
salmon stocks. Tagging studies in California, particularly
on Central Valley and Klamath River fall chinook salmon
stocks, have provided better denition of the coastal
areas used by these stocks, as well as the mix of stocks
in a particular ocean area. Although Central Valley fall
chinook are distributed primarily off of California and
Oregon, some sh have ventured as far north as Alaska.
Klamath River fall chinook are more narrowly distributed
between Point Arena in northern California and Cape
Falcon in Oregon. Ocean conditions have been found to
affect the ocean distribution patterns of these and other
Pacic coast salmon stocks.
Coho salmon
Coho salmon are smaller than chinook salmon; the average
size of a mature coho is seven to 12 pounds. The California
record for a sport-caught coho salmon is 22 pounds, taken
on Paper Mill Creek (Marin County) in 1959. The world
record is a 33-pound sport-caught coho landed in British
Columbia.

December 2001
Coded wire tagging of California hatchery coho stocks has

indicated that nearly all are harvested in ocean sheries in
their third year of life. Some are caught as far north as the
central Washington coast, but most are caught within 100
miles of the stream from which they entered the ocean.
Status of Spawning Populations

Central Valley Fall Chinook - Fall chinook are the most
abundant of the four races of Central Valley salmon,
Pacific Salmon
In California, coho spawn in suitable streams from northern Monterey Bay northward, but they rarely enter the
Sacramento-San Joaquin River system. Coho enter many
small coastal streams that are not utilized by chinook,
but they also spawn in some larger river systems where
chinook occur. Compared to chinook salmon, there are
relatively few coho in California today. Most California
streams utilized by coho salmon are short in length, but
some coho do make relatively long migrations, particularly
into the Eel River system. Many smaller coastal rivers have
runs of coho salmon that enter during brief periods after
the rst heavy fall rains and move upstream.
Within California river systems, coho salmon populations
include only one race, or run, which is generally consistent
as to spawning area used and time of spawning. Most
spawning occurs between December and February. The
juveniles usually spend a little more than a year in fresh
water before migrating to the ocean; a few spend two
years. Most coho mature at the end of their third year
of life. Coho salmon older than three years are relatively
rare. A few males, or grilse, mature at age two.
Genetic analysis of California coho populations has indicated a wide degree of mixing of the stocks in the past,
probably reecting past stocking and transplantation practices involving hatchery sh.
Baird Station, first Pacific Coast salmon hatchery.

Photo courtesy of Smithsonian Institution.
Members of the Wintu tribe drying salmon on the McCloud River, circa 1882.
Credit: Thomas Houseworth, U.S. Fish Commission. Photo courtesy of Smithsonian Institution.

December 2001

A Status Report
413
Pacific Salmon
spawning predominately in the Sacramento River basin.

The run is heavily supplemented by production at ve
hatcheries. The spawning populations of fall chinook in
the Sacramento and San Joaquin river drainages averaged
about 340,000 between 1953 and 1963; 209,300 from 1970
to 1979; 249,800 from 1980 to 1989; 166,600 from 1990 to
1995; and 365,700 from 1996 to 2000. The recent increases
in spawning runs, as well as commercial and recreational
harvests, suggest a reversal in the decline of fall chinook,
which hopefully will be sustained through the various
restoration efforts to rebuild salmon stocks in the Central
Valley. In addition, since fall chinook is one of the primary
stocks harvested by ocean sheries in California, the
more restrictive regulations applied on these sheries
in recent years appears to have also improved their
freshwater returns.
Central Valley Spring Chinook - Spring chinook, which
were historically the second most abundant run, now
spawn in relatively small numbers in streams in the
northern Sacramento River basin. Spawning populations
increased during the late 1990s, particularly the Deer and
Butte Creek stocks. Spring chinook are listed as threatened under the ESA (1999) and CESA (1999).
Central Valley Late-fall Chinook - Late-fall chinook spawn
primarily in the main stem of the Sacramento River. The
run, which was not identied until the construction of
a dam and sh ladder at Red Bluff enabled monthly
counts of spawners, averaged about 25,000 from 1967 to
1976, 9,500 from 1977 to 1986 and 10,400 from 1987 to
1994. More recent estimates of run size have been made
difcult by changes in the operation of the Red Bluff
Diversion Dam.
Sacramento River Winter Chinook - Winter chinook was
the rst anadromous sh to receive protection under the
ESA (1989), following its listing under CESA (1989). Winter
chinook no longer exist in any of its original spawning habitat above Shasta Dam and the run persists only because
of the new habitat created by cold water releases from
the dam into the mainstem Sacramento River. The spawning populations below Shasta declined from the 20,000 to
80,000 sh observed in the 1970s to a few hundred in the
early 1990s. Spawning populations between 1998 and 2000
numbered between 1,400 and 3,200 sh.
Coastal Populations - Coastal California streams support
small populations of coho and chinook salmon. Habitat
blockages, logging, agriculture, urbanization and water
withdrawals have resulted in widespread declines of both
species. All coastal coho populations in California are
listed as threatened under the ESA and coho south of San
Francisco are listed as threatened under CESA. Coastal
chinook south of the Klamath River are listed as threatened under the ESA (1999).
414

A Status Report
Klamath Basin - The recovery and analysis of coded

wire tagged sh produced at the two hatcheries in the
Klamath Basin allow estimates of ocean abundance. Preshing season abundance of fall chinook during the 1980s
averaged 395,000 sh; during the 1990s, the average
decreased to 164,000 and included very low abundance in
1991 and 1992. In 2000-2001, the pre-shing season abundance of fall chinook averaged 400,000. Spring chinook in
the Trinity and Salmon rivers in the Klamath Basin have
been at very low levels in recent years.
Many salmon anglers are attracted to rivers north of Monterey County. Historically, almost half of the effort was
in the Sacramento-San Joaquin River system. Most of this
activity occurs upstream from the city of Sacramento. The
main stem of the Sacramento River is the most important
Central Valley stream, followed by the Feather and American rivers. Of the coastal streams, the Klamath system
receives by far the most effort, followed by the Smith and
Eel systems. Much of the shing in coastal river systems
occurs in estuaries. The Klamath and Smith River mouths
draw large numbers of anglers from great distances and
concentrate them in a small area. The term madhouse
is appropriate during the peak of a good run. The catch in
both of these rivers consists of chinook salmon.
Past over-harvest has undoubtedly contributed to the current plight of salmon. However, harvest constraints, which
are easily and quickly implemented, have no effect on the
root causes of the decline of wild salmon. Reasons for the
decline in Californias salmon populations vary somewhat
from river to river, but there are two major causes: (1)
destruction or loss of habitat, and (2) water diversion.
In the Central Valley, a multitude of factors has contributed to the decline. These include several hundred
unscreened irrigation diversions in the Sacramento Valley,
1,800 unscreened diversions in the Delta and about 150
unscreened diversions in the San Joaquin Valley; poor
or lost gravel deposition in salmon spawning and rearing
areas; pollution; aberrant river ow uctuations caused
by alternating water-release schedules from dams to meet
downstream water-quality standards and water diversion
contracts; elevated water temperatures stemming from
power generation operations and reduction in cold water
storage as reservoirs are emptied to meet agricultural
contracts; and impediments to migration such as dams
or diversions. The massive export of water from the southern Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta has probably been the
greatest cause of decline in Central Valley salmon.
Red Bluff Diversion Dam on the upper Sacramento River
continues to be an impediment to adult upstream migration, a major point of diversion and loss of downstream
migrating juveniles, and a haven for predatory Sacramento
pikeminnow. Lifting of the gates at this facility has been
implemented in the fall through spring to protect all races

December 2001
Declines in coastal river chinook and coho salmon populations have been caused by many of the same factors. But,
in addition, these areas have been affected by past and, in
some instances, present timber harvest practices. These
practices have reduced stream shading, resulting in high
temperatures, and have accelerated erosion and lling
of pools.
Although many of Californias naturally spawning populations are listed as threatened or endangered, the production of large numbers of salmon by state and federal
hatcheries has continued. The trucking of sh from state
hatcheries in the Central Valley for release in the lower
Delta began in the late 1970s. The program was started
with the intent of bypassing the many hazards that were
known to exist for juvenile salmon in the lower river
and Delta areas. Tagging studies have shown that survival
of trucked sh is much higher than sh released at the
hatchery and the program has continued to this day. The
average annual escapement of fall chinook to the Central
Valley between 1995 and 2000 was almost 85 percent
greater than the average observed during the previous 25
years (1970-1994) and was due primarily to the restrictive
regulations placed on ocean salmon sheries in recent
years. When salmon return to the Central Valley in
near record numbers, the public understandably has difculty appreciating the need for harvest constraints to
protect endangered salmon. Commercial and sport shermen expect shing regulations that permit harvest of
the hatchery surplus. Full utilization of hatchery production subjects naturally spawning sh, which cannot sustain
nearly as high a rate of harvest as hatchery stocks, to
over-harvest. Responsible hatchery management means
not only producing a healthy and robust sh, but also educating sport and commercial shermen on the importance
of managing the sheries for natural production while
accepting a surplus of hatchery adults.
any of them from reaching the ocean, even if adequate

sh screens are in place to keep them from entering the
irrigation canals. Reducing stream ows or shade may
result in a stream becoming too warm for salmon. Siltation
from logging or road construction can smother salmon
eggs and suppress production of aquatic invertebrates
upon which the young sh depend for food.
Substantial efforts have been made during the past
decade to ensure that the ecological requirements of
anadromous sh receive equal consideration with all the
other economic and social demands placed on the states
water resources. The Central Valley Improvement Act of
1992 required a program designed to double natural production of anadromous sh in Central Valley streams.
In 1995, the federal government and California initiated
the CALFED Bay-Delta program to address environmental
and water management problems associated with the
Bay-Delta system. The primary mission is to develop a
long-term comprehensive plan that will restore ecological
health and improve water management for the benecial
uses of the Bay-Delta system.
Pacific Salmon
of chinook; alternative diversion facilities are being evaluated that would allow the dam to be removed.
Although the listing of salmon populations under the ESA

has meant new restrictions on recreational and commercial shing, it has also provided a mechanism for addressing the effects of dams, irrigation diversion, logging, road
construction, etc. on aquatic environments. Species management under provisions of the ESA requires that existing
and proposed federal actions and permitted activities
be conducted in a manner that will not jeopardize the
continued existence of the animal or result in the destruction or adverse modication of habitat essential to the
continuation of the species. Federal agencies must consult
with NMFS when they propose to authorize, fund, or
carry out an action which could potentially adversely
affect listed salmon or steelhead. Likewise, state-sponsored activities that might affect state-listed species must
be reviewed under the provisions of CESA.
Salmon: Discussion
Challenges to Inland Salmon Management
Maintaining salmon runs in California depends on the restoration and preservation of the states rivers and streams
as living systems. A poor law or regulation affecting shing
can be changed long before the damage it causes becomes
permanent, but a stream that is blocked near its mouth by
an impassable dam will produce no more salmon. A stream
kept dry through the spawning season by diversion is no
better, but may prove salvageable if water can eventually
be provided. Diverting all the water from a stream during
the downstream migration period of juveniles will prevent

December 2001
Typical commercial salmon troller

Credit: Chris Dewees, CA Sea Grant Extension Program

A Status Report
415
Pacific Salmon
Hatchery sh have been important to maintaining ocean

and in-river sheries, but have incorrectly been perceived
as a viable alternative to maintenance of natural spawning
populations. Unfortunately, a successful hatchery program
can mask the decline in the natural run due to straying
of the returning adults, and this appears to be the case
for chinook in many areas of the Central Valley and the
Klamath River basin. Hatchery adults spawning in the
wild can compete with naturally produced sh for adult
spawning and juvenile sh rearing areas. Interaction of
hatchery and naturally produced salmon is most acute in
the close vicinity of the rearing facilities. Battle Creek
below Coleman Hatchery and Bogus Creek adjacent to
Iron Gate Hatchery typically are overloaded with spawning
sh each fall due to straying of hatchery adults. Trucking
operations in the Central Valley have greatly increased
hatchery sh survival by reducing in-stream losses of sh
to diversions and predators but have also increased the
rate of straying of returning adults, possibly to the detriment of the naturally produced sh.
Challenges to Ocean Management

Ocean salmon sheries harvest a mixture of stocks that
can differ greatly in their respective abundance and productivity. It has long been recognized that the management of mixed stock salmon sheries is difcult and complex; sheries supported by hatcheries can deplete less
productive, naturally produced stocks unless programs are
in place to monitor and evaluate their status and make
necessary adjustments in harvest. Ideally, some differences in distribution of strong and weak stocks exist
that allow managers to develop measures that selectively
protect stocks of concern.
NMFS has concluded that the harvest of the relatively
abundant Central Valley fall chinook stocks may continue
at reduced levels without jeopardizing the recovery of
listed California chinook populations. The California Fish
and Game Commission, PFMC and NMFS have implemented
various protective regulations to reduce shery impacts
on California populations of Central Valley winter and
spring chinook, and coastal chinook and coho, all of which
are listed. In 1992, the PFMC began to severely curtail
the ocean harvest of coho salmon in California due to the
depressed condition of most coastal stocks. Following the
federal listing of California coho stocks in 1996 and 1997,
NMFS extended the protective measures to a complete
prohibition of coho retention off California.
Ocean abundance estimates are not available for any of
Californias listed salmon and harvest rates are subject to
speculation. Determining levels of harvest that are appropriate for recovery is challenging. Without age-specic
mortality estimates it is difcult to assess the relative
effects of reductions in harvest, improvements in freshwa-
416

A Status Report
ter habitats, and changes in ocean productivity or precipitation. An incremental approach to harvest reductions
seems to have produced encouraging results with respect
to winter chinook. At the time of listing, spawning populations were estimated at less than 200 sh and by the end
of the 1990s had increased to several thousand.
In recent years, test sheries have been conducted off
California, which apply the methods of genetic stock identication (GSI) to estimate the contribution of various
stocks of chinook to catches. GSI detects the presence of
certain proteins that are characteristic of various populations, both hatchery and naturally produced. The technique can be used to verify the coded wire tag data
associated with hatchery stocks as well as to estimate the
catch of relatively small numbers of naturally produced
sh, which would not normally be available for marking
with coded wire tags. The test sheries were initially
undertaken with the hope of identifying previously unrecognized distributional differences between Central Valley
fall chinook and Klamath River fall chinook. As more populations of salmon have been listed under the ESA and
included in the GSI baseline, the search for times and
areas in which contact with stocks of concern is minimal
has been made increasingly difcult. Listed species are
at extremely low abundance and comprise a very small
fraction of ocean catches; even GSI methods are unlikely
to produce accurate estimates of ocean impacts on threatened and listed populations. When faced with the difculties of estimating ocean distribution and the presence of
salmon from such populations, it seems safest to reduce
ocean harvest rates to levels sufciently low that ocean
impacts are unlikely to extinguish these weak ESA populations of salmon.
Ocean salmon managers must continually be prepared to
respond to changes in the sheries. The advent of mooching in central California led to different resource impacts.
Likewise, the ocean environment continues to change,
physically as well as biologically. Relative to the salmon
resource, coastal water quality needs to be monitored and
protected. There also appear to be increasing conicts
between ocean shermen, both recreational and commercial, and marine mammals, in particular harbor seals
and sea lions. Federal legislation aimed at protecting
these animals has been very effective in increasing
their numbers and has led to increased depredation on
sport and commercially hooked salmon. Most of the problems have been in the marine area, particularly in the
Monterey-San Francisco region, but problems have also
occurred in some lower river areas, such as the Klamath
River estuary where American Indian and sport anglers
annually seek to harvest salmon.

December 2001

Kope, R.G. 1987. Separable virtual population analysis

of Pacic salmon with application to marked chinook
salmon, Oncorhynchus tshawytscha, from Californias Central Valley. Canadian J. Fish. Aquat. Sci., 44(6):1213-1220.
LB Boydstun
Department of Fish and Game
Lufkin, A. 1991. Californias Salmon and Steelhead: The

Struggle to Restore an Imperiled Resource. University of
California Press: Berkeley and Los Angeles. 305 p.
Melodie Palmer-Zwahlen
Department of Fish and Game
Dan Viele
References
Bartley, D., B. Bentley, P. G. Olin, and G.A.E. Gall. 1992.
Population genetic structure of coho salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch) in California. Calif. Fish and Game. Vol 78.
No.3 p.88-100.
California Advisory Committee on Salmon and Steelhead
Trout. 1988. Restoring the balance. 1988 annual report.
Calif. Dept. Fish and Game, Sacramento. 84 p.
California Department of Fish and Game. 1998. A status
review of the spring-run chinook (Oncorhynchus Tshawytscha) in the Sacramento river drainage. Report to the Fish
and Game Commission. Candidate Species Status Report
98-01. June 1998.
Campbell, E.A. and P.B. Moyle. 1990. Historical and
recent population sizes of spring-run chinook salmon in
California. Pages 155-216. In Proceedings, 1990 Northeast
Pacic Chinook and Coho Salmon Workshop. Humboldt
Chapter, American Fisheries Society.
Nehlsen, W., J.E. Williams, and J.A. Lichatowich. 1991.

Pacic salmon at the crossroads: stocks at risk from
California, Oregon, Idaho, and Washington. Fisheries,
16(2):4-21.
Pacific Salmon
Pacic Marine Fisheries Commission. 1948. Coordinated

Plans for the Management of the Fisheries of the Pacic
Coast. Bulletin 1, Portland, OR. 64 p.
Pacic Fishery Management Council (PFMC). 1984. Final
framework amendment for managing the ocean salmon
sheries off the coasts of Washington, Oregon, and California commencing in 1985. Pacic. Fish. Mgmt. Council,
Portland. Eight sections plus appendices.
PFMC. 1999. Review of 1999 Ocean Salmon Fisheries.
Pacic. Fish. Mgmt. Council, Portland. Four sections plus
appendices.
_____ . 1999. Preseason report I, stock abundance
analysis for 2000 ocean salmon sheries. Pacic Fish.
Mgmt. Council, Portland. Three sections plus appendices.
Pierce, Ronnie M. 1998. Klamath Salmon: Understanding
Allocation. Klamath Riv. Basin Fish. Task Force, Yreka CA.
32 p.
Yoshiyama, R.M., Fisher, F.W., and Moyle, P.B. 1998 Historical abundance and decline of chinook salmon in the
central valley region of California. N. Am. J. Fisheries
Management. 18:487-521.
Feinberg, L. and M. Morgan. 1979. Californias Salmon

Resource: Its Biology, Use and Management. Sea Grant
Report Series No. 3, California Sea Grant College Program,
CSGCP No. 72. 37p.
Gall, G.A.E., B. Bentley, C. Panattoni, E. Childs, C. Qi, S.
Fox, M. Mangel, J. Brodziak, and R. Gomulkiewicz. 1989.
Chinook mixed shery project, 1986-89. Prepared under
contract for the Calif. Dept. Fish and Game, Sacramento.
192 p.
Hankin, D.G., and M.C. Healey. 1986. Dependence of
exploitation rate for maximum yield and stock collapse on
age and sex structure of chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus
tshawytscha) stocks. Canadian J. Fish. Aquat. Sci.,
43(9):1746-1759.
King, D. 1986. The economic issues associated with commercial salmon shing and limited entry in California.
Prepared under contract for the California Commercial
Fishing Review Board, Sacramento. 106 p. plus appendix.

December 2001

A Status Report
417
Steelhead
Rainbow Trout
teelhead (Oncorhynchus mykiss formerly Salmo gairdneri) were once abundant in California coastal and
Central Valley rivers and streams. American Indians utilized this resource for subsistence, trade, and ceremonial
purposes. Salmon and steelhead were harvested yearround by central coast and Central Valley tribes, and primarily during late summer and fall months by north coast
tribes. Nets, spears, traps, and weirs were utilized to
capture the sh. Today, American Indians employ gillnets
to capture salmon and are limited to the Klamath River
system. These gillnet sheries target chinook salmon, but
an unknown number of adult steelhead is also taken.
There is no commercial steelhead shery in California.
Commercial salmon trollers cannot legally possess steelhead, and very few are taken incidentally in the commercial salmon catch. However, there is a well-established,
popular steelhead sport shery in California. The majority
of angler effort is expended in river systems and coastal
streams of the north coast, the central coast north of San
Francisco Bay, and the Sacramento River system. Some
rivers and streams of the central coast south of San
Francisco still support a steelhead sport shery, but these
have become limited in recent years due to a decline
in their populations. The steelhead shery in southern
California (south of San Luis Obispo) has been closed due
to severe declines and extirpation of many of the runs
and a listing of others under the federal Endangered
Species Act (ESA). The San Joaquin River system
presently supports a very limited shery. The rest of
Californias steelhead sportshery has instituted catch
and release regulations since the ESA listing of naturally
produced steelhead.
In 1993, California implemented the Steelhead Trout Catch
Report-Restoration Card Program, which required that all
steelhead anglers purchase a steelhead catch report card
and record their catch. These data are used by the
Department of Fish and Game (DFG) to generate catch
statistics, including the number of steelhead caught and
released. The report card has provided angler harvest
information and funding for management, research,
and habitat restoration projects. Current information indicates that approximately 69 percent of angler effort is
expended on the north coast (north of the Mattole River),
15 percent on the north-central coast (between the Mattole River and the Golden Gate), four percent on the
south-central coast (from the Golden Gate to Pt. Conception) and 12 percent in the Central Valley. In 1993, the
total statewide steelhead catch estimated from report
418

A Status Report
card data was 168,000 sh (but only 40,000 were kept).

In 1994, estimated catch was 178,000, with 53,000 sh
retained. These gures have not been corrected for
non-response bias, however, so are likely overestimated.
Even prior to the implementation of catch-and-release
requirement for wild steelhead (see below), California
steelhead anglers released approximately 70 percent of all
steelhead caught.
Steelhead sport shing is important not only for the recreation that it provides, but also for its economic benets.
A 1985 economic analysis of the anadromous sport
shery of the Sacramento-San Joaquin river system estimated that sales revenue generated from steelhead sport
shing in the Sacramento River and tributaries was
over 7.2 million dollars. When non-shing activities were
included, Sacramento River steelhead generated over $9
million annually.
teelhead are the anadromous form of rainbow trout,

a salmonid native to western North America and the
Pacic coast of Asia. In North America, steelhead are
found in Pacic Ocean drainages from southern California
to Alaska, and in Asia in coastal streams of the Kamchatka
Peninsula. Spawning populations in California are known
to have occurred in coastal streams from Malibu Creek
(Los Angeles County) to the Smith River near the Oregon
border, and in the Sacramento and San Joaquin river systems. Southern California streams south of Malibu Creek
appear to support at least occasional spawning and production, but it is unknown if these coastal streams currently support steelhead populations. The present distribution and abundance of steelhead in California has been
greatly reduced from historical levels.
Steelhead are similar to Pacic salmon in their ecological
requirements. They spend most of their lives in the ocean
where they grow to relatively large size, and then return
to fresh water to spawn. Unlike Pacic salmon, steelhead
do not necessarily die after spawning. Repeat spawning is
common; however post-spawning survival rates are generally quite low (10 to 20 percent). Steelhead do not necessarily migrate to sea at a specic age. Some individuals
remain in a stream, mature, and even spawn without ever
going to sea; others migrate to sea at less than a year
old. Although most spend two to six years at sea, some
return to freshwater after spending less than a year in
the ocean. The well-known Klamath River half-pounders
are sexually immature steelhead that return to fresh water
after spending only a few months at sea. These sh do
not spawn, but return to the ocean and eventually ascend
the river in a second upstream migration as a larger,
mature steelhead.

December 2001
The second principal difference between salmon and

steelhead is the amount of time steelhead spend in fresh
and salt water, which is much more variable. In a study
of steelhead life history in central coast streams, it was
found that the majority of adults returning to spawn had
spent two years in fresh water and one or two years in
the ocean. However, steelhead showing other life history
patterns were not uncommon. Scale analysis of adults
indicated that they typically spent from one to four
years in fresh water and from one to three years in the
ocean. Studies on Sacramento River steelhead also show
this variability.
The newly emerged fry move to shallow, protected areas

associated with stream margins where they establish feeding stations that they defend. Juveniles mainly inhabit
rifes, but they can utilize a variety of other habitat
types. Relatively high ngerling densities occur in association with structural complexity, such as that provided by
large woody debris. Juveniles also exhibit a preference for
sites with overhead cover and appear to select positions in
streams in response to low light levels.
Steelhead have traditionally been grouped into seasonal

runs according to their peak migration period. In California, there are well-dened winter, spring, and fall
runs. This classication is useful in describing actual run
timing, but is misleading when it is used to further categorize steelhead. Run-timing may be a characteristic of a
particular stock, but by itself, does not constitute race
or ecotype.
The preferred depth for steelhead spawning is approximately 14 inches and ranges from six to 24 inches. In
natural channels, water depth usually does not hinder
adult migration because adult steelhead normally migrate
during high ows. Depth can become a signicant barrier
or impedance in streams that have been altered for ood
control purposes. It has been reported that seven inches
is the minimum depth required for successful migration
of adult steelhead, although the distance sh must travel
through shallow water areas is also a critical factor.
Water temperature requirements for various life stages
of steelhead have been well studied, although there are
relatively few data specic to California. Egg mortality
begins to occur at 56o F. Thermal stress has been reported
at temperatures beginning at 66o F, and temperatures
demonstrated to be lethal to adults have been reported at
70o F. In California, low temperatures are not as much of
a concern as high temperatures, particularly during adult
migration, egg incubation, and juvenile rearing. The ability of steelhead to tolerate adverse temperatures varies
depending on stock characteristics, ecological conditions,
and physiological conditions such as life stage.
The life history of steelhead differs from that of Pacic
salmon in two principal aspects. First, juvenile steelhead
rear in fresh water for longer periods of time (usually
from one to three years). Because of this multi-year rearing requirement, water temperatures and other water
quality parameters must remain suitable year-round. That
is why steelhead typically migrate higher into watersheds
to spawn than salmon. It is mostly in these upper tributaries that water quality - most importantly water temperature - remains suitable year-round.

December 2001
Steelhead Rainbow Trout
In California, peak spawning in most runs occurs from

December through April. Steelhead generally spawn in
small tributaries where cool, well-oxygenated water is
available year-round. Like salmon, the female steelhead
digs a nest, or redd, deposits eggs while an attendant
male fertilizes them, then covers the eggs with gravel.
The length of time it takes for eggs to hatch largely
depends on water temperature. Steelhead eggs hatch in
about 30 days at 51o F. Fry usually emerge from the gravel
four to six weeks after hatching, but factors such as redd
depth, gravel size, siltation, and temperature all inuence
the timing of emergence.
There are two principal steelhead ecotypes: 1) streammaturing steelhead, which enter fresh water with immature gonads and consequently must spend several months
in the stream before they are ready to spawn; and
2) ocean-maturing steelhead, which mature in the ocean
and spawn relatively soon after reentry into fresh water.
This corresponds to the accepted classication that groups
steelhead into two seasonal races summer and winter
steelhead. Stream-maturing steelhead (summer steelhead)
typically enter fresh water in spring, early summer, and
fall. They ascend to headwater tributaries, hold over in
deep pools until mature, and spawn in winter. Oceanmaturing steelhead (winter steelhead) typically begin
their spawning migration in late fall, winter, and spring
and spawn relatively soon after freshwater entry. Oceanmaturing steelhead generally spawn from January through
April, but some spawning can extend into May and June.
Prior to the intensive water development of this century
and the resultant loss of a considerable amount of holding
habitat, stream-maturing (summer) steelhead were probably more common in California than they are today.
There is some evidence that they were present in the
Central Valley drainages, but were most likely extirpated
with the construction of large dams that blocked access
to the upper reaches on many of the major spawning
tributaries. At present, summer steelhead are known
to occur only in north coast drainages, mostly in tributaries of the Eel, Klamath, and Trinity river systems.
Ocean-maturing (winter) steelhead are also present in
north coast drainages, and are also found in the Sacramento and San Joaquin river systems and central/south
coast drainages.

A Status Report
419
The above classication scheme is based on behavioral

and physiological differences and may not reect genetic
or taxonomic relationships. Genetic similarity appears to
be a reection of geographical relationships. For example,
summer steelhead occupying a particular river system
are more genetically similar to winter steelhead of that
system than they are to summer steelhead in other systems. Similarly, little or no morphological or genetic differentiation has been found between steelhead and resident rainbow trout forms inhabiting the same stream
system. Taxonomists conclude that O. mykiss cannot be
separated taxonomically by immigration timing (fall-, winter-, spring-runs), ecotype (stream-maturing vs. oceanmaturing), or their migratory behavior (steelhead vs. resident forms). Rather, rainbow trout are taxonomically
structured on a geographic basis. All steelhead in California belong to the coastal rainbow trout subspecies,
O. m. irideus.
This taxonomic classication recognizes the extreme variability that occurs within rainbow trout populations.
Rather than the different life-history forms comprising
distinct populations, studies and observations provide evidence that coastal rainbow trout can form a single, interbreeding population in stream systems where there is
access to the ocean. These populations are comprised
of individuals with different life-history traits and a continuum of migratory behaviors, the two extremes being
anadromy (strongly migratory) and residency (non-migratory). Recent research demonstrating that juvenile rainbow trout can adopt a life-history strategy that is
different from their parents (i.e., a steelhead can
produce non-anadromous progeny and non-anadromous
rainbow trout can produce steelhead progeny) provides
further evidence.
This type of population structure and resultant exibility
in reproductive strategies allows a population to persist in
the face of unstable and variable climatic, hydrographic,
and limnological conditions that frequently exist at the
margins of a species range. For coastal rainbow trout, this
includes stream systems in the Central Valley and those
south of San Francisco Bay. Stream systems in California
are subject to extreme variations in rainfall which can
result in high volume, ash ood runoff, or droughts lasting several years. Natural stream ow in these streams
can vary greatly, both seasonally and annually. It is not
uncommon, even under unimpaired conditions, for the
lower reaches of many streams to become interrupted
during the dry season, restricting the population to the
perennial headwaters, with these conditions persisting for
years. The exibility inherent in this type of population
structure allows sh to complete their life cycles entirely
in freshwater until conditions once again allow migration
to the ocean, and this exibility has allowed populations
420

A Status Report
to persist in this marginal, frequently suboptimal

environment. Having several different life-history strategies among a single population effects bet-hedging
against extinction.
ecause of the difculty in assessing steelhead populations, we have limited estimates of adult numbers and
a statewide population estimate is not available. Carcass
surveys, a dependable method to estimate salmon spawning populations, are not useful for assessing steelhead
spawning populations, because steelhead do not always
die immediately after spawning. Counts made at weirs
and shways can be difcult because adult steelhead tend
to migrate on high, turbid winter ows. Despite the lack
of accurate numbers, other reliable indicators show that
steelhead, like most other anadromous salmonid stocks in
California, have declined signicantly.
In October 1997, the federal government listed southern
California steelhead as endangered and central and south
Central Coast steelhead as threatened under the ESA. In
May 1998, Central Valley steelhead were listed as threatened, and in August 2000, Northern California steelhead
were listed as threatened. Consequently, all California
steelhead populations south of the Klamath-Trinity River
system are now listed under the ESA.
South Coast. The precipitous decline of steelhead on the
south coast is well documented. Of 122 streams south
of San Francisco Bay that were known to have contained
a steelhead population, 47 percent had populations with
reduced production from historical levels, 33 percent no
longer supported steelhead populations, and only 20 percent had populations that had not declined signicantly
from historical levels. The percentage of streams with
extinct populations ranged from zero percent in San Mateo
and Santa Cruz counties in the north to 92 percent in
Orange and San Diego counties.
Water development appears to be the primary cause of
localized extinctions and decline in numbers. A recent
study found that 35 percent of the southern steelhead
populations reviewed were negatively impacted by water
diversions, 24 percent by dams lacking functional shways; 18 percent by articial barriers other than dams
(such as impassable culverts and bridge supports) and
ve percent from stream channelization. Overall, 21 percent of the 165 populations reviewed were impacted by
blocked access to spawning and rearing tributaries due
to main stem impediments. Other major impacts include
urbanization and other land-use activities.
Southern steelhead stocks (those occurring south of Point
Conception) are the most imperiled of all of Californias
steelhead populations, and are the only California steel-

December 2001
The historical range of steelhead in California.

Only major streams within the range are depicted.
head that are listed under the ESA as endangered. The

southernmost range of steelhead formerly extended to
northern Baja California and they were present in streams
and rivers of Los Angeles, Orange, and San Diego counties.
At present, Malibu Creek in Los Angeles County is the
designated southern extent of the steelhead range (in
terms of the ESA listing). However, the recent discovery
of a spawning population in San Mateo Creek in San Diego
County has conrmed that steelhead are still present in
streams south of Malibu Creek, and the federal government has recently proposed to extend the designated
southern extent to include San Mateo Creek. It is not
known if steelhead still occur in streams south of San
Mateo Creek.
The historical run-size of the Santa Clara River is estimated to have been about 9,000 adults annually. In the
past ve years, several hundred steelhead smolts have
been observed at sh screens at a diversion on the mainstem so it appears this population may be recovering,
although only a few adult steelhead have been observed
in the shway in the diversion dam. A shway on a small
diversion dam on Santa Paula Creek, a major tributary
to the Santa Clara River, was recently completed, so

December 2001
The present range of steelhead in California.

Only major streams within the range are depicted.
steelhead will now have access to some of their former

spawning and rearing habitat.
The Santa Ynez River is reported to have had an annual
run size from 12,995 to 25,032 adults in the 1940s.
Although this was a cursory estimate, it does attest to the
large size of this run, which was already reduced from
former times because of forest res and construction of
dams in the upper watershed. The large size of this run
is also indicated by a DFG rescue of 1,036,980 juvenile
steelhead from the partially dry bed of the Santa Ynez
River in 1944. Since the mid-1990s, a few adult steelhead
have been observed every year, and juvenile steelhead
have been observed in several tributaries.
In the mid-1940s, DFG biologists reported that a minimum
of 2,000 to 2,500 adults spawned in Matilija Creek, a
tributary of the Ventura River, and they believed that
this represented 50 percent of the total number of adults
entering the Ventura River. There are recent anecdotal
reports of adult steelhead in the lower Ventura River, and
juvenile steelhead have been observed.
Much of the coastline of southern Monterey and San
Luis Obispo counties is relatively undeveloped; hence,
many of these small coastal streams still contain steelhead populations. Status of populations in these streams

A Status Report
421
range from healthy in the relatively undisturbed streams

in southern Monterey and northern San Luis Obispo counties, to severely depressed or extirpated in the Morro
Bay/San Luis Obispo urban area. The largest populations
of steelhead (on the order of hundreds of adults) in the
south-central coast region are probably in the Little Sur
and Big Sur rivers.
In the Carmel River from 1964 to 1975, the average annual
run-size of steelhead was estimated to be 3,177 sh, about
25 percent of historical levels. The mean number of adults
counted at the San Clemente Dam sh ladder during
this 12-year period was 821 sh per year. During a
three-year period from 1988 to 1990, the river never
breached its sand bar at the mouth making the river inaccessible to upstream migrant adult steelhead. One adult
was observed in the ladder in 1991, 14 adults in 1992, and
285 adults in 1993. In 1993, the Fish and Game Commission
closed the lower Carmel River to all angling to protect the
remnant steelhead run. With the cessation of the recent
six-year drought, the Carmel River steelhead population
appears to be recovering. The average annual run size for
the ve-year period beginning in 1995 was 590 adults. In
recognition of the increasing health of the population, the
river was opened to a limited catch-and-release shery for
steelhead in 1998.
With the recent occurrence of several years of ample
precipitation, it appears that steelhead in this region
may be starting to recover from the six-year drought of
the late 1980s through early 1990s. Opportunistic observations conrmed the presence of steelhead in many small
southern California streams that were not known to have
contained steelhead populations for many years. Steelhead have been observed in Carpenteria, Maria Ygnacio,
Gaviota, Mission, and Arroyo Hondo creeks in Santa Barbara County; Arroyo Sequit and Topanga creeks in Los
Angeles County; and San Mateo Creek in San Diego County.
Since the ESA listing, habitat restoration projects have
increased in the past ve years and include modication
of grade stabilization structures to facilitate passage on
Gaviota Creek, development and design of a shway and
screens on the Robles Diversion on the Ventura River,
initial discussions on removal of Matilija Dam on Matilija
Creek, construction of a new shway at Harvey Dam on
Santa Paula Creek, and various restoration projects in
Topanga and San Mateo creek watersheds.
North Coast. The historical range of steelhead on the
north coast (north of San Francisco Bay) has not been
reduced to the extent it has in other areas of the state.
Major dams that have blocked access to historical spawning and rearing areas are Iron Gate Dam on the Klamath
River, Lewiston Dam on the Trinity River, Ruth Dam on
the Mad River, Scott Dam on the Eel River, Coyote Dam
on the Russian River, and Warm Springs Dam on Dry
422

A Status Report
Creek (a tributary to the Russian River). All of these

dams except the latter two are at elevations greater than
1,500 feet, so a considerable amount of habitat is still
available downstream. The Russian River is the notable
exception - dams block access to the headwaters and a
major tributary.
Adult Steelhead Counts at San Celmente Dam on the Carmel River

Data show steelhead counted at the San Clemente Dam on the Carmel River between
1964 and 1999. Data not available for 1978-1983 and 1985-1987; no steelhead were
counted at the San Celmente Dam during the years 1976-1977, 1989, and 1990.
The north coast rivers and streams have the largest area
of steelhead habitat in the state and the most abundant
populations of steelhead. The California Fish and Wildlife
Plan of 1965 estimated an annual spawning escapement
of 513,500 steelhead for this region. Because many of the
spawning and rearing tributaries are largely undeveloped
and fairly remote, the north coast runs are in better
condition than other areas of the state. However, these
populations have also had some declines.
In the 1960s, the Smith River was estimated to have a
spawning escapement of 30,000 adult steelhead. There
have been no recent spawning surveys done for steelhead
and the population size is unknown at present. The Smith
River is presently protected by federal Wild and Scenic
River designation and has one of the most undisturbed
watersheds in California. Steelhead populations appear to
be healthy in this system and the habitat is relatively
pristine. The Smith River is well known among anglers for
producing trophy-size steelhead.
The largest population of steelhead in California inhabits
the Klamath River system. The California Fish and Wildlife
Plan estimated an annual run size of 283,000 adult steelhead for the entire Klamath River system. The size of
the fall-run from the 1977-1978 to the 1982-1983 seasons
ranged from 87,000 to 181,410 adults annually. The size
of the winter steelhead population in this system in the
early 1980s was probably about 10,000 to 30,000 adults
annually, based on limited sport angler and Native American gillnet harvest data. The steelhead population of the
Klamath River excluding the Trinity River has declined

December 2001
smolts released, steelhead runs in north coast drainages

are comprised mostly of naturally produced sh.
The most reliable population estimates for steelhead on

the north coast are for the Trinity River, a major tributary
of the Klamath River. DFG has operated several weirs
in the system since 1977 to obtain steelhead run size,
sport harvest, and spawning escapement estimates. Estimates for some years during this period are not available
because of the difculty in maintaining weirs in high
water. Eight years of run size estimates for the Trinity
River upstream of Willow Creek range from 7,833 to 37,276
and average 15,185 adults. The 1991-92 estimated run size
for the Trinity River above Willow Creek was 11,417.
Since the early 1970s, systematic surveys have been

undertaken on summer steelhead holding habitat to
census adult summer steelhead. The most abundant populations are in the Middle Fork Eel and the North Fork
Trinity rivers. The Middle Fork Eel River population has
not fully recovered from the devastating 1964 ood which
Steelhead runs in the Eel River system have declined

signicantly. Annual counts made at Benbow Dam on the
South Fork Eel River show a decline from an average of
18,784 during the 1940s to 3,355 during the 1970s (counts
were discontinued after 1975). Annual counts of adults
at Cape Horn Dam in the upper watershed of the main
stem Eel River declined from an average of 4,063 during
the 1930s to 540 during the 1990s. Annual counts of
wild steelhead at this location show an even greater
decline: from an average of 893 in the 1980s to 82 in the
1990s. Recent anecdotal information indicates that steelhead populations also appear to have declined signicantly
in the South Fork Eel River, partly due to predation or
competition from introduced Sacramento squawsh, which
are now widespread throughout the system.
The California Fish and Wildlife Plan estimated an annual
spawning escapement of 50,000 steelhead in the Russian
River. Presently, escapement of naturally produced steelhead in this system probably ranges from about 1,750 to
7,000 adults. Historically, steelhead spawned throughout
the Russian River system, but today many of the tributaries, including the East Fork, are now inaccessible due to
dam construction.
Marin County tributaries to San Pablo and San Francisco
bays have all sustained intensive urban development and
anadromous runs in many streams have been extirpated.
West Marin County tributaries to Tomales Bay and the
Pacic Ocean still have steelhead with small population
estimates. Steelhead escapement in Lagunitas Creek is
probably about 400 to 500 adults annually.
There are four DFG hatcheries in the north coast area:
Iron Gate Hatchery on the Klamath River, Trinity River
Hatchery, Mad River Hatchery, and Warm Springs Hatchery
on Dry Creek (tributary to the Russian River). Average
annual production for these four hatcheries totals about
1,750,000 steelhead yearlings per year. The private, nonprot Rowdy Creek enhancement hatchery on the Smith
River releases approximately 125,000 steelhead smolts
annually. Despite the signicant number of hatchery

December 2001
dramatically, most likely due to high summer water temperatures in the mainstem.
Eel River Steelhead Population Trends

Data shows steelhead population trends between 1971 and 1998 as counted for the
Upper Eel River wild steelhead population and the summertime steelhead population
(wild and hatchery) of the Middle Fork of the Eel River.
aggraded the river bed, lled-in holding pools, and smothered spawning gravels. The adult population has declined
steadily since 1987 and is now about 500. The present estimated annual statewide abundance of summer steelhead
is about 2,000 adults.
Major factors impacting north coast steelhead stocks are
watershed disturbances due to logging, grazing, and road
building, water diversions, and other agricultural impacts.
Poaching is a problem, especially for summer steelhead,
which must over-summer in fresh water, often concentrated in a few pools. This renders them susceptible to
snagging and netting, especially if the pools are located
in accessible areas. Urbanization of the watershed and
gravel mining operations have caused serious problems on
central coast streams.
Central Valley. Steelhead were historically well-distributed throughout the Sacramento and San Joaquin river
systems, from the upper Sacramento/Pit river systems
south to the Kings River (and possibly Kern river systems
in wet years) and in both east- and west-side tributaries
of the Sacramento River. Present distribution of steelhead
in the Central Valley has been greatly reduced, mainly
from construction of impassable dams that block access to
essential spawning and rearing habitat. It is estimated that
82 to 95 percent of the historical steelhead spawning and
rearing habitat in the Central Valley has been lost to dam
construction/passage problems.

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423
and in some cases, is greater. It is estimated that chinook

salmon escapement was one to two million spawners
annually in the Central Valley prior to large-scale habitat
changes, so a cursory estimate of the annual steelhead
run size is one to two million adults
Adjusted Counts of Upper Sacramento River Steelhead at

Red Bluff Diversion Dam
Data shows steelhead counted at the Red Bluff Diversion Dam between 1967 and 1993.
Naturally-spawning steelhead stocks are known to occur

in the upper Sacramento River and tributaries, Mill, Deer,
and Butte creeks, and the Feather, Yuba, American, Mokelumne, Calaveras, Stanislaus, and Tuolumne rivers. Naturally spawning populations could be more widespread,
however, as indicated by recent implementation of monitoring programs that have found steelhead smolts in
streams previously thought not to contain populations,
such as Auburn Ravine, Dry Creek and the Stanislaus River.
It is possible that naturally spawning populations exist in
many other streams but are undetected due to lack of
monitoring or research programs. A genetic evaluation by
the National Marine Fisheries Service provides evidence
that a native Central Valley steelhead stock still exists.
Until very recently, steelhead were considered to be
extinct in the San Joaquin River system. However, this
conclusion was based on little information and no eld
studies. The presence of steelhead in the San Joaquin
River system has been conrmed by observations of steelhead smolts in the Stanislaus River and observations
of steelhead adults and smolts in the Calaveras and
Tuolumne rivers. Adult steelhead have also been observed
in the Stanislaus River and in the San Joaquin River at its
conuence with the Merced River.
A cursory estimate of current steelhead abundance in

the Central Valley, based on Red Bluff Diversion Dam
(RBDD) counts, hatchery counts, and past natural spawning escapement estimates for some tributaries, is no
greater than 10,000 adult sh. A more reliable indicator
of the magnitude of the decline of Central Valley hatchery
and wild stocks is the trend in the RBDD adult steelhead
counts, which have declined from an average annual count
of 11,187 adults for the ten-year period beginning in 1967,
to 2,202 adults annually in the early 1990s. Natural spawning escapement estimates above RBDD for the period 1967
to 1993 averaged 3,465 and ranged from zero (1989 and
1991) to 13,248 (1968). Natural escapement has shown
a more substantial decline than hatchery escapement.
There are four steelhead hatcheries in the Central Valley:
Coleman National Fish Hatchery on Battle Creek, Feather
River Hatchery, Nimbus Hatchery on the American River,
and the Mokelumne River Hatchery. Together, these
hatcheries produce about 1.5 million yearlings annually.
Factors affecting abundance, persistence, and recovery
have been identied for anadromous shes in the Sacramento and San Joaquin River systems and these apply
reasonably well to Central Valley steelhead. These factors
include: water diversions and water management, entrainment, dams and other structures, bank protection projects, dredging and sediment disposal, and gravel mining.
The primary impact to Central Valley steelhead is the substantial loss of spawning and rearing habitat due to dam
construction at low elevations on all the major tributaries.
Dennis R. McEwan
The California Fish and Wildlife Plan estimated that there

were 40,000 adult steelhead in the Central Valley drainages in the early 1960s. In the 1950s, the DFG estimated
the average annual steelhead run size in the Sacramento
River system above the mouth of the Feather River was
20,540 adults. Estimating steelhead abundance before
extensive water development and habitat modication
occurred is difcult given the paucity of historical information. However, an estimate can be made by comparing
the relative abundance of chinook salmon and steelhead
in other, relatively unimpaired river systems. These estimates show that steelhead abundance in these river systems is at least as great as chinook salmon abundance,
424

A Status Report

December 2001
References
Barnhart, R.A. 1986. Species proles: life histories and
environmental requirements of coastal shes and invertebrates (Pacic Southwest) - steelhead. U.S. Fish Wildl.
Serv. Biol. Rep. 82(11.60). U.S. Army Corps of Engineers,
TR EL-82-4. 21 p.
Behnke, R.J. 1992. Native trout of western North America.
American Fisheries Society Monograph no. 6. 275 p.
Trout (CACSST). 1988. Restoring the balance. 1988 ann.
rpt. 84 pp.
California Department of Fish and Game. 1965. California
Fish and Wildlife Plan.
Interagency Ecological Program (IEP) Steelhead Project
Work Team. 1999. Monitoring, Assessment, and Research
on Central Valley Steelhead: Status of Knowledge, Review
of Existing Programs, and Assessment of Needs. In Comprehensive Monitoring, Assessment, and Research Program
Plan, Tech. App. VII-A-11.
McEwan, D.R. Central Valley steelhead. In proceedings of
the Central Valley Salmonid Symposium, 1997, R. Brown
ed. Calif. Dept. Fish and Game Fish Bull. No. 179. (in
press).
McEwan, D. and T.A. Jackson. 1996. Steelhead Restoration
and Management Plan for California. Calif. Dept. of Fish
and Game.
Titus, R.G., D.C. Erman, and W.M. Snider. (in prep.) History and status of steelhead in California coastal drainages
south of San Francisco Bay.

December 2001

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425
Commercial Landings - Salmonids

428
Commercial Landings Salmonids

Year
Chinook
Pounds
Coho
Pounds
1916
1917
1918
1919
1920
1921
1922
1923
1924
1925
1926
1927
1928
1929
1930
1931
1932
1933
1934
1935
1936
1937
1938
1939
1940
1941
1942
1943
1944
1945
1946
1947
1948
1949
1950
1951
1952
1953
1954
1955
1956
1957
1958
1959
1960
1961
1962
1963
1964
1965
1966
1967
1968
1969
1970
1971
1972
1973
1974
1975
1976
1977
1978
1979
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------5,785,214
6,335,634
8,167,724
9,245,882
9,814,366
4,640,709
3,576,385
6,543,223
6,096,384
8,100,964
6,301,520
6,829,048
7,562,445
8,102,205
5,979,027
3,866,374
4,612,488
4,895,322
5,269,494
4,925,826
5,372,779
7,586,832
5,048,456
5,781,321
4,943,891
5,637,016
5,492,397
7,547,752
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------751,677
800,589
431,855
411,114
460,536
536,200
80,456
225,476
125,061
536,943
371,341
1,019,642
1,918,770
1,571,469
3,467,427
3,375,944
2,337,629
1,234,529
1,341,820
3,183,830
1,050,355
1,993,863
3,700,084
1,128,304
2,843,849
283,222
1,295,073
1,197,983
Total Salmon 1
Pounds
5,592,216
6,085,997
5,933,346
7,208,382
6,066,190
4,483,105
4,338,317
3,736,924
6,374,573
5,481,536
3,863,677
4,921,600
3,444,306
4,033,660
4,085,650
3,666,841
2,649,204
3,657,661
3,921,530
4,773,112
4,093,475
5,934,996
2,170,921
2,238,755
5,160,393
2,946,030
4,063,306
5,285,527
7,021,848
7,912,754
7,196,527
8,104,297
5,860,915
5,531,021
5,867,346
5,849,530
6,536,891
7,136,223
8,599,579
9,656,996
10,274,902
5,176,909
3,656,841
6,768,699
6,221,445
8,637,907
6,672,861
7,848,690
9,481,215
9,737,674
9,446,995
7,401,729
6,951,931
6,150,906
6,611,522
8,116,878
6,423,289
9,668,984
8,749,414
6,925,172
7,787,787
5,929,542
6,787,474
8,749,498

A Status Report
Year
Chinook
Pounds
Coho
Pounds
Total Salmon 1
Pounds
1980
1981
1982
1983
1984
1985
1986
1987
1988
1989
1990
1991
1992
1993
1994
1995
1996
1997
1998
1999
5,715,203
5,534,833
7,448,614
2,144,365
2,621,248
4,519,174
7,396,751
9,047,150
14,430,810
5,489,796
4,122,351
3,238,000
1,632,000
2,536,884
3,103,104
6,633,463
4,113,403
5,247,792
1,847,102
3,845,762
301,566
477,237
551,939
266,412
348,417
80,396
201,563
245,608
319,489
230,581
313,731
459,000
11,000
----------------------
6,017,193
6,040,353
8,000,561
2,410,783
2,969,665
4,639,296
7,598,314
9,296,162
14,750,299
5,724,836
4,436,082
3,697,000
1,643,000
2,536,884
3,103,104
6,633,463
4,113,403
5,247,792
1,847,102
3,845,762

1
Prior to 1958, a commercial salmon fishery in rivers and bays existed. This data
is not shown.

December 2001
Year
Chinook
Salmon CPFV
No. of Fish1
Chinook
Salmon Skiff
No. of Fish1
1947
1948
1949
1950
1951
1952
1953
1954
1955
1956
1957
1958
1959
1960
1961
1962
1963
1964
1965
1966
1967
1968
1969
1970
1971
1972
1973
1974
1975
1976
1977
1978
1979
1980
1981
1982
1983
1984
1985
1986
1987
1988
1989
1990
1991
1992
1993
1994
1995
1996
1997
1998
1999
---------------------------------------------85,700
66,200
77,300
46,000
62,700
60,900
113,600
100,000
93,000
108,400
139,800
119,500
91,700
68,300
50,600
54,700
42,000
71,800
62,900
59,800
91,500
46,500
68,200
107,300
86,500
121,800
109,100
105,000
78,300
39,900
42,400
66,000
99,100
182,000
72,900
122,400
59,700
40,000
---------------------------------------------33,900
17,600
24,600
14,200
10,900
11,700
40,600
55,800
54,800
79,900
60,700
78,500
65,800
35,400
30,400
49,600
34,100
40,600
22,500
24,200
47,200
17,300
19,600
63,800
55,100
70,700
62,300
81,700
61,600
40,600
31,100
44,000
84,100
215,200
91,200
106,600
62,300
47,700
Coho
Salmon CPFV 2; 3
No. of Fish1
---------------------------------------------1,900
6,300
14,700
5,700
7,500
24,000
14,000
11,400
5,300
22,400
11,800
5,200
16,200
5,500
15,300
2,400
3,600
2,000
1,700
1,100
3,900
500
800
1,400
2,200
4,300
3,500
6,200
10,200
13,500
1,000
4,200
(closed 5/1/94)
(closed 5/1/95)
closed
closed
closed
closed
Coho
Salmon Skiff 2; 3
No. of Fish1
---------------------------------------------11
26
25
15
25
26
26
17
9
45
33
27
60
15,800
42,600
11,800
41,000
14,500
20,400
9,500
22,800
26,700
18,200
14,400
16,500
43,000
31,200
43,400
41,500
55,800
10,500
25,600
500
900
600
500
100
600
Recreational Catch - Salmonids
Recreational Catch Salmonids

Total
Salmon 4
No. of Fish1
5,000
11,200
23,100
56,300
72,000
86,500
98,700
119,900
129,000
114,500
44,700
52,700
55,900
37,900
43,000
121,511
90,126
116,625
65,915
81,125
96,626
168,226
167,217
153,109
210,745
212,333
203,227
173,760
125,000
138,900
118,500
120,700
128,900
107,500
94,600
165,400
91,000
106,800
186,900
160,300
239,800
206,100
236,300
191,600
149,800
85,000
139,800
183,700
398,100
164,700
229,500
122,100
88,300

1
2
Recreational fishing for Coho was allowed before May 1 between 1994 and 1995.
3
Recreational fishing for Coho was prohibited after 1996.
4
Total recreational salmon catch between 1947 and 1961 is derived from CPFV logbook data only.

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434

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December 2001
he bays and estuaries dotting Californias coastline are

truly the jewels in the crown of the states marine
environment. These partially enclosed bodies of water are
protected from the full force of ocean waves, winds, and
storms. Bays are wide inlets or indentations of the ocean,
whereas estuaries are inlets containing the terminus of
a river or stream. Many of the organisms described in
this report spend part of their life in bays or estuaries.
However, this section of the report focuses primarily
on the plant and animal species that utilize the states
estuarine areas as their principal habitat.
California estuaries vary widely in shape and size, and
are often referred to as lagoons, harbors, inlets, esteros,
and sounds. The dening feature of an estuary is the
mixing of fresh water from upland and riverine sources
with oceanic salt water. The estuary ecosystem forms a
zone of transition from land to sea and from fresh to salt
water. The sheltered waters of Californias estuaries support unique assemblages of plant and animal communities, varying by environmental conditions and location.
Estuarine habitat types include shallow open waters,
fresh and saltwater marshes, sandy beaches, tidal mud
and sand ats, rocky shorelines, oyster-shell beds, river
deltas, eelgrass meadows, and kelp beds.
Californias estuarine environment sustains remarkably
high levels of productivity. Often referred to as the
oceans nursery, these waters support early life-history
stages of such important organisms as California halibut,
Dungeness crab, Pacic herring, starry ounder, and
numerous surfperch species. Representative organisms
typifying California estuaries include rails and stilts,
harbor seal, Dungeness crab, surfperches, leopard shark,
starry ounder, and clams and oysters. These animals are
linked to one another and to an assortment of specialized
plants and microscopic organisms through a complex food
web, unique to estuarine environments. Tens of thousands
of birds, mammals, sh, and other wildlife depend on
estuarine habitats as places to live, feed, and reproduce.
Additionally, the states estuaries provide ideal locations
for migratory birds in the Pacic Flyway to rest and forage
during their journey. Due to their critical importance, the
U.S. Environmental Protection Agencys National Estuary
Project has identied San Francisco Bay, Morro Bay, and
Santa Monica Bay as nationally signicant estuaries, thus
affording federal funding for research, management, and
restoration efforts. This designation of three of the states
estuaries in no way diminishes the ecological importance
of the other bay and estuarine ecosystems that dot the
California coastline.

December 2001
Besides serving as critical habitat for wildlife, the wetlands that fringe many of the states bays and estuaries
also provide other important ecological and human benets. Wetland plants and soils act as natural buffers
between land and ocean, absorbing ood waters, dissipating storm surge, and ltering sediments, nutrients, and
other pollutants. The states bays and estuaries are also
cultural centers of coastal communities, serving as the
focal point for local commerce, recreation, and cultural
activities. The protected waters of Californias bays and
estuaries support important public infrastructure uses,
serving as harbors and ports vital for the states shipping,
maritime, and industrial related economy.
Because of the complexity and fragility of estuarine ecosystems, they are imperiled by their proximity to intensive human activity and development. Sewage, industrial
waste, dredging, lling of marshes and tidal ats, and oil
development and spills typify the long-term degradation
of many of California estuaries. As a result, 40 animal
and 10 plant species that occur in or depend on the
states estuarine ecosystems, currently are listed by the
federal government as threatened, endangered, or protected status. Additionally, environmental harm from nonindigenous, or invasive, species has increased exponentially in recent years. San Francisco Bay is considered by
experts to be the most invaded estuary in the world.
Notable examples of deleterious nonindigenous species
are the Chinese mitten crab, the Asian clam, and the
European green crab. Such invaders are capable of wreaking extensive ecological and economic harm. As Californias population grows, these impacts can be expected
to increase. So too does the importance of protecting
the states estuarine resources for all of their natural,
economic, and aesthetic values.
Bay and Estuary

Ecosystems
Eric J. Larson

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435

436

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December 2001
alifornias bay and estuarine invertebrate resources

are myriad, and when most of us think of these
resources, extensive mudats come to mind, exposed
at low tides and teeming with shorebirds and skittering
crabs. The chapters in this section feature the molluscan
bivalves we know as clams and the caridean shrimps
known collectively as the bay shrimps. The latter are
the object of targeted commercial trawl sheries in San
Francisco Bay for use mostly as live bait in the sport
sturgeon and striped bass sheries, while the edible
clams have traditionally been largely the domain of
recreational shermen.
In recent decades, Californias bays and estuaries have

been under increasing assault from the introduction of
exotic species, many of which are invertebrates. Some of
these like the Asian clam have signicantly altered the
ecology of San Francisco Bay and can be found in densities
as high as several thousand per square meter. The exotic
green crab and Chinese mitten crab have also adversely
impacted native species and their habitats. Green crabs
can outcompete juvenile Dungeness crab in mudat habitats while the mitten crab can burrow into and weaken
levees along the San Francisco Bay Delta waterways. The
problems caused by such alien species are discussed in
another section of this publication.
face in protecting our resources. Increasingly, as population pressures continue pressing on estuaries, especially near the large metropolitan areas in southern and
central California, only remnant populations of harvestable bivalve mollusks will remain.
The law of unintended consequences and the complexity
of human interaction within the natural world can work
together in interesting and often unpredictable ways. The
extirpation of the sea otter from most of California in the
nineteenth century allowed populations of geoduck and
pismo clams to ourish in the absence of this major predator. Under the protection of the federal endangered species act, sea otter populations have reoccupied their historical range in central California and as a consequence,
have reduced geoduck and pismo clam populations in the
Morro Bay and Monterey Bay regions to a point below the
level of harvestable surplus.
The multiple threats of habitat destruction, pollution,
exotic invasions, and the re-establishment of sea otter
populations could mean the end of Californias bay and
estuarine resources as we have known them unless Californias shery managers, resource scientists and political
leaders can work together to nd timely solutions to these
problems.
Peter Kalvass
Californias coastal clam resources have been under attack

from numerous other sources as well from industrial
waste and municipal sewage, to habitat loss and degradation, to exotic viruses hitchhiking on imported aquaculture
seed stock, to over-harvesting and poaching. Bivalve mollusks dwelling in our embayments and estuaries by the
luck of the evolutionary draw just happen to occupy those
habitats most likely to be near high concentrations of
human populations. In this respect, they have been our
canary in the coal mine warning us when the consequences of under-regulated industrialization and human
overpopulation have exceeded the carrying capacities of
our bays and estuaries. Although wastewater treatment
standards have signicantly reduced the concentrations
of some pollutants entering Californias waters in recent
decades, bioaccumulation processes still result in certain
bivalve populations being unsafe to eat. For example, a
potentially signicant resource of Manila clams exists in
San Francisco Bay, but water quality problems discourage
public use in many clam beds. The accelerated silting-in
of Morro Bay and Bolinas Bay and the deleterious effects
of septic and agricultural runoff in Tomales Bay are just a
few more examples of the challenges resource managers

December 2001

A Status Report
Bay and Estuarine

Invertebrate
Resources: Overview
437

438

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December 2001
Bay Shrimp
T
he commercial shery for bay shrimp in San Francisco

Bay began in the early 1860s, with some accounts indicating that the earliest participants used small-meshed
bag seines. By 1871, Chinese immigrants established shing camps along the shores of the bay and exported large
quantities of dried shrimp meal (dried heads and shells)
to China. These shermen introduced what is now known
as the Chinese shrimp net, a funnel-shaped net that is
anchored in place and relies upon the tide to carry shrimp
into the net. Fishing camps also existed in Tomales Bay
between 1890 and 1895. At the height of the shery in
the 1890s, as many as 26 shing camps operated up to 50
nets each in San Francisco Bay with daily landings of 400
to 8,000 pounds of shrimp, and annual landings exceeding
ve million pounds. Studies were required by the California Fish and Game Commission between 1897 and 1911
to address concerns that many young sh, particularly
striped bass, were killed in the shrimp nets. The results
of these studies prompted a May to August season closure
and a prohibition of Chinese shrimp nets in 1911. The
legislature modied this decision in 1915 allowing Chinese
shrimp nets to be used in south San Francisco Bay. About
this time, beam trawl nets began to be used by commercial shrimp harvesters in northern San Francisco Bay
and San Pablo Bay. Annual landings gradually increased
over the next two decades and peaked at 3.4 million
pounds in 1935. Following this period, landings steadily
declined in response to a decline in demand for fresh and
dried shrimp as food. By the early 1960s, average annual
landings declined to 1,500 pounds, and in 1964 no shrimp
were landed.
The current commercial shery for bay shrimp developed
in 1965 to supply live bait for sturgeon and striped bass
sport shing with a small percentage of the catch reserved
for human consumption. Regulation changes in the 1980s
eliminated shing in most of Suisun Bay due to high incidental catch and associated mortality of small striped bass
in shrimp trawls. Currently, neither a quota nor season
closure is in effect for the commercial shery, and landings are inuenced primarily by demand. Regulations also
allow for the catch of yellown (Oriental) goby, long jaw
mudsucker, and staghorn sculpin with a commercial bay
shrimp permit. Sport regulations allow the use of handpowered shrimp trawls no greater than 18 by 24 inches at
the mouth and a daily bag limit of ve pounds. Any nsh
caught in the sport shery must be returned to the water.
From 1965 to the present, the commercial shery for bay
shrimp has exclusively used beam trawls. These trawls
are spread by either a wooden or galvanized steel pole,
are 20 to 25 feet wide, and use a mesh of 7/8 inch to
one inch in the cod end. Live tanks are used on all
vessels, and shrimp are transported to local bait shops by

December 2001
truck in either live tanks or iced-down wooden trays with

burlap linings.
Since 1985, annual landings of bay shrimp have averaged
120,000 pounds and have ranged from 75,000 to 150,000
pounds. In 1999, 11 boats participated in the bay shrimp
shery. Eight of these boats shed exclusively in north San
Francisco Bay and three shed exclusively in south San
Francisco Bay. However, the total weight of bay shrimp
landed was almost twice as high in the south San Francisco
Bay versus north San Francisco Bay due to higher catch per
boat, and higher catch per hour trawled. Primary shing
locations are Alviso Slough and Redwood Creek in south
San Francisco Bay, north San Francisco Bay, northern San
Pablo Bay, Petaluma Creek, and Carquinez Strait. Fishing
generally occurs in waters less than 20 feet deep in channels of the estuarys shallow reaches.
Bay Shrimp
History of Fishery
The bay shrimp shery exhibits a distinct seasonal pattern

both in pounds landed, and catch-per-unit (CPUE) of effort
as measured in pounds caught per hour trawled, with
uctuations typically on the order of ve to eight-fold for
both variables. Since 1996, March and April have had the
lowest average monthly landings at 3,000 pounds as well
as the lowest CPUE. Peak CPUE and total catch typically
occurs in the months of June through November. Peak
monthly catch for the past four years ranged from 10,000
to 12,000 pounds. Such seasonal variations in CPUE are
most likely a result of uctuations in salinity. However,
seasonal variations in total pounds landed may reect
corresponding uctuations in demand for bay shrimp by
sport anglers.
The current value of bay shrimp landed each year is
approximately $350,000, with the average pound of bay
shrimp selling for $3.50 ex-vessel price. Additionally,
over the past decade the bay shrimp shery has caught
between 9,000 and 2,000 pounds of staghorn sculpin and
yellown goby per year at a total value ranging between
$4,000 and $25,000.
California Bay Shrimp, Crangon franciscorum

Credit: DFG

A Status Report
439
Bay Shrimp
Commercial Landings
1916-1999, Bay Shrimp
Bulletins, log books,
and commercial
landing receipts.
Bay Shrimp
4
3
2
1
0 1916
1920
1930
1940
he bay shrimp (grass shrimp) shery is composed of

four species: the California bay shrimp (Crangon franciscorum), the blacktail bay shrimp (Crangon nigricauda),
the blackspotted bay shrimp (Crangon nigromaculata) and
the oriental shrimp (Palaemon macrodactylus). The crangonid shrimp (crangonid is a taxonomic family) are
easily distinguished from other shrimp by a very short rostrum that usually does not extend beyond the eyestalks,
a dorsally attened body, and poorly developed chelipeds.
All four species prefer a soft substrate such as mud or
sand, but can occasionally be found over rocky substrates
and in the rocky intertidal.
The California bay shrimp, is the primary component of
commercial shrimp landings. It is the dominant caridean
shrimp (caridean is a taxonomic group between order
and family) in most Pacic Coast estuaries, and the most
common species in the San Francisco estuary. The California bay shrimp ranges from Alaska to San Diego to a depth
of at least 180 feet. It is the largest of the bay shrimp
species. Adult females and males may reach total lengths
of 3.2 inches and 2.4 inches, respectively, in California,
while a maximum size of 4.3 inches has been reported
in the Columbia River. Life span varies by estuary. In the
San Francisco estuary, males are estimated to attain a
maximum age of 1.5 years and females may live up to 2.5
years. This species has been reported to be a protandrous
hermophodite, with males changing to females.
Their larvae develop into the post-larvae stage in about 30
to 40 days. Both sexes reach maturity in about nine to 12
months. Males mature at approximately 1.3 to 1.5 inches,
while females mature at about 1.9 to 2.1 inches. Though
gravid females have been observed in all months of the
year, they are most abundant in December through June.
Spawning occurs near the mouth of the estuary in the
summer months. During winter and spring, spawning takes
440

A Status Report
1950
1960
1970
1980
1990
1999
place in nearshore areas outside of the estuary. During

fertilization, female California bay shrimp, and other crangonid shrimp, extrude their eggs into their brood pouch
(on their abdominal region). The fertilized eggs are held in
the brood pouch throughout development (approximately
8 to 12 weeks) until they hatch.
California bay shrimp tolerate a wide range of salinity and
temperature. During a 17-year interagency study in the
San Francisco estuary, 90 percent of collected specimens
were found in waters with salinity ranging from 2.8 to 25.9
parts per thousand (ppt) (mean 13.9 ppt). In the same
area, mean temperature was 64.8F with 90 percent collected between 55.8 and 70.3F. Juveniles may be found
throughout the estuary where salinity is greater than one
part per thousand, although they prefer shallow (less than
16 feet), low salinity waters and migrate to deeper, higher
salinity waters as they grow. The annual abundance of
juveniles is strongly correlated with fresh water outow in
the winter and spring; lowest abundance occurs in years
with low outow.
Like other members of the genus, they are considered
opportunistic feeders, and primary prey items may change
with size of the shrimp. Smaller California bay shrimp
(< 1.2 inches total length, TL) consume mostly foraminiferans, ostracods, and copepods; intermediate size shrimp
prey upon amphipods and bivalves, and larger shrimp (>
2.4 inches TL) consume mostly bivalves, caridean shrimp,
and polychaetes. Myoid shrimp are some common prey
items in parts of the San Francisco estuary. Little is known
about the ecology of larval and postlarval crangonids.
However, diatoms and small zooplankton such as copepods
are probably an important part of the larval diet.
The blacktail bay shrimp, ranges from Alaska to Baja
California and is found in estuaries and nearshore ocean
areas to a depth of at least 190 feet. This species is
less tolerant of low salinities than California bay shrimp.
In the San Francisco estuary, 80 percent of collected

December 2001
The blackspotted bay shrimp is a very minor component

of the catch. It ranges from the Gulf of the Farallones
to Baja California, and is more common in the nearshore
ocean area than in estuaries. It is found on sandy bottoms
at depths ranging from 15 to 575 feet and reaches a maximum size of 2.8 inches TL. Females mature at about 1.7
inches and males mature at about 1.1 inches. Blackspotted
bay shrimp tolerate a smaller salinity range and lower
temperatures than the other two common crangonids.
They are generally limited to areas with high salinity
and cool temperatures, with 80 percent of the specimens
collected at salinities ranging from 25.9 to 31.9 ppt and
temperatures ranging from 51.6 to 64.0 F in the longterm interagency study. Abundance increased during the
1987-1992 drought. The Oriental shrimp, was introduced
to the San Francisco estuary from Asia in the 1950s and
is now a signicant component of the commercial catch.
This species reaches a total length of about 3.0 inches
and appears to complete its entire life-cycle in estuarine
waters. It is common in lower salinity areas, including
south San Francisco Bay and areas upstream from San
Pablo Bay. The center of its distribution is either Suisun
Bay or the west delta. It is more tolerant of lower salinity
than the crangonid shrimp and is abundant over a broad
range of salinities. In San Francisco Bay, 80 percent of
collected specimens have been found in waters with salinity ranging from 1.9 to 28.1 ppt (mean 13.5 ppt) and
temperatures ranging from 54.1 to 71. F (mean 64.4
F). Abundance of oriental shrimp did not appear to be
affected by the 1987-1992 drought. Gravid female oriental
shrimp occur most frequently from May to August, with
larvae hatching during summer and early fall.
A sixth species of bay shrimp, Exopalaemon carinicauda,

was reported from San Francisco Bay in 1993. This species
seems to have been introduced accidentally from Korea.
It is distinguished from other shrimp by its long, toothed
rostrum, large chelae, and dorsal ridges. Its abundance
and distribution in the estuary, and the impact of this
species on the ecosystem are unknown.
Bay Shrimp
specimens were found in waters with salinity ranging from

18.0 to 31.7 ppt (mean 25.9 ppt). In the same area,
mean temperature was 60.6F with 80 percent collected
between 51.3 and 66.7F. Juveniles tolerate lower salinities and higher temperatures than adults. Adult females
and males may reach total lengths of 2.5 and 2.4 inches,
respectively. Males may live up to one year and females
may live up to 1.5 years. Both sexes are reported to
mature by the end of the rst year; males are thought
to spawn once and die. Male blacktails mature at approximately 1.1 inches, while females mature at about 1.5 to
1.6 inches. Juvenile shrimp usually peak in abundance
from May through August, but in some years there is a
second fall-winter peak. Blacktail bay shrimp feed mostly
on amphipods.
Bay shrimp are an important component in the diets

of nearshore and estuarine shes. Twenty-four predator
species have been identied in the estuary and 20 in
the adjacent ocean environment. Major predators include
green and white sturgeon, striped bass, leopard shark,
brown smoothhound shark, big skate, white croaker, staghorn sculpin, starry ounder, English sole, pile and rubberlip surfperch, Pacic tomcod and brown rocksh.
he absolute abundance of bay shrimp has not been

estimated nor has the impact of commercial shing on
these populations. However, annual abundance indices of
bay shrimp indicate that abundance can vary widely
from year to year. For example, annual abundance indices
of adult California and blacktail bay shrimp varied by
more than a factor of 10 from 1980 to 1996. Studies
indicate that the abundance of California bay shrimp
increases with increased river inow to the estuary, probably because of the increased low-salinity habitat which
is favorable for the rearing of juveniles. In contrast, abundance of blacktail bay shrimp increased during years of
low river inow, although not to levels capable of replacing California bay shrimp in abundance.
Paul Reilly, Kevin Walters, and David Richardson
An additional species of Crangon, C. munitella, has been

collected on rare occasions within the estuary. For example, from 1980 to 1996 the DFGs Bay-Delta Project caught
more than 2.2 million California bay shrimp in otter trawls,
while observing only 26 C. munitella.

December 2001

A Status Report
441
Bay Shrimp
References
Baxter, R., K. Hieb, S. DeLeon, K. Fleming, and J. Orsi.
1999. Report on the 1980-1995 sh, shrimp, and crab
sampling in the San Francisco Estuary, California. Calif.
Dept. Fish and Game Tech. Rep. 63. 503 p.
Bonnot, P. 1932. The California shrimp industry. Calif. Div.
Fish and Game, Fish Bull. 38. 20 p.
Brienes, M. 1983. China Camp and the San Francisco Bay
shrimp shery. Calif. Dept. Parks and Recreation, Sacramento. 154 p.
Israel, H.R. 1936. A contribution toward the life history of
two California shrimps, Crago franciscorum (Stimpson) and
Crago nigricauda (Stimpson). Calif. Div. Fish and Game,
Jensen, G.C. 1995. Pacic coast crabs and shrimps. Sea
Challengers, Monterey, California.
Siegfried, C.A. 1989. Species proles. Life histories and
environmental requirements of coastal shes and invertebrates (Pacic Southwest). Crangonid Shrimp. Fish and
Wildlife Service Biol. Rep. 82(11.125). 18 p.
Skinner, J.E. 1962. Historical review of the resources of
the San Francisco Bay area. Calif. Dept. Fish and Game,
Water Proj. Br. Rept. (1):1-225.
Wahle, R.A. 1985. The feeding ecology of Crangon franciscorum and Crangon nigricauda in San Francisco Bay,
California. Jour. Crustacean Biol 5:311-326.
442

A Status Report

December 2001
Pacific Razor Clam

T
he Pacic razor clam (Siliqua patula) is one of the

tastiest food clams in California and is diligently pursued by sportsmen on the beaches where it is abundant.
The best California beaches for razor clams are in Del
Norte and Humboldt counties. Before 1949, a small commercial shery existed, but only a few pounds of clams
were ever sold. Commercial shing for razor clams is
presently prohibited.
There were no seasonal restrictions on razor clamming
until 1953. Due to a decline in the numbers of larger clams
at that time, Clam Beach in Humboldt County was divided
into a north (Mad River to Strawberry Creek) and south
beach (Strawberry Creek to Little River) to limit shing
effort seasonally. The south beach was open to clamming
only in odd-numbered years, while the north beach was
open during even-numbered years. A similar restriction
went into effect for the razor clam bed at Crescent City in
Del Norte County in 1955.
A 1960 study on Clam Beach concluded that the alternateyear closures were responsible for a decline in older and
larger clams on the south beach due to of the concentration of clammers there. As a result, all of Clam Beach was
opened to clamming from 1971 to 1973. During that threeyear period, catch and effort were monitored, and public
reaction noted. It was found that instead of being evenly
distributed, 86 percent of the clamming effort took place
on the north beach. The high pressure on the north beach
resulted from a combination of easier access to the north
beach, and the much greater clamming success there.
There was also a strong sentiment among clam diggers to
return to alternate year closures because of the declining
average size of clams. In 1974, the alternate year shing
pattern was reinstated with the north beach open during
odd-numbered years and the south beach open during
even-numbered years. In the years immediately following
the reinstatement, the catch-per-digger and the average
clam size increased signicantly.
in less than seven seconds. A digger must work quickly

to capture a clam before it burrows to depths that are
difcult to reach. At the surface of the sand, the clam
assumes an almost vertical position with only siphons
exposed. Water is drawn into the inhalant siphon by a
current set up by the action of cilia lining the mantle
cavity. As water is passed across the gills, planktonic food
organisms are guided by cilia and a pair of palps to the
mouth. Respiratory exchange takes place as the water
passes over the gills, and waste products are passed out in
the water through the smaller exhalant siphon.
Pacific Razor Clam
History of Fishery
The life-cycle of the razor clam is typical of most clams.

Sexes are separate, fertilization is external, and freeswimming larvae develop three or four days after fertilization. Approximately eight weeks later, the larvae settle
into the sand and the juvenile phase of life begins. Sexual
maturity in razor clams may be related to size as well
as age. While maturity is commonly achieved at a length
of about four inches, the age at maturity varies with
geographic location; usually at the age of two years in
California. Razor clams usually spawn in May and June
in California, mid-May to July in Washington, and as late
as August in Alaska. The optimum temperature for razor
clam spawning is around 55 F.
Razor clams attain their maximum rate of growth during
their rst year of life. The growth rate remains high
through the second or third year, after which it slows
markedly. The largest razor clam on record in California
was a seven-inch specimen taken from Clam Beach
in 1979.
The mortality rate of razor clams on Clam Beach increases
rapidly after the third year of life, with few clams living to
be seven years old. In the northern part of the range, the
maximum age is greater. Razor clams in Alaska live 18 or
19 years, but the typical life-span is shorter.
A daily bag limit of 30 razor clams was changed to 20 in

1963. In addition, all clams dug were required to be kept
regardless of size or broken condition.
he Pacic razor clam ranges from western Alaska to

Pismo Beach, California, and is generally found on
at or gently sloping sandy beaches with a moderate to
heavy surf. Razor clam shells are long and thin, with
fragile, shiny valves not what one would expect in a
surf-loving animal. An excellent burrower, it depends on
digging speed for protection from wave shock. Individuals
laid on top of the sand have buried themselves completely

December 2001
Pacific Razor Clam, Siliqua patula

Credit: DFG

A Status Report
443
Pacific Razor Clam
here are only three areas along the coast of California

that have had signicant populations of Pacic razor
clams. The Pismo Beach-Morro Bay area supported a very
small sport shery, which has diminished over the years.
Currently, this population is quite small and seems to
consist mostly of individuals ranging from one to two
inches in size. The Clam Beach and Crescent City sheries
are similar to each other in several respects. Both beds
are divided into north and south beaches with alternateyear closures in effect. In both areas, the northern beach
was more heavily shed and more productive than the
southern beach for many years. However, the southern
beach in Crescent City saw an increase in effort and in
catch-per-digger during the early 1980s. A decline in razor
clam abundance was seen in the coastal states of Washington, Oregon, and California following the 1982-1983
El Nio. A previously unknown disease, nuclear inclusion
X (NIX), caused the closure of the razor clam shery
in Washington in 1984 and 1985. Mortality appeares to
depend on the intensity and prevalence of infection. The
prevalence and intensity of NIX decreased both north and
south of central Washington beaches. In Oregon, prevalence was high, but intensities were low enough that little
mortality was seen. Little information exists for NIX in
California, but large declines in razor clam abundance
were noted in the late 1980s and into the mid-1990s for
beaches in northern California. A major source of mortality, especially for young razor clams, is the scouring effect
of winter storms. The El Nio events of the past two
decades have had large storms associated with them and
this may have had some impact on northern California
razor clam populations. The razor clam population in the
Crescent City area is recovering, but the Clam Beach
population is still much diminished from former levels.
No current population estimates are available for any
of Californias razor clam beds. Beginning in 1974, a sampling program was initiated to provide estimates of total
catch and effort for Clam Beach. Estimates of annual
catch, number of diggers, and annual catch-per-digger
were made for the years 1974 through 1989 for North and
South Clam Beach and for the years 1980 through 1989
for Moonstone Beach (Little River to bluffs). Estimates of
annual clam catch for North Clam Beach ranged from 1,100
to 116,400; for South Clam Beach the range was from zero
to 45,500; and for Moonstone Beach the range was from
zero to 74,800. The annual estimated number of diggers
ranged from 880 to 12,670 on North Clam Beach, from
220 to 6,900 on South Clam Beach, and from 50 to 5,510
on Moonstone Beach. Annual catch-per-digger for North
Clam Beach, South Clam Beach and Moonstone Beach
ranged from 1.3 to 9.5, 0.0 to 6.6 and 0.0 to 13.9 clams,
444

A Status Report
respectively. Catch, effort and catch-per-digger exhibited

no particular trends but uctuated over time.
Thomas O. Moore
References
Amos, M.H. 1966. Commercial clams of the North American Pacic coast. U.S. Dept. of the Interior, Bureau of
Comm. Fish. Circular 237. 18 p.
Collier, P.C. 2000. Distribution, abundance, and use of
razor clam populations on coastal beaches in Humboldt
County, California. Unpublished.
McMillin, H.C. 1924. The life-history and growth of the
razor clam. Wash. Dept. of Fisheries. Olympia, Wash. 52
p.
Sims, C.W. 1960. A study of the shery and the population
of the Pacic razor clam, Siliqua patula, of Clam Beach,
California. Thesis, Humboldt State University. 81 p.
Tegelberg, H.C. 1964. Growth and ring formation of Washington razor clams. Wash. Dep. Fish. Fish. Res. Pap.
2(3):69-103.
Wolotira, R.J., Jr., M.J. Allen, T.M. Sample, C.R. Iten, S.F.
Noel, and R.L. Henry. 1989. Pacic razor clam, Siliqua
patula (Dixon, 1789). Pages 73-79 in Life history and harvest summaries for selected invertebrate species occurring off the west coast of North America. Vol. 1: Shelled
Molluscs. NOAA Tech. Memorandum NMFS F/NWC-160,
7600 Sand Pt. Way N.E., Seattle, WA 98115.

December 2001
Gaper Clams
T
he shery for the gaper clams, the Pacic gaper

(Tresus nuttalli) and the fat gaper (Tresus capax), is
almost exclusively sport, however, the Fish and Game
Code allows these clams to be harvested commercially in
Humboldt Bay for daily restaurant or market orders. For
the 20-year period from 1950 to 1970, annual commercial
landings for Humboldt Bay averaged 1,000 pounds with a
maximum annual landing of 6,000 pounds and a minimum
of 200 pounds. More stringent public health regulations
concerning the marketing of shellsh and the retirement
of a long-time commercial clammer essentially eliminated
the commercial clam shery in the early 1980s.
The Pacic and fat gaper are the object of a heavy
sport shery that takes place in intertidal areas of bays
with sand and mud bottoms. Humboldt Bay, Bodega Bay,
Tomales Bay, Drakes Estero, Elkhorn Slough and Morro Bay
are popular digging areas. At Tomales Bay, which is one of
the major producing areas, as many as 1,200 people have
been counted during one low tide on the two emergent
sand bars. These popular areas, Clam Bar and Seal Bar,
can be reached only by boat. In the past, a commercial
ferry provided transportation to the two sandbars allowing as many as 11,000 people to dig there each year.
With a legal limit of 10 gaper clams per day, clammers
were taking about 55,000 clams per year. However, the
commercial ferry service has recently been permanently
discontinued and the annual sport take of clams has fallen
by almost 75 percent.
Sport take of gaper clams is also quite popular in Humboldt Bay. A survey in 1992 estimated an average of 4,300
sport clammers per year for the previous 10-year period
with an estimated annual take of 56,000 gaper clams.
Current effort by clammers is estimated to be about the
same or slightly higher. Since the discontinuance of the
Tomales Bay clam ferry, Humboldt Bay is the largest gaper
clam shery in the state.
In the past, Morro Bay had been considered a good location for sport take of gaper clams. However, settlement of
small gaper clams has been poor since the early-1990s for
unknown reasons and that factor coupled with foraging by
sea otters has reduced abundance of gaper clams, resulting in greatly reduced effort by clammers in the 1990s.
Utilization of gaper clams has increased through the years,
and it appears that it will continue to increase in proportion to population growth in the coastal counties where
these clams occur. There is no season or size limit, but
there are bag limits set for sport and commercial harvesting. An angler may take 10 clams per day throughout
the state, except in Elkhorn Slough where the limit is 12
clams per day and in Humboldt Bay where a take of 25
clams per day is allowed. The fact that gaper clams have

December 2001
relatively thin shells, which do not close tightly enough to

maintain their moisture, restricts the commercial use of
these clams to a fairly local market.
Diggers generally use skiffs to get to the better clam digging areas. Shovels are used to dig the clams, which may
be as deep as four feet in sand or mud. In muddy areas,
three-foot lengths of PVC pipes about 12 to 15 inches in
diameter are often used to prevent the hole from caving
in, enabling clammers to reach deeply buried clams.
Gaper Clams
Gaper clams generally are used in clam chowder or fried

and served as a main dish.
aper clams are found from Alaska to Scammons

Lagoon, Baja California. Both the Pacic and fat gaper
live in ne sand or rm sandy-mud bottoms in bays,
estuaries, and more sheltered outer coast areas. They are
found from the intertidal zone to depths of at least 150
feet. The Pacic gaper is the most commonly taken gaper
clam in California. A closely related species, the fat gaper,
is the predominant gaper clam taken in Humboldt Bay,
where it is very common in the intertidal zone. Further
south, the fat gaper occurs mostly subtidally but can make
up to ve percent of the catch taken in the intertidal zone
at Tomales Bay.
Reproduction occurs year around in central California but
is predominant during spring and peaks in the months of
February and April. Upon completion of a free-swimming
larval stage, the young gaper clam settles down to a
xed position and comparatively inactive existence. The
only movement is downward as the clam grows older and
increases in size. After reaching a size of about three
inches, little downward movement occurs.
Age and growth studies reveal that most gaper clams
taken in central California range from about three to eight
years old. For the rst four years, the clams average about
one inch of growth in length per year. The growth rate
Pacific Gaper Clam, Tresus nuttalli

Credit: Windy Montgomery, University of California

A Status Report
445
Gaper Clams
appears to slow down after this period. Gaper clams live

to a maximum age of 17 years and can attain a length of
10 inches with a weight of approximately ve pounds.
The gaper clams reach sexual maturity and spawns at
about two to three years of age. At this time, they are two
to 2.75 inches in size. Spawning appears to begin in the
spring, coinciding with the seasonal water temperature
minimum.
Gaper clams are suspension feeders, feeding on suspended particles, which include phytoplankton and detritus. In intertidal beds, feeding occurs during the high
tide period.
lthough densities of gaper clams in areas of certain

bays have been determined, complete statewide intertidal and subtidal population estimates have not been
made. However, both the intertidal and subtidal resource
appears to be in a healthy state where most clamming
effort is located. Subtidal populations are relatively
unavailable and unused by sport clammers and provide
a spawning refuge. In general, spawning stock reserves
seem adequate to sustain the population. Gaper clams
occur in densities of up to 20 clams per square foot,
with a density of two clams per square foot considered
commercially viable. Intertidal siphon counts by biologists
using a stratied random sampling design on Clam Bar in
Tomales Bay supplied data for estimating intertidal population sizes of 540,000 gaper clams in 1968 and 430,000
in 1969.
Thomas O. Moore
References
Campbell, A., N. Bourne., and W. Carolsfeld. 1990. Growth
and maturity of the Pacic gaper Tresus nuttallii (Conrad
1837) in southern British Columbia. J. Shellsh Res.
9(2):273-278.
Collier, P., and R. Warnerl 1992. Distribution, abundance
and use of clam populations in Humboldt Bay, Del Norte
County, California. Calif. Dept. Fish and Game, unpublished report.
Hardy, R.Al 2000. Distribution, abundance and use of clam
populations in Morro Bay, San Luis Obispo County, California. Calif. Dept. Fish and Game, unpublished.
Machell, J.R., and J.D. DeMartini. 1971. An annual reproductive cycle of the gaper clam, Tresus capax (Gould),
in south Humboldt Bay, California. Calif. Fish Game.
57:274-282.
Wendell, F., J.D. DeMartini, P. Dinnel, and J. Sieke. 1976.
The ecology of the gaper or horse clam, Tresus capax
(Gould 1850) (Bivalvia: Mactridae), in Humboldt Bay, California. Calif. Fish and Game. 62:41-64.
DFG biologists showing off gaper clam catch from Tomales Bay
Credit: DFG
446

A Status Report

December 2001
Washington Clams
he Washington clam shery is almost exclusively a

sport shery. The Fish and Game Code allows commercial shing in Humboldt Bay by daily market or restaurant
order and by special bag limits. These clams are highly
perishable and are dug as required and consumed locally.
From 1954 to 1963, commercial landings averaged 5,000
pounds per year, with a high of 11,000 pounds in
1956 and a low of 2,000 pounds in 1960. Landings
decreased following this period due to more stringent
public health regulations pertaining to the marketing of
shellsh. By the early 1980s, commercial landings of Washington clams ceased with the retirement of a longtime
commercial clammer.
Two principal species of Washington clam are harvested
in California. The Washington clam (Saxidomus nuttalli) is
the principal species sought, and the best yielding localities are Humboldt Bay, Bodega Bay, Tomales Bay, Drakes
Estero, and Elkhorn Slough. Bolinas Lagoon and Morro Bay
have historically been good yielding localities. However,
in the past decade clam populations in these two areas
have declined signicantly. The second popular Washington clam, the butter clam (Saxidomus giganteus), formerly
known as the smooth Washington clam, is seldom taken
south of Humboldt Bay. In only one California locality,
near Fields Landing in Humboldt Bay, is this clam common
enough to support a minor shery. Results of a sport
clamming survey of Humboldt Bay, from 1975 through
1989, produced a mean estimated total take of both clam
species of 42,000 per year.
The Washington clam catch is considerably less than that
of gaper clams, primarily because the latter are more predominant in most bays, and the Washington clam siphon
holes are more difcult to locate. The recent Humboldt
Bay survey found that the Washington clam and the butter
clam comprised 20 percent and 13 percent, respectively,
of the total estimated harvest of all species taken in that
bay. In Bodega Bay, Washington clams are the predominant take, comprising an estimated 30 to 40 percent of
the total clam harvest, with an occasional butter clam
also taken.
he range of the Washington clam is from Humboldt

Bay, California, to San Quentin Bay, Baja California.
This species lives at depths of 12 to 18 inches in mud,
sandy mud or sand of bays, lagoons and estuaries. Its
shell is thick and rm, oval in outline, and roughened on
the outer surfaces by numerous concentric ridges. Inside,
the shells are shiny white with dark purple markings at
the posterior end. Though the harvest is from bottoms
exposed at low tide, this clam also occurs subtidally in the
same general area.
Washington Clams
The butter clam ranges from Sitka, Alaska, to San Francisco Bay, California, but is infrequently taken south of
Humboldt Bay. Its shell is thick and rm, oval in outline,
but more rounded than that of the Washington clam. The
interior of the shell is entirely white with no purple markings. This clam lives at depths of 10 to 14 inches in mud or
sandy mud of bays, lagoons and estuaries in areas that are
usually exposed at low tide.
Spawning occurs during a period from spring to fall, presumably as a result of warmer water temperature. A study
of the Washington clam in British Columbia revealed that
about half of these clams spawned at the end of their
third year. The larvae appeared as bivalve veligers in two
weeks and, at the end of four weeks, when less that 0.2
inches long, settled to the bottom. Tidal currents play an
important role in the distribution of these animals due
to their pelagic larvae life-stage. Successful spawning and
settlement may be somewhat sporadic, with a period of
years between settlements of consequence. Upon completion of a free-swimming larval period, both species settle
down to a xed position and a comparatively inactive
existence. About the only movement is downward as the
clams grow older and increase in size. Age studies reveal
that most Washington clams harvested in central California are from four to eight years old. Occasional individuals
of both species up to 10 years old are found in California,
while some butter clams over 20 years old have been
Sport clammers may take 10 Washington clams per day

throughout the state except in Elkhorn Slough, where
the limit is 12 in combination with gaper clams, and in
Humboldt Bay, where the limit is 50 in combination with
no more than 25 gaper clams.
Skiffs are used to transport diggers to intertidal areas
where these clams occur, but some locations have populations accessible by foot. The clams are dug by shovels to a
depth of 12 to 18 inches near the low tide line. Washington
clams have excellent avor and texture and may be used
in clam chowder, or fried and served as a main dish.

December 2001
Washington Clam, Saxidomus nuttalli


A Status Report
447
Washington Clams
found in British Columbia. The Washington clam grows to

a length of nearly seven inches and attains a weight of
about two pounds. The butter clam may attain a length
of ve inches.
Paralytic shellsh poisoning (PSP) is of widespread concern
to consumers of shellsh. Both the Washington clam and
the butter clam have been shown to retain high levels
of paralytic shellsh toxin in the viscera and in the dark
colored tips of the siphons for long periods of time after a
PSP event. California clammers can call a toll-free biotoxin
hotline at 1-800-553-4133 to obtain recorded information
on PSP events and areas with posted biotoxin warnings.
ensities and distributions of these clams have been

determined for some of the more frequently used
bay and estuarine intertidal areas, but knowledge is lacking about subtidal densities and distribution. Estimates
have not been made of the total population size of the
Washington clam resource in California, however, the present level of harvest can be easily sustained.
References
Collier, P.C. 2000. Distribution, abundance, and use of
clam populations in Humboldt Bay, Humboldt County, California. Calif. Dept. Fish and Game, unpublished.
Collier, P.C., and R. Warner. 1992. Sport clamming survey
of Humboldt Bay from 1975 through 1989. Calif. Dept. Fish
and Game, unpublished Report. 15 p.
Fitch, J.E. 1961. Common marine bivalves of California.
Hardy, R.A. 2000. Distribution, abundance, and use of
clam populations in Morro Bay, San Luis Obispo County,
California. Calif. Dept. Fish and Game, unpublished.
Mello, J.J. 1981. A one year survey of recreational clamming on the Morro Bay mudats for the period of April,
1979 to March, 1980. Calif. Polytech. State Univ., Dept.
Bio. Sci., San Luis Obispo, Calif. 18 p.
Spratt, J.D. 1982. Results of sampling clammers in Elkhorn
Slough during 1978 and 1979. Calif. Dept. Fish and Game,
Mar. Resour. Admin. Rep. 82-11. 12 p.
Thomas O. Moore
448

A Status Report

December 2001
Geoduck
T
he geoduck clam (Panope generosa) shery is entirely

a sport shery in California. Geoduck clams are the
largest burrowing clam in the world and also the deepestdwelling clam in California. The geoduck is an important
sport and commercial species in Washington state and
British Columbia. It is considered uncommon throughout
California but is found in Humboldt Bay, Bodega Bay,
Tomales Bay, and Drakes Estero. In the past, Bolinas
Lagoon and Morro Bay had beds of geoducks which supported a sport shery; however, geoduck and other clam
species have declined signicantly in abundance in these
locations over the past decade.
Very few clammers in California take a sport limit of
geoducks. Their rarity in most California bays and estuaries usually causes them to be taken incidently when clamming for gaper clams. As with gaper clams, they are
often located on the mudats by the streams of water
they shoot several feet into the air. They differ from the
gaper clams by not having chitinous aps or pads at the
siphon tip, no fringing tentacles on the inner edge of
each siphon, and are a light brown in color. Clammers can
check undisturbed clams by their siphons at the surface
for this feature. The bulk of the geoduck population
is subtidal which makes it harder to locate a geoduck.
Only the lowest tides provide the chance of encountering
many geoducks. In Tomales Bay, less than one percent of
the catch consists of geoducks; about one out of three
hundred clammers takes a geoduck while clamming in
this location.
Geoducks can reach a weight of 10 pounds or more.
Because of their size, a limit of three clams is considered
an adequate bag limit throughout the state. Geoducks
are one of the nest food clams in California. They are
highly esteemed for their ne avor and large size and are
considered a trophy clam to sport diggers.
Skiffs are generally used to transport clammers to intertidal areas where these clams live buried in sandy mud
at depths of four feet or greater. Lengths of PVC pipe or
metal tubes, approximately 12 to 15 inches in diameter
and about three feet in length, are needed to shore up the
sides of the deep holes required to take these clams.
ies, and sloughs, in bottom types ranging from mud to

pea-sized gravel, but mostly in unshifting mud or sand.
Shells are whitish and covered with a dull, yellowishbrown periostracum, which is often badly eroded in large
clams. Shells are sculptured with a number of unevenly
spaced, concentric growth lines. Siphons are united to
form a tube, extremely long and impossible to withdraw
into the shells. Valves gap widely on all sides except on
the hinge area. Flesh exposed between the gaping valves
is covered with a heavy reddish-brown epidermis or skin.
Geoduck
Geoducks are long-lived and slow growing. Growth is rapid

for the rst four years then greatly decreases. In prime
habitat in Washington state, geoducks can reach an average weight of 1.9 pounds in ve years. Both male and
female geoducks are usually sexually mature by age ve.
Maximum shell size is over nine inches, with a total body
length (from foot to extended siphon) of 59 inches, and a
weight of over 20 pounds.
The sexes are separate and spawning takes place in late
spring to early summer. Fertilization is external and takes
place in the water column. Larvae remain in the water
column for several weeks before metamorphosing into
juveniles and settling to the bottom. Larval clams eat
phytoplankton while juveniles and adults lter-feed on
plankton and detritus.
Predators include moon snails and spiny dogsh, which
prey on small individuals. Juveniles and adults are eaten
by pink seastars , sunstars, and various crab species. Sea
otters are a major predator on geoduck clams within their
range in California. Siphon tips are eaten by cabezon and
starry ounder.
hile larvae of geoduck clams experience extremely

high mortality, resulting in a low recruitment rate,
the natural mortality rate of adults is low. Information on
distribution and density of these clams comes from studies in Washington state and British Columbia, where com-
Geoduck clams may be ground for use in fritters or clam

chowder, or pounded and fried and served as a main dish.
eoduck clams are distributed from Forrester Island,

Alaska to Scammons Lagoon, Baja California and in
the northern Gulf of California. They are found from the
lower intertidal zone to depths of 360 feet in bays, estuar-

December 2001
Geoduck Clam, Panope generosa


A Status Report
449
Geoduck
mercial and sport sheries exist; very little is known about

geoduck beds in California. These studies showed that
geoduck clams are contagiously distributed or clumped.
In a Washington state study, the average geoduck density
was 1.4 clams per square yard with a range of zero to 18
clams per square yard. In British Columbia, clam densities
as high as 31 clams per square yard were found. Intertidal
clam densities in California would be expected to be
considerably less than one clam per square yard. Fluctuations in population size result from natural mortality and
appears not to be inuenced by sport clammers, whose
take is very low. Geoduck populations in California will be
impacted by the expansion of the southern sea otter over
its historic range.
References
Brean, P.A. and T.L. Shields. 1983. Age and size structure
in ve populations of geoduc clams (Panope generosa) in
British Columbia. Canadian Technical Report of Fish and
Aquat. Sci. No. 1169. 62 p.
Goodwin, C.L. and B. Pease. 1987. The distribution of
geoduck (Panope abrupta) size, density, and quality in
relation to habitat characteristics such as geographic area,
water depth, sediment type, and associated ora and
fauna in Puget Sound, Washington. Technical Report 102,
State of Washington Dept. Fisheries. 44 p.
Spratt, J.D. 1982. Results of sampling clammers in Elkhorn
Slough during 1978 and 1979. Calif. Dept. Fish and Game,
Mar. Resour. Admin. Rep. 82-11. 12 p.
Thomas O. Moore
450

A Status Report

December 2001
Littleneck Clams
T
here are seven species commonly known as littleneck

clams or chiones: banded chione (Chione californiensis), smooth chione (Chione uctifraga), wavy chione
(Chione undatella), rough-sided littleneck (Protothaca
laciniata), common littleneck (Protothaca staminea), thinshelled littleneck (Protothaca tenerrima) and Manila clam
or Japanese littleneck (Tapes philippinarum). They are
grouped here because they are regulated by an aggregate
bag and size limit. All are members of the family Veneridae (Venus clams) and all but the Manila clam are native
to California. The Manila clam is a native of the Orient
and was introduced unintentionally into California waters
in the 1930s.
Although seven species have been aggregated for regulating molluscan resources, only four (smooth chione, wavy
chione, common littleneck and Manila clam) are of major
importance; they comprise more than 95 percent of the
littleneck clam harvest in California. Since commercial
clammers are restricted to the same daily bag and size
limits as sport shers (50 clams, all species combined;
minimum length 1.5 inches), it is not feasible for them
to make a living harvesting these bivalves. Thus, most
exploitation is by sport diggers.
All digging is by hand (with rake, shovel, garden hand fork,
or trowel) and is carried out in intertidal areas during
daylight hours, generally at low tides of 0.0 feet or less.
he three species of chiones occur south of Point Conception on mud and sand ats of sloughs and bays,
primarily in the intertidal zone. Banded and wavy chiones
may, however, occur subtidally to a depth of 165 feet.
Thin-shelled and rough-sided littlenecks are both uncommon in California except in Alamitos Bay (Los Angeles
County) where the latter species is abundant. Thin-shelled
littlenecks occur throughout the state in rm, sandy mud
of bays, in the low intertidal zone, and offshore to a depth
of 165 feet. They occupy burrows up to 16 inches deep.
Rough-sided littlenecks occur in California from Monterey
Bay south to the Mexican border in sand or muddy sand
in bays, the low intertidal zone, and in adjacent shallow
subtidal areas. Larger individuals may burrow up to 12
inches below the surface. The locally abundant population
in southern California is in water too deep for stand-up
diggers, and the underwater visibility is too poor for skin
divers to harvest them.
The common littleneck occurs throughout California in
bays, coves and cobble patches along the outer coast in
the middle and low intertidal zones. This species generally

December 2001
occurs within six inches of the surface and deep digging is

not required for harvesting. Clam beds known to resident
sport diggers receive relatively heavy exploitation during
minus tides. Other clam beds remain underutilized due
to difculty of access or lack of public awareness. This is
one of the most abundant clams on the West Coast and is
highly esteemed for food.
The Manila clam continues to expand its range on the
West Coast and now occurs from southern California to
British Columbia. It is particularly abundant in San Francisco Bay and other estuaries to the north in the intertidal
zone. It is easily dug, as it generally occurs within two
inches of the surface. It prefers a substrate of coarse,
sandy mud with a mixture of larger gravel and cobbles and
may attach itself with byssal threads to any suitable substrate, including broken glass or ceramics. It also occurs
sub-tidally in the extensive oyster shell beds of south San
Francisco Bay.
Littleneck Clams
Maximum length of the three species of chiones is approximately 2.5 inches. Of the four types of littlenecks, the
thin-shelled is the largest, attaining a length of 4.3 inches.
The other three species reach approximately three inches
in length.
Of the seven species, life history information is best
known for the Manila clam population in San Francisco
Bay. By examining the length-frequency distribution of
a strong year class over time, minimum legal size was
estimated to be reached in two and a half to three
years. This was veried by examining internal and external
growth rings on the shells formed each year in the fall as
growth slows down or ceases. Maximum age is estimated
to be eight or nine years.
Manila clams have a three-week planktonic larval period.
They are rst recognizable in the substrate at about 0.04
inch. At 0.75 to 1.0 inch, they are capable of reproducing
and are repeat spawners. The primary spawning period
is late spring to early summer, and they are known as
dribble spawners, releasing eggs and milt over a prolonged
time period. A secondary spawning period is thought to
Common Littleneck Clam, Protothaca staminea

Credit: DFG

A Status Report
451
Littleneck Clams
occur in the winter. Sexes are separate, as they are in all

littleneck clams.
Natural mortality of sublegal Manila clams may be as
high as 50 percent per year. Known predators include bat
rays, mud crabs, lined shore crabs, Cancer crabs, channeled whelks and scoter ducks. Large clams are capable
of movements of up to three feet during a single tidal
cycle, although marking studies have shown virtually no
net movement over a several-month period.
Common littleneck clams have a similar early life history
and are capable of reproducing at about one inch in
length. In southern California, they may reach the minimum legal size in one to 1.5 years. External growth checks
are prominent on the shell, but these are not annual rings.
The spawning season in southern California is generally
from March through July.
Meat yield from harvested littleneck clams has been estimated. A limit of 50, 1.7-inch common littlenecks yields
9.5 ounces of meat, while a limit of 2.5-inch clams would
provide 24.5 ounces. In contrast, a limit of 50 Manila clams
from San Francisco Bay with a typical mean length of 1.6
inches would yield 6.4 ounces of meat.
In the past, littleneck clams have been cultivated and
transplanted. Aquaculturists have reared the Manila clam
from 0.25 inches to 1.5 inches in 10 months with 64
percent survival. Manila clams were transplanted in 1953
from San Francisco Bay to several southern California bays
and sloughs. Many of the transplants survived for more
than a year, but there was no natural reproduction.
n 1981, population estimates of Manila clams were

derived for beds in San Francisco Bay. In the 10 most
important beds, the peak estimate in the summer was
19.3 million clams with 3.4 million of legal size. One bed
in south San Francisco Bay, covering approximately 75,000
square feet, was surveyed annually for several years in
the 1980s; population estimates have ranged from 80,000
to 1,525,000. For the highest estimate, only two percent
of the population was of legal size. Maximum density of
legal-sized clams in this bed was 2.5 per square foot.
Densities of juvenile Manila clams may exceed 100 per
square foot in the most productive intertidal beds. Typically, intertidal densities in San Francisco Bay range from
20 to 40 per square foot during years of good recruitment.
In the subtidal shell beds, density averages one-tenth of
that in the intertidal zone.
Small beds of common littleneck clams are generally the

rule in northern California. One bed in San Mateo county
has sustained an annual harvest estimated to exceed
10,000 clams. San Onofre, in southern California, contains
an intertidal cobble bed over one mile in length and at
least 115 feet wide. A 1967 population estimate yielded
4.5 million legal-size clams; however, the bed had never
been open to the public before the survey. In terms of
legal limits, this bed could have furnished 90,000 user days
of recreation.
The cobble beach at San Onofre probably is the most productive bed of littleneck clams in the state. However, the
population is unstable and uctuates greatly even when
unexploited. Heavy runoff from a nearby creek in 1969
caused expansive sanding-in of the cobbles and destroyed
much of the bed. Recovery time was estimated at
ve years.
Little is known about the populations of the other littleneck species. The smooth chione is in danger of extinction in areas where harbors are being developed. Habitat
loss or degradation, particularly by man-induced or natural siltation, can cause permanent population reductions.
Extreme variations in physical conditions, such as rainfall,
can depress populations dramatically.
Paul N. Reilly
References
McAllister, R.D. and T.O. Moore Jr. 1982. Selected shellsh
resources of San Francisco Bay: their distribution, abundance, use, public access, and recommended management
alternatives. Calif. Dept. Fish and Game. Prepared for
San Francisco Bay Regional Water Quality Control Board,
Oakland, 168 p.
Tasto, R.N. 1974. Marine bivalves of the California coast.
Calif. Dept. Fish and Game, Marine Resources Leaet No.
6. 23 p.
Surveys of clammers in San Francisco Bay in 1981 resulted

in an estimated annual total effort of 900 user days.
However, water quality problems have limited and still
limit recreational harvest opportunities.
452

A Status Report

December 2001
Year
Bay
Shrimp1
Pounds
1916
1917
1918
1919
1920
1921
1922
1923
1924
1925
1926
1927
1928
1929
1930
1931
1932
1933
1934
1935
1936
1937
1938
1939
1940
1941
1942
1943
1944
1945
1946
1947
1948
1949
1950
1951
1952
1953
1954
1955
1956
1957
1958
1959
1960
1961
1962
1963
1964
1965
1966
1967
1968
1969
1970
1971
1972
1973
1974
1975
1976
1977
1978
1979
411,847
605,004
722,178
747,023
817,091
907,467
990,349
1,113,358
1,551,086
1,460,234
1,431,511
1,697,365
2,280,871
3,054,748
2,687,831
1,684,763
2,681,807
2,087,952
1,783,663
3,445,091
2,240,849
1,108,761
1,847,926
1,175,979
1,080,190
952,152
800,958
253,215
291,974
382,147
432,145
841,086
926,707
800,441
913,181
931,323
913,908
732,308
744,768
682,731
718,968
192,814
45,955
35,011
1,580
2,050
1,075
1,225
---10,765
4,165
19,771
10,465
8,041
65,761
59,721
73,067
62,308
79,797
99,708
98,789
82,797
81,715
92,213

December 2001
Year
Bay
Shrimp1
Pounds
1980
1981
1982
1983
1984
1985
1986
1987
1988
1989
1990
1991
1992
1993
1994
1995
1996
1997
1998
1999
127,968
178,363
211,697
148,115
142,012
132,578
107,304
103,088
132,951
122,599
151,382
140,725
114,923
155,891
95,328
98,053
113,398
69,231
89,348
98,086
- - - - No landings data available.

1
Presented data represents the commercial landings from

San Francisco Bay

A Status Report
Commercial Landings - Bay and Estuarine Invertebrates
Commercial Landings Bay and Estuarine Invertebrates
453
Commercial Landings - Bay and Estuarine Invertebrates

454

A Status Report

December 2001
insh species utilizing Californias bays and estuaries

include the sturgeons, gobies, cow sharks, smelts,
striped bass, Pacic herring, and California halibut. Many
of these sh move between bays and estuaries and open
Pacic waters. Several are dependent on bay and estuarine systems for their entire life histories. While numerous
shery resources, such as salmonids, Dungeness crab, and
many of the marine mammals also occur in or utilize the
states bay and estuarine habitats, only the species that
are principally dependant on this ecosystem for reproduction, or life stage development are discussed in this chapter. Surf and night smelts, which are not dependent on
bay and estuarine habitats are included in this chapter
due to the layout of the document which combined true
smelts into a single paper. Coastal nsh species which
utilize bays and estuaries as nursery grounds or for other
purposes, but are discussed elsewhere in this document,
include the salmonids, leopard shark, bat rays, some of
the croakers, many of the surfperches, brown rocksh,
and several atshes.
Bay and estuarine species support important commercial
and/or sport sheries. It is estimated that Californias
striped bass sport shery has an annual economic value
of more than $45 million. Add to this, the commercial
value of sheries for Pacic herring and the commercial
passenger shing vessel eet targeting shark and other
bay and estuarine species, and the overall annual value of
sheries specic to Californias bays and estuaries range
into the hundreds of millions of dollars. On the basis
of economics alone, Californias bay and estuary nsh
species are very important resources.
In addition to being a food source and nancial resource
for human populations, many of the nsh species
included here are an important food source for a diverse
group of foraging marine sh, birds and mammals. Herring
spawning, in particular, provides a highly utilized opportunity for feeding by other marine organisms. As herring
move into shallow bay waters to spawn, a feeding frenzy
often occurs which can last for several days. Gulls, cormorants, pelicans and other marine birds, California sea lions
and harbor seals, a variety of sh, including sturgeon, and
invertebrates feast on the adult herring and the developing embryos. Fish species such as Pacic herring and many
of the smelt are a principal food source for marine organisms at the higher trophic levels. Fluctuation in the health
and abundance of these higher trophic level species often
can be traced to the population uctuations of plankton
feeders such as herring and smelt.

December 2001
The nsh species found in the states bays and estuaries

serve as an index of the overall health of these important
ecosystems. Californias estuaries are heavily inuenced
by urbanization. While the more severe human impacts
of such urbanization (lling of wetlands, for example) can
be seen throughout the bay and estuarine ecosystems,
the more subtle impacts tend to be chronic. Some of the
chronic impacts are identied though long-term studies
of specic indicator species. For example, while some
impacts of increased diversions of water from the San
Francisco Bay Delta to the state and federal water projects during the 1970s, could be determined through a
decrease in freshwater outow through the estuary, the
impacts on sh were not immediately known. However,
studies by the California Department of Fish and Game
noted a decline in annual striped bass sports catch
rates from over 750,000 in the early 1960s to approximately 52,000 sh in 1994. The DFG determined that the
reduction in adult striped bass population was due to
reduced recruitment of young sh and a decline in adult
survival rates. This decline also correlated directly with
the increase in Delta pumping. By 1998, catch rates had
rebounded to approximately 295,000 sh, most likely as a
result of increased sh abundance and renewed interest in
the shery. In recent years, recruitment has continued to
increase as a result of improved survival of striped bass
between the ages of zero and three.
Bay and Estuarine Finfish Resources: Overview
Bay and Estuarine

Finfish Resources:
Overview
Other measures of bay and estuarine health can be

inferred through analysis of bioaccumulation of chemicals
in sh species such as white sturgeon. Although this chapter does not directly address contaminant concerns, it
remains that the overall health and abundance of bay and
estuarine nsh species can serve as a looking glass into
this often troubled environment.
Eric J. Larson
Sportfishing at Golden Gate Bridge for striped bass.

Credit: Chris Dewees, California Sea Grant Extension Program

A Status Report
455
Pacific Herring
acic herring (Clupea pallasi) landings peaked three

times during the past century in response to market
demands for shmeal, canned sh, and sac-roe. During the
intervening years, herring catches were low, when most of
the herring catch was used as pet food, bait, or animal
food at zoos. The herring reduction shery peaked in 1918
at eight million pounds, but this shery ended in 1919
when reduction of whole sh into shmeal was prohibited.
From 1947 to 1954 herring were canned to supplement
the declining supply of Pacic sardines; landings peaked
in 1952 at 9.5 million pounds. Canned herring, however,
proved to be a poor substitute for sardines and limited
demand led to the demise of this shery by 1954.
In 1973, sac-roe sheries along the West Coast of North
America from Alaska to California developed to supply
the demands of the Japanese market. This occurred after
domestic Japanese stocks crashed and Japan and the
Soviet Union agreed to ban the harvest of sac-roe herring
in the Sea of Okhotsk. The ban was enacted after these
stocks were depleted by overshing. The Japanese government also liberalized import quotas, which opened the
sac-roe market to United States and Canadian exporters.
Since then, herring in California have been harvested
primarily for their roe, with small amounts of whole herring marketed for human consumption, aquarium food,
and bait.
Herring ovaries (commonly referred to as skeins by
those in the shing indusrty) are brined and prepared as
a traditional Japanese New Years delicacy called kazunoko. Brined skeins are leached in freshwater overnight
and served with condiments or as sushi. Most herring
taken in California are trucked from the port of landing
to a processing plant for removal of skeins and brining
and grading. Skeins are graded by size, color and shape,
packed in plastic pails, exported for sale, and auctioned.
Some herring are frozen and exported to China for processing where labor costs are low. Herring skeins from
San Francisco Bay are typically smaller in size than those
produced in British Columbia and Alaska but are highly
valued for their unique golden coloration.
Pacific Herring, Clupea pallasi

Credit: DFG
456

A Status Report
California sac-roe herring landings peaked in the 1996-1997

season at 23.6 million pounds, and then fell to a record
low harvest of four million pounds the following season.
Ocean conditions due to the 1997-1998 El Nio produced
herring in poor condition which were less susceptible to
gillnet gear resulting in reduced landings. In addition,
herring may have been displaced by changes in ocean
currents, which are also attributed to El Nio, resulting
in downswings of stock size. Stocks showed signs of
rebuilding in the 1998-1999 season but declined again
in 1999-2000 in spite of favorable La Nia conditions.
Landings increased, however, to 6.8 million pounds in
1999-2000 season due to much improved physical condition of sh from the previous season.
The sac-roe shery is limited to Californias four largest
herring spawning areas: San Francisco Bay, Tomales Bay,
Humboldt Bay, and Crescent City Harbor. San Francisco
Bay has the largest spawning population of herring and
produces more than 90 percent of the states herring
catch. The four spawning areas are managed separately by
the California Department of Fish and Game (DFG); catch
quotas are based on the latest population estimates from
acoustic surveys and spawning-ground surveys. Quotas are
adjusted annually and are generally set at about 15 percent of the amount of herring expected to return to
spawn at each spawning area. Since quotas are set before
the start of the spawning season, they are conservative
and allow for potential declines in herring biomass. If
the herring biomass declines, and spawning escapement
is less than expected, the landings may approach the
departments recommended maximum harvest rate of
20 percent.
The sac-roe shery is managed through a limited-entry
system, which was implemented in the 1973-1974 season
with 17 permits issued. Since 1983, only ve new permits
have been issued, and the number of annual herring permits has stabilized at just over 450. Approximately 400
of the permits are for the San Francisco Bay shery in
which an estimated 120 vessels participate. During the
1979-1980 season, the Fish and Game Commission decided
not to issue any new round haul permits for the San
Francisco Bay shery with the intent of converting the sacroe shery to gillnet only by attrition. When it was clear
that the number of round haul permits would not decline
further due to the transferability of permits in 1988,
the DFG developed a ve-year conversion plan, which
was implemented in the 1993-1994 season. The 1997-1998
season marked the completion of the San Francisco Bay
sac-roe shery conversion to a gillnet only shery.
The sac-roe shery, like many quota sheries, is extremely
competitive among shermen and buyers for a share of
the catch. Competition tends to breed innovation, especially with respect to gear, boats, and shing practices

December 2001
Pacific Herring
Pacific Herring
30
25
20
15
10
5
0 1916
1920
1930
1940
1950
1960
in this potentially lucrative and high-pressure shery. One

of the more noticeable changes has occurred in boat
design. The composition of the San Francisco eet slowly
evolved from converted wooden and berglass stern picking salmon trollers to fast state-of-the-art welded aluminum bow pickers, many outtted with multiple jet drives
and the latest in sh nding electronics. One piece of
equipment that increased the efciency of the gillnet
eet was the net shaker, a hydraulically driven drum with
ns, working in concert with the net drum. This device
shakes the net free of sh, eliminating the need to shake
the net by hand. As a result of these and other changes,
the sac-roe eet has become very efcient.
Herring buyers pay shermen based on the percentage of
ripe skeins in the catch. This is calculated from several
random 10-kilogram samples per landing taken by roe
technicians. Each sh sampled is sexed and ripe skeins
are extracted, placed on a scale and weighed. The total
weight of the ripe skeins is then divided by 10 kilograms,
resulting in the roe count or roe percentage. A typical
roe count for the San Francisco shery in January is 13
to 14 percent. The ex-vessel price paid is based on 10
percent yield, and is adjusted for percentage points above
or below. A yield of 10 percent or higher is considered the
minimum acceptable by the sac-roe buyers. In the year
2000, the base price for California herring with 10 percent
roe yield was an estimated $500 per ton of whole sh.
The base price for 10 percent roe count sh peaked at
an estimated $2,000 per ton in 1979, when landing values
reached as high as $4,000 per ton when adjusted for roe
percentage. In recent years, the base price has ranged
between $500 and $2,000 per ton. Since 1980, the exvessel seasonal value of the sac-roe catch in California has
ranged from two million to 19.5 million dollars.
Another aspect of Californias herring industry is the roeon-kelp shery. Beginning in 1965, scuba divers harvested
species of algae with herring eggs attached from Tomales
and San Francisco Bays. In the 1984-1985 season, a sac-roe

December 2001
1970
1980
1990
1999
Commercial Landings
1916-1999, Pacific Herring
landing receipts.
permittee received a permit on an experimental basis to

harvest roe-on-kelp using unenclosed oating rafts from
which fronds of giant kelp are suspended. This product
known as komochi kombu or kazunoko kombu is
also a Japanese delicacy and prepared similarly to kazunoko. There are 11 roe-on-kelp permits for the 2000-2001
shery in San Francisco Bay. Permits are available to
permittees willing to trade their sac-roe permits for
roe-on-kelp permits.
Currently, giant kelp is harvested from the Channel Islands
off southern California or Monterey Bay, brought to San
Francisco Bay, suspended from oating rafts or longlines
hung beneath piers. Rafts are positioned in locations
where herring spawning is expected to occur and then
anchored. Once spawning has commenced, suspended
kelp is left in the water until egg coverage is sufcient,
or spawning has ended. In some instances, suspended
kelp is harvested prematurely with less than optimum
coverage because freshwater surface runoff may cause
product deterioration.
Preliminary roe-on-kelp product grading is conducted by
the permittee prior to harvest to determine if coverage
is ample enough to warrant harvesting. Once the product
is harvested, grading criteria such as the dimensions of
the kelp blade, uniformity of egg coverage, thickness or
number of egg layers, kelp condition, presence of eyed
embryos, and the presence of silt are all used to determine the price paid to the sherman. Roe-on-kelp has a
per pound value much higher than herring roe. Ex-vessel
prices range from $4 to $20 per pound.
Herring regulations changed yearly as the shery
expanded and new conicts or issues were addressed.
Management concepts new to commercial shing in California were introduced as the herring shery developed,
such as limited entry, permits issued by lottery, individual
vessel quotas, quota allocation by gear, the platoon
system used to divide gillnet vessels into groups, the
transferability of sac-roe shery permits, and the conver-

A Status Report
457
Pacific Herring
sion of round haul permits to gillnet permits. Many of

these were controversial management decisions, but they
have proven to be effective solutions to socioeconomic
conicts in a congested shery.
acic herring occur within the coastal zone (waters of

the Continental Shelf) from Baja California to Alaska
and across the Pacic rim to Japan and China. Known
spawning areas in California include San Diego Bay, San
Luis River, Morro Bay, Elkhorn Slough, San Francisco Bay,
Tomales Bay, Bodega Bay, Russian River, Noyo River, Shelter Cove, Humboldt Bay, and Crescent City Harbor. Californias largest spawning population of herring utilizes San
Francisco Bay. Most spawning areas are characterized as
having reduced salinity, calm and protected waters, and
spawning-substrate such as marine vegetation or rocky
intertidal areas; however, man-made structures such as
pier pilings and riprap are also frequently used spawning
substrates in San Francisco Bay.
Results of tag and recovery studies from Canada indicate
that 25 percent of the herring may stray between adjacent
spawning areas in British Columbia. The problem of stock
identication has not been resolved in California, and it
is not known whether adjacent spawning areas contain
genetically distinct stocks. However, each spawning area
in California where herring shing is allowed is managed
on the assumption that its spawning population is a separate stock.
During the spawning season (November through March),
schools of herring enter bays and estuaries, where they
may remain up to three weeks before spawning. School
size varies but can be as large as tens of thousands of
tons and miles in length in San Francisco Bay. Salinity
is an important factor in the success of fertilization and
embryonic development, and reduced salinity may act as a
cue for spawning. When a school is ready to spawn, male
herring initiate spawning by releasing milt. A pheromone
in the milt triggers spawning by females which lay their
adhesive eggs on suitable substrate. Fecundity is 220 eggs
per gram of body weight, and a large female herring may
lay 40,000-50,000 eggs. Female herring come in contact
with the substrate while spawning, extruding a strip of
adhesive eggs that is two to three eggs wide. Repeated
passes by thousands upon thousands of females can build
the eggs up to a thickness of four to ve layers. Spawn
depth distribution generally is shallower than 30 feet
deep, but has been found to a depth of 60 feet in San
Francisco Bay. A large spawning run may last a week and
can result in 20 miles or more of the shoreline being
covered by a 30-foot-wide band of herring eggs.
458

A Status Report
During the incubation period (about 10 days) embryos are

vulnerable to predation by marine birds, sh, and invertebrates. They may also die from desiccation or freezing
if exposed during low tidal cycles. Normally, between 50
and 99 percent of herring embryos die before hatching.
Human induced causes of mortality at this stage include
smothering caused by suspended sediments from dredging, and anti-fouling agents such as creosote.
Herring embryos hatch into larvae, which eventually
metamorphose into juvenile herring. The distribution of
larval herring in bays and estuaries is not well known,
but juvenile herring from San Francisco Bay have been
found as far inland as the Delta Pumping Plant at Tracy.
Juveniles may remain in the bay until summer or early fall,
when they migrate to the open ocean.
Some herring reach sexual maturity at age two when they
are about seven inches in length; all are sexually mature
at age three. California herring may live to be nine or
10 years old and reach a maximum length of about 11
inches, although sh older than seven are rare. Adult herring leave the bay immediately after spawning, and their
distribution while in the ocean is not well known. Herring
are sometimes caught in Monterey Bay in the summer,
and are also caught by groundsh trawlers off Davenport
(north of Santa Cruz) just prior to the spawning season.
While in the ocean, adult herring feed on macroplankton
such as copepods and euphausiids. Larval and juvenile
herring are believed to feed on molluscan larvae and
other zooplankton while in bays and estuaries. Herring
are a forage species for a diverse group of marine shes,
birds, and mammals. Spawning events in particular provide an opportunity for feeding. As herring move into
shallow water to spawn, a feeding frenzy may commence
which can last for several days. Gulls, cormorants, pelicans and other marine birds, California sea lions and
harbor seals, a variety of shes (including sturgeon in San
Francisco Bay) and invertebrates feast on adult herring
and embryos.
he size of herring spawning populations in Tomales

and San Francisco Bays is estimated annually from
hydroacoustic and spawning-ground surveys. Abundance
uctuates widely due to variations in recruitment (the
rst appearance of young sh, primarily two-year-olds,
in the spawning population) caused by environmental factors that affect primary productivity, especially El Nio
events. Since 1979, the San Francisco Bay herring biomass
has ranged from a high of 99,050 tons to a low of 20,000
tons, with peaks occurring in 1982 (99,600 tons), 1988
(68,900 tons), and 1996 (99,050 tons). The lowest biomass

December 2001
The Tomales Bay spawning biomass estimates have ranged

from a high of 22,163 tons in 1978 to a low of 345 tons
in 1990 with a 26-year average of 4,671 tons per season.
The season following the 1983 El Nio spawning biomass
declined about 90 percent suggesting the herring population had not escaped the effects of that strong oceanic
event. The next four years the population remained unstable with spawning escapement in Tomales Bay alternating
between average and very poor. During the California
drought, which lasted from 1987 to 1992, the herring
spawning population severely declined in Tomales Bay.
Consequently, the department closed the Tomales Bay
commercial herring shery from 1990 through 1992 to
hasten the recovery of the stock. Spawning biomass in
Tomales Bay averaged approximately 2,817 tons per season
from 1993 through 1997; however, during the intense
1997-1998 El Nio, spawning biomass dropped to 586 tons.
Although the Tomales Bay population rebounded to near
normal levels the following season, the spawning biomass
fell to 2,011 tons in 2000. Preliminary aging of Tomales
Bay herring, caught during the 1999 and 2000 seasons,
shows ve- and six-year-old herring under represented
in the spawning population. Because the Tomales Bay
herring eet has had a very low exploitation rate since
the 1997-1998 season, the scarcity of older sh in the
population is most likely related to oceanic conditions
not overshing.
Humboldt Bays spawning population has not been
assessed since the 1990-1991 season, when 400 tons was
estimated to have spawned. This population supported a
small, but successful shery with a 60-ton quota for many
years. However, over the last 12 years shermen have
observed a decline in the spawning population, and in the
last ve years shing effort has also declined. Only one of
the four permits issued for Humboldt Bay has been used to
sh in the last three seasons. It has been suggested that
aquaculture impacts to eelgrass, the primary spawning
habitat for herring in Humboldt Bay, may have contributed
to the observed decline.
that appear. Because of the shing methods used and

large local populations of harbor seals and sea lions, it
is very difcult for shermen to catch sh from small
schools.
Pacific Herring
estimates have occurred during or just after El Nio events

40,800 tons in 1984, 21,000 tons in 1993, and 20,000
tons in 1998. The lack of upwelling and associated warm
water conditions that occur during El Nio events reduces
the production of food for herring, which can affect their
condition and survival. It also may displace herring to
areas of colder water. San Francisco Bays population has
not yet recovered from the affects of the 1997-1978 El
Nio; spawning biomass was estimated at 27,400 tons
in 2000.
Diana L. Watters, Kenneth T. Oda and John Mello

References
Grifn, Frederick J., M.C. Pillai, C.A. Vines, J. Kaaria, T.
Hibbard-Robbins, R. Yanagimachi, and G.N. Cherr. 1998.
Effects of Salinity on Sperm Motility, Fertilization, and
Development in the Pacic Herring, Clupea pallasi. Biol.
Bull. 194:25-35.
Miller, D.J. and J. Schmidkte. 1956. Report on the distribution and abundance of Pacic herring, Clupea pallasi,
along the coast of central and southern California. Calif.
Fish and Game. 42:163-187.
Reilly, P.N. 1988. Growth of young-of-the-year and juvenile
Pacic herring from San Francisco Bay, California. Calif.
Fish and Game. 74:38-48.
Spratt, J.D. 1992. The evolution of Californias herring
roe shery: catch allocation, limited entry, and conict
resolution. Calif. Fish and Game. (78)1:20-44.
Spratt, J.D. 1981. The status of the Pacic Herring, Clupea
harengus pallasii, resource in California 1972 to 1980.
Trumble, R.J. and R.D. Humphries. 1985. Management
of Pacic herring (Clupea harengus pallasi) in the
eastern Pacic Ocean. Can. J. Fish. Aquat. Sci. 42(Suppl.
1):230-244.
Ware, D. M. 1985. Life history characteristics, reproductive value and resilience of Pacic herring (Clupea harengus pallasi). Can. J. Fish. Aquat. Sci. 42 (Suppl. 1):127-137.
Individual spawning runs have been estimated in Crescent

City Harbor, but no seasonal population estimates have
ever been made for the area. The success of the small
shery that occurs there depends on the size of schools

December 2001

A Status Report
459
Striped Bass
n 1879, 132 young striped bass (Morone saxatilis) from

the Navesink River, New Jersey were released into the
San Francisco Bay estuary at Carquinez Strait. A second
plant of 300 sh from the Shrewsbury River, New Jersey
followed in 1882. Shortly after these introductions, striped
bass experienced a population explosion in the estuary.
Commercial harvesting started in the early 1880s, and
by the turn of the century, exceeded one million pounds
annually. The greatest recorded commercial catch, over
two million pounds, occurred in 1903. Subsequently,
annual catches declined due to increased restrictions on
the shery.
In 1935, the commercial shery for striped bass was
closed, although the stock was not depleted. The closure
stemmed largely from a social conict between sport
and commercial shing interests which culminated in the
closure of the commercial gillnet sheries for chinook
salmon and American shad in 1957. Thousands of striped
bass that could not be legally marketed were killed annually in nets shed for these two species. Closure of the
salmon and shad sheries reduced shing mortality for
striped bass, but the magnitude of the reduction cannot
be estimated because the precise extent of the incidental
harvest is unknown. Some illegal netting continues today.
The striped bass sport shery has become the most important shery in the San Francisco Bay estuary and one
of the most important sheries on the Pacic Coast.
From 1969 to 1996, a general decline in catch was associated with a decline in striped bass abundance. Over this
period, the annual catch varied from about 444,000 sh
in 1975 to 52,000 sh in 1994. During the early 1960s,
the annual catch of striped bass was even larger, probably
around 750,000 sh. In 1985, an economist estimated the
annual value of the striped bass shery to exceed 47
million dollars.
Striped bass angling occurs year-round, but shing localities vary seasonally in accordance with the striped bass
migratory pattern. Tag recoveries indicate that many
adults inhabit salt water San Pablo Bay, San Francisco
Bay, and the Pacic Ocean in the summer. The proportion

entering the ocean varies from year to year. These sh
begin returning to the delta in the fall.
The distribution of shing effort and catch has changed
substantially over the years. Before the late 1950s, little
shing occurred in San Francisco Bay and the Pacic
Ocean. Most of the catch came from San Pablo and Suisun
bays, the delta, and rivers upstream. From the late 1950s
to early 1980s, however, post-spawning striped bass generally migrated farther downstream and stayed there longer.
Thus, shing improved in San Francisco Bay and the Pacic
Ocean and declined in the delta. Also, the use of the
Sacramento River as a spawning area appeared to have
increased, improving shing there in the spring. In the
1980s and much of the 1990s, the migrations shifted
upstream again with Suisun Bay and the delta providing
the bulk of the catch. However, in 1998 and 1999, shing
once again improved substantially in San Francisco Bay
and the ocean. While signicant environmental changes
have occurred, data are insufcient to develop conclusions regarding causes of these changes in striped
bass migrations.
Based on tag returns, in the 1970s private boat anglers
accounted for about 63 percent, shore anglers for 19 percent, and commercial passenger shing vessels for 18 percent of the annual striped bass catch. By the 1990s, the
private boat portion of the catch changed little (64 percent), but the commercial passenger shing vessel portion
decreased to nine percent and the shore catch increased
to 27 percent of the total.
Striped bass are generally caught by bait shing or trolling, although under some conditions y-shing or casting
plugs or jigs is effective. Common dead baits include
threadn shad, anchovies, cut sardines, staghorn sculpins
(bullheads), gobies (mudsuckers), shrimp, blood worms,
and pile worms. Drift shing with live anchovies or shiner
perch is popular in San Francisco Bay and the Pacic
Ocean, and live golden shiner minnows or theadn shad
are sometimes are used in the delta. Trolling methods are
specialized. Many types of plugs, jigs, and spoons are used
in trolling, frequently in double combinations.
Present shing regulations include an 18-inch minimum
length and a daily bag limit of two sh. From 1956 to 1981,
the minimum length was 16 inches and the bag limit was
three sh. Prior to 1956, regulations were more liberal.
A 12-inch minimum length and ve-sh bag limit generally
was in effect.
Striped Bass, Morone saxatilis

Credit: DFG
460

A Status Report
Exploitation rates have been estimated almost annually

since 1958. They have varied from nine percent (1989,
1992, and 1994) to 28 percent (1963) except for an unusually high 37 percent in 1958. Exploitation in the San Francisco Bay estuary is lower than for historic exploitation

December 2001
While the primary California population of striped bass is

located in the San Francisco Bay estuary, striped bass also
have been introduced into many other areas including the
lower Colorado River, several reservoirs, and the Pacic
Ocean in southern California. Conditions are generally not
suitable for striped bass spawning in the reservoirs or in
marine waters off southern California, so those sheries
usually depend on maintenance stocking from hatcheries.
However, at least two reservoir populations, Millerton and
New Hogan, do reproduce successfully. A striped bass shery also has developed in reservoirs which are part of the
State Water Project (SWP) and the federal Central Valley
Project (CVP), such as San Luis Reservoir, ONeill Forebay,
and Pyramid and Silverwood lakes. These reservoirs are
unintentionally stocked by young bass contained in water
diverted from the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta, and their
sheries have also declined in response to the decline of the
source San Francisco Bay estuary population.

Spawning and Early Nursery Period. Striped bass begin
spawning in the spring when the water temperature
reaches 60 F. Most spawning occurs between 61 and 69
F, and the spawning period usually extends from April
to mid-June. They spawn in fresh water where there is
moderate to swift current. The section of the San Joaquin
River between the Antioch bridge and the mouth of the
Middle River, together with the other channels in the
area, is one very important spawning ground. Another is
the Sacramento River from Sacramento to Colusa. About
one-half to two-thirds of the eggs are spawned in the
Sacramento River and the remainder in the San Joaquin
River system. Female striped bass usually spawn for the
rst time in their fth year when they are 22 to 25 inches
long. Many males mature when two years old and only
about 11 inches long. Most males are mature at age three.
Stripers are very prolic. A ve-pound, ve-year-old
female may spawn as many as 250,000 eggs in one season,
and a 12-pound, eight-year-old sh is capable of producing
over a million eggs. Some striped bass live for more than
20 years; these sh may exceed 50 pounds in weight
and spawn several million eggs. Because of this great
reproductive potential, striped bass were able to establish
a large population within a few years after their introduction in California.
Striped bass typically spawn in schools at night during
periods of warm weather when water temperatures rise.

December 2001
On one occasion, DFG biologists observed several thousand striped bass at the surface along the bank of the
Sacramento River above Knights Landing. Small groups
of from three to six bass were observed splashing and
churning in the main current of the river in the act of
spawning. At times, ve or more groups of bass were
observed spawning at one time. Usually a large female
was accompanied by several smaller males.
Striped Bass
on commercially shed Atlantic Coast stocks, which were

exploited at rates as high as 50 to 70 percent annually
before a severe population decline in the 1980s led to very
restrictive regulations, included shing moratoriums.
During the spawning act, eggs and milt are released into
the water. The milt contains microscopic sperm cells
that penetrate the eggs and cause them to begin to
develop. While the eggs are still in the female they are
only about 0.04 inch in diameter, but upon their release
they absorb water and increase to about 0.13 inch in diameter. At this time, they are so transparent that they are
virtually invisible.
Striped bass eggs are only slightly heavier than water; so
a moderate current will suspend them while they develop.
Without any water movement they sink to the bottom and
die. The larval bass hatch in about two days, although the
length of time depends upon the temperature. Development is faster when the water is warmer.
The newly hatched bass continue their development while
being carried along in the water. At rst, the larval bass
subsist on their yolk, but in about a week they start feeding on tiny crustaceans, which are just visible to the naked
eye. After several weeks, they begin feeding on larger
invertebrates, such as opossum shrimp and amphipods.
At this time, they generally inhabit the delta and Suisun
Bay. By late July or August, the young bass are about two
inches long.

Young Striped Bass Abundance
Reduced juvenile production was the principal cause of
the adult striped bass population decline between the
early 1970s and the early 1990s. Since 1959, the DFG
has sampled young-of-the-year striped bass each summer
(except 1966). An extensive survey is conducted every
second week from late June to late July or early August
throughout the nursery habitat. The sh are measured,
and when their mean fork length reaches 1.5 inches,
a young-of-the-year index is calculated on the basis of
catch-per-net-tow and the volume of water in the areas
where the sh are caught.
Young-of-the-year striped bass abundance has suffered
an erratic but persistent decline from high index levels
sometimes exceeding 100 in the mid-1960s to the all time
low of only 1.4 in 1998. From 1959 to 1976, average

A Status Report
461
Substantial effort has gone into evaluating factors controlling young striped bass production. Initially (1959-1970),
annual uctuations in young bass abundance could be
explained by a simple model based on delta freshwater
outow which indicated that young bass production was
much greater in years with high spring-early summer ows
than in years with low ows. The mechanism causing
the most abundant year classes to occur under high ow
conditions was unknown. However, one potential explanation was that when ows were high, a lower percentage
of the ow to the delta was diverted by the combination
of major water projects (CVP and SWP) and local delta
agriculture. Hence, under those conditions, fewer young
bass would be entrained in diverted water and removed
from the estuary. Other potential explanations for the
greater abundance in high ow years included: 1) expansion of the nursery area resulting in greater habitat availability and less competition; 2) higher food production;
3) dilution of toxicity; and 4) reduction in predation losses
due to more turbid conditions.
In the early 1970s, production of young bass began to fall
below the levels expected based on the initial models,
and this decline was most acute in the delta portion
of their nursery. During this period the SWP and CVP
substantially increased their water export from the delta,
resulting in greater diversion rates being associated with
any particular ow. Minimum estimates of losses, which
do not include sh smaller than 0.8 inches, in these
water exports were approximately 10 to 30 million young
striped bass annually. Maximum loss estimates approached
or exceeded 100 million young bass in some years. Contrasting these losses with estimates of abundance at the
1.5-inch stage of about 15 to 30 million sh indicates
that signicant population impacts could be expected.
Potential effects were taken into account by developing
a new model which considered the delta and Suisun Bay
separately and included both outow and diversion terms
in the delta portion of the model. This model yielded
reasonable predictions of young bass abundance from 1959
to 1976 and provided additional evidence that losses of
young sh to diversions were an important factor regulating striped bass abundance.
However, since 1977, abundance of young striped bass has
been considerably lower than predicted by the 1959-1976
model. Scientists representing various interests, including
the DFG, water user groups, universities, and the Oak
Ridge National Laboratory, have extensively evaluated
potential causes of this decline in abundance, and generally agree that reduced egg production by the smaller
population of adults likely is part of the explanation.
However, consensus has not been reached on the relative
462

A Status Report
60
Striped Bass
Striped Bass
abundance of young striped bass was more than three

times the subsequent average abundance.
50
40
30
20
10
0 1947
1950
1960
1970
1980
1990
1999
Recreational Catch 1947-1999 , Striped Bass

CPFV = commercial passanger fishing vessel (Party Boat); Recreational catch from CPFV
Logs for Ocean and San Francisco Bay (Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta catches are not
included until 1964), CPFV catch was not reported prior to 1960.
importance of various factors that may be at the root of

the problem. These factors include losses of young sh
to water exports, shortages of important food organisms
possibly limiting survival of young bass, toxic chemicals
and trace metals inhibiting reproduction and reducing
survival, and a shift in global climate possibly resulting
in adults straying from the estuary. It has also
been suggested that the effect of water exports and
adverse factors associated with salinity encroachment
may be reduced by density-dependent mortality after the
rst summer.
Adult Striped Bass Abundance

The decline of the striped bass shery in the San Francisco
Bay estuary between the early 1960s and the present
is a direct result of a substantial decline in the striped
bass population. The California Department of Fish and
Game (DFG) has measured adult (larger than 18 inches,
about three years old) striped bass abundance with markrecapture (tagging) population estimates since 1969.
According to the estimates, the striped bass population
averaged about 1.7 million adults between 1969, when the
estimates began, and 1976. Abundance declined to as little
as 600,000 adults in the early 1990s, but had increased to
about 1.3 million in 1998. A combination of much greater
catches by the shery and tag returns suggest that the
striped bass population had about three million adults in
the early 1960s. The reduction in the adult stock through
the early 1990s was principally due to reduced recruitment of young sh. Increased abundance in the late 1990s
is unexplained, but may be due to factors allowing greater
survival of young sh until they are recruited to the shery.
Fishery Restoration
As a result of the initial decline in estimated legal-sized
striped bass abundance in the late 1970s, and also in
response to public pressure for supplementation stocking,
the DFG began a hatchery program starting with the 1980
year class that were stocked as yearlings in 1981. The
number of sh stocked increased from about 63,000 for

December 2001
ence suggests that in spite of efforts to ensure a sufcient

supply of sh, stocking goals will not always be met.
The hatchery program changed substantially in 1992 as

the result of concern over potential predation by striped
bass on threatened and endangered species, such as
Sacramento River winter-run chinook salmon and delta
smelt, and all stocking of hatchery-reared striped bass
was suspended (age-one sh from the 1991 year class
were not stocked in the estuary). Instead, 22,000-284,000
sh obtained from sh screens in the southern Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta and reared in oating pens have
been stocked annually, beginning with the 1992 year class
released as yearlings in 1993. Most years, a fraction of
the stocked sh have been externally marked or codedwire tagged to allow estimation of their contribution to
the population.
Sufcient quantities of these stocked striped bass will

be marked to allow evaluation of their contribution to
subsequent adult populations and the relative benets
of: 1) conventional aquaculture and pen rearing; and
2) stocking age-one and age-two sh.
Hatchery sh have contributed measurably to the population of each year class in the estuary, especially at the
higher stocking levels. Estimated percentage of hatcheryreared striped bass in each year class increased from
about one percent for the 1981 year class to about 31
percent for the 1989 year class. More recently, sh reared
in oating pens have contributed about four percent of
the 1994 year class and about 13 percent of the 1996
year class.
Greater stocking of age-one and age-two striped bass (up
to 1.275 million age-one equivalents) reared in hatcheries
and pens began in summer 2000. This stocking is the
focus of a Striped Bass Management Conservation Plan
prepared according the federal Endangered Species Act
requirements. It is designed to maintain the striped bass
population and sport shery at the present level and to be
consistent with recovery of listed species.
Due to the greater genetic diversity of naturally produced
sh, the DFGs priority is to stock sh salvaged at the
SWP and CVP sh screens in the southern delta and reared
for one or two years in net pens oating in the estuary.
However, it is unlikely that numbers of salvaged sh will
consistently be sufcient to fully support the program, so
in most years, net-pen-reared sh will be supplemented
with sh produced by aquaculture.
Striped bass spawn primarily during May, but salvaged sh
are not available until late May through July. Thus, each
year, the number of salvaged sh available for pen rearing
will not be known until after articial spawning would
have to occur. The DFG will attempt to ensure sufcient
availability of sh each year by contracting with private
aquaculturists to begin raising sufcient sh for most
of the allotment. After the number of salvaged sh is
known, excess aquaculture sh would be disposed of, or
perhaps used elsewhere by the DFG or aquaculturists (e.g.,
reservoir stocking or food market). However, past experi-

December 2001
Striped Bass
the 1980 year class to almost 3.4 million for the 1990
year class.
Other actions by the DFG include: 1) working through the

CALFED Bay-Delta program to plan and implement ecosystem restoration measures that will benet a spectrum of
species, including striped bass; 2) negotiating for mitigation from owners of power plants in the estuary for losses
caused by power plant operations and for mitigation from
the California Department of Water Resources (DWR) and
U.S. Bureau of Reclamation (USBR) for losses at their
pumping plants; and 3) increasing study effort to improve
understanding of processes controlling striped bass abundance, with study funding coming from several sources
including the DWR, USBR, State Water Resources Control
Board, Federal Aid to Sport Fish Restoration funds, and sales
of striped bass stamps required of all striped bass anglers.
Donald E. Stevens and David W. Kohlhorst
References
Arnold, J. and T. Heyne. 1994. Seasonality and quality of
eggs produced by female striped bass (Morone saxatilis)
in the Sacramento and San Joaquin rivers. Interagency
Ecological Program Technical Report 39. 13 p.
Bennett, W. A. and E. Howard. 1997. El Nios and the
decline of striped bass. Interagency Ecological Program
Newsletter 10(4):17-21.
Bennett, W. A. and E. Howard. 1999. Climate change
and the decline of striped bass. Interagency Ecological
Program Newsletter 12(2):53-56.
California Department of Fish and Game. 1987. Factors
affecting striped bass abundance in the Sacramento-San
Joaquin River system. Interagency Ecological Study Program Technical Report 20. 147 p.
California Department of Fish and Game. 1989. Striped
bass restoration and management plan for the Sacramento-San Joaquin Estuary Phase I. 39 p.

A Status Report
463
Striped Bass
Chadwick, H.K. 1967. Recent migrations of the Sacramento-San Joaquin River striped bass population. Transactions of the American Fisheries Society 96:327-342.
Chadwick, H.K. 1977. Effects of water development
on striped bass. Pages 123-130 in: H. Clepper, editor.
Marine Recreation Fisheries 2. Sport Fishing Institute,
Washington, D.C., USA.
Collins, B.W. 1982. Growth of adult striped bass in the
Sacramento-San Joaquin Estuary. California Fish and Game
68:146-159.
Orsi, J.J. 1971. The 1965-1967 migrations of the Sacramento-San Joaquin Estuary striped bass population. California Fish and Game 57:257-267.
Raquel, P. 1988. Estimated entrainment of striped bass
eggs and larvae at State Water Project and Central Valley
Project facilities in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta,
1987. Interagency Ecological Program Technical Report 15.
11 p.
Scoeld, E.C. 1931. The striped bass of California (Roccus
lineatus). California Department of Fish and Game, Fish
Bulletin 29.
Stevens, D.E. 1977. Striped bass (Morone saxatilis) monitoring techniques in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Estuary.
Pages 91-109 in W. Van Winkle, editor. Proceedings of
the conference on assessing the effects of power-plantinduced mortality on sh populations. Pergamon Press,
New York, NY.
Stevens, D.E., D. W. Kohlhorst, L.W. Miller, and D.W. Kelley
1985. The decline of striped bass in the Sacramento-San
Joaquin Estuary, California. Transactions of the American
Fisheries Society 114:12-30.
464

A Status Report

December 2001
Green Sturgeon
H
istorically, the green sturgeon (Acipenser medirostris)

resource has been of minor importance to Californians, although they may have been more important to
American Indians in the north coast area. An early commercial shery developed for sturgeon in the San Francisco Bay estuary between the 1860s and 1901, stimulated
by a growing acceptance of smoked sturgeon and caviar on
the East Coast of North America. However, green sturgeon
probably were a minor component of that shery, as they
were considered to be of inferior quality and were actually
claimed by some people to be poisonous. The commercial
shery was closed in 1901, then reopened from 1909
to 1917. Commercial sturgeon shing in California ceased
in 1917.
Sport shing for green sturgeon was legalized in 1954,
with a 40-inch total length minimum size limit and a one
sh per day per person creel limit. In 1956, snagging for
sturgeon was outlawed and the minimum size limit was
raised to 50 inches through 1963. The sport shery for
green sturgeon in California is small, being overshadowed
by the sport shery for white sturgeon in the San Francisco Bay estuary and its tributaries and by the tribal
green sturgeon shery in the Klamath River. Exact sport
catch data are not available. However, concern about
potential over-harvest of white sturgeon in the late 1980s
led to angling regulation changes starting in 1990 that
instituted a 72-inch maximum size limit and increased the
minimum size limit by two inches per year until a new
minimum size of 46 inches was reached in 1992. These
regulation changes have also benetted green sturgeon.
reen sturgeon are generally found in marine waters

from the Bering Sea to Ensenada, Mexico. However,
spawning populations have been found only in mediumsized rivers from the Sacramento-San Joaquin system
north; spawning has not been documented in either the
Columbia or Fraser rivers. Green sturgeon apparently
spend much less time in the San Francisco Bay estuary
than white sturgeon, either as young or adults. Adult
green sturgeon probably enter the estuary and move up
the Sacramento River in early spring. Spawning occurs as
far upstream as the area above Red Bluff Diversion Dam,
which is now open to allow sh passage during part of
the green sturgeon spawning period. Anecdotal evidence
suggests that spawning may also occur in the Feather
River but has not yet been documented there. Almost all
recoveries from a tagging program in the San Francisco
Bay estuary have come from outside the estuary, primarily
from rivers and coastal areas in Oregon and Washington.

December 2001
California green sturgeon grow rapidly when young, probably reaching 12 inches fork length in one year. Juvenile
green sturgeon raised in captivity grow substantially faster
than white sturgeon raised under similar conditions. Relatively rapid grow continues until they reach 51-55 inches
in about 15-20 years. Maximum size in the Klamath River
in recent years has been about 90 inches and about
180 pounds, but historical accounts report sh up to
350 pounds. Like white sturgeon, their growth is likely
affected by water temperature and dissolved oxygen concentration. The largest recently captured sh from the
Klamath River were estimated to be about 40 years old.
Green Sturgeon
Compared with most freshwater or anadromous shes,

green sturgeon are quite old (15-20 years) when they
become sexually mature. Fecundity varies with female
size, ranging from 60,000-140,000 eggs per female. These
values are lower than for white sturgeon, both because
green sturgeon are smaller than white sturgeon and
because green sturgeon eggs are larger than white sturgeon eggs.
Spawning occurs in the Sacramento River between March
and June; it may extend slightly longer, into July, in
the Klamath River. Water temperature during spawning is
likely 50 to 70F. Little is known about spawning behavior. Spawning occurs in deep, fast water. The fertilized
eggs are slightly adhesive and hatch after four to 12
days. Larvae stay close to the bottom and appear to
rear primarily in rivers well upstream of estuaries. Under
hatchery conditions, larval green sturgeon remain near the
bottom and do not move up into the water column where
they could be transported downstream. Most young green
sturgeon migrate from river to ocean when they are one
to four years old, which may partly explain their relative
scarcity in the San Francisco Bay estuary.
Green sturgeon feed on a variety of bottom-dwelling animals. Sturgeon feed by suction with their ventral, protrusible mouths. Dense aggregations of taste buds on their
four barbels presumably assist in identication of food
on the bottom. Young sturgeon (eight inches) feed pri-
Green Sturgeon, Acipenser medirostris

Credit: DFG

A Status Report
465
Green Sturgeon
marily on small crustaceans such as amphipods and opossum shrimp. As they develop, they take a wider variety
of benthic invertebrates, including various species of
clams, crabs, and shrimp. Larger green sturgeon diet
includes shes.
Little is known about predators on green sturgeon. Smaller
sh are undoubtedly taken by various sh and bird predators, although the ve lines of sharp, bony scutes along
their bodies probably make them less desirable prey than
most other species. Information from the Columbia River
suggests that total mortality of green sturgeon is less than
for white sturgeon.
ecause green sturgeon spend most of their lives in

the ocean and are not readily available to the sport
shery or sampling programs in estuaries or rivers, their
population status is difcult to determine. Although green
sturgeon have never been abundant, limited evidence suggests that the overall population may have declined in
California. This is supported by the apparent extirpation
of the species from some rivers, such as the Eel and
South Fork Trinity, leaving the Sacramento, Klamath, and
mainstem Trinity rivers as the only documented spawning
streams in California, along with the Rogue and Umpqua
rivers in Oregon. However, abundance estimates in the
San Francisco Bay estuary, based on mark-recapture estimates of white sturgeon abundance and the ratio of white
to green sturgeon in tagging catches, do not suggest that
the population has declined in that system. Additionally,
the recent opening of the Red Bluff Diversion Dam gates
during much of the spawning period has provided green
sturgeon with access to additional spawning area upstream
of Red Bluff. Catches of juvenile green sturgeon during
sampling for downstream-migrant chinook salmon smolts
at the dam in midsummer indicates that they have taken
advantage of this additional spawning habitat. The
number and size distribution of green sturgeon caught
incidental to a commercial salmon shery in the lower
Columbia River leads Oregon biologists to suggest that
tens of thousands of green sturgeon inhabit the
ocean offshore of Oregon
and Washington.
References
Chadwick, H.K. 1959. California sturgeon tagging studies.
California Fish and Game 45:297-301.
Emmett, R.L., S.L. Stone, S.A. Hinton, and M.E. Monaco.
1991. Distribution and abundances of shes and invertebrates in west coast estuaries, volume 2: Species life
histories summaries. ELMR Report No. 8, NOS/NOAA Strategic Environmental Assessment Division, Rockville, Maryland.
Miller, L.W. 1972a. Migrations of sturgeon tagged in the
Sacramento-San Joaquin Estuary. California Fish and Game
58:102-106.
Moyle, P.B., R.M. Yoshiyama, J.E. Williams, and E. Wikramanayake. 1993. Fish species of special concern of California. California Department of Fish and Game, Sacramento,
California.
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. 1995. Green sturgeon.

Pages 83-95 in: Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta native
shes recovery plan. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service,
Portland, Oregon.
David W. Kohlhorst
466

A Status Report

December 2001
White Sturgeon
H
istorically, the white sturgeon (Acipenser transmontanus) resource has been very important to Californians. Sturgeon scutes and skull plates are found in Native
American middens in the San Francisco Bay, SacramentoSan Joaquin delta, and Elkhorn Slough areas, indicating
that these large sh were important sources of tribal
nutrition. An early commercial shery developed for white
sturgeon between the 1860s and 1901, stimulated by a
growing acceptance of smoked sturgeon and caviar on
the East Coast of North America. The California harvest
was concentrated in the San Francisco Bay and delta.
Fishing gear included gillnets, longlines, and multiple
unbaited hooks for snagging sturgeon. The commercial
catch peaked at 1.65 million pounds in 1887, declined
to 0.3 million pounds in 1895, and to 0.2 million pounds
in 1901, when the commercial shery was closed. Small
commercial catches in a reopened shery from 1909 to
1917 indicated that white sturgeon populations were still
low, and commercial shing ceased in 1917.
Sport shing for white sturgeon was legalized in 1954,
with a 40-inch total length minimum size limit and a one
sh per day per person creel limit. In 1956, snagging for
sturgeon was outlawed and the minimum size limit was
raised to 50 inches through 1963. The small sport shing
catch increased dramatically in 1964 when the minimum
size reverted to 40 inches and bay shrimp were discovered
to be effective bait. By 1967, 2,258 sturgeon were landed
by party boat anglers. Possibly due to reduced stocks of
other estuarine and coastal marine species such as striped
bass, angling for white sturgeon has become very popular.
Although exact sport catch data are not available, the
California Department of Fish and Game (DFG) estimates
that the harvest rate during the 1980s was 40 percent
greater than it was during the previous two decades.
In 1990, a 72-inch maximum size limit became law and
the minimum size limit was increased by two inches per
year until a new minimum size of 46 inches was reached
in 1992.
hite sturgeon are generally found in estuaries, and

their range extends along the Pacic Coast of North
America from Ensenada, Mexico, to the Gulf of Alaska.
However, spawning populations have been found only
in large rivers from the Sacramento-San Joaquin system
north. Indeed, most California white sturgeon are found in
the San Francisco Bay estuary. Some white sturgeon move
into the delta and lower Sacramento River during late-fall
and winter. Some of these sh move up the Sacramento
River to the Knights Landing-Hamilton City area to spawn.

December 2001
Spawning may also occur in the Feather River, but has not
yet been documented there. A small number move up the
San Joaquin River. The Klamath River supports the other
California subpopulation of white sturgeon. Although most
recoveries from a tagging program in the San Francisco
Bay estuary have come from the estuary and its tributaries, a few sh (less than one percent of total recoveries)
have moved along the Pacic Coast and been recovered in
Oregon and Washington.
White Sturgeon
California white sturgeon grow rapidly when young, reaching 12 inches fork length in one year. This rapid growth
slows thereafter and they reach the present minimum
legal size of 46 inches after nine to sixteen years. Subsequently, they grow one to 2.5 inches per year. Ages and
growth rates of eld-caught sh have been determined
from the number and spacing of annular rings, visible in
sections of rst pectoral n rays. Laboratory experiments
have shown that young-of-the-year white sturgeon growth
is affected by water temperature and dissolved oxygen
concentration. They grow signicantly faster at 68F than
at 59F, but an increase to 77F does not signicantly
increase growth rate. When dissolved oxygen concentrations drop to 56 percent of air saturation at any of
these three temperatures, juvenile sh show a signicant
decrease in growth rate, presumably due to reduced
food consumption. The white sturgeons rapid growth rate
has attracted the interest of some California aquaculturists, who grow sturgeon in freshwater tanks which have
consistently moderate temperatures and high dissolved
oxygen concentrations.
The largest sturgeon were caught before 1900 when size
records were vague. However, the largest of these sh
was probably more than 13 feet long and weighed more
than 1,300 pounds, making white sturgeon the largest
freshwater-inhabiting sh in North America. This sh may
have been 100 years old. The largest white sturgeon captured in California waters during the past 40 years was
a 468-pound sh caught by a sport angler in Carquinez
Strait in 1983. This sh is the present world record sportcaught white sturgeon. In a University of California, Davis
(UCD) study of white sturgeon during the 1980s, many sh
were caught, measured, examined for sex and stage of
maturity, and released. Median male size was 3.6 feet and
median female size was 4.6 feet in San Francisco Bay.
White Sturgeon, Acipenser transmontanus

Credit: DFG

A Status Report
467
White Sturgeon
Compared with most freshwater or anadromous shes,

white sturgeon are quite old when they become sexually
mature, but they evidence impressive fecundity at this
large size. In the UCD study during the 1980s, sexually
mature males were 3.6 to 6.0 feet long (nine to 25
years old), whereas mature females were generally 4.6 to
6.6 feet (14 to 30 years old). However, high natural variability in the size at sexual maturity was noted, especially
among females. For example, the smallest pre-spawning
female white sturgeon weighed only 25 pounds, whereas a
120-pound female was caught which, from gonadal analysis, was determined to have not yet spawned. Studies suggest that white sturgeon females do not spawn every year.
Several years may lapse between successive spawnings
in an individual female. In the study on San Francisco
Bay sh, approximately 50 percent of the males captured
were approaching spawning condition for that year, compared with only about 15 percent of the captured females.
Fecundity varies with female size. Smaller females (under
ve feet) contain about 100,000 eggs, whereas a 9.2-foot,
460-pound female contained 4.7 million eggs.
Spawning occurs in the Sacramento River between midFebruary and late May when water temperatures are 46
to 72F. Little is known about spawning behavior. White
sturgeon spawn their eggs onto deep gravel rifes or rocky
holes in the Sacramento River. The fertilized eggs are very
adhesive and hatch after four to 12 days on the bottom.
Larvae stay close to the bottom and rear in both the river
and the estuary downstream. Rearing location is at least
partly determined by river ow; more larvae are washed
into the estuary when freshwater ows are high. Young
juvenile sturgeon become increasingly tolerant of brackish
water as they grow and develop.
White sturgeon feed on a wide variety of bottom-dwelling
animals. Sturgeon feed by suction with their ventral, protrusible mouths. Dense aggregations of taste buds on their
four barbels presumably assist in identication of food
on the bottom. When their mouths are blocked by food,
white sturgeon can ventilate their gills by ushing water
in via the dorsal part of the gill slit and out via the
ventral part. Young sturgeon (eight inches) feed primarily
on small crustaceans such as amphipods and opossum
shrimp. As they develop, they take a wider variety of
benthic invertebrates, including various species of clams,
crabs, and shrimp. Larger white sturgeon diet includes
shes and, during winter in San Francisco Bay, herring roe.
Little is known about predators on white sturgeon. Smaller
sh are undoubtedly taken by various sh and bird predators, although the ve lines of bony scutes along their
bodies probably make them less desirable prey than other
estuarine species. Anglers undoubtedly mount the largest
predatory effort on adult sh.
468

A Status Report
he 19th century history of white sturgeon shing

in California waters shows this species vulnerability
to overshing. Delayed sexual maturity and infrequent
spawning by the females exacerbates this vulnerability
compared to many other shes. DFG tagging studies indicated that angler harvest was high during the 1980s and
new size limits (including initiation of a rst-ever maximum size limit in 1990) reect DFGs management concerns. Annual harvest rate estimates indicate that the
angling regulation changes begun in 1990 have had the
desired effect: harvest rates have been reduced by at
least half from the levels of the mid- to late 1980s
Adult (at least 40 inches total length) white sturgeon
abundance, as estimated from tagging studies, varied
greatly between 1967 and 1998. The abundance estimate
reached its highest level (142,000) in 1997. This abundance
pattern is largely the result of irregular recruitment to the
adult population by highly variable year classes. Strong
year classes are produced in years with high spring freshwater outows from the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta,
so much of the present high white sturgeon abundance is
attributable to the very wet 1982-1983 period.
Unfortunately, the severe drought that gripped California
from 1987 to 1992 will soon begin to affect the adult
white sturgeon population, because reproductive success
was low in most of those years. The strong year classes
from the early 1980s were recruited starting in about 1994
and, by 1997 and 1998, few sh smaller than the minimum
size limit of 46 inches were caught. Thus, the population
should decline substantially as recruitment almost ceases
and growth and mortality reduce the abundance of sh
now in the shable population. However, another cycle
of strong recruitment can be expected when sh from a
series of wet years starting in 1993 begin to enter the
shery late in the next decade.
The present low exploitation rates, past rapid recoveries
from population lows in the mid-1970s and early 1990s,
and current protection of the most fecund females by the
72-inch maximum size limit suggest that no further angling
restrictions are needed at this time.
David W. Kohlhorst
Joseph J. Cech, Jr.

December 2001
White Sturgeon
References
Cech, J.J. Jr., S.J. Mitchell, and T.E. Wragg. 1984. Comparative growth of juvenile white sturgeon and striped
bass: Effects of temperature and hypoxia. Estuaries
7:12-18.
Chapman, F.A. 1989. Sexual maturation and reproductive
parameters of wild and domestic stocks of white sturgeon,
Acipenser transmontanus. Ph.D. Dissertation, University of
California, Davis.
Chapman, F.A., J.P. Van Eenennaam, and S.I. Doroshov.
1996. The reproductive condition of white sturgeon,
Acipenser transmontanus, in San Francisco Bay, California.
Fishery Bulletin 94:628-634.
Kohlhorst, D.W. 1980. Recent trends in the white sturgeon population in Californias Sacramento-San Joaquin
Estuary. California Fish and Game 66:210-219.
Kohlhorst, D.W., L.W. Botsford, J.S. Brennan, and G.M.
Cailliet. 1991. Aspects of the structure and dynamics
of an exploited central California population of white
sturgeon (Acipenser transmontanus). Pages 277-293 in:
P. Williot, editor. Acipenser. Actes du premier colloque
international sur lesturgeon, Bordeaux, France.
Kohlhorst, D.W., L.W. Miller, and J.J. Orsi. 1980. Age and
growth of white sturgeon collected in the Sacramento-San
Joaquin Estuary, California: 1965-1970 and 1973-1976. California Fish and Game 66:83-95.
Miller, L.W. 1972a. Migrations of sturgeon tagged in
the Sacramento-San Joaquin Estuary. California Fish and
Game 58:102-106.
Miller, L.W. 1972b. White sturgeon population characteristics in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Estuary as measured
by tagging. California Fish and Game 58:94-101.
Schaffter, R.G. 1997. White sturgeon spawning migrations
and location of spawning habitat in the Sacramento River,
California. California Fish and Game 83:1-20.
Schaffter, R.G. and D.W. Kohlhorst. 1999. Status of
white sturgeon in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Estuary.
California Fish and Game 85:37-41.

December 2001
Angler holding a white sturgeon

Credit: DFG

A Status Report
469
Cow Sharks
wo species of cow sharks (Family Hexanchidae) occur

along the California coast, the sixgill shark (Hexanchus
griseus) and sevengill shark (Notorynchus cepedianus).
Sevengill sharks were among the most common species
taken during shark sheries of the 1930s and 1940s. Even
after this shery collapsed, these sharks were taken in
considerable numbers during shing competitions in San
Francisco Bay in the 1950s and 1960s. The popularity of
Jaws movies in the mid-1970s brought renewed interest
in shark shing. Several operators in the San Francisco
Bay area targeted their charters on sevengill sharks, and
as recently as the mid-1980s, these sharks were still
the object of a popular sport shery in San Francisco
Bay. This shery declined in the late 1980s and early
1990s, as charter boats began to target other species.
Although caught primarily by recreational anglers, sevengills are caught incidentally in commercial sheries for
other species.
The sixgill shark is also an incidental catch, especially in
trawl and gillnet sheries. It frequently appears in sh
markets and at dining establishments, but exact data on
the extent of this shery is lacking. Both species are
typically either discarded or sold as shark, unidentied,
making it difcult to quantify landings.
he sevengill shark is a fairly common coastal species

that frequently enters bays and, although rarely occurring below depths of 330 feet, is found occasionally to
depths of over 660 feet. It seems to be most abundant
where the water temperature lies between 54 and 64F.
It tends to prefer rocky reef habitats where kelp beds
thrive, though it is commonly caught over sandy and mud
bottoms. Although relatively common at times of the year
in Humboldt and San Francisco bays, very little is known
about movement patterns along the open coast.
In the eastern North Pacic, sevengill sharks range from
southeast Alaska to the Gulf of California, with their
distribution becoming sporadic south of San Francisco
Sixgill Cow Shark, Hexanchus griseus

Credit: DFG
470

A Status Report
Bay. The sevengill shark has a worldwide distribution in

most temperate seas, the only notable exception being its
absence from the temperate waters of the North Atlantic.
Sevengill sharks are ovoviviparous, with 80 to 100 young
being born per pregnancy. The young are born during the
spring following a two-year reproductive cycle. Humboldt
Bay and San Francisco Bay serve as important pupping and
nursery grounds. The young remain within the vicinity of
these nursery grounds for the rst few years of life, before
ranging aeld upon entering adolescence. Males mature
between ve and six feet, and grow to a maximum size
of 8.25 feet. Females mature between 7.25 and 8.25 feet
and grow to at about 10 feet. The size at birth is between
14 and 18 inches.
Juvenile sevengills grow quite rapidly during the rst two
years of life, more than doubling their length. This rapid
growth rate by juveniles in the nursery ground enhances
their chance of survival since a sevengill over 28 inches
has fewer predators than a newborn half its size. In contrast to the rapid growth of juveniles, once maturation
begins their growth rate slows down considerably.
The sevengill shark is an active predator that feeds at
or near the top of the food chain. The main prey items
include other sharks, skates, rays, bony shes, and marine
mammals. Sevengills have been observed to employ a
variety of foraging strategies when hunting for food. As
a solitary hunter, they will use stealth to ambush smaller
prey items, but while hunting larger prey, these sharks
will hunt cooperatively in packs to subdue seals, dolphins,
other large sharks and rays. White sharks are one of the
few known predators on adult sevengill sharks and have
been observed to attack them on occasion. In most areas
where it occurs, the sevengill shark is displaced only by
the white shark and killer whale as the top nearshore
marine predator.
The sixgill shark is one of the widest ranging of all shark
species, with a circumglobal distribution from northern
and temperate areas to the tropics. In the eastern North
Pacic, this species occurs from the Aleutian Islands to
southern Baja California. This is a deepwater shark; adults
are found along the continental shelf and upper slopes
down to at least 8,250 feet deep. They are known to
move up to a thousand feet off the bottom, occasionally
coming to the surface. Juveniles are often caught close
inshore, including enclosed bays such as Humboldt and
San Francisco, while adults are normally taken in deeper
water. These sharks seem to associate themselves with
areas of upwelling and high biological productivity.
Sixgill sharks are ovoviviparous with observed litters of
47 to 108. Adult females move onto the continental shelf
during the spring to drop their litter following a two-year
reproductive cycle. Young sixgills usually remain on the

December 2001
The sixgill shark is a large, active, powerful predator

that feeds on a wide variety of prey species including
other sharks, rays, chimaeras, bony shes, and marine
mammals. Larger sixgills will actively forage on quite
large prey items including swordsh, marlin, dolphinsh,
seals, and dolphins. They have also been observed to consume whales as carrion. Juveniles held in captivity have a
voracious appetite.
References
Ebert, D.A. 1986. Biological aspects of the sixgill shark,
Hexanchus griseus. Copeia, 1986(1): 131-135.
Ebert, D.A. 1986. Aspects on the biology of hexanchid
sharks along the California coast. In: Indo-Pacic sh biology: Proceedings of the second international conference
on Indo-Pacic shes (T. Uyeno, R. Arai, T. Taniuchi, and
K. Matsuura, eds.), p. 437-449. Ichthyol. Soc. Jpn., Tokyo.
Cow Sharks
shelf and uppermost slopes until they reach adolescence,

at which time they move further down the slope and into
deeper water. It is the newborns and juveniles that typically seem to stray close inshore and occasionally occur in
bays and harbors. Adult males typically remain in deeper
water, where mating and courtship takes place. Males
mature at about 10 feet, while females mature at about
14 feet. This is a large shark with males reaching at least
11.5 feet and females at least 15.8 feet. The size at birth
is between 24 and 29 inches. Little is known about their
growth rate, although juveniles held in captivity will grow
quite rapidly, nearly doubling their size in the rst year
of life.
Ebert, D.A. 1989. Life history of the sevengill shark,

Notorynchus cepedianus Peron, in two northern California
bays. Calif. Fish Game, 75(2): 102-112.
Ebert, D.A. 1991. Observations on the predatory behaviour
of the sevengill shark, Notorynchus cepedianus. S. Afr. J.
mar. Sci. 11: 455-465.
he main concentrations of sevengill shark populations

in California appear to be in Humboldt and San Francisco Bays, both of which serve as nursery grounds for
newborns and juveniles. Damage to either of these areas
could have an adverse effect on the population. Outside
these bays there is very little reliable information regarding the status of sevengill shark populations.
There is no information on the population status of the
sixgill shark.
David Ebert
U.S. Abalone

December 2001

A Status Report
471
True Smelts
General
he true smelts of the family Osmeridae are small

shes found in cold coastal, estuarine, and freshwater
habitats in the Northern Hemisphere. The term true
smelt identies these shes from similar-looking species
of the silverside family (Atherinopsidae, recently changed
from Atherinidae) whose common names often include the
word smelt (such as jacksmelt, or topsmelt). Smelt life
history strategies range from completing all life stages in
freshwater, migrating from marine or estuarine habitats to
freshwater to spawn (anadromous), or living entirely in the
marine environment and spawning in the surf or subtidal
zone. Like salmonids, the true smelts have an adipose n
and some have a curious cucumber odor.
Most of the 12 species in the family support either sport
or commercial sheries due to their highly prized delicate
avor. They are also a major forage sh for marine mammals, birds, and predatory shes such as salmon and
cod. Seven of the 12 species occur in California: delta
smelt, found only in the upper portions of the Sacramento-San Joaquin estuary; surf smelt, commonly known
as day smelt, found along most of Californias coast but
spawning only from Santa Cruz northward; wakasagi, a
Japanese freshwater species introduced into California
reservoirs which has also taken up residence in the Sacramento-San Joaquin estuary; night smelt, found from
Pt. Arguello, northward; longn smelt, an estuarine species found mainly in the Sacramento-San Joaquin estuary;
eulachon, an anadromous species found mainly in the
Klamath River; and whitebait smelt, a rather uncommon
marine species ranging from San Francisco Bay northward,
about which little is known.
The six native smelts have all supported commercial sheries in the past, but only surf and night smelts contribute
signicantly to the sheries today. The combined sheries
vary from year to year, with catch ranging from 0.5 to
2.1 million pounds per year (1970 to 1999). In 1995, for
example, over 2.0 million pounds of smelt were landed,
with a wholesale value of over $600,000. The average
wholesale price per pound ranges from $0.20 to $0.30.
Smelts are sought commercially not only for human consumption but also as feed for marine mammals, birds and
shes in aquariums, and as bait for shing.
Unfortunately, most of the historical commercial landing
records for smelt, gathered by the California Department
of Fish and Game (DFG), were lumped together, so the
relative importance of each species in the past sheries
cannot be determined. The catch records for 1916 through
1969 are for smelt and whitebait smelt. The term,
smelt included not only surf smelt but jacksmelt, topsmelt, and grunion. After 1969, the silverside catch was
removed from the smelt statistics and all smelts except
472

A Status Report
whitebait and night smelt were lumped into the category

true smelt. However, it is unlikely that whitebait smelt
were ever harvested in very large numbers. Furthermore,
whitebait smelt was the only smelt category available to
sh processors who lled out the required DFG pink slips
on which catch is recorded. Therefore, it is quite likely
that whitebait smelt in the historical sheries statistics
includes all species of smelt harvested (but mainly surf
and night smelt).
Since 1977, landings of smelts have been recorded in
their own species categories; however up to one third of
the landings were still reported as true smelt and not
identied to species. After 1989, the percentage of landings reported in the true smelt category has averaged
less than 0.5 percent of the total landings. Therefore,
while the total smelt catch can be estimated for the
past several decades, landings by species can only be
determined since 1990.
In addition to commercial landings, there is a large, but
largely unreported, sport shery for surf smelt and night
smelt. The Marine Recreational Fishery Statistical Survey
(MRFSS), established by the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) in 1979, estimates the impact of recreational
shing on marine resources. Estimates of annual recreational smelt catches (1980 to 1998), based on phone and
intercept surveys, range from nearly 200,000 pounds in
1998 to less than 5,000 pounds in 1983. Nearly all of these
recreational catches are reported as surf smelt.
Delta Smelt
In the 19th century, delta smelt (Hypomesus transpacicus) and longn smelt were the object of a commercial
shery that supplied markets in San Francisco. Much of the
market seems to have been for dried sh for the Chinese
community. In the 20th century, delta smelt have not been
the target of a shery, however other bait sheries in the
Sacramento-San Joaquin estuary (e.g., shrimp, threadn
shad) often collect delta smelt as bycatch.

Our understanding of delta smelt life history has increased
dramatically just prior to and since the delta smelt was
listed as a threatened species in 1993 by both the federal
government and the state of California. Since then, it
has been the target of focused research to determine
the factors affecting its abundance and to develop water
management strategies to protect it. It is endemic only
to the Sacramento-San Joaquin estuary, which also serves
as the major water conduit for two-thirds of the states
human population. Hence, under protections set forth

December 2001
Delta smelt feed primarily on planktonic copepods, cladocerans, and amphipods. Recent dramatic shifts in the
zooplankton community, both in terms of species invasions and total abundance, may affect delta smelt survival. Historically, the most common food item was the
euryhaline copepod, Eurytemora afnis; however, this
copepod has since been replaced by Pseudodiaptomus
forbesi, as the primary prey item, although E. afnis
is still strongly preferred. In recent years, the exotic
Asian clam, Potamocorbula amurensis, has greatly reduced
zooplankton densities in the estuary.
Genetic studies indicate that delta smelt are more closely
related to surf smelt than to wakasagi even though they
look more like the latter. Many of the traditional external
characteristics used to identify different species (e.g., n
ray counts) overlap between delta smelt and wakasagi;
however, the number of melanophores on the mandible
(delta smelt has zero or one, wakasagi usually has ve
to many) is often used to separate the species. Hybrids
between delta smelt and wakasagi, as well as delta and
longn smelt hybrids, have been observed in the estuary.

December 2001
Unlike many shes with similar life histories in the estuary, delta smelt abundance is not strongly affected by
freshwater outow or by the position of the low salinity
zone; however, population levels are only high in years
with moderate to high outows. Distribution, however,
is strongly related to freshwater outow. In low outow
years, the population is concentrated above the conuence of the Sacramento and San Joaquin rivers in the
narrow channels of the delta where it becomes more
vulnerable to entrainment in water diversions, predation,
pollutant exposure, and competition with wakasagi and
other planktivorous shes. Delta smelt do not exhibit
a strong stock-recruitment relationship that would be
expected for a near annual sh, therefore, environmental
factors may strongly contribute to population success

Delta smelt were once one of the most common shes
in the estuary. Historically, delta smelt abundance uctuated from year to year, but from the early 1980s to the
mid-1990s, the population was consistently low. In recent
years, abundance has varied dramatically even though
stringent measures are now in place to provide better
habitat conditions for delta smelt. The causes of the delta
smelt decline are multiple and synergistic and vary from
year to year. These include: reductions in freshwater outow caused by drought and by the diversion and upstream
storage of large amounts of water by the state and
federal water projects, entrainment losses to water diversions, high outows in extremely wet years, exposure to
toxicants, disease, competition, predation, and loss of
genetic integrity.
2.0
Delta Smelt Abundance
thousands of fish
The delta smelt is one of the smaller smelts. It reaches

adult sizes at two to three inches and rarely lives more
than one year. It is translucent with a silvery steel-blue
streak along its sides and it exudes a strong odor of
cucumbers. Most of the year, it resides in the open surface
waters of the low salinity portions of the estuary where
fresh and salt water mix. They are usually found at salinities between two and seven parts per thousand (ppt)
although are not uncommon in salinities between zero and
18 ppt. Delta smelt migrate to freshwater areas of the
estuary that are under tidal inuence to spawn from late
winter to early summer. Spawning usually takes place in
shallow water where the eggs are demersal and attach to
the substrate. Females produce between 1,200 and 2,600
eggs depending on size. Most adults die after spawning,
however a few survive to a second year. In recent years,
fewer smelt have survived to a second year and the average size of the rst-year sh has signicantly decreased.
Larger sh may contribute signicantly more to the egg
supply and may be responsible for better success of the
population when environmental conditions are favorable.
Since the wakasagi has become established in more brackish portions of the estuary, the potential for interbreeding
as well as for increased competition for food, spawning
areas, etc., has increased and may pose a signicant
threat to delta smelt recovery.
True Smelts
in both the federal and state endangered species acts,

the condition of the delta smelt population can play a
major role in how water is managed throughout the state.
The delta smelt is considered environmentally sensitive
because it resides mainly in the brackish water portion of
the estuary, is primarily an annual sh (i.e., completes its
life cycle, for the most part, in one year), is exclusively
planktivorous and dependent on a zooplankton community
that has been greatly altered by exotic species, has a very
low fecundity for a sh with planktonic larvae, is fragile
and easily stressed, and is a very poor swimmer.
1.6
1.2
0.8
0.4
0.0
1967
1970
1980
1990
1999
Fall Midwater Trawl Abundance Indicies

1967-1999, Delta Smelt
Data Source: DFG Central Valley Bay-Delta Branch. Indices for 1974 and 1979 were
not available.

A Status Report
473
True Smelts
Surf Smelt

The fact that surf smelt (Hypomesus pretiosus) spawn on
selected beaches at predictable times of the day and year
has made them a favorite sport sh. The standard A-frame
dip net used to catch this smelt is based on one used by
American Indians in the aboriginal shery. It consists of a
three- to four-foot long triangle of netting with poles on
two sides and bag at the apex, into which, sh can be
ipped by tilting the net upwards. About 95 percent of all
commercial landings are taken with this gear. The other
ve percent are captured using purse seines, trawls, or
beach seines. This species was thought to be the dominant
species in the commercial smelt catch; however, since
all species categories have been reported, surf smelt
average only one third (33.0 percent) of the smelt catch
(1990 through 1999). Landings averaged 478,000 pounds
between 1990 and 1999 with 70 percent being reported
from Eureka and Arcata. Another 25 percent of the landings were reported in the Crescent City area. Surf smelt
(and night smelt) are sold fresh in the coastal markets or
sold to aquariums as feed for sh and marine mammals.
The sport shery primarily uses techniques and A-frame
nets similar to the commercial shery. Beach seines
(jump nets) up to 20 feet long (with mesh sizes of at
least 7/8 inch) are also legal in the sport shery, as are
cast nets (Hawaiian throw nets). The sport catch limit for
smelt is 25 pounds per day, a regulation that has been in
place for many years.
Unfortunately, we have no historical records of the recreational catch, although it was estimated to be 400,000
pounds, roughly four million smelt, in 1958. Since 1980,
the MRFSS estimate of recreational surf smelt landings in
California averages 86,000 pounds and ranges from 4,500
pounds in 1982 to 197,000 pounds in 1998. These recent
estimates are less than half the 1958 estimate, perhaps
suggesting that either changes in recreational effort or
changes in surf smelt abundance has occurred. It should
be noted that surf smelt was the only smelt to be reported
in any numbers and very few night smelt landings were
reported. This is unusual since night smelt currently make
up over 50 percent of the commercial shery.
Surf smelt are the most widely distributed smelt in California but are only common north of San Francisco Bay.
They are schooling, plankton feeding sh that can reach
10 inches in length. Females typically grow the largest and
live the longest (up to ve years), while males rarely live
longer than three years. Females are mature, however, in
one to two years, producing 1,300 to 37,000 eggs. In California, most spawning occurs in June through September,
in the surf zone of beaches, especially during high tides.
The spawning smelt congregate in the surf during the day,
usually while the tide is falling. The biggest congregations
occur when high tide is in the late afternoon. The fertilized eggs adhere to sand and pebbles. The most favored
spawning beaches are those made up largely of coarse
sand and pea-sized gravel, with some freshwater seepage.
During periods of heavy spawning, some beaches are literally coated with eggs. The eggs hatch in two to three
weeks. Little is known about their larval life or of the
habits of juvenile and adults in the ocean environment.
They presumably spend their lives in waters close to
shore, however, as smelt are a common bycatch in the
shrimp shery.

The shery for surf smelt may be decreasing while
landings for night smelt have increased. Landings have
dropped from over 800,000 pounds (1995 to 1997), to
100,000 pounds in 1998, to just over 12,000 pounds in
1999. Environmental factors such as seawater temperature
changes (e.g., El Nio) may dramatically affect population
levels. However, given their short life-cycle, excessive
shing could cause smelt populations to plummet in just
two or three years. Heavy recreational use of the beaches
may also compact gravels and crush recently spawned
eggs. It is also possible that the developing eggs may
depend on water percolating through the gravels from
above, so alterations of inowing streams or lagoons may
affect the suitability of the spawning habitat for egg
survival.
Wakasagi
Surf Smelt, Hypomesus pretiosus

Credit: DFG
474

A Status Report
In Japan, wakasagi (Hypomesus nipponensis), are a

favored food sh, supporting a highly specialized shery.
Intensive commercial shing and reduced catches stimulated the development of articial propagation techniques
that led to large-scale aquaculture facilities producing millions of wakasagi annually. This long history of articial
propagation of wakasagi is what made it so easy to transport them to California.

December 2001
Smelts
2.5
2.0
1.5
1.0
0.5
0.0 1916
1920
1930
1940
1950
1960

The wakasagi was imported from Japan to California in
1959 by the Department of Fish and Game as a forage
sh for salmonids in lakes and reservoirs. At the time, it
was believed to be the same species as delta smelt. It
was apparently easier to ship wakasagi eggs from Japan
than it was to collect and transport live delta smelt from
the Sacramento-San Joaquin estuary. Its current range in
California is from Shastina Reservoir, Siskiyou County, in
the northern part of the state to San Luis Reservoir and
parts of the California Aqueduct in the central part of
the state. An initial introduction in southern California
at Big Bear Lake, San Bernardino County, apparently did
not survive. It is common in Lake Oroville on the Feather
River and Folsom Lake on the American River, two large
water storage facilities in which water is released in
large amounts for transport down the Sacramento River
to the water diversions in the southern delta. Since 1995,
wakasagi, in small numbers, have been widely distributed
throughout the Sacramento-San Joaquin estuary.
The wakasagi has been well studied in Japan due to its
demand as a favored food item, but little was known
about it in California until recently. Once the wakasagi
became established in the estuary and its potential as a
threat to delta smelt realized, research on the species
increased dramatically. In Japan, it can be either anadromous or resident in fresh water. In California, it has
been well established in cold-water reservoirs and now
appears to survive in estuarine conditions as well
as in the warm-water reservoirs of the California Aqueduct. Wakasagi are able to tolerate a wider range of
salinities and temperatures than delta smelt. They are
also faster swimmers and are much more tolerant of
stressful conditions.
Wakasagi are opportunistic planktivores, feeding mainly
on planktonic copepods. In the Sacramento-San Joaquin
estuary, they feed on the same food items as delta smelt
and represent a competitive threat to the delta smelts

December 2001
1970
1980
1990
1999
Commercial Landings
1916-1999, Smelts
Commercial landings include the
combined landings of smelts
and white bait smelts for 1916
through 1969 and the combined
landings of true smelts, surf
smelts, white bait smelts, and
night smelts for 1970-1999.
True Smelts
3.0
limited food supply. In Japan, most individuals from anadromous stocks apparently live one year, spawn, and die,
while some freshwater populations may live up to four
years. In California, wakasagi can live at least two years
and may reach lengths of up to ve inches. They usually
spawn from February to May. The presence of hybrids in
the estuary indicates that wakasagi can interbreed with
delta smelt; however, no backcrossed individuals have
been observed. The high degree of genetic divergence
between the two species suggests that the hybrids may
be infertile.

The wakasagi is still expanding its range in central California and the consequences of this introduction may not yet
be fully realized. It is a threat to delta smelt not only
because it can interbreed; it may also compete for the
same food items and spawning locations, and possibly prey
on its larvae. The rst known observation of a wakasagi
in the estuary was in 1974. Since then, the number of
observations of individuals has increased although large
densities of wakasagi are still rare.
Now that wakasagi are rmly established in the estuary,
protective measures for delta smelt have become much
more difcult to manage due to the physical similarity
of the two species, particularly at small sizes. Regular
accounting of delta smelt catch is required of projects
that export water out of the delta so they do not exceed
a take limit (i.e., allowable number of delta smelt
that can be killed which is established to limit project
impacts). At the state and federal water diversions, which
may draw in and kill tens of thousands of young-ofthe-year smelts (delta smelt, wakasagi, longn smelt)
daily in the spring, real time identication of small
smelt becomes nearly impossible. Regulated water diversions are allowed until the established take limit is
exceeded. Then diversions are further restricted reducing
the amount of water that is exported. Thus, timely identi-

A Status Report
475
Night Smelt
Night smelt (Spirinchus starksi) are also taken in large
numbers, both in the commercial and sport sheries, in
much the same ways as surf smelt. Although night smelt
are smaller in size and spawn only at night, they represent
over 50 percent of the total commercial smelt landings
valued at over two million dollars in the 1990s. Landings
averaged over 1.2 million pounds annually from 1994 to
1996. Like surf smelt, night smelt are caught mainly with
A-frame dip nets. Most are caught in the area around
Eureka, which accounts for about 60 percent of all commercial smelt landings. Crescent City landings make up
an additional 33 percent. Night smelt are either sold for
consumption as fresh sh or shipped to aquariums for
consumption by sh, birds, and mammals.
Catches of night smelt in the sport shery, as reported
in the MRFSS data, are surprisingly small since they now
make up the bulk of the commercial smelt catch. This may
be due to limited angler contact at night when the majority of landings takes place. The largest catch estimate was
131 pounds in 1986, less than one-tenth of one percent of
the total sport smelt catch for that year.

While night smelt has become the predominant smelt
in the commercial landings in the 1990s, averaging over
800,000 pounds per year, we know very little about the
status of the population. Given the short life-cycle, excessive shing could cause smelt populations to plummet in
just two or three years. Heavy recreational use of the
beaches may also compact gravels and crush recently
spawned eggs. It is also possible that the developing eggs
may depend on water percolating through the gravels
from above, so alterations of inowing streams or lagoons
may affect the suitability of the spawning habitat for
egg survival.
Longfin Smelt
Longn smelt (Spirinchus thaleichthys) were once harvested along with delta smelt in the Sacramento-San Joaquin estuary for Chinese markets in San Francisco. There
is currently no longn smelt shery in California, however
it is often bycatch in the bay shrimp shery.
Night smelt range in distribution from Point Arguello in

central California to Alaska. Like surf smelt, night smelt
are schooling, plankton-feeding sh that are important
prey for other shes as well as marine mammals and birds.
They rarely exceed six inches in length or three years
in age.
The longn smelt is a pelagic, estuarine sh, which ranges

from Monterey Bay to Alaska. In California, it has historically been collected in the Sacramento-San Joaquin estuary, Russian River estuary, Humboldt Bay, and the Eel,
Klamath, and Smith rivers. It is also often collected in the
coastal waters of the Gulf of the Farallones particularly
during late summer and fall.
Spawning has been recorded from January through September on the same beaches as those used by surf smelt.
Much of the spawning takes place earlier in the season
than the spawning of surf smelt; so it is likely that most of
the smelt catch before June is night smelt, with surf smelt
the predominant species in the summer. However, both
species have been observed using the same beaches on
the same day, with night smelt spawning at night and surf
smelt spawning during the day. Peaks of spawning occur
between dusk and midnight on outgoing tides, although
night smelt spawning seems much less tied to tidal height
than is the spawning of surf smelt. A distinguishing feature
of night smelt spawning aggregations is the prevalence of
males close to shore (and in the shore shery). The male
to female ratio early in the season is eight-to-one, but by
the end of the season it is nearly 100-to-one. The ratio is
close to one to one in offshore catches of smelt. Females
476
apparently spawn repeatedly during the season, dashing

in to release their eggs among crowds of eager males.
The fertilized eggs stick to the gravel and hatch in about
two weeks.

A Status Report
Longfin Smelt Abundance Indicies

thousands of fish
True Smelts
cation of delta smelt is a necessity since reductions in

exports may be very costly.
90
80
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
1967
1970
1980
1990
1999
Fall Midwater Trawl Abundance Indicies

1967-1999, Longfin Smelt
Data Source: DFG Central Valley Bay-Delta Branch. Indices for 1974 and 1979 were
not available.

December 2001
increases in predation, reductions in food availability subsequent to invasions by exotic species.
The annual abundance of longn smelt in the SacramentoSan Joaquin estuary is signicantly and positively correlated with the amount of freshwater outow during
spawning and larval periods. Potential mechanisms for this
strong relationship include a reduction in predation during
periods of high ows, increased habitat availability which
may increase survival by reducing interspecic competition, and increases in nutrient levels which are transferred
up the food chain.
Eulachon
Hybrids between longn and delta smelt have been collected in the Sacramento-San Joaquin estuary. However, it
is unlikely that offspring are fertile since these species are
not closely related and no genetic introgression has been
observed. Under certain hydrologic conditions longn and
delta smelt apparently overlap in their spawn times and
locations. However, it appears that these circumstances
are rare since only a few of these hybrids have been
observed.

Longn smelt was once one of the most common shes
in the Sacramento-San Joaquin estuary; however, abundance reached an all time low in 1992, following seven
years of drought. In the late 1990s, population levels have
increased as hydrologic conditions have become wetter
and freshwater outows have increased, however population levels have not fully recovered to expected levels
based on the abundance-outow relationship. Additional
factors potentially affecting abundance include reductions
in outows through water exports, entrainment losses
to water diversions, climatic variations, toxic substances,

December 2001
Resident populations in coastal estuaries along the northern coast of California have declined dramatically or all
but disappeared since the 1970s. Once common in Humboldt Bay, longn smelt have only been observed in very
small numbers in the mid-1990s. In addition, sporadic collections of longn smelt from the Eel River estuary and
the Klamath River occurred in the mid-1990s. There have
been no recent observations in the Smith River. Although
the causes of these declines in these northern estuaries
are not known, they may be similar to the causes of the
decline in the Sacramento-San Joaquin estuary.
True Smelts
In the Sacramento-San Joaquin estuary, longn smelt are

widely distributed in the brackish parts of the estuary
ranging in salinities from 14 to 28 ppt. Adults feed mainly
on the opossum shrimp, while juveniles prefer copepods.
Longn smelt live up to three years and reach lengths of
six inches, but most spawning adults are two years old and
about four inches in length. Longn smelt are anadromous
and spawning takes place in the freshwater or slightly
brackish portions of the estuary from December through
April. Females produce between 5,000 and 24,000 eggs,
which are adhesive and attach to the substrate. Hatching
takes place in up to 40 days depending on the water
temperature. This winter to early spring spawning period
results in larvae hatching at times when freshwater outows out of the estuary are highest. Early-stage larvae
are surface oriented and are transported long distances
by surface currents generated as these high freshwater
ows mix with more saline water. As larvae mature, they
move to lower portions of the water column at salinities
of about 15 ppt where they can maintain their position in
the estuary. Potential predators of longn smelt include
striped bass and inland silversides (eggs and larvae).
Because of the severe decline in abundance of longn

smelt in California in the early 1990s, the USFWS was
petitioned to list the longn smelt as a threatened species. The petition was denied in 1993, largely on the
basis that the California populations were not genetically
distinct from abundant and stable populations found
in Washington.

The eulachon (Thaleichthys pacicus) is the largest of
smelts found in California. It is also known as candlesh,
because they are so oily that American Indians once dried
them to burn like candles. They are highly prized as a
food sh, being considered one of the tastiest of the
smelts. Until the mid-1970s or so, eulachon supported a
fairly consistent river sport dipnet shery, as well as a
dipnet shery by American Indians. The commercial catch
in California has apparently never been large (maximum
reported landings are 3,000 pounds in 1987), but eulachon
are important commercially in British Columbia.

Eulachon range from central California to Alaska. In California, they are found along the coast as far south as
Monterey Bay and seem to prefer the outer continental
shelf, where they school at depths of 150 to 750 feet.
They reach a length of up to twelve inches and may live to
be ve years old. They feed mainly on euphausid shrimps,
copepods, and other crustaceans and can reach maturity
in two to three years. They are a very important food for
predatory marine animals, including salmon, halibut, cod,
and sturgeon.
Eulachon are anadromous, spending most of their life in
the open ocean then migrating to lower reaches of coastal
streams to spawn in fresh water. The principal spawning
run in California is in the Klamath River, but runs have also

A Status Report
477
True Smelts
been recorded in the Mad and Smith Rivers and Redwood

Creek. They spawn in gravelly rifes close to the stream
mouths, rarely ascending more than six or seven miles.
Most eulachon die after spawning, but a few apparently
live to spawn a second time. Each female lays about
25,000 eggs which stick to the gravel and hatch in two
to three weeks.
In recent years, eulachon numbers seem to have declined
drastically; so they are now rare or absent from the Mad
River and Redwood Creek and scarce in the Klamath River.
However, the eulachon and its shery have been largely
ignored in the past, and so we do not known if the sh are
at a low point in a natural population cycle or if they have
been reduced by human related factors.
Whitebait Smelt
Although about half the commercial smelt catch was
called whitebait smelt, the species itself (Allosmerus
elongates) is apparently uncommon throughout its range
or only locally abundant and so it probably infrequently
taken in the shery.

One indication of the scarcity of whitebait smelt is that
comparatively little is known about its biology. Like other
smelt, they live in large schools and are voracious feeders
on zooplankton. They tend to favor productive inshore
areas and bays; however they are only rarely caught in
estuaries or coastal waters. They are collected sporadically in San Francisco and San Pablo bays primarily during
winter and spring. Spawning is thought to take place in
sandy, subtidal areas. The Sacramento-San Joaquin estuary does not appear to be a spawning area since only
post-larval to adult individuals have been collected there.
Young-of-the-year remain translucent and are considered
post-larval until they are almost three inches in length.
They live one to three years and reach lengths of seven
inches. The succession of even year classes in San Francisco Bay may suggest a two-year maturity schedule.
478

A Status Report
This species seems to be locally abundant and rarely
enters the shery. However, we have no idea if it was
more abundant in the past or whether current populations
are stable or not.
Discussion
alifornia smelts provide examples at two ends of the

spectrum of California sheries. At one end are the
surf smelt and night smelt, which together support a fairly
large commercial and sport shery. Although the shery is
one of the largest in California in terms of numbers and
pounds of sh caught, its value is relatively low. It is
also a shery about which surprisingly little is known and
could conceivably decline or collapse from a combination
of overexploitation and alterations to the 19 or 20 principal spawning beaches, which are receiving increasingly
heavy recreational use. At the other end of the sheries
spectrum are delta smelt, longn smelt, eulachon, and
whitebait smelt, all species, which once supported sheries but that are now in relatively low numbers. One of
these species has been listed as a threatened species,
another was petitioned to be listed, and the other two
we know so little about that we do not know if these
populations are in trouble. Three of these species require
fresh water for spawning and their declines are probably
all related to alterations of the spawning and rearing
habitats. It is clear that we need to know much more
about all of Californias smelt, so that they can be managed for sheries of the future and to maintain their
important roles in coastal and estuarine food webs.
further information on all the true smelts.
Dale A. Sweetnam and Randall D. Baxter
Peter B. Moyle

December 2001
Aasen, G.A., D.A. Sweetnam, and L.M. Lynch. 1998. Establishment of the wakasagi, Hypomesus nipponensis, in the
Sacramento-San Joaquin estuary. California Fish and Game
84:31-35.
Baxter, R.D. 1999. Osmeridae. Pages 179-215 in James
Orsi, editor. Report on the 1980-1995 sh, shrimp, and
crab sampling in the San Francisco estuary, California.
Interagency Ecological Program Technical Report 63.
Bennett, W.A. and P.B. Moyle. 1995. Where have all the
shes gone? Interactive factors producing sh declines in
the Sacramento-San Joaquin Estuary. In, San Francisco Bay
the urbanized ecosystem. J.T. Hollibaugh, editor. AAAS
Symposium volume. 519-542.
Fitch, J.E. and R.J. Lavenberg. 1971. Marine food and
game shes of California. Berkeley: Univ. Calif. Press. 177
pp.
Moyle, P.B. in PRESS. Inland shes of California, 2nd edition. Berkeley: Univ. Calif. Press.

December 2001
Moyle. P.B., B. Herbold, D.E. Stevens, and L. Miller.

1991. Life history and status of the Delta smelt in the
Sacramento-San Joaquin estuary. Trans. Amer. Fish. Soc
121:67-77.
Stanely, S.E., P.B. Moyle, and H.B. Schaffer. 1995. Allozime
analysis of delta smelt, Hypomesus transpacicus, and
longn smelt, Spirinchus thaleichthys in the SacramentoSan Joaquin estuary. Copeia. 1995: 390-396.
True Smelts
References
Sweetnam, D.A. 1999. Status of delta smelt in the Sacramento-San Joaquin estuary. California Fish and Game 85
22-27.
Trenham, P.C., H.B. Shaffer and P.B. Moyle. 1998. Biochemical identication and population subdivision in morphologically similar native and invading species (Hypomeseus) in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Estuary, California.
Transaction of the American Fisheries Society 27:417-424.
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. 1995. Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta Native Fishes Recovery Plan. U.S. Fish and
Wildlife Service, Portland, Oregon. 195 pp.

A Status Report
479
Bay and Estuarine Finfish

Bay and Estuarine Finfish
480
Commercial Landings
Year
Pacific
Herring
Pounds
True
Smelts1
Pounds
1916
1917
1918
1919
1920
1921
1922
1923
1924
1925
1926
1927
1928
1929
1930
1931
1932
1933
1934
1935
1936
1937
1938
1939
1940
1941
1942
1943
1944
1945
1946
1947
1948
1949
1950
1951
1952
1953
1954
1955
1956
1957
1958
1959
1960
1961
1962
1963
1964
1965
1966
1967
1968
1969
1970
1971
1972
1973
1974
1975
1976
1977
1978
1979
2,928,591
7,435,997
7,938,280
4,289,899
274,364
542,124
341,621
383,950
435,620
862,974
453,607
1,168,321
1,139,682
957,563
717,634
685,759
765,724
601,445
801,601
933,285
840,530
631,330
504,884
302,242
453,193
789,753
190,815
630,358
422,255
460,465
481,776
1,654,850
8,002,692
379,311
1,425,351
4,923,655
9,495,386
7,801,928
911,906
1,946,521
1,735,776
1,188,080
1,726,966
1,727,013
1,800,672
1,401,248
1,305,569
630,087
349,270
516,319
241,973
271,902
357,869
170,532
315,968
240,936
115,748
2,813,267
5,252,676
2,433,676
4,858,113
9,301,000
11,387,000
9,373,600
1,153,306
1,107,349
932,841
762,895
744,865
770,302
914,147
874,198
844,395
822,637
968,680
1,100,070
1,061,302
1,176,214
1,229,582
1,216,305
1,032,756
825,453
838,173
1,039,825
1,038,969
768,247
674,585
641,819
576,809
583,841
603,197
1,707,640
1,810,469
2,660,732
1,137,813
1,039,926
1,004,595
957,380
798,575
1,257,719
798,794
849,408
876,508
994,730
615,153
615,072
856,669
826,353
597,757
827,117
527,855
506,536
605,254
517,547
684,716
791,669
681,123
574,910
811,364
495,153
703,656
1,307,180
768,844
648,325
627,416
878,206
372,317
546,843
Recreational Catch
Year
Pacific
Herring
Pounds
True
Smelts1
Pounds
1980
1981
1982
1983
1984
1985
1986
1987
1988
1989
1990
1991
1992
1993
1994
1995
1996
1997
1998
1999
17,447,200
13,442,600
23,433,040
17,825,400
8,973,600
16,943,800
16,816,400
18,569,200
19,369,600
20,339,200
17,944,200
15,942,800
13,476,400
9,552,200
6,496,600
10,256,600
14,551,200
20,117,400
5,347,200
4,834,400
560,437
425,506
698,396
310,726
482,563
1,075,513
633,716
928,798
867,271
745,147
900,527
1,345,154
903,908
1,112,876
1,912,447
2,032,352
2,075,415
1,741,649
503,118
563,369
True smelts includes the combined commercial landing categories of smelt and white bait smelt for
1916 through 1969 and the combined commercial
landing categories of true smelts, surf smelts, white
bait smelt, and night smelt for 1970 through 1999.

A Status Report
Year
Striped
Bass
No. of Fish1,2
1960
1961
1962
1963
1964
1965
1966
1967
1968
1969
1970
1971
1972
1973
1974
1975
1976
1977
1978
1979
1980
1981
1982
1983
1984
1985
1986
1987
1988
1989
1990
1991
1992
1993
1994
1995
1996
1997
1998
1999
30,856
42,357
39,682
58,551
34,163
16,488
44,869
23,794
23,058
20,091
15,269
13,381
31,690
21,120
41,561
17,561
10,677
8,263
2,609
7,370
1,391
2,985
3,646
14,206
13,524
9,686
8,572
8,858
10,415
2,167
2,356
4,427
5,274
1,687
2,247
3,102
6,096
7,368
19,720
10,774
1
2
All data presented in number of fish caught.

Ocean and San Francisco Bay recreational catch;
Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta receational catches
are not included until 1964.

December 2001
rom a biological perspective, no other complex is more

important to bay and estuary ecosystems than their
plant communities. Whether discussing tidal wetlands,
shallow subtidal habitat, or marine algae, plant communities and the habitats they form are vital to the function
and health of bays and estuaries. Two important plant
components within the bay and estuary setting are the
tidal wetland, and the subtidal eelgrass (Zostera marina)
and Gracilaria spp. communities. While these two plant
groupings are small fractions of the bay and estuarine
plant assemblage and do not occur in all bays and estuaries of the state, they are signicant contributors to
the overall productivity and species diversity of these
ecosystems. Other commonly occurring bay and estuarine
plant communities, such as phytoplankton, algal mats,
and sea lettuce are not addressed by this report, but are
important food contributors and principal components of
these ecosystem carbon budgets.
The economic value of bay and estuarine wetlands and

subtidal habitats is considered to be among the highest
of all natural resources. Such habitats support commercial
harvests of sh and shellsh and provide millions of days
of recreational shing and waterfowl hunting each year.
On a global level, such plant communities help stabilize
available nitrogen, atmospheric sulfur, carbon dioxide, and
methane. In the crowded urban environment, where many
remnant populations of bay and estuary plant communities
exist, such habitats contribute to open space and are a
valuable aesthetic asset. A recent economic assessment of
Californias wetlands conducted by the California Coastal
Commission established annual benets valued at between
$6.3 billion and $22.9 billion.
Eric J. Larson
Bay and Estuarine

Plants: Overview
Bay and estuary ecosystems are the probably the most

impacted and altered environments of the California
coastline. Most of the states bay and estuary ecosystems
are intensively urbanized, serving as centers for industry,
agriculture, and commerce. The impacts of such anthropogenic activities are acutely evident within the bay and
estuarine plant communities. The loss of tidal and subtidal wetland habitats on a statewide level is substantial.
Where once vast mosaics of tidal wetlands predominated,
agriculture, housing, or other developments have been
formed from lands diked from the bay or lled. Similarly,
losses of subtidal plant communities are accelerating
worldwide. In southern California, it has been estimated
that as little as ten percent of the historical distribution
of eelgrass remains. In the majority of cases, once bay
and estuary plant communities are destroyed they are lost
forever. Some restoration has occurred throughout the
coastal region of California with signicant efforts focused
on southern California, particularly within Mission and San
Diego bays and the reopening of Bataquitos Lagoon to
tidal ow. However, in most cases, the goal remains one
of preservation.
Bay and estuary plant communities provide critical habitats, which support a diverse array of sh and wildlife
including species that are in danger of extinction. The
diverse structure of bay and estuarine plants also helps
to improve water quality, protect lands from ooding,
provide energy to the marine and estuarine food web,
and stabilize shorelines against erosion. Studies have
found that subtidal plant communities are also principal
contributors to primary productivity within bay and
estuary ecosystems.

December 2001

A Status Report
481

482

A Status Report

December 2001
General Description
Wetlands are broadly dened as the transitional lands
that occur between the terrestrial and aquatic systems
where the water table is usually at or near the surface,
or the land is covered by shallow water. There are ve
major systems of wetlands marine, estuarine, riverine,
lacustrine (lake), and palustrine (freshwater marsh). This
paper discusses Californias marine and estuarine wetland
systems. However, it should be noted that all ve systems
occur in the state, all of which serve important roles as
sh and wildlife habitat and in many ways are ecologically
tied to one another.
One of the most widely used and comprehensive wetland
classication system was developed for the U.S. Fish and
Wildlife Service and is referred to as the Cowardin denition. This classication system denes wetlands as having
one or more of the following three attributes: 1) at
least periodically, the land supports predominantly hydrophytes; 2) the substrate is predominantly undrained hydric
soil; and 3) the substrate is nonsoil and is saturated with
water or covered by shallow water at some time during
the growing season of each year. Although this system
is commonly used to classify wetlands, regulatory agencies such as the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, and other public
agencies use varying denition when regulating the discharge of dredged or ll material or other alterations to
wetland areas.
The term tidal wetland refers to areas that are covered
with shallow intermittent tidal waters. Coastal tidal wetlands in the California include a number of natural communities that share the unique combination of aquatic,
semi-aquatic, and terrestrial habitats that result from
periodic ooding by tidal waters, rainfall, and runoff.
These coastal wetlands, also referred to as salt marshes,
provide a vital link between land and open sea, exporting
nutrients and organic material to ocean waters. Wetlands
also help to improve water quality, protect lands from
ooding, provide energy to the estuarine and marine food
webs, and help stabilize shorelines against erosion.
Tidal wetlands are dominated by a community of plants
that are tolerant of wet, saline soils, and are generally
found in low-lying coastal habitats which are periodically
wet and usually saline to hypersaline. In fact, no other
feature denes a salt marsh better than the plant communities that form there. The location of plant species
within a salt marsh is dened by zone, with cordgrass
(Spartina foliosa) forming the most seaward edge of the
emergent marsh plant community. Of the thousands of
plant species in North America, only cordgrass thrives in

December 2001
the lowest zone of a salt marsh. This lower marsh zone

occurs from approximately mean sea level to the line of
mean high tide.
The middle zone of a tidal marsh occurs from approximately the line of mean high tide to the mean higher high
tide line and is characterized by the occurrence of pickleweed (Salcornia sp.). Pickleweed is less tolerant of tidal
inundation than cordgrass, but is the most dominant plant
of California tidal wetlands. Jaumea (Jaumea carnosa) also
occurs, but to a lesser extent within the middle zone of
Californias coastal marshes.
The upper zone of a tidal marsh is dened by the line of
mean higher high tide to extreme high tide. This upper
zone of a salt marsh may only be inundated infrequently,
in some locations as little as once or twice annually. Such
innundation usually occurs during the spring tide cycle
(highest annual tides) and during severe storm events.
The upper zone of the tidal marsh is characterized by
the dominance of salt grass (Distichlis spicata) which tolerates only occasional tidal inundation. This upper area
of marshes contains the largest plant species diversity
of the three zones. Species such as fat hen (Atriplex
patula), sand spurrey (Spergularia marina), marsh rosemary (Limonium californicum), brass buttons (Cotula cornopifolia), can be found within the upper zone of salt
marshes throughout California. In the southern portion of
the state, species such as Australian salt bush (Atriplex
semibaccata), sea-bite (Suaeda californica and Suaeda fruticosa), shoregrass (Monanthochloe littoralis), and salt
marsh birds beak (Cordylanthus sp.) can be found within
the upper salt marsh zone.
Coastal Wetlands Emergent Marshes
The zonation of marshes in southern California is somewhat more complex than that described above. Southern
California salt marshes lack expansive stands of cordgrass;
instead they are dominated by succulents. Within the
Mugu Lagoon, Anaheim Bay, Newport Bay, Mission Bay,
San Diego Bay, and the Tijuna River estuary, zones of
saltwort (Batis maritima) and annual pickleweed (Salcor-
Carpinteria Salt Marsh, Santa Barbara Co.

Credit: USEPA, 1995

A Status Report
483
nia bigelovii) integrate with cordgrass in the lower zone

and perennial pickleweed (Salcornia virginica) and other
middle zone plant species occur at higher than normal
elevations in these and other southern California marshes.
In addition to the plant communities, other dening characteristics often associated with Californias tidal wetlands include mudats, tidal creeks, intertidal channels
and sloughs, salt ats, and shallow pannes. Fresh water
inows are also often found in many of the states coastal
wetland areas, adding to the diversity of habitat types and
associated species use.
Many of Californias coastal wetlands are estuarine salt
marshes. These salt marshes, associated mudats, and
eelgrass beds develop along the shores of protected estuarine bays and river mouths, as well as in more marinedominated bays and lagoons. Overall, the states tidal
and estuarine wetland ecosystems provide some form of
food, shelter, or other benets to nearly a thousand species of sh, amphibians, reptiles, birds, mammals, and a
multitude of invertebrates. During peak annual migration
periods, hundreds of thousands of birds migrating along
the Pacic Flyway descend upon the states estuarine
wetlands in search of refuge and food.
Californias tidal wetlands also provide habitat for an array
of endangered species, including the salt marsh harvest
mouse, California clapper rail, certain runs of salmon, and
wetlands plants such as a species of salt marsh birds peak.
Wetlands produce an abundant yield of vegetation, which
in turn provides the basis for a complex food chain nourishing a rich assortment of living organisms. The diversity
and abundance of organisms in coastal wetlands is remarkable, given the often extreme and variable conditions
that can occur. Bacteria, protozoa, algae, vascular plants,
invertebrates, amphibians, sh, birds, and mammals can
all be found within the states coastal wetland ecosystems, and together comprise the biotic community of the
wetland. Many of these organisms are dependent on the
wetland for their existence, either spending their entire
lives in the wetland, or spending a critical portion of their
life cycle in the wetland.

Literature on wetland science addresses a broad range
of topic and setting, and much has also been written
specic to Californias estuarine and coastal wetlands.
Programs such as the San Francisco Bay National Estuary
Project, San Francisco Bay Baylands Ecosystem Habitat
Goals Project, and organizations such as the Pacic Estuarine Research Laboratory, state and private universities,
and numerous state and federal resource agencies have
contributed extensively to the knowledge base of Californias coastal wetland ecosystems. This is not to say that
questions do not remain about the functions and science
of the states coastal wetlands.
Scientic study in the eld of wetland science is ongoing.
The role that the states coastal wetland habitats play
in the support of sh and wildlife resources is an area
of extensive research, particularly in the effects of, and
techniques for enhancement and restoration. Many of the
coastal wetland restoration projects undertaken within
the state include research and monitoring aspects within
the project designs. Such analyses are vital to the overall
knowledge base of wetland science and are critical to the
improvement of subsequent wetland restoration activities.
Status of the Habitat

Human inuence along Californias coastline has a long
history. The effect of this history is evidenced by the
profound alteration of the natural environment, most pronounced of which are the modication of the shallowwater habitats within the states bays and estuaries and
the staggering loss of coastal wetlands. The total loss
of California coastal wetlands is estimated at ve million
acres. This represents some 91 percent of the historic
wetland acreage present before 1850. Although the entire
coastline of the state has experienced losses of coastal
wetland habitat, the largest losses are believed to have
occurred in the San Francisco Bay estuary and along the
southern coast of the state.
A variety of activities have contributed to the dramatic

loss of Californias wetlands. These include diking, lling,
Estimated
Estimated
Estimated
draining, and vegetation removal for agricultural uses;
Percent
Remaining
Original
diking and lling for residential, commercial, and indusReduction
Acreage
Acreage
Region
trial development; placement of ll material for road and
Northern Coast
unknown
31,300
unknown
pad construction associated with oil and gas exploration
Central Coast
unknown
3,800
unknown
and development; lling and other associated construction
San Francisco Bay
93,000
54%
(tidal and mudflat)
200,000
for roads, highways, and railways; dredging and lling
Southern Coast
53,000
13,100
75%
for port and marina development; and channelization and
Statewide
5,000,000
450,000
91%
lling for ood control purposes. Coastal wetland losses,
including those historically occurring within bays and estuHistoric Losses of California Coastal Wetlands
Historic Losses of California Coastal Wetlands
aries, throughout the state are primarily attributed to
Source: Procedural Guidance for the Review of Wetland Projects in Californias
urban development. Although state and federal regulaSource: Procedural Guidance for the Review
of
Wetland
Projects
in
Californias
Coastal
Coastal Zone, California Coastal Commision.
Zone, California Coastal Commission.
484

A Status Report

December 2001

Principle Coastal Wetlands of California
tions, as well as social pressures have reduced activities

that cause wetland losses, many are still occurring. Much
of the current loss of wetlands is attributed to a lingering
legacy of past development, such as continued use of
wetland areas for agriculture, or expansion of existing
urban and industrial complexes within wetland habitats.
Secondary or indirect impacts also have contributed to
the continued loss of coastal wetlands, including point and
non-point source storm and wastewater discharges, and

December 2001
alteration of natural fresh and salt water inows to the

states estuaries and wetland areas.
The Bolsa Chica wetlands in the Huntington Beach community is a site of recent controversy over wetland development and is an example of one of southern Californias
continuing struggles with the preservation of remnant
coastal wetlands. The Bolsa Chica wetlands are the largest
stretch of unprotected coastal marshland south of San
Francisco, and provide 1,100 acres of wetland habitat, sup-

A Status Report
485
porting many species of plants, sh, and wildlife, including several endangered species of birds, such as the California least tern, light-footed clapper rail, Beldings Savannah sparrow, and peregrine falcon. Southern California
once had over 53,000 acres of coastal wetland areas.
This number is now down to approximately 13,000 acres.
Such wetland losses have contributed to a decline in
Californias wintering bird population. Once estimated to
be about 60 million, yway populations now uctuates
between two and four million waterfowl, one and two
million shorebirds. For the Pacic Flyway as a whole,
there has been some improvement in recent years, partly
because of the end of a multi-year drought in the northern
breading areas, but also because of the efforts made at
restoring Californias coastal and inland wetlands.
In many ways, the degree and type of tidal wetland
habitat losses within the San Francisco Bay estuary reect
what has occurred in the state. Early reclamation activities resulted in the draining and diking of tidal, freshwater, and brackish marshes in the San Francisco Delta, as
well as around Suisun Bay and San Pablo Bay. Much of this
reclaimed land was cultivated for agricultural purposes.
Additionally, the construction of salt production facilities
resulted in the conversion of thousands of acres of tidal
marsh to permanent salt pond operations. At the end of
World War II, urbanization of the San Francisco Bay Area
resulted in the conversion of intertidal and subtidal habitats to urbanized uplands. As a result of these wetland
conversion activities, it is estimated that 95 percent of
the estuarys tidal marshes have been leveed or lled.
Some of the converted wetland areas, such as salt ponds
and diked lowlands, remain as wetland habitat, but of
a different type, offering substantially altered functions
than that which existed before conversion. At present,
it is estimated that less than 38,000 acres of tidal wetlands remain in the San Francisco Bay estuary, with an
additional mudat habitat of approximately 65,000 acres,
diked seasonal wetland habitat of approximately 58,000
acres, and salt ponds and salt crystallization facilities of
approximately 36,500 acres of non-tidal wetland habitat.
Losses and alteration impacts of tidal wetland habitat
associated with coastal inlets and riverine estuaries along
the California coast have also been great. Many of the
states historical wetland areas of this type have been lost
or reduced in size due to direct impacts such as channelization, dredging and continued breaching of outer sandbars for ood control, and marina and harbor construction. However, off-site activities including water diversion
and sediment inputs associated with watershed alterations
including logging and agricultural cultivation also have
signicantly impacted Californias coastal tidal wetlands.
Californias remaining coastal wetlands are highly valued
as habitat for the multitude of species that depend on
486

A Status Report
them, and as aesthetic, functional, environmentally necessary elements. In fact, tidal wetland protection and restoration activities have become front-page news in many
areas of the state and funding sources, once unobtainable,
are now becoming increasingly available. Even with such
changes in the political, economical, and environmental
settings, much work needs to be done to recapture
and protect Californias tidal wetland habitats. Additional
research and continued monitoring of existing wetland
restoration projects are needed to build and contribute to
the database on how best to address and undertake these
activities. Additionally, methods need to be developed to
address problems which could lead to the further loss of
coastal wetland areas due to the anticipated rising sealevel, and other factors such as invasive species. Further
public education, community involvement, and political
action are needed.
Eric J. Larson
References
California Coastal Commission. 1987. California coastal
resources guide. 384 pp.
Faber, P.M. 1990. Common wetland plants of California: a
eld guide for the layman. Pickleweed Press. 110 pp.
Goals Project. 1999. Baylands ecosystem habitat goals. A
report of habitat recommendations prepared by the San
Francisco Bay Area Wetlands Ecosystem Goals Project.
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, San Francisco, CA.
and San Francisco Bay Regional Water Quality Control
Board, Oakland, CA.
Josselyn, M. 1983. The ecology of San Francisco Bay tidal
marshes: a community prole. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Biological Services Program. Washington D.C. FWS/
OBS-82/23.
Josselyn, M., L. Handley, M. Quammen, and D. Peters.
1994. The distribution of wetlands and deepwater habitat
in San Francisco Bay Region. NWRC Open File 94-04. U.S.
Department of Interior National Biological Survey, Washington D.C.
Resources Agency of California. 1997. Californias ocean
resources: an agenda for the future. State of California,
Resources Agency, Sacramento.
Zedler, J.B. 1982. The ecology of southern California
coastal salt marshes: a community prole. U.S. Fish and
Wildlife Service, Biological Services Program. Washington
D.C. FWS/OBS-81/54.

December 2001
Eelgrass
Introduction
Worldwide there are more than 50 species of vascular
plants capable of inhabiting the shallow saline waters of
the estuarine environment. The most common of these
species, occurring in full-strength seawater, are the seagrasses. One of the most studied seagrasses in temperate
and tropical regions is eelgrass (Zostera spp.). The eelgrass commonly found in North America, Z. marina, is
widely distributed in the temperate zones of both coasts.
Along the U.S. Pacic Coast, Z. marina occurs from Alaska
to Baja California. Another species, Z. asiatica, is also
found in a number of locations on the west coast of North
America including offshore of the Santa Barbara area in
California at depths up to 45 feet.
Eelgrass beds are generally regarded as highly productive
habitats that support a rich assemblage of sh species
and provide a refuge area for larval and juvenile shes.
Eelgrass habitat is also a very important resource for
a variety of birds. It is associated with rich bottom
fauna important to waterbirds, especially diving birds
and mollusc-eaters. In Californias bays and estuaries
north of Monterey Bay, eelgrass provides spawning habitat for Pacic herring. Large numbers of waterbirds
such as scoters, bufehead, scaup, goldeneyes, American coots, eat eggs deposited onto eelgrass by Pacic
herring during the mid-winter spawn. In addition, many
birds such as surface-feeding ducks and other waterfowl,
including the black brant, feed directly on eelgrass.
nutrients. Organic material from natural decomposition

processes or human inuences are ltered and collected
by eelgrass leaves and turions, providing a nutrient source
for the eelgrass bed community. Nutrients that otherwise
would accumulate in the sediments or be ushed out
to sea may thereby be retained and recycled within the
estuarine ecosystem.
The decline in eelgrass communities during the 1930s
and 1940s encouraged the initiation of studies to gain a
better understanding of this vital estuarine habitat. In
recent years, the importance of eelgrass communities has
resurfaced as a signicant measure of the health of bays
and estuaries. Some protection of this ecosystem has been
afforded over the years through management practices
that protect it through disturbance avoidance or in-kind
replacement mitigation. In southern California further protection as also been provided by the implementation of
the multi-agency Southern California Eelgrass Mitigation
Policy of 1991 which is routinely included within permit
conditions of both the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and
California Coastal Commission. While this policy was specically designed to address eelgrass impacting projects
in southern California, its principals have, at times, also
been applied permit conditions for projects occurring in
Submerged Aquatic Plants
Submerged
Aquatic Plants
The location, abundance and health of eelgrass appear

to be highly sensitive to changes in environmental conditions. For example, in the decade of 1935 to 1945,
eelgrass beds on the north coasts of America and Europe
suffered a substantial decline in abundance. The cause
of this decline remains unknown but has been ascribed
to a variety of causes ranging from parasitic infection by
slime mold and fungus to greater than normal changes in
rainfall or seawater temperature. A population decline
in a wide variety of marine organisms dependent on
eelgrass habitat was also seen during this period. Additionally, changes in bottom topography occurred in the
affected eelgrass bed areas as currents and wave action
reworked formerly stable bottom sediments. Recovery
occurred slowly, due to the diminished and scattered
distribution of individual plants resulting in reduced
vegetative propagation and seed production.
Aside from its interaction in the marine and estuarine
food webs, eelgrass assumes an important role in cycling

December 2001
Eelgrass, Zostera marina

Credit: DFG

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487
northern California. The continued decline of important

sh species may serve to offer additional protection for
the states eelgrass communities by designation of this
habitat type as critical habitat under federal laws, administered by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the
National Marine Fisheries Service.

The recognition of the importance of eelgrass within the
bay and estuarine ecosystem has provided a focus of
scientic research and resource management for several
decades. Early last century researchers on both coasts collected an array of information on water and air temperatures along with plant data over a several year period.
Additionally, measurements of eelgrass standing stock
have been conducted throughout the Northern Hemisphere including the West Coast of North America.
The distribution of eelgrasses within bay and estuarine
ecosystems is dependent on a variety of parameters,
including light, temperature, salinity, substrate, waves and
currents, nutrients, and availability of seed. Most commonly, estuarine seagrasses are found in soft sediments
of semi-sheltered areas where depth and turbidity conditions allow sufcient light. The typical depth distribution
of eelgrass is throughout the inter- and subtidal-zones.
The maximum standing crop occurs just below mean low
water. Maximum biomass occurs at depths corresponding
to 20 to 30 percent surface-light intensity. Distribution
and abundance of eelgrass also appear to be inuenced
along the land-sea axis of estuaries by the relative abundance of nutrients. Nutrient availability is higher at the
riverine end of an estuary. However, the mixing zone
within estuaries also tends to be more turbid. Thus,
the relationship between light penetration and nutrient
availability acts with other factors to dene the areas
within estuaries where eelgrass beds become established
and thrive.
Eelgrass is a owering marine plant that grows from rhizomes in soft sediment. The establishment and expansion
of eelgrass beds occur through seed production and asexual rhizome propagation. Although their roots and rhizomes help to stabilize sediments where they are established, eelgrass beds are highly susceptible to anthropogenic disturbances, particularly substrate disturbances
and reduced light penetration. Eelgrass beds are also
susceptible to adverse impacts from non-native invasive
species. Studies looking at the response of eelgrass to a
non-indigenous mussel (Musculista senhousia) found that
eelgrass beds showed a negative response to colonization
of this invasive bivalve, particularly where the eelgrass
bed was sparse or fragmented, or in beds that
had been reestablished. The recent discovery of the
invasive algae Caulerpa taxifolia (Mediterranean strain)
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in Agua Hedionda Lagoon in southern California has

also demonstrated the ability of an invasive species to
displace eelgrass.
Once disturbed, eelgrass bed recovery or recolonization is
slow and may not be possible without reestablishment
of favorable growth conditions. The decline of seagrass
and related aquatic vegetation has reached and alarming
state worldwide. Studies show documented plant losses
in the United States that have approached or exceeded
three-quarters of the historic distribution. Further, the
importance of genetic distribution in the population
dynamics of aquatic plants has in the past largely been
ignored in restoration and conservation efforts. Studies
in southern California found signicantly reduced genetic
diversity in eelgrass beds that were reestablished through
transplants or that otherwise became established in previously disturbed locations. Reduced genetic diversity in the
transplanted sites corresponded in general to a smaller
size and younger plant age than in undisturbed sites,
although this characteristic effect on the eelgrass community is not fully understood. However, there was no
evidence that genetic diversity increased in transplanted
sites over time. It is likely that this genetic diversity
problem occurs in many areas of the state where eelgrass
bed disturbances commonly take place.
Status of the Beds

Along the Pacic coastline of California, eelgrass is found
to some degree in all of the larger bays and estuaries,
from the Oregon border to San Diego, including Humboldt
Bay, Tomales Bay, San Francisco Bay, Monterey Bay, Morro
Bay, and San Diego/Mission Bay. Additionally, eelgrass is
well established in several of the smaller open estuarine
embayments along the states coastline. The historical
presence of eelgrass along the California coast was much
greater than it is today. Although few records exist that
measure the areal extent of eelgrass within the states
small coastal estuaries, the condition that existed prior to
human disturbances in many of these locations were no
doubt favorable to eelgrass bed communities.
Humboldt Bay
Measurements of eelgrass standing stock in Humboldt Bay
were conducted in 1972. Distribution was determined
by mapping the eelgrass beds through eld surveys and
light aircraft. Eelgrass standing stock values determined
through density analyses ranged from 3.1 million pounds
dry weight in April 1972, to 15.2 million pounds dry weight
in July 1972, with South Humboldt Bay accounting for 78
to 95 percent of the total eelgrass stock. These results
were similar to an earlier assessment in 1962.

December 2001
Small North Coast Estuaries

It is likely that at one time eelgrass predominated along
the seaward edge of many of the small estuaries at
the mouth the north coast river systems. Today, due to
human alterations, such as channelization, dredging, and
upstream disturbances that cause increase turbidity and
siltation, eelgrass is limited to but a few such ecosystems.
Remnant populations are documented within the North
Coast estuaries that remain open to seawater inuence
year-round, such as the Big River estuary where eelgrass
forms large beds along muddy banks within the rst three
miles of the estuary, and the Albion River Estuary, which
also has a well-established eelgrass community.
Tomales Bay
Eelgrass is the most abundant marine ora in Tomales Bay.
Surveys conducted by the California Department of Fish
and Game in 1985, determined the areal extent to be 965
acres. Although eelgrass distribution is relatively stable
from year to year in Tomales Bay, densities of eelgrass
beds are highly variable within and between individual
beds seasonally. The density and distribution of eelgrass
within Tomales Bay are determined annually by the California Department of Fish and Game as part of the seasonal herring spawning-ground surveys. Extensive eelgrass
beds are located within Tomales Bay throughout the intertidal and subtidal areas, generally in waters less than 12
feet mean lower low water between Sand Point and Nicks
Cove, and around the immediate bay perimeter on both
shorelines to the vicinity of Millerton Point.

December 2001
The general locations of the Tomales Bay eelgrass beds

appear to have been consistent since the early 1970s,
although there is some annual uctuation. The density
of eelgrass during the winter of 1987-1988 was 0.04 0.55
pounds per square foot. Similar densities were observed
1973 and 1976. Such densities represent between 70 and
100 percent bottom-coverage. The long-term evaluation of
Tomales Bay eelgrass beds indicates that one bed near the
mouth of the estuary is more ephemeral than any other.
San Francisco Bay

San Francisco Bay, the largest of Californias estuaries,
is also the most impacted by human development. An
estimated one third of the historic extent of the bay
has been lost to ll and development. While estuarine systems are by nature highly turbid, poor water clarity within
San Francisco Bay is further exacerbated by human activities including direct treated industrial and wastewater discharges, non-point source runoff, urban-associated atmospheric deposition, and riverine inow containing urban
and agricultural discharges. Data on the historic areal
extent of eelgrass within San Francisco Bay are limited,
although it is believed that it supported extensive eelgrass
meadows in the past. Reduced light penetration due to
extremely high bay turbidity has been found to limit the
development of eelgrass and may be the principal cause
of its decline in San Francisco Bay. Eelgrass beds in the
bay today are limited to relatively small patches located in
the central bay, Richardson Bay, and the eastern northernmost portions of the south bay. In 1989, the areal extent
of eelgrass beds in San Francisco Bay was estimated to
be 316 acres. Since that time, some eelgrass beds have
increased in size and new patches have been sited.
The differences in densities between the north and south

bays appear to be persistent. A wet-weight density range
(depending on location) of 0.06 to 0.43 pounds per square
foot for Humboldt Bay winter eelgrass was estimated in
1979. The study attributed eelgrass density differences
between the two regions of the bay to variations in sediment composition, and dredging activities in North Humboldt Bay associated with the commercial cultivation and
harvest of oysters, rather than light availability or tidal
ushing. Localized eelgrass bed density surveys conducted
by the Department of Fish and Game in an effort to
evaluate the biomass of Pacic herring utilizing Humboldt
Bay eelgrass beds for spawning substrate also noted signicantly lower eelgrass densities in North Humboldt Bay
compared to South Bay during the 2000-2001 commercial
herring season. Total eelgrass coverage within Humboldt
Bay was determined to be 3,053 acres in 1984. Since that
time, a detailed bay-wide eelgrass survey has not been
conducted. However, the California Department of Fish
and Game, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Humboldt State
University, and others have proposed initiating biannual baywide eelgrass surveys to begin during the summer of 2001.
Eelgrass densities are far lower than those of the larger,

healthier beds found in Tomales and Humboldt Bays.
Although the eelgrass beds appear to be stressed, they
have remained persistent in the bay and are heavily utilized by estuarine organisms.
Southern California
The eelgrass communities found south of San Francisco
are more heavily impacted by human alteration than those
in northern California. Historical records suggest that eelgrass was a predominant plant species in the states south
coast estuaries. However, the majority of southern Californias remaining eelgrass habitat exists primarily due
to replanting or recolonization of eelgrass beds in new
or historic locations. Patchy eelgrass communities found
within the Monterey Bay Area and Morro Bay are two
exceptions. The eelgrass beds within the Monterey Bay
Area are limited to the estuarine environment of Elkhorn

A Status Report
489
Slough and its entrance to the bay. These areas make up a

total of approximately 50 to 75 acres of eelgrass habitat.
Eelgrass remains the dominant plant in the beds of Morro
Bay. The beds there are the largest and least impacted
of any in the southern portion of the state. Nevertheless,
there are wide uctuations in areal extent. By 1997, eelgrass distribution reached a historic low of 50 total acres.
Further studies in 1998 showed an improvement in eelgrass distribution ranging from 81 to 120 acres, depending
on the season of survey.
Eelgrass bed communities also exist in Los Angeles Harbor,
Huntington Harbor, and in adjacent coastal areas. Many of
these have been established through transplant activities
associated with specic development mitigation requirements. Due primarily to suitable light conditions, many
of the reestablished areas have met their intended mitigation goals. However, some reestablishment attempts
have been unsuccessful. A complete survey of the areal
extent of eelgrass and associated density assessments
within this location of the state has not been conducted.
The National Marine Fishery Service and other state and
federal resource agencies have conducted cursory surveys
of eelgrass in these locations. While formal surveys and
reports have not been completed, areas that support
eelgrass have been identied.
The eelgrass bed communities within San Diego County
coastal areas have been heavily impacted by urbanization.
All of the bays in this area of the state have been intensively modied. Attendant stresses are evidenced by very
low eelgrass densities. Additionally, many of the eelgrass
communities in San Diego County coastal areas have been
derived through reestablishment efforts or, as in Mission
Bay, through natural colonization of dredged sediments.
The most comprehensive survey conducted for eelgrass in
the San Diego Bay was completed in 2000. This survey followed an early bay-wide survey conducted in 1994. Similar
surveys have been completed for Mission Bay, Batiquitos
Lagoon, and Agua Hedionda. The location of eelgrass present within Oceanside Harbor has also been documented by
the National Marine Fishery Service.
References
Harding, L.W. and J.H. Butler. 1979. The standing stock
and production of eelgrass, Zostera marina, in Humboldt
Bay, California. Calif. Fish and Game. 65(3): 151-158.
Hoffman, Robert F. 1986. Fishery utilization of eelgrass
(Zostera marina) beds and non-vegetated shallow water
areas in San Diego Bay. National Marine Fishery Service,
Southwest Region. Administrative Report SWR-86-4.
Merkel, K.W. and R. S. Hoffman. eds. 1990. Proceedings of
the California eelgrass symposium: May 27 and 28, 1988,
Chula Vista, California. Sweetwater River Press. 78pp.
Thayer, G. W, D.A. Wolfe, and R.B. Williams. 1975. The
impact of man on seagrass systems. Am. Sci. 63: 288-296.
Williams, S.L., and C.A. Davis. 1996. Population genetics
analyses of transplanted eelgrass (Zostera marina) beds
reveal reduced genetic diversity in southern California.
Restoration Ecology. 4 (2), pp. 163-180.
Wyllie-Echeverria, S., A.M. Olson, and M.J. Hershman
(eds). 1994. Seagrass science and policy in the Pacic
Northwest: proceedings of a seminar (SMA 94-1). U.S. EPA,
Water Division, Wetlands Section. EPA 910/R-94-004. 63 pp.
Zimmerman, R. C., J. L. Reguzzoni, S. Wyllie-Echeverria,
M. Josselyn, and R. S. Alberte. 1991. Assesment of environmental suitability for growth of Zostera marina L. (eelgrass) in San Francisco Bay. Aquatic Botany. 39: 353-366.
Eric J. Larson
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December 2001
History of Harvest
Although species in the red algal genera Gracilaria and
Gracilariopsis have been harvested throughout the world
for agar production and as a food source for humans
and cultured shellsh, only small amounts have been harvested from the wild in California during the last few
decades. Between 1965 and 1970, several applications
were made to the Fish and Game Commission for permission to harvest Pacic herring eggs deposited on edible
seaweeds for export to Japan, where it is considered a
luxury food item. In 1970, Department of Fish and Game
divers conducted a survey to determine the quantity and
composition of the aquatic vegetation in Tomales Bay.
The commission decided to establish one ve-ton harvest
permit each for Tomales and San Francisco bays. However,
siltation, which occurs in both bays during the winter
months, lowered the market quality of a large portion
of the eggs-on-seaweed harvest; as a result, the ve-ton
quota was never reached in either bay. The harvest of
herring eggs on wild edible seaweed in Tomales and San
Francsico bays is now prohibited.

Gracilaria pacica and Gracilariopsis lemaneiformis are
commonly found in Californias bays and estuaries. Both
species have numerous brownish-red thin branches loosely
connected to the substrate by a small holdfast and grow
to a maximum height around three feet. Because they
are so similar in appearance and frequently found growing
in the same area, they are often difcult to distinguish.
Gracilaria pacica is commonly found in sheltered intertidal to subtidal locations from Alaska to the Gulf of California, Mexico. Gracilaria lemaneiformis occurs in areas
exposed to ocean currents as well as protected intertidal
and subtidal areas from Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada, to Santa Catalina Island in the Southern
California Bight. Both species are fast growing and, when
detached from the substrate, often form large dense
mats in estuarine areas protected from strong currents. In
Tomales and San Francisco bays, where annual vegetation
density studies are conducted in conjunction with Pacic
herring spawning surveys, Gracilaria and Gracilariopsis
densities uctuate considerably from year to year.
appear to be among the preferred spawning substrates for

Pacic herring in California waters and may be essential
to herring when other aquatic vegetation is not available.
These beds with herring eggs are an important feeding
area for a variety of marine animals.
John Mello
References
Gracilaria and Gracilariopsis
Abbott, I.A. and G.J. Hollenberg. 1976. Marine Algae of

California. Stanford University Press. Stanford.
Hardwick, J.E. 1973 Biomass estimates of spawning herring. Clupea harrengus pallasii, herring eggs, and associated vegetation in Tomales Bay. Calif. Fish Game, 59(1)
:36-61
Langtry, S.K. and C.A. Jacoby. 1996. Fish and decapod
crustaceans inhabiting drifting algae in Jervis Bay, New
South Wales. Aust. J. Ecology, v. 21,( n. 3),: 264-271.
Spratt, J.D. 1981. The status of the Pacic herring, Clupea
harrengus pallasii, resource in California 1972 to 1980.
Calif. Dept. Fish and Game, Fish Bull.171. 107 p.
Little is known about the signicance of these species

in bay and estuary ecosystems. One study conducted in
Jarvis Bay, Australia, found relatively low numbers of sh
and decapod species inhabiting drifting Gracilaria spp.
beds when compared to adjacent seagrass beds, suggesting that these beds may not be a critical habitat for estuarine macrofauna. However, Gracilaria and Gracilariopsis

December 2001

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December 2001
he commercial culturing of marine species in California is limited primarily to the production of shellsh
such as oysters, mussels, and abalone. While the culturing
of nsh for enhancement purposes is well established
in California, commercial culturing has been limited in
scale and remains focused on solving technical questions
through research. The commercial production of most
cultured shellsh has declined from recent peaks. Oyster
production is down from a peak in 1994; abalone production is down from a peak in 1996; and mussel production
is down from a recent peak in 1997. In several instances,
demand exceeded production and the declines reected
several ongoing challenges faced by these industries in
their efforts to maintain production. More information on
production levels can be found in the specic sections
that follow.
Developing and maintaining production of cultured marine
species is still inuenced by technical problems, in some
cases in spite of a well-established production history.
Fledgling industries, such as those engaged in scallop
and nsh production, face technical challenges in developing breeding and rearing techniques. The well-established industries, such as oyster and abalone culture, face
technical challenges in maintaining production when faced
with environmental change or disease impact. Humancaused changes in water quality, for example, present
signicant challenges to culture facilities that are sited
in bays and estuaries. In order to address product safety
concerns in these areas, the production of mussels, oysters, and clams are often subject to closures or depuration requirements. The presence of a shellsh aquaculture
facility in an area can, as a consequence, provide a contamination early-warning system for sport-harvest of shellsh and an assessment of the biological conditions in the
general area. With the exception of concerns related to
the accumulation of biotoxins, changes in water quality do
not present signicant technical challenges in the culturing of scallops because of the tendency in that industry
to site in offshore areas. Natural changes in water quality
have also hampered shellsh production. Much of the
recent decline in production can be attributed to El Niorelated impacts, particularly in the culturing of mussels
and abalone. A broader discussion of these technical challenges can be found in the specic sections that follow
this overview.
by a signicant summer-time mortality of unknown cause.

Abalone production has been inuenced by mortality
from withering syndrome and hampered by regulatory
requirements intended to prevent the spread of an exotic
parasitic worm. Large numbers of juvenile white seabass
have been destroyed to address disease concerns. In
each instance, the industry made positive contributions
to cooperative efforts among resource agency diseasemanagement researchers.
Taken as a whole, the industry has ardent entrepreneurial
support, has great economic potential, and has been
a source of signicant positive societal benet. If not
conducted in a resource-sensitive manner, aquaculture
can also cause negative environmental impacts, by introducing exotic species, by introducing or contributing to
the spread of disease, or by altering the natural systems
within which production facilities are located. The key
to achieving the positive aspects of aquaculture while
minimizing negative ones rests in how effectively the
industry, the research community, and regulatory agencies can work together. Industry leaders are now focusing
on developing best management practices to ensure that
shellsh culture does not impact the health of ecosystems
upon which they depend. A common goal will be to ensure
that the industry achieves its successes in resource sensitive ways without having to do so under an undue regulatory burden. Our ability to achieve that goal may hinge on
developing trust through effective communication.
Aquaculture: Overview
Aquaculture:
Overview
Fred Wendell
Development of a technical response to disease, and conforming to regulatory requirements related to disease
control have both inuenced production in the oyster
and abalone industry and have inuenced the success of
white sea bass enhancement efforts. Oyster production
in Tomales Bay, for example, continues to be inuenced

December 2001

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493
Culture of Abalone
History
ioneering efforts to mass cultivate abalone in California began about 35 years ago. Three abalone species,
the red (Haliotis rufescens), the green (H. fulgens), and
the pink (H. corrugata) have been farmed, and research
into cultivation techniques has been conducted on the
black (H. cracherodii) and white abalone (H. sorenseni).
The red abalone, however, is the mainstay of the industry
and comprises more than 95 percent of total production.
Abalone are grown in either land-based tanks or in cages
suspended in the water column. The cages are typically
tethered from a raft but have also been suspended
beneath a wharf. Aquaculturists that operate these inwater systems typically obtain small seed abalone from
land-based hatcheries for grow-out.
In a typical hatchery operation, ripe brood stock abalone
are induced to spawn using hydrogen peroxide or ultraviolet light treated seawater. Fertilized eggs that successfully
develop to the veliger swimming stage are transferred to
through-owing larval rearing tanks. In about six days at
59 F, larvae are ready to settle from the planktonic to
the benthic stage. They are transferred to nursery tanks,
and commence to feed on diatoms. After six months of
growth, half-inch abalone are then transferred to plastic
mesh baskets suspended in larger tanks. At this point, the
abalone begin feeding on macroalgae. An additional six
to eight months are required before they reach the size
where they are transferred to grow-out tanks or in-water
systems. After growing in these tanks or in-water systems
for 20 months or longer, they attain the typical three- to
four-inch shell length preferred by the market.
The number of participants in this industry and their total
production have increased through time, peaking in 1996.
In 1991, 15 registered abalone aquaculturists in California
produced an estimated 175,000 pounds of abalone in the
shell. By 1996, 27 registered abalone aquaculturists produced over 292,000 pounds of product. Participation and
production then declined slightly through 1998 when 22

aquaculturists produced 162,000 pounds of product valued
at $2.4 million. Only 13 of the 22 abalone aquaculturists
registered in 1998 were actively producing abalone and
most of the production came from four or ve growers.
The decline in participation and production since 1996
is attributable, at least in part, to disease impacts exacerbated to some extent by a signicant El Nio event.
Until recently, cultivated abalone had been considered
relatively disease-free. The bacterium Vibrio sp. infected
larval cultures, but it was typically suppressed by using
ltered, ultraviolet treated seawater. That perspective
changed with the introduction of a parasitic sabellid polychaete worm from South Africa. By the mid-1990s, the
parasite had spread to virtually every abalone aquaculture
facility in the state. The worm induces the infested abalone to form a tube for it out of nacreous material. With
heavy infestations, the abalone shell is brittle and very
deformed and abalone growth is stunted. Impacts to the
industry included loss from voluntary stock destruction
and reduced income from marketing deformed product.
Cooperative efforts by the industry, the Department of
Fish and Game (DFG), and Sea Grant sponsored university
researchers have almost completely eradicated the worm
from California.
Unfortunately, the industry also started experiencing elevated losses of cultured product from withering syndrome
(WS) during this same time frame. This disease, caused
by a rickettsia-like prokaryote, is characterized by a drastic shrinkage of the abalones foot and is always fatal.
However, red abalone can be infected by the bacterium
without showing clinical signs of disease. Research suggests that a stress trigger is necessary to induce clinical
signs of the disease in this specie. The only recognized
stress trigger is elevated water temperature. With the El
Nio event, many facilities experienced elevated water
temperatures that triggered WS, resulting in elevated
mortality in their cultured stock.
The dedicated entrepreneurs at the core of this industry
have achieved their successes despite these challenges
and interest in abalone aquaculture remains high,
prompted in part by the closure of the commercial abalone shery in 1997. Presently, abalone are available to
meet market demands only through importation or the
purchase of cultured abalone. Consequently, there is a
high market demand and a good price to growers for the
farmed product.
Red abalone being grown out on plastic substrate.
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A Status Report
A more recent positive development in abalone aquaculture is the production of cultured abalone pearls. The
product is produced by inserting a nucleus into the abalone. Given time, nacre is laid over the nucleus to form
a semi-spherical pearl that has all the lustrous hues of
the shell interior. Once extracted, these pearls are set in

December 2001
References
Ebert, E.E. and J.L. Houk. 1984. Elements and innovations in the cultivation of red abalone Haliotis rufescens .
Aquaculture 39:375-392.
considerable amount of research on abalone aquaculture has been accomplished by the private sector,
particularly with respect to systems design and overall
technology. University and DFG scientists have also
made major contributions. Sea Grant-funded research has
greatly increased our understanding of abalone developmental biology. Spawning induction procedures, larval settlement inducers, and larval rearing systems were developed by researchers funded through this program. Sea
Grant-funded research has also contributed signicantly to
our understanding of abalone diseases.
Ebert, E.E. 1992. Abalone aquaculture: a North Amercial

regional review. In, Abalone of the World: Biology, Fishereis, and Culture. S.A. Shepherd, M.J. Tegner, and S.A.
Guzman del Proo (eds.) Pp. 571-582. Fishing News Books,
Oxford, United Kingdom.
The DFG began abalone culture investigations in 1971

at its Granite Canyon Laboratory near Monterey. That
effort led to the development of a through-owing larval
rearing system and the development of a ush-ll tank
system that have been adopted by the industry. The DFG
subsequently developed a pilot production hatchery at
Granite Canyon that provided training opportunities and
resulted in the production of seed abalone for enhancement research.
McBride, Susan C. 1998. Current status of abalone

aquaculture in the Californias. Jour. Of Shellsh
Research, Vol. 17, No. 3, 593-600.
Hahn, K.O. (Editor). 1989. Handbook of culture of abalone and other marine gastropods. CRC press, Inc., Boca
Raton, FL.
Culture of Abalone
jewelry and the meat is processed for sale to restaurant

trade as either a fresh or frozen product.
Leighton, D.L. 1989. Abalone (genus Haliotis) mariculture

on the North American Pacic coast. Fish. Bull., U.S.
87:689-702.
The DFGs Marine Region shellsh pathology laboratory in

Bodega Bay has expanded our knowledge of the biology
of the parasitic sabellid worm that has contributed signicantly to the success that has been achieved in the cooperative eradication efforts. That laboratory also identied
the causative agent for WS and has conducted extensive
research into questions related to transmission and control
of this pathogen.
Two principle areas for research, nutrition and genetics,
may provide signicant benets to the industry in the
future. Prepared diets have been developed and are being
used widely for juvenile stages. However, most prepared
feeds are expensive and not readily accepted by adult
abalone in comparison to giant kelp. Less progress has
been made in genetics research. Most growers use a
selection process where brood stock is selected based on
growth rates. Wild broodstock is also used to maintain
genetic diversity in cultured stocks. Some research has
been done with triploidy as a means of enhancing abalone
growth rates. While encouraging, the results have not
been applied broadly within the industry.
Earl Ebert
US Abalone

December 2001

A Status Report
495
Culture of Mussels
History
ussels of the genus Mytilus have uctuated in

importance in Californias commercial and sport
shellsh sheries for food and bait since the early
1900s. Experiments in culturing wild seed stock and
in developing hatchery and grow-out methods in the
1980s have increased the economic potential of mussels,
particularly Mytilus galloprovincialis (the Mediterranean
mussel), which occurs primarily in southern and southcentral California.
A related species, Mytilus trossulus (the foolish mussel)
is sport-harvested in northern California and hybrids of
M. trossulus and galloprovinciallis are commonly found
between Cape Mendocino and Monterey Bay.
The sea mussel, Mytilus californianus, is of minor economic importance in California at present, though it is
taken by sport harvesters and it is periodically sold by a
southern California harvester to restaurants. It is primarily
used as bait along the West Coast, but in the 1980s, wild
harvested sea mussels, highly esteemed by gourmet chefs
in Oregon, were sold to ne restaurants in Portland and
still may have a future in California.
Between 1916 and 1927, a total of over 470,000 pounds
of mussels, ranging from 9,000 to 69,000 pounds per
year, were landed in California. After 1927, most areas
were closed to harvest by the California Department of
Health Services due to a major outbreak that year of
paralytic shellsh poisoning. Mussel landings declined to
1,610 pounds in 1928 and stayed depressed until 1972,
when a record 111,000 pounds were landed, primarily
for bait. Bait sales continued to be the most signicant
commercial activity for California mussels until improved
methods of harvesting wild stocks were developed, new
culture methods were adopted, and West Coast markets
began developing for this tasty shellsh in the early 1980s.
Research on harvesting wild-set Mediterranean mussels
from offshore oil-production platforms for food was initiated in the Santa Barbara Channel in 1979. Divers routinely removed fouling organisms from the submerged
support structures of offshore platforms at considerable
expense to oil companies. An ecological consulting rm,
hired to suggest ways to control the biofouling, found that
various stages of the succession of organisms included
settlement and growth of edible mussels, both M. galloprovincialis and M. californianus. Recognizing the potential for food production and increasing market demand for
high quality shellsh, the owners of the rm contracted
with various offshore oil companies to test the feasibility
of harvesting and marketing the mussels.
Experimental mussel, oyster, and clam culture also began
in 1983 in Aqua Hedionda Lagoon near Carlsbad. Taking
advantage of excellent natural mussel spatfalls in the
496

A Status Report
lagoon and relatively fast growth of juveniles, the shellsh

rm began to culture mussels in 1985. It obtained a
ve-acre lease for use of the lagoon and began a commercial operation following modied Italian longline techniques. Mussel seed was placed in a tubular net stocking designed specically for mussel growing. The stocking or reste was originally imported from Italy, but is
now available to growers from U.S. suppliers. The stockings were suspended from longlines fty yards long and
supported by small buoys to keep the stockings off the
bottom. Mussel production at the Carlsbad farm peaked
in 1989, second only to the offshore platform harvest in
the Santa Barbara Channel. However, the following year
the State Department of Health decertied the shellsh
growing area due to rising coliform counts in the lagoon.
Production ceased in 1990 and remained static until a
certied depuration system, required by the state, was
put into operation in 1992.
In 1985, approximately 104,000 pounds of mussels were
harvested, primarily from offshore platforms, but by this
time a farm in Tomales Bay also had begun to utilize
European longline methods to grow mussels. Over the
next seven years, three to ve other Tomales Bay oyster
growers diversied into mussel production. These growers
utilized wild-caught and hatchery reared seed, with the
latter being relied upon more in the late 1980s, as natural
recruitment during this period was often erratic and unreliable. After a brief period of expansion, several Tomales
Bay growers ceased all but minimal production in the mid1990s to concentrate on oyster culture. By the fall of
2000, only one company was producing commercial quantities of mussels. These are sold exclusively to local
restaurants around Tomales Bay. At least three other
growers have the capability to produce commercial quantities and may scale up their operations again if market
conditions improve.
On the north coast, an oyster grower operating in Mad
River Slough, Humboldt County, began farming mussels in
1992 using the oating raft culture method. Seed mussels,
attached to a line inside exible plastic mesh netting, are
suspended from the raft during grow-out. Cultured mussels from Humboldt Bay were initially used, but since the
mid-1990s, wild juvenile mussels collected from the bay
have been the primary source of seed. The mature
mussels are sold locally at farmers markets and restaurants. One other Humboldt Bay operation began experimenting with mussel grow-out in 2001, using wild seed
stock and following the raft culture method used in Mad
River Slough.
The total state mussel production tripled in 1986, reaching more than 334,000 pounds, with over 90 percent
harvested from platforms in the Santa Barbara Channel
and the remainder from Tomales Bay. Statewide produc-

December 2001
a cooperative effort was initiated by a Humboldt County

shellsh nurseryman to produce the rst commercial
quantities of hatchery-reared mussel seed on the West
Coast. Growers utilized a variety of substrates and set
the spat at different densities. A wide range of results,
from zero survival to excellent survival and growth were
reported. The methods of growing out seed evolved and
matured in Tomales Bay and in the Puget Sound area of
Washington state but were not proven on a commercial
scale in south-central and southern California as growers
continued to utilize natural seed.
Mussels harvested during the ve years between 1986

and 1990 provided a return of $1.17 million to California
growers. Steady expansion of production during the following ve years between 1991 to 1995 increased statewide returns to $2.06 million. Return to growers dipped
in 1996 and 1997 to about $500 thousand per year with a
critical drop in 1998 to $280 thousand.
Southern California mussel companies also face stiff competition from imports, and also must cope with water
quality uctuations, especially in nearshore areas or
embayments. One south-coast aquaculturist has built a
depuration system for bivalve shellsh, one of the rst in
California. The grower has been able to use a protected
lagoon to grow mussels, which are relayed to the onshore
depuration system prior to sale. By utilizing seawater
treated with ultraviolet violet light to eliminate harmful
bacteria, he can produce wholesome, high quality mussels.
The wholesale price has not changed signicantly over the

past 15 years still ranging from $1.10 to $1.25 per pound.
Retail/restaurant prices have increased slightly from $2.00
in 1990 to $2.25 in 2000. Direct sale prices to the public at
farmers markets and retail shellsh farms has increased,
varying between $2.50 per pound in southern California
and $4 per pound in the Tomales and San Francisco Bay
area. The retail/restaurant price in Humboldt County is
slightly higher at $2.50 per pound and direct sales at
farmers markets are intermediate at $3.00 per pound.
California growers continue to face stiff competition from
mussels imported from eastern Canada, New Zealand,
Maine, and Washington due to the advent of low cost air
transport of fresh shellsh and individual ash freezing
methods. Competing on the world market is a challenge
to California producers, because of massive production
of mussels in China, Korea, New Zealand, Australia, and
other Pacic Rim countries. Expansion of the industry is
dependent on the maintenance of clean growing areas,
a supportive regulatory environment, aggressive marketing, and dependable sources of seed. Climatic and oceanographic events have also had signicant impacts on the
economic health of this industry.
Culture of Mussels
tion dropped slightly in 1987 to approximately 286,000

pounds and decreased further in 1988 to 151,000 pounds,
due to major winter storms, which dislodged market-ready
mussels from platform structures. Production jumped to
over 300,000 pounds in 1989 but dropped to 130,000
pounds in 1990 when the Carlsbad rm ceased production,
continuing a slide in 1991 to a low of only 47,000 pounds.
During the next six years (1992 through 1997), with the
Carlsbad rm back in production, increasing harvest from
offshore platforms in the Santa Barbara Channel, and
steady production in Tomales Bay, the statewide total rose
from 187,000 pounds to 471,000 pounds. Strong winter
storms following warm El Nio seawater conditions in the
fall of 1997 caused havoc to mussel production throughout
the state the following year. An economically devastating
drop in production of nearly 50 percent, to 256,000
pounds, occurred in 1998. One of the large southern California growers stated that spawning and recruitment were
both affected by these events. A colder water regime in
1999 - 2000 improved the recruitment situation and has
been encouraging to growers.
The ve participating growers in Tomales Bay purchased

larger (0.5-1.0 inch) seed, which could be grown to market
size in six to nine months. Excessive predation on maturing mussels by scoter ducks and on small natural-set seed
by schools of perch over time proved burdensome to
most of the shellsh growers who were concentrating on
oysters as their primary product. All but one company in
Tomales Bay ceased or minimized their mussel operations,
citing competition from low-cost imported mussels as
the reason.
enetic studies utilizing protein electrophoresis in the

late 1980s showed that there were two distinct forms
of edulis-like mussels on the West Coast that are morphometrically similar. One of these forms is electrophoretically indistinguishable from M. galloprovincialis, the
Mediterranean mussel, which is known to have recently
colonized many disparate shores around the world. The
other form is also distinct from the Atlantic M. edulis
and was designated M. trossulus, the Pacic Northwest
mussel. It was found from Alaska to central California.
The two forms occur together and are reported to hybridize with one another. Several genetic studies in the late
1990s have conrmed that M. galloprovincialis is found
principally south of the Monterey Peninsula and M. trossulus is found primarily north of Cape Mendocino. A zone
of hybridization has been documented between these two
distinct coastal features.
Until 1986, all mussels grown commercially in California

were set or collected as wild or natural seed. In 1985,

December 2001

A Status Report
497
Culture of Mussels
The hybridization and geographic range issues regarding

M. trossulus in central and northern California confound
the interpretation of earlier life history studies of mussels
taxonomically classied as M. edulis, but, regardless of
the taxonomic issue, all mussels share many common biological traits as they are all members of the bivalve class
Pelecypoda (hatchet feet). Mussels have separate sexes,
though some hermaphrodism occurs. There is evidence
that changes in water temperatures, physical stimulation
(such as disturbance by winter storms), variation in light
levels, or phytoplankton blooms may stimulate spawning.
Spawning in M. californianus occurs throughout the year
at a very low level, with peaks in July and December.
The spawning and recruitment of M. galloprovincialis also
occurs year round, although it is heaviest in February,
March, and April and again in September and October in
southern California. Mussels reaching 1.6 inches are found
to have gonads in various stages of development and are
able to spawn.
When spawning occurs in the natural environment, eggs
and sperm are discharged through the excurrent chamber
and fertilization takes place in the open ocean or estuary.
Within 24 hours, the embryo develops into free-swimming
trochophore larva that grows into a more advanced veliger
stage, again, within 24 hours. The development of the
ciliated velum (approximately 48 hours after fertilization)
gives the larvae more control in swimming and in gathering food. The veliger is also known as the straight-hinge
stage, denoting the appearance of the rst shell. In two
to three weeks, veligers begin metamorphosis, a stage
preceded by the development of an eyespot (a photosensitive organ) and a foot. This is the pediveliger stage,
during which the veliger changes from a swimming larva to
a bottom dwelling juvenile mussel or spat (seed).
Newly settled mussels attach to substrates with proteinaceous threads (byssus or byssal threads) that are secreted
by the postlarvae. Young mussels have the unique ability
to detach their byssus, crawl to a different location, or
drift away in a current to seek a more favorable substrate,
and reattach. This trait is considered to be a signicant
problem for growers, as postlarvae have disappeared from
various substrates soon after placement in open water.
considered to be the main food item providing energy for

rapid growth.
Competition for space is an important factor inuencing
growth and survival of mussels, both in wild and cultured
populations. Mytilids of the same and different species
compete for limited space in the rocky intertidal and
subtidal growing areas. Cultured mussels on articial substrates also can become overcrowded if seed stocking densities are too high. Crowding causes instability of mussel
masses and, when coupled with high current speeds, turbulence, and drifting materials, losses frequently occur.
Barnacles and sea anemones also compete for space
with mussels.
Predators of California mussel species are abundant. They
include two sea stars, ve species of muricid gastropods,
and three crabs. Scoter ducks, the black oyster- catcher,
shiner perch, and the sea otter are also important predators in coastal waters.
An invasive species of algae, Caulerpa taxifolia, recently
found in a southern California lagoon is another concern of
both mussel growers and resource managers. Known for its
progressive smothering of the Mediterranean seaoor, the
alga is the focus of an intensive effort by state and federal
regulators to eradicate the species before it spreads.
Mussels are used in California and other parts of the world
as sentinel species in mussel watch programs to monitor
various organic and inorganic pollutants. As lter feeders,
mussels also ingest and concentrate toxin-producing species of phytoplankton that periodically bloom along
the Pacic coast. The California Department of Health
Services utilizes mussels as bio-toxin indicators in a statewide monitoring program staffed by volunteers. A quarantine on sport harvest is imposed between May 1 and
October 1 when the probability of toxic phytoplankton
uptake in mussels is high. However, commercially grown
mussels may continue to be harvested during this period
as long as constant testing assures that only a safe, wholesome, and non-toxic product is available to the consumer.
Growth rates of both M. galloprovincialis and M. californianus have been reported to be at least 0.25 inch per
month and as high as 0.5 inch per month in the Santa
Barbara Channel. Growth rate is inuenced primarily by
the quantity and quality of food, rather than temperature,
and mussels achieved a two-inch shell length in six to
eight months.
Food consumed by mussels includes dinoagellates,
organic particles, small diatoms, zoospores, protozoa, unicellular algae, bacteria, and detritus. Phytoplankton is
498

A Status Report

December 2001
Cultured Mussels
thousands of pounds harvested
400
300
200
100
0
1986
1990
1999
Commercial Harvest
1986-1999, Cultured Mussels
Annual pounds of cultivated
mussels landed by State aquaculture producers. Harvest data for
1997-1999 include only mussels
cultivated in Tomales Bay and
Drakes Estero. Data Source:
California State Tax records
(royalties reports) and DFG Aquaculture Harvest Survey Database.
References
See the Management Considerations Appendix for further

information.
Coan, E.V., P.V. Scott, and F.R. Bernard. 2000. Bivalve

seashells of the western North America: marine bivalve
mollusks from Arctic Alaska to Baja California. Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History Monographs No 2; Studies
in Biodiversity No. 2 Santa Barbara, CA. 746 p.
John B. Richards
George A. Trevelyan
Abalone Farms, Inc.
McDonald, J.H. and R.K. Koehn. 1988. The mussels Mytilus

galloprovincialis and M. trossulus on the Pacic coast of
North America. Mar. Biol. 79: 117-176.
Revised by:
John B. Richards
Price, R.J. 1989. Paralytic shellsh poisoning and red

tides. California Sea Grant Extension Program 89-1, University of California, Davis. 2 pp.
Culture of Mussels
500
Rawson, P.D., V. Agrawal, T.J. Hilbish. 1999. Hybridization

between Mytilus galloprovincialis and M. trossulus along
the Pacic coast: evidence for limited introgression. Mar.
Biol. 134(1):201-211.
Suchanek, T.H.; J.B. Geller, B.R. Kreiser, and J.B. Mitton.
1997. Zoogeographic distributions of the sibling species
Mytilus galloprovincialis and M. trossulus (Bivalvia: Mytilidae) and their hybrids in the North Pacic. Biol. Bull.
193(2): 187-194.
Trevelyan, G.A. 1991. Aquacultural ecology of hatcheryproduced juvenile mussels, Mytilus edulis L. Ph.D. Dissertation, University of California, Davis.

December 2001

A Status Report
499
Culture of Oysters
History
alifornias oyster shery and oyster aquaculture industry have had a rich and colorful tradition. American
Indians harvested the oyster resource for thousands of
years before Spanish, Tsarist Russian, and European settlers occupied the West Coast. A substantial commercial
oyster shery began in the 1850s, when settlers from
the East Coast attracted to California by the prospect
of gold and new opportunities created larger markets for
oysters. The increased population and market pressure
for oysters had an immediate impact on the states shellsh resources. The only available oyster was the Native
oyster (Ostreola conchaphila; previously O. lurida; also
called Olympia oyster in the Pacic Northwest), which was
intensively shed, causing a rapid decline in the natural
population. In response, Native oysters were transported
from Shoalwater Bay, Washington (Willapa Bay), and later
from other bays in the Pacic Northwest and Mexico,
representing the initial attempts at oyster culture on the
West Coast. Oysters were transplanted into San Francisco
Bay, where they were maintained on oyster beds and then
marketed throughout central California. The Shoalwater
Bay trade of Olympia oysters dominated the California
market from 1850 through 1869. Market demand for a
larger, half-shell product stimulated experiments in transporting the Eastern oyster (Crassostrea virginica) from the
Atlantic states to the West Coast. Several failed attempts
were made to establish transport of the Eastern oyster to
Growing Oysters in Tomales Bay

Credit: Fred Conte
500

A Status Report
California by sailing ships. Successful transport of oysters

was achieved only after the completion of the transcontinental railroad in 1869. Shipments of juvenile and
market-sized oysters were transported by rail in barrels of
sawdust and ice and transplanted into San Francisco Bay.
Cool summer water temperatures, however, prevented
successful natural reproduction of the Eastern oyster.
Transcontinental trade for Eastern oyster seed was fully
established by 1875. Small, one-inch seed was transplanted in San Francisco Bay for further growth. The
Shoalwater Bay trade for Olympia oysters was gradually
terminated, and from 1872 until the early 1900s Californias San Francisco Bay Eastern oyster industry was the
largest oyster industry on the West Coast. Maximum production was reached in 1899 with an estimated 2.5 million
pounds of oyster meat.
With Californias population and industrial growth came
a degradation of water quality in San Francisco Bay. By
1908, Eastern oyster production had fallen by 50 percent.
By 1921, oyster meat quality declined to the extent that
shipments of seed from the East Coast were terminated,
and by 1939 the last of the San Francisco Bay oysters were
commercially harvested. Oysters were still transported
and held in Tomales Bay until they could be marketed
in San Francisco, but the industry based on the Eastern
oyster did not recover. The industry and state began reexamining earlier experimental plantings using the Pacic
oyster (Crassostrea gigas), which originated in Japan.
The California Department of Fish and Game (DFG) and
commercial growers conducted experimental plantings of
Pacic oysters in Tomales Bay and Elkhorn Slough in 1929.
Experimental plantings continued in a number of bays,
including Drakes Estero, Bodega Lagoon, and Morro, Newport, and San Francisco bays, throughout the 1930s. Humboldt Bay was excluded from plantings while the DFG
tried to re-establish natural populations of Native oysters.
Several Pacic oyster plantings proved successful, demonstrating that imported Pacic oyster seed could be
grown commercially in California. Shipments of seed from
Japan were made through the 1930s, suspended from 1940
through 1946, and increased signicantly in 1947. The
imported seed was inspected in Japan by both DFG personnel and commercial producers prior to shipment. DFG
personnel examined the shell for organisms considered
harmful if introduced into state waters.
Boxes containing oyster shell with attached young oysters
(spat) were transported by ship in wooden crates kept
moist with seawater. With the inux of seed oysters, the
industry began its recovery in California and on the West
Coast. The DFG lifted its restriction on Pacic oyster seed
in Humboldt Bay in 1953, and in the next 30 years, the
California industry showed rapid growth with production

December 2001
Cultured Oysters
millions of pounds harvested
1.75
1.50
1.25
1.00
0.75
0.50
0.25
0.00
1960
1970
1980
centered in Humboldt Bay, Drakes Estero, Tomales Bay,

Elkhorn Slough, and Morro Bay.
The West Coast oyster industry initiated other signicant
changes in the early 1980s, which have had a signicant
impact on the industry nationally. These changes include
the development of U.S. based shellsh hatcheries for the
domestic production of Pacic oyster seed, and the ability
to ship advanced hatchery-produced oyster larvae (swimming stage) to growout sites where the larvae are placed
in tanks containing cleaned shell and heated seawater for
spat production. In this process called remote setting,
the larvae settle on clean oyster or scallop shell, called
mother shell or cultch, attach and metamorphose into the
more familiar at young oyster called spat. Spatted cultch
ultimately results in about nine to 13 market-sized oysters
clustered on remnants of the old mother shell.
Another hatchery product is cultchless oyster seed that
are grown out as individual oysters exclusively for the half
shell market. Cultchless seed are produced by setting the
larvae on sand or nely crushed oyster shell, resulting
in unattached, individual oysters. Many California growers
purchase cultchless seed from California-based advanced
seed producers. These producers receive 3.0 to 5.0
mm cultchless seed from a hatchery, then use oating
upweller systems (FUS) to hold the seed in ow-through
containers receiving bay water containing algae. The
oyster seed increases in size and is more easily handled in
mesh bags used by the end producer. Individual growers
are also adopting and expanding their own land-based FUS
and downwellers to cut the cost of seed and assume the
responsibility of early seed growth. All oysters grown in
California currently are produced from hatcheries located
in Washington, Oregon and Hawaii.
The hatchery systems primarily produce two species of
Pacic oysters; the Pacic oyster (C. gigas) and the Kumamoto oyster (C. sikamea) which also originated in Japan
and does not reproduce in Californias cooler summertime

December 2001
Commercial Harvest*
1960-1999, Cultured Oysters
Annual pounds of cultivated
oysters harvested by State aquaculture producers. Data Source:
California State Tax records
(royalties reports) and DFG Aquaculture Harvest Survey Database.
* Packed weight is estimated to
be 15.5 percent of live weight
for C. gigas and 10.9 percent for
C. virginica. Shucked gallons are
calculated as 8.6 pounds/gallon
1990
1999
for C. gigas and 8.5 pounds/gallon
for C. virginica. Cultchless oysters, C. sikamea and a large portion of C. gigas are sold as shellstock.
Culture of Oysters
2.00
water. Other less prominent species produced by hatcheries have included the European oyster (O. edulis) and
some Eastern oyster (C. virginica). The ability to ship
oyster larvae long distances and set the spat at the
growout areas has signicantly reduced the cost of seed.
The last shipment of Japanese seed to California was
in 1989.
The level of oyster production within the various bays
has uctuated throughout the years, primarily because of
water quality, the bays ability to produce good standing
crops of algae on which oysters feed, the adequacy of
selected sites, and the nancial viability of the various
oyster operations. All growing areas are classied and
certied by the California Department of Health Services
(CDHS) based on health-related water quality standards
established and regulated by the Interstate Shellsh Sanitation Conference (ISSC) and the National Shellsh Sanitation Program (NSSP). Water-bottom and offshore growout
areas are leased from the state through the Fish and Game
Commission, harbor and recreation districts, or belong to
private corporations.
The industry uses a variety of oyster culture methods
depending on the targeted market, the physical characteristics of the production bay and the need to protect the
younger oysters from predators such as bat rays, rock
crabs, and drills (snails). Culture methods are also inuenced by factors such as substrate type, current velocity,
tidal range, and phytoplankton productivity. California
oysters are grown from spat to market size in about 13
to 18 months, depending on the bay and the culture
method used.
California oyster production is currently centered in four
areas, Arcata Bay located in the North Humboldt Bay
complex, Drakes Estero, Tomales Bay and Morro Bay. Morro
Bay oyster production has declined in recent years, but
techniques have included bottom, rack-and-bag, and stake
culture. Shellsh producers in the Santa Barbara Channel

A Status Report
501
Culture of Oysters
have used a system of longlines with attached bags of

European oysters suspended from offshore rafts in the
deep waters, but have discontinued production in recent
years. Shellsh producers also cultured cultchless oysters
in Agua Hedionda Lagoon, located north of San Diego, but
have switched to mussel production which was considered
more suitable to the area.
to an anchored line which suspends the bags vertically in

the water or secures the bags on a stable, hard bottom,
intertidal area. Bags can also be maintained horizontally
at the surface using oats. To maintain the prime oyster
shape for the half shell market, the bags must be moved
frequently to prevent the individual oysters from growing
together and resulting in an irregular shape.
Humboldt Bay growers use a variety of oyster culture

methods, but the predominate method has been bottom
culture of Pacic oysters. In bottom culture, cultch with
attached spat is spread over leased areas in the bay,
the oysters are grown to about four inches and are then
harvested by hand picking and hydraulic dredge. Most of
Californias shucked oyster product is from bottom culture
in Humboldt Bay. Because of environmental concerns and
the impact of hydraulic dredging on eelgrass, growers
are currently changing about 85 percent of their bottom
culture production over a period of about three years
to off-bottom, longline culture of the Kumamoto oyster.
The Kumamoto oyster derives a higher market price as
non-shucked shellstock, and the remaining bottom culture
will be targeted for the peak shucked-oyster market in
November and December. Environmental and economical
studies are being conducted to determine the impacts of
these changes on both the health of the bay and the
economic health of the industry.
Total annual oyster production for California has uctuated throughout the industrys history, reecting cyclic
shellsh mortalities (Summer Mortality Syndrome, SMS),
availability of seed oysters, economic conditions, and the
nancial stability of individual companies. With the advent
of hatchery technology and remote setting of oyster seed,
the industry demonstrated signicant growth from the
mid-1980s to a second post-1960s peak in the mid-1990s.
Reduced production after 1994 directly reects several
industry setbacks, which include nancial restructuring
after the 1990s recession, extended bay harvest closures
due to sanitary degradation and oil spills, and recurrence
of cyclic SMS. Several of these factors have been resolved,
and production increases are expected. The data represents a conversion of all oyster products to a common
denominator of shucked pounds of oysters expressed as
packed weight. Total production in recent years is primarily Pacic and Kumamoto oysters. Annual Eastern oyster
production has been 20 pounds or less for the past
three years.
Longline culture primarily consists of a series of notched

PVC pipe set in the substrate with twisted line stretched
over the apex of the poles. Spatted cultch is inserted
at intervals between the strands of the line which hold
the growing oysters above the substrate. The lines containing the clustered oysters are harvested on a ood tide,
thereby reducing disturbance to the substrate or associated eelgrass. Other forms of culture are off-bottom techniques, including bags of cultchless oysters supported by
low racks and oating oyster bags attached to longlines.
Drakes Estero has one of the largest off-bottom, rack
culture systems in the west. Like all off-bottom culture,
the method is used primarily to avoid predators, use more
of the water column, and avoid siltation that occurs when
the oysters rest on the substrate. The rack culture system
uses spatted mother shells strung on short lines with a
tube spacer separating each mother shell. The short lines
are hung in an inverted u-shape over the horizontal rails of
wooden racks set in the bay.
Tomales Bay growers also use a variety of off-bottom techniques including rack-and-bag, stick and bag, and bag and
longline culture. Rack-and-bag culture uses cultchless seed
that is rst grown in trays, upwellers and downwellers, or
oating, rotating, mesh cylinders. After initial growth, the
small oysters are transferred to a series of different sized
mesh bags positioned on low racks in the bay. Bag and
longline culture use cultchless seed in mesh bags attached
502

A Status Report
Oyster products are marketed as shucked meat in gallons

and 10-oz jars, and as shellstock for the half-shell and barbecue markets. The shucked product is marketed as small
(200/gallon), medium (140/gallon), and large (100/gallon).
Shellstock is marketed as small (2.5-3.5 inches), medium
(3.5-4.5 inches), large (4.5+ inches) sold by the dozen,
and clusters (attached, mixed). The demand for oyster
products far exceeds the states production level, and the
majority of shellsh products consumed in the state are
imported from the Pacic Northwest and the Atlantic and
Gulf states. Californias product is considered prime, and
its production areas are among the best in the country.
The CDHS has regulatory responsibility over shellsh product safety and periodically conducts sanitary surveys with
the Federal Food and Drug Administration under worstcase scenarios such as heavy rain to determine growing
area water quality and sanitation conditions. Two essential
programs are the monitoring of the bays for indications
of contamination, including human sewage, and for the
occurrence of natural biotoxins such as paralytic shellsh
poison produced by toxic phytoplankton. The programs
are designed to provide a safe product for the consumer
and an early warning system for people sport-harvesting
shellsh in noncommercial areas. The water and meat
quality monitoring programs conducted by the CDHS also
provide an assessment of the biological condition of the

December 2001
blades and incubate for about 10 days before release.

Once expelled, the advanced larvae swim freely and feed
on phytoplankton before settlement and metamorphosis
(Native, 14-18 days; European, 10-14 days).
The Pacic, Kumamoto and Eastern oysters are alternative

hermaphrodites; sex change occurs, but its timing is
erratic. They have a tendency for protandry in their
rst year, but the tendency is not as strong as that of
Native and European oysters. They are oviparous (broadcast spawners); the eggs are immediately released and
fertilization takes place in the environment. Mature, eggcarrying females spawn at about 63-77 F, depending on
the species, variety, and latitude. Water temperatures
required to establish a natural population are higher
than those consistently found in California. Since natural
spawning and successful reproduction rarely take place in
California, the oysters are spawned and reared in shellsh
hatcheries at about 77 F. The eggs hatch into free-swimming trochophores, then become veliger larvae. Within
three to ve days these larvae settle, attach to a substrate, and metamorphose to spat.
ysters are bivalve mollusks that exhibit a variety of

sizes, shapes, shell textures and colors, and vary in
their mode of reproduction and sexual expression. These
biological and physical features inuence where they grow
and how they reproduce, which in turn inuence commercial aspects such as culture practices and marketing
strategy. The depth of the shell cup and the shape of
the oyster inuence market price of shellstock. Individual
oysters conform to the shape of the substrate to which
they are attached and are therefore highly variable in
shape. In addition, shell shape, texture, and color are all
inuenced by the oysters genetics and physical environment such as salinity, attachment substrate, crowding
by other oysters and food. They feed on phytoplankton
and nutrient-bearing detritus by pumping water over
their gills, ltering the food material and passing it into
the mouth.
All oysters have a typical molluscan trochophore larva
that develops into a veliger larvae capable of ltering
food, swimming, and selecting a suitable substrate for
attachment. The microscopic veliger settles, cements its
left valve to the substrate, and undergoes metamorphosis
into an oyster spat. For the rest of its life the attached
spat will compete for space and nutrients and, if it survives, will grow into the adult form. The ve oysters
now found in California belong to the family Ostreidae.
They represent two groups characterized by biological
variations, including different modes of sexual expression,
reproduction, and dispersal of young. The exact temperature at which the oysters will spawn and the rate of larval
development and growth depend on a variety of factors,
including species, genetics and latitude of the breeding
population. Natural spawning is also inuenced by lunar
periodicity and tides.
The Native and European oysters are rhythmical consecutive hermaphrodites; they can change sex either annually
or at closer intervals. In their rst year, they are strongly
protandric; the rst expression of sex at maturity is male.
They may become female in the same year or in the
following year if environmental conditions are good and
food is plentiful. They are also larviparous (brooders);
fertilization of eggs is internal, and the larvae are held
for a period of time before release. Mature, egg-carrying
females spawn at about 59-63 F. The eggs are released
into the females own mantle cavity and are fertilized as
she takes in water containing the males sperm. When
the eggs hatch, the veliger larvae are held by the gill-

December 2001
Culture of Oysters
bays, which is essential information used by all agencies

to prevent a reoccurrence of events which led to the
contamination of San Francisco Bay.
The Native oyster is Californias only indigenous oyster

species and occurs along the Pacic coast from Sitka,
Alaska to Cape San Lucas, Baja California. The largest concentrations occur in the Pacic Northwest along the coast
of Washingtons Puget Sound and in Willapa Bay. Although
still grown commercially in Washington in specially constructed beds, natural concentrations are not abundant
enough to support commercial endeavors. Populations of
the Native oyster are still relatively low in California.
Some protection of existing populations is provided by
sport shing regulations, which allow a daily harvest of 35
native oysters under the general invertebrate bag limit.
The adult is about one to three inches in length and more
often irregular in shape. Shell textures vary from smooth
to rough with concentric growth lines, and the exterior
has purple-brown to brown axial bands. The two shell
valves are symmetrical; their interior is shades of olivegreen and can have a metallic sheen. The internal shells
muscle scar in adults is usually centrally located and
unpigmented.
The Native oyster is found in many of Californias coastal
inlets, especially mudats and gravel bars located near
the mouth of small rivers and streams. It cannot withstand
high temperatures or frost when exposed, and does not
survive low salinity or turbid water. The natural beds
are invariably located in the low intertidal and subtidal
zone of bays, where the oyster is better protected from
both prolonged hot summer surface water temperatures
and extreme cold winter water conditions. The oysters
are often found clinging to rocky outcroppings or other
structures that offer protection from rays and other
predatory sh.

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503
Culture of Oysters
Adult European oysters are about three to four inches in

length, with a poorly developed beak that gives the valves
an oval to round shape. The left or attachment valve
is larger and more deeply cupped than the right valve,
with 20 to 30 ribs and irregular, concentric lamellae. The
upper, smaller valve is at, with numerous concentric
lamellae but no ribs. The hinge ligament consists of three
parts: a middle, at part on the left valve and two projections on the right. The internal valves are white, and the
muscle scar is eccentrically positioned and unpigmented.
Adult Eastern oysters may vary in length from two to six
inches. The shells are asymmetrical, highly variable in
texture and shape, and greatly inuenced by environmental conditions. The external shell is usually a shade of
gray, and the internal valves white with a variable-colored
muscle scar, usually deep purple. The left valve is longer
than the right, not deeply cupped, and the beak is usually
elongated and strongly curved. The shell margins are usually straight or only slightly undulating, and the inner
margins of the valves are smooth.
The adult Pacic oyster ranges from about four to six
inches in length. The shell is coarse, with widely spaced
concentric lamella and ridges. The shell is thinner than
that of Eastern oysters yet more deeply cupped. The
Kumamoto oyster is smaller but is prized for its deeper
cup. It spawns in the fall in nature and grows more
slowly than the Pacic. The Miyagi is the principal variety
of Pacic oyster grown on the West Coast. The Pacic
oysters shape may be highly variable and greatly inuenced by environmental conditions. The upper, at, right
valve is smaller than the left, and the inner surface of
the valves is white with a faint purple hue over the
muscle scar.
Oyster disease and shellsh pests are a major concern
to the state resource agencies and the oyster industry.
Because the West Coast industry depends on the movement of animals across state lines, the industry is subject
to regulations established through cooperative agreements between resource agencies. All oyster seed and
shellstock not destined for a terminal market that cross
state lines are examined for the presence of disease and
exotic hitchhikers (pests) which could be harmful to natural resources and commercial interests. Seed and shellstock that do not pass certication are destroyed through
cooperative agreements with the state and the industry.
The various state natural resource agencies have a cooperative program which regulates the interstate movement
of shellsh seed and seedstock.
Oyster diseases on the West Coast most frequently occur
in hatcheries, but a few signicant oyster diseases have
been reported from the eld. Hatchery conditions are
articial environments which can stress oysters and render
them susceptible to an array of infections. Hatchery-asso-
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A Status Report
ciated oyster diseases are usually conned within the

hatchery. When identied, the stocks are destroyed and
systems disinfected. This is a protective measure for the
natural resource and considered the most economically
practical approach by the industry.
Field-associated oyster diseases are not common, but they
do occur. Two examples of the most signicant of these
diseases for the West Coast are Summer Mortality Syndrome (SMS) of Pacic oysters, and Bonamiasis of European oysters. Summer mortality of Pacic oysters was rst
reported in the 1960s with mortality levels as high as 65
percent of adult Pacic oysters. Oyster losses attributed
to SMS have uctuated over the years, and studies have
addressed the initiating agent as possible unknown pathogens, environmental factors and impacts, and stressors
such as the combination of depleted energy reserves and
attempted gonadal maturation. SMS was researched for
decades without resolving the cause. In 1993 and 1994,
summer mortalities of Pacic oyster seed in Tomales Bay
reached 52 and 63 percent respectively, and were associated with elevated water temperatures above 20C and
a dinoagellate bloom. Pathological examination and histology suggested that these mortalities were related to
environmental causes and not an infectious agent. SMS
appears to be cyclic, may be related to decadal cycles,
and is the most signicant mortality-related event experienced on the West Coast of the United States. In addition,
as the losses are a syndrome and are not caused by a
specic pathogen, multiple etiologies may result in oyster
deaths during the summer. The type of stress that results
in losses may also uctuate over time, making diagnosis of
the cause(s) and management of losses difcult. Growers
are attempting to circumvent the problem by not planting
Pacic oyster seed during the warmer months from May
to October. However, seed availability during the cooler
months has been a problem. Growers report that cooler
bay water temperatures in 1999 appear to have moderated
the mortality rate from that experienced previously.
Bonamiasis of the European oyster, caused by a parasite,
has impacted the oyster industry to the same extent as
SMS, as it has contributed to the inability to establish
European oyster culture in California. The parasite infects
the oysters blood cells, destroys its immune system, and
impacts other physiological processes.
Of recent concern is the 1980s discovery in California
of a haplosporidium similar to that which causes MSX
or Delaware Bay Disease on the East Coast. West Coast
producers have not experienced the cyclic, catastrophic
haplosporidia diseases that have occurred on the East
Coast, despite movement of Eastern oysters between the
coasts. It has been conrmed that the organism is the
causative agent of MSX of Eastern oysters. The organism
is found among Pacic oysters in one bay in California

December 2001
Shellfish and the Environment
ne of the more signicant challenges to aquaculture

in the next decade will be the industrys ability to
position itself within the environmental framework and
philosophy of natural resource management. Environmental issues are a concern nationally and are paramount
in California.
Immediate environmental concerns relative to shellsh
culture are the potential biological and physical impacts of
culture technology on sensitive components of the marine
ecosystem. These sensitive components include eelgrass
as essential habitat for salmonid and other nsh, and
the invertebrate assemblage present on and within the
substrate that is essential to the food web of birds and
other marine species. Also included are the impacts on
the life habits of birds and marine mammals and on the
physical structure of the bay. It will be essential that
shellsh technology not have signicant impact upon the
health of the ecosystem on which it also depends. Shellsh culture and our living marine resources depend upon
excellent water quality and a healthy environment and,
therefore, these concepts are not mutually exclusive.
In response to these concerns, long-term federal and state
supported regional research has been initiated to study
shellsh culture impacts. This research is being conducted
by university and state research agency personnel, focuses
on the industry in California, Washington, and Oregon,
and is monitored continuously to identify areas that
may need immediate alteration. In addition, federal and
state funding, coupled with industry resources, is being
directed toward the development of industry best management practices to guide the industry in its present and
future development.

December 2001
Future Trends
yster hatchery and production seed technology has

rapidly expanded in the past ten years. This has
included application of remote setting of oyster seed as an
industry standard, and the production and use of triploid
(3n) oysters containing an extra set of chromosomes. The
3n condition prevents the onset of maturation and results
in oysters characterized by year-round production of high
quality meat. Although triploid production was a positive
technical breakthrough, the sterile 3n oyster does not
reproduce and therefore can not be improved through
genetics. To overcome this, the industry now applies
high pressure following fertilization to retard both polar
bodies. The resultant tetraploids (4n) are then articially
crossed with diploids (2n), thereby producing sterile triploids (3n) that are used as production oysters while maintaining a viable genetic line in the diploid broodstock.
This technology, coupled with the more recent establishment of broodstock genetic programs, will be a major
industry thrust.
Culture of Oysters
but is not associated with signicant mortalities. Morphologically similar haplosporidians have also been reported
from Washington state. Recent studies suggest a common
ancestry for the organism on both coasts and that the
haplosporidian was not endemic to the East Coast but
originated in Pacic oysters from Japan. Hypotheses for
the introduction of the disease to Eastern oysters include
importation of infected Pacic oysters to the East Coast,
ballast water containing the infective agent, or introduction of an unknown intermediate host. In any event,
the ultimate result has been catastrophic for the Eastern
oyster and the East and Gulf coast industries. The result of
these studies demonstrates the rst molecular conrmation of the introduction of an exotic marine pathogen
and emphasizes the need to adhere to strict importation
guidelines as established by the International Council for
the Exploration of the Seas (ICES).
Oyster genomic research is an industry priority and a

regional cooperative effort involving university and industry geneticists and oyster hatchery managers.
The establishment of a national Molluscan Broodstock Program (MBP) and the Molluscan Broodstock Center on the
West Coast mark the true beginning of an oyster genetics
program which fosters cutting edge genetics research.
Using a mix of regional and national grants, geneticists are
utilizing cooperative regional research to develop genetically marked family lines that are tested and selected for
high yield and survival. Scientists are exploring the alternative strategy of crossbreeding and have demonstrated
at the larval and market sizes that hybrid Pacic oysters
have dramatically higher yield and superior metabolic performance than their inbred parents. This striking hybrid
vigor or heterosis suggests that crossbreeding, in addition
to traditional selection as practiced by the MBP, could
improve oyster yield dramatically and quickly. Technology
is also being developed to measure and more readily
dene future performance at the larval stage, thereby
avoiding costly growout trials and stock maintenance.
Current and future trends of the oyster industry are
reected throughout the West Coast and the Pacic Rim
because of the industrys regional infrastructure and markets. Industry shellsh hatcheries which were concentrated in the Pacic Northwest have opened in Hawaii,
thereby taking advantage of stable water quality and consistent solar radiance used in energy-efcient algal culture. The primary markets for seed are West Coast producers who will expand into more international markets.
The industry is rapidly expanding Kumamoto oyster production because of its higher value and half-shell market

A Status Report
505
Culture of Oysters
demand, and greater market attention will be given to

value-added shellsh products such as ash-frozen halfshell products for international Pacic Rim markets.
The oyster industry will concentrate on developing more
efcient methods of off-bottom culture and culture techniques that are less intrusive and result in fewer environmental impacts. The greater adaptation of off-bottom culture, coupled with the higher valued half-shell Kumamoto
oyster, is a potential that may offset the loss of shucked
product produced in bottom culture. The development
and adaptation of more environmentally sound practices
will remain an industry priority.
Fred S. Conte
Tom Moore
References
Barrett, E.M. 1963. The California Oyster Industry. Calif.
Dept. Fish and Game Bull. No. 123, 103 pp.
Bonnot, P. 1935. The California Oyster Industry. Calif.
Dept. Fish and Game. 21(1):65-80.
Burreson. E.M., N.A. Stokes and C.S. Friedman, 2000.
Increased virulence in an introduced pathogen: Haplosporidium nelsoni (MSX) in the Eastern oyster Crassostrea
virginica. J. Aquatic Animal Health12:1-8.
Conte, F.S. and J.L. Dupuy. 1982. The California Oyster
Industry. Proc. North American Oyster Workshop, World
Mariculture Society, Special Publication No. 1: 43-63.
Conte, F.S., S.C. Harbell and R.L. RaLonde. 1994. Oyster
Culture: Fundamentals and Technologies of the West Coast
Industry. WRAC Publication No. 94-101 Sectional: 1994 and
1996.
Elston, R.A. 1990. Mollusc Diseases: Guide for the shellsh
farmer. University of Washington Press. 73 pp.
506

A Status Report

December 2001
Culture of Salmon
D
ifferent methods are used for aquaculture production

of salmon. The three major techniques are salmon
ranching, land-based tank operations, and net-pen rearing. At salmon ranch hatcheries, adult sh are spawned,
the eggs are hatched, and the young are reared in tanks to
increase their size and chances of survival in the wild. The
salmon smolts are then released and grow to market size
while at liberty in the ocean. After maturing at sea, the
salmon return to the hatchery, where they are harvested.
If at least three to ve percent of the released salmon
return to be harvested, a private salmon ranch may be
protable. However, it is not uncommon for 98 to 99
percent of the salmon to be lost to natural and shing
mortality before they can return to the hatchery.
Land-based tank operations maintain all of the sh at
the facility until harvest. Fish are kept in tanks made of
concrete, berglass, or other materials. Round tanks are
often in the range of 30 to 40 feet in diameter. Water is
pumped through the tanks to maintain good water quality,
and growth comes from manufactured feed provided by
the aquaculturist.
Net pen facilities use young sh produced in hatcheries,
which are then placed into pens where they are fed until
grown to market size. The pens are made from exible
netting material suspended from oats and are generally
a few hundred square feet at the surface. Pens are often
linked together to form large units of up to many acres.
The net-pens are usually placed in sheltered salt-water
areas where protection from ocean storms is provided and
good water quality is maintained by natural currents.
Salmon have been produced in California by both private
and public hatcheries. While the history of private trout
production in California is strong and dates back to the
1800s, private commercial production of salmon in California has been intermittent and never very substantial.
The beginning of recent interest in commercial salmon
production was the authorization by the California Legislature in 1968 for the rst (and only) private salmon
ranching operation. In 1979, the legislature authorized the
operations move to its current site on Davenport Landing
Creek (Santa Cruz County), where the operation has been
inactive for several years.
In California, land-based tank operations were tried in
the 1980s and 1990s, and accounted for some limited
private aquaculture production of salmon. Most commercially produced salmon were from tank-rearing operations
located in northern California, where cold water suitable
for salmon culture is more readily found. Fish were grown
to market size in tanks using either fresh or salt water.
Steelhead trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) were produced
from domestic brood stock maintained by California aqua-

December 2001
culturists, whereas coho salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch)

and Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) eggs or ngerings were
imported from out of state to California farms. Salmon
culture has not been a major component of the states
private aquaculture sectors and never contributed as
much as ve percent to the total value of the
industrys production.
Conversely, public salmon hatchery operations play a key
role in the management of Californias natural resources.
Hatcheries are built and operated to supplement natural
salmon resources or to mitigate for the loss of natural
production that occurs when water and power generation
projects eliminate salmon spawning habitat. Thus, hatcheries help provide for the multiple benecial use of the
states water resources. Public hatcheries produce approximately 40 million sh each year and are critical to maintaining the states sport and commercial salmon sheries.
Over ninety percent of Californias salmon harvest comes
from south of Point Arena, where hatchery-produced sh
generally make up over half of the catch.
Culture of Salmon
History
Public hatchery production of salmon in California dates

back to 1872 with the establishment of Baird Hatchery
on the McCloud River in the upper Sacramento River
drainage. Several other salmon hatcheries and egg taking
stations also began operations in the late 1800s and
early 1900s. Baird originally operated as an independent
hatchery, then as an egg collecting station for salmon
and trout reared at Mount Shasta Hatchery (then called
Sisson Hatchery). After the construction of Shasta Dam,
Mount Shasta Hatchery and the upper Sacramento spawning grounds were separated from the lower Sacramento
River and the Pacic Ocean. Coleman National Fish Hatchery was built in 1942 to mitigate for those losses. It
replaced many of the early hatcheries, including most of
the salmon operations at Mount Shasta. Coleman Hatchery
is on Battle Creek, a tributary of the Sacramento River
at Anderson (south of Redding). It is the only federally
operated sh hatchery in California.
Today there are seven California Department of Fish
and Game-operated salmon mitigation hatcheries and
two state-operated salmon restoration and enhancement
hatcheries. All nine of these state-operated hatcheries
have been built since 1955. The mitigation hatcheries
are located on central valley and north coast rivers
downstream from dams constructed for water or
power development.

A Status Report
507
Culture of Salmon
Hatchery
Location
Iron Gate ...............................On the Klamath River

below Copco Lake
Trinity...................................On the Trinity River
below Clair Engle Lake
Feather River ..........................Below Lake Oroville
Mokelumne River Fish Installation .Below Camanche
Reservoir
Nimbus..................................On the American River
below Folsom Lake
Van Arsdale Fisheries Station .......On the Eel River below
Van Arsdale Reservoir
Warm Springs ..........................On a tributary to the
Russian River below
Lake Sonoma
The DFGs two restoration and enhancement hatcheries
are the Mad River Hatchery near Eureka and the Merced
River Fish Installation below Lake McClure. There is also
a non-prot salmon and steelhead enhancement hatchery
in California on the Smith River. The Rowdy Creek Fish
Hatchery is located in the town of Smith River and began
in 1967 as a Kiwanis Club project. It operates under an
individual category in the California Fish and Game Code.
In addition, public or privately funded nonprot salmon
restoration and enhancement projects use a variety of
habitat improvement, articial spawning, and rearing
techniques to improve runs of wild sh or to contribute
additional sh to the shery. Most are located on coastal
streams in northern and central California. Saltwater penrearing operations have been located at Tiburon, Port San
Luis, and Ventura. In 1998-1999, a total of twelve projects
planted an average of 30,000 sh per project.
Status
urrently, there is no private for-prot aquaculture production of salmon in California. Nationally, and internationally, net pen rearing of salmon has proven to be the
most successful method of private aquaculture production
of salmon for the seafood market. The only net-pen rearing of salmon in California has been some small sport
shing salmon enhancement projects. Commercial net-pen
rearing is not prohibited, in part because no suitable sites
have been identied or developed which do not conict
with other established uses.
Every private aquaculture operation in California is
required to register with the Department of Fish and
Game. Before approving an application for registration,
the department must determine that each facility will
508

A Status Report
not cause signicant negative impacts on adjacent native

sh and wildlife. Private salmon culture may be permitted
throughout California where negative impacts will not
result, except that commercial salmon farming is prohibited from the Smith River watershed.
The lone California commercial salmon ranching project
(Davenport Landing) is required to operate under an
annual permit from the Fish and Game Commission.
Commission authority to issue the salmon ranching
permit is granted by the California Legislature. The legislature reviews the authorization periodically and in 1995
extended authority to issue the permit to January 1, 2001.
While the project does not have a current permit, it
historically has been authorized to ranch chinook salmon,
coho, and steelhead.
State and federal hatcheries produce chinook and coho
salmon and steelhead using the same production techniques as other salmon ranching operations. Returning
adults are articially spawned and the offspring are reared
to smolt or yearling size before they are released at the
hatchery (or at other freshwater sites) to migrate to the
ocean where they grow to adults. Chinook salmon return
to be spawned, usually three or four years after release.
Coho generally spend one year in freshwater and return
from the ocean to spawn as three-year olds. Hatchery
steelhead spend one or two seasons in fresh water and
one to three seasons in the ocean and can repeat spawn
after release.
Public hatchery production remains relatively constant;
therefore, years of low natural production result in
harvests with a larger proportion of hatchery sh.
Depending upon the success of each years natural production, Department of Fish and Game biologists estimate
that hatchery-produced sh generally contribute from
50 to 60 percent of Californias sport and commercial
salmon harvests.
Most of the public hatchery production of salmon in California is intended to mitigate for the loss of habitat caused
by construction of dams for water and power development. The concept of providing mitigation for losses to
sh and wildlife caused by the building of a government
project was originally established by the U.S. Congress
when it enacted the Fish and Wildlife Coordination Act of
1934. The need to replace the natural shery resources
eliminated by these projects continues to have high priority with the people of California.
Bob Hulbrock

December 2001
Culture of Salmon
References
Trout. 1988. Restoring the balance: 1988 Annual Report.
84 pp.
Leitritz, E. 1970. A history of Californias sh hatcheries
1870-1960. Calif. Dept. Fish and Game, Fish Bull. 150. 86
pp.
Leitritz, E. and R.C. Lewis. 1976. Trout and salmon culture-hatchery methods. Calif. Dept. Fish and Game, Fish
Bull.164. 197 pp.
Thorpe, J.E. (Editor). 1980. Salmon Ranching. Academic
Press, New York, New York. 441 pp.
Weighing and spawning of Chinook salmon at Rowdy Creek Hatchery, a community-run hatchery near Crescent City.
Credit: CA Sea Grant Extention Program

December 2001

A Status Report
509
Culture of
Marine Finfish
History of Finfish Culture
he impetus to develop marine aquaculture in the U.S.

is strong. In 1998, the U.S. imported $8.2 billion in
edible shery products. During the past 15 years, production of food sh by capture sheries reached a plateau
of 66 million tons per year. Similarly, FAO statistics report
that 60 percent of marine sheries are fully or overexploited. Under these conditions, and with a growing
human population, it is estimated that aquaculture production will have to increase by 140 percent from 1995
levels by the year 2025.
Marine nsh farming in California and the United States
is in its infancy. In California, with the exception of anadromous species, no marine nsh are being produced
on a commercial scale. In the United States, specically
Texas, only red drum are cultured in large numbers. However, the red drum ngerlings being produced are used
primarily for stock enhancement and not grown out and
marketed for direct human consumption. Like the Texas
stocking program for red drum, California has been evaluating the efcacy of marine stock enhancement since the
early 1980s. This research has been conducted largely
under the auspices of the Ocean Resources Enhancement
and Hatchery Program (OREHP). In recent years, the stock
enhancement research has lead to projects designed to
evaluate the feasibility of commercial growout in nearshore cages. The two primary species that have been
investigated in California are the white seabass (Atractoscion nobilis) and the California halibut (Paralichthys
californicus). Giant sea bass (Stereolepis gigas) have also
been studied but to a much lesser extent.
History of the Ocean Resources Enhancement and Hatchery Program (OREHP)
he OREHP began in 1982 and has since been reauthorized with minor modications. This program funds
research through the sale of recreational and commercial
marine enhancement stamps for all saltwater anglers
south of Point Arguello. The California Department of Fish
and Game manages the OREHP with the assistance of an
advisory panel that consists of academic and management
agency scientists, representatives of both commercial and
recreational shing groups, and the aquaculture industry.
Since 1995, OREHP has supported operation of the Leon
Raymond Hubbard, Jr. Marine Fish Hatchery in Carlsbad,
California. This research facility is dedicated to improving
our understanding of marine sh culture.
510

A Status Report
The species described in this chapter are native to California and have historically represented important sheries to the region. Detailed descriptions of the natural
history and sheries for each are provided elsewhere in
this volume.
Culture, Facilities and Systems
n California, land-based research facilities (hatcheries)

are used for broodstock holding and maturation, and for
larval rearing of marine nsh. Juvenile culture has been
conducted on a limited scale for white seabass in cages,
pools and raceways, and with California halibut in raceways. Seawater is pumped into land-based facilities from
nearshore areas, (typically lagoons, harbors, or embayments) where water quality may be highly variable.
Broodstock maturation systems are typically recirculated
so that water temperature can be controlled and used
to induce spawning. Pool volumes range from 5,000 to
11,500 gallons. Egg hatching and early larval rearing systems require ne control over water quality parameters.
Low ow requirements make ow-through systems practical, but recirculating systems are generally recommended.
Pool volumes for egg hatching and early larval rearing
range from 80 to 450 gallons. Juvenile growout has been
conducted in ow-through systems (pools and raceways)
up to 8,000 gallons in volume and nearshore cages up to
145,000 gallons.
Californias OREHP maintains one of the largest breeding
populations of a single species of marine nsh, white
seabass, in the world. More than 250 adult sh are maintained in captivity either in breeding pools or support
facilities. The need for this large number of individuals
stems from the stock enhancement objectives of the
program and the desire to ensure genetic diversity of
released animals. However, the large broodstock population also results in a surplus of egg production that could
help support a developing commercial culture industry.
Spawning of marine nsh, including white seabass and
California halibut is often allowed to occur naturally or is
induced semi-naturally using photo-thermal manipulation.
That is, seasonal cycles are either natural (ambient water
temperature and photoperiod) or controlled to promote
spawning out of season. Hormone-induced spawning has
not been investigated thoroughly and the few attempts
to induce spawning have been largely unsuccessful. The
disposition and general hardiness of California halibut and
giant sea bass makes them potentially better suited to
the extra handling required for hormone injections, while
white seabass are not.
Female white seabass and California halibut are reported
to mature in the wild at four to ve years. For white

December 2001
Growth of each of these species is highly dependent

on water temperature. White seabass and California halibut are physiologically adapted to estuarine conditions
as juveniles and therefore can tolerate (and may prefer)
higher temperatures (71-81 F) associated with embayments. Furthermore, the southern range for these species
near Magdelena Bay in Baja California, Mexico where
water temperatures can be expected to be even warmer
than those in California.
White seabass have been cultured in raceways to a size
of 3.3 pounds in two years at temperatures of 56-79 F. A
similar growout period in cages yielded only a 1.75 pound
white seabass, but water temperature was considerably
lower (52-72 F). California halibut cultured in raceways
exhibited slow growth, reaching a maximum of 0.9 pound
in two years under conditions of 55-77 F. It should be
noted that these data are preliminary and that growth
will likely be improved as the nutritional requirements
and the potential for selective breeding are investigated
more fully.
White seabass begin feeding at an age of four to ve
days (post hatch). Their relatively large size allows them
to feed successfully on newly hatched Artemia. California
halibut and giant sea bass both require smaller prey items
such as rotifers for the rst week of feeding, before
transitioning to Artemia nauplii. Beginning at 20 days, dry
feed is offered to the sh along with the Artemia. In order
to help the sh wean from a live prey diet to dry feed,
frozen zooplankton (adult Artemia, krill or mysids) is also
fed to the sh. The amount of live food (Artemia nauplii)
and frozen feed is slowly reduced as sh begin feeding on
the dry feed. Once on dry feed, the feed size is increased
as the sh grow. The feed type, characterized by the
protein and fat content, may also be adjusted to reduce
costs and improve llet quality.
Among the more common infectious diseases affecting
white seabass and California halibut are: 1) protozoans;
2) bacteria; and 3) invertebrate parasites. Among these
pathogens, the bacterium Flexibacter maritimus is the
most common and difcult to eradicate. Infections by this
organism occur frequently after handling the sh and may
result in lesions and n rot. Among the non-infectious
diseases, gas bubble disease is often severe among white
seabass cultured in shallow water systems that are not
adequately degassed, including oating raceways in natural water bodies. Nutritional deciencies are also likely
in cultured marine sh, although the effects are not
well understood.

December 2001
Cannibalism can be a signicant problem among younger

life stages of marine sh before grading is practical. Cannibalism can be reduced by optimizing feeding and nutrition and by grading the sh. In outdoor rearing pools,
birds such as herons are known to prey on cultured sh.
These predators can effectively be excluded using inexpensive netting. In cages, marine mammals such as California sea lions and harbor seals can be a problem if given
the opportunity. Birds, both diving and non-diving, can
also prey on caged sh. To prevent predation on caged
sh, extra netting (i.e., in addition to the sh containment
net) should be employed above and below the water.
Aquaculture Potential
Culture of Marine Finfish
seabass, this represents a size of 27 inches and for California halibut, 18.5 inches. Eggs from each of these species
are pelagic. Females are batch-spawners, with each batch
typically yielding hundreds of thousands to more than a
million eggs.
he aquaculture potential for white seabass and California halibut should be excellent. The potential for giant
sea bass culture appears to be less promising, although
further research is warranted for this species. White seabass and California halibut are popular, high-value species.
Wild white seabass are available seasonally and at a large
size of more than six to seven pounds. Wild halibut are
available year-round and there is a growing market for
live sh.
In other regions, species similar to white seabass and
California halibut are being cultured successfully -- in
some cases on a truly commercial scale. Among some of
the croaker species (related to white seabass), red drum,
and seatrout are being cultured in the United States.
Totoaba, corvina, and maigre (all members of the croaker
family) are being evaluated for culture in Mexico, Argentina, and the Mediterranean, respectively. Several species
of atsh are also being cultured. On the East Coast
of the United States, the summer ounder and southern
ounder are being evaluated for culture. In Japan, a ounder has been cultured on a commercial scale for many
years, and two species of ounders are being cultured in
South America.
Conclusions
quaculture of marine nsh is in its infancy in the

United States, and California has not contributed
signicantly to its development. With 1,200 miles of
coastline, opportunities to farm the ocean should be
readily available. Unlike the agriculture industry in California, which consistently ranks number one in the nation
(greater than $26 billion in 1997), mariculture opportunities in California are impeded by competing uses for
coastal resources and a restrictive regulatory environment. In addition to the typical burdens associated with
bureaucracies, California regulatory agencies often over-

A Status Report
511
Culture of Marine Finfish
lap in authority, lack a clearly dened process, and are

often poorly educated about the need for aquaculture and
what is involved with mariculture activities.
There is a clear need for aquaculture development worldwide and California has access to the coastal resources
and high value marine species necessary to compete
in the world seafood market. A proactive approach is
required to make this a reality.
Mark A. Drawbridge and Donald B. Kent
Hubbs-SeaWorld Research Institute
References
Bartley, D. M., D. B. Kent, et al. 1995. Conservation
of genetic diversity in a white seabass hatchery enhancement program in southern California. Uses and effects
of cultured shes in aquatic ecosystems, Bethesda, MD,
American Fisheries Society.
Drawbridge, M. A., D. B. Kent, et al. (in review). Commercialization of White Seabass (Atractoscion nobilis) Aquaculture in Southern California: Biological and Technical
Feasibility of Cage Culture. Aquaculture.
Kent, D. B., M. A. Drawbridge, et al. 1995. Accomplishments and roadblocks of a marine stock enhancement
program for white seabass in California. Uses and effects
of cultured shes in aquatic ecosystems, Bethesda, MD,
American Fisheries Society.
New, M. B. 1997. Aquaculture and the capture sheries balancing the scales. World Aquaculture: 11-30.
512

A Status Report

December 2001
Invasive Species
I
nvasive species are the number two threat to rare,

threatened or endangered species nationwide, second
only to habitat destruction. Commercial shermen nationwide are seeing signicant impacts on local sh populations from invasive marine life. Indeed, coastal systems,
including tidal ats and salt marshes, have been particularly susceptible, possibly because they are typically highstress, species-poor environments. California water agencies have expressed alarm at the potentially devastating
impacts that invasive species can have on Californias
waters. Unlike threats posed by most chemical or other
types of pollution, biological pollution by invasive species
normally will have permanent impacts, as they are virtually impossible to eradicate once established.
Specic environmental threats from invasive organisms
include consumption of natives and their food sources,
genetic dilution of native species through cross-breeding,
alteration of the physical environment, introduction of
non-native parasites and diseases, and poisoning of native
species through bioaccumulation of toxics that are passed
up the food chain. For example:
In the former Soviet Union, a species of comb jelly

was introduced into the Black and Azov Seas through
ships ballast and played a signicant role in virtually
destroying an entire shery. Since the introduction
of this species, shing harvest in those seas dropped
200,000 tons in a ve-year period.
Microscopic neurotoxin-producing organisms called

dinoagellates have been transported in the sediments carried with ballast water and discharged into
new regions of the world, where they have produced
toxic red tides, including red tides in southern Australia that probably originated in ballast water.
Scientists have warned that a non-native goby now

found in the Great Lakes raises toxin levels in indigenous sh and could pose a serious health risk to
humans who eat game sh.
Microbial studies conducted in Canada on ships arriving in winter from Europe found that more than 50
percent of the ships carrying ballast water violated
water discharge standards with fecal coliform bacteria. The authors surmised that ships arriving in the
summer, or from Asian ports, would be likely to have
substantially higher rates of contamination.
Here in California, numerous studies indicate that San

Francisco Bay is already severely impacted by harmful
non-native species. These studies have identied at least
234 nonindigenous plant and animal species that now live
in San Francisco Bay. Moreover, the rate at which aquatic
invasive species are becoming established in San Francisco

December, 2001
Bay has increased from an average of one every 55 weeks

before 1960, to one every 14 weeks between 1961 and
1995. Invasive species that have been positively identied
as permanent residents of the Bay include Asian clam,
the European green crab, the New Zealand sea slug, the
Chinese mitten crab, and several species of sponges, jellysh, sh, anemones, snails, mussels, clams, and barnacles.
Indeed, San Francisco Bay is likely the most invaded estuary in the world.
The discharge of ships ballast water from foreign ports
is currently the single largest source of coastal, aquatic
invasive species. A recent survey found that 53-88 percent
of the aquatic invasive species introduced into San Francisco Bay in the last decade originated in ballast water
discharges, and there is evidence that the number of
ballast-related introductions of aquatic invasive species
is steadily growing. According to estimates by the San
Francisco Estuary Institute, between half a billion and a
billion gallons of ballast water are discharged into the San
Francisco Bay/Delta Estuary each year by ships arriving
from foreign ports. Aquaculture, unintentional introductions via recreational vehicles, deliberate introductions
(i.e., to establish a shery), and importation of live marine
organisms for human consumption, bait, pets or research
are other important vectors of aquatic invasive species.
Invasive Species
History
Examples of Significant Invasive Species
umerous invasive species threaten the health of

marine life both directly and indirectly through alteration of coastal ecosystems and habitats. This section
highlights three of the more signicant species, which
are a particular problem in the San Francisco Bay and
surrounding areas, and reviews the status of invasions
elsewhere in the state.
The European Green Crab

(Carcinus maenas)
The green crab, native to the Atlantic coasts of Europe
and northern Africa, occupies protected rocky shores,
sandats and tidal marshes. In 1989-1990, it was discovered in San Francisco Bay, and has since spread as
far north as Washington and southern British Columbia
and south to Morro Bay. It may have entered California
through the discharge of ballast water from trans-oceanic
ships, although spread is also possible through discard of
seaweed packing material used in shipping live shellsh
and the interstate transport of shellsh aquaculture products and equipment.
The green crab is a voracious predator that feeds on
many types of organisms, particularly bivalve mollusks,
polychaetes, and small crustaceans. The green crab is

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513
Invasive Species
A single female can carry 250,000 to a million eggs. After

hatching, larvae are planktonic for one to two months.
The small juvenile crabs settle in salt or brackish water
in late spring and migrate to freshwater. Young juvenile
mitten crabs are found in tidal freshwater areas, and usually burrow in banks and levees between the high and low
tide marks. In China and Europe, older juveniles have been
reported several hundred miles from the sea. Maturing
crabs move from shallow areas to the channels in late
summer and early fall and migrate to salt water in late fall
and early winter to complete the life-cycle.
European Green Crab, Carcinus maenas

Credit: DFG
capable of learning and can improve its prey-handling

skills while foraging. The crab is quicker, more dexterous
and can open shells in more ways than other types of
crabs. In its native range, the green crab feeds heavily on
mussels. On the East Coast, the crab is believed to have
played a role in the demise of Atlantic soft-shell clam sheries in the 1950s. In Bodega Harbor, California, records
show a signicant reduction in clam and native shore crab
population abundance since the arrival of green crabs in
1993. Furthermore, laboratory studies show that the green
crab preys on Dungeness crab of equal or smaller size.
Dungeness crab spend part of their juvenile life in the
intertidal zone, and may therefore be at risk from green
crab predation. Besides its threat as a predator, the green
crab may carry a parasite, the acanthocephalan worm,
which can infect local shore birds.
The Chinese Mitten Crab

(Eriocheir sinensis)
Mitten crabs are adept walkers and readily move across

banks or levees to bypass obstructions such as dams or
weirs. They are omnivores, with juveniles eating mostly
vegetation, but preying upon animals, especially small
invertebrates, as they grow.
Mitten crabs pose several possible threats. Their burrowing activity may accelerate the erosion of banks and
levees, disturbing local habitat. In addition, the crab can
disrupt needed water deliveries to estuarine habitats by
clogging the pumps that deliver the water. The mitten
crab also has become a nuisance for commercial bay
shrimp trawlers in south bay, who have reported mitten
crabs damaging nets and killing shrimp. The crab may
also compete in the delta with an exotic craysh that is
the basis for a small commercial shery. The mitten crab
may also be the secondary intermediate host for the Oriental lung uke, with mammals, including humans, as the
nal host.
The ecological impact of a large mitten crab population
is the least understood of all the potential impacts. It
could reduce populations of native invertebrates through
predation and change the structure of the estuarys fresh
and brackish water benthic invertebrate communities.
The Chinese mitten crab is native to the coastal rivers

and estuaries of the Yellow Sea. It was rst collected in
the San Francisco estuary in 1992 by commercial shrimp
trawlers in South San Francisco Bay and has since spread
rapidly throughout the estuary. Mitten crabs were rst
collected in San Pablo Bay in fall 1994, Suisun Marsh in
February 1996, and the delta in September 1996. The
Chinese mitten crab now extends at least from north of
Colusa in the Sacramento River drainage, east to eastern
San Joaquin County near Calaveras County, and south in
the San Joaquin River near the San Luis National Wildlife
Refuge. The most probable mechanism of introduction to
the estuary was either deliberate release to establish a
shery or accidental release via ballast water. In Asia, the
mitten crab is a delicacy and crabs have been imported
live to markets in Los Angeles and San Francisco.
The mitten crab is catadromous - adults reproduce in salt
water and the offspring migrate to fresh water to grow.
514

A Status Report
Chinese Mitten Crab, Eriocheir sinensis

Credit: DFG

December, 2001
Invasive Species
An Asian Clam
(Potamocorbula amurensis)
In October 1986, the rst Asian clams found in California
were collected in San Francisco Bay by a community college biology class. Just nine months later, the Asian clam
had become the most abundant clam in the northern part
of the bay, averaging over 2000 clams per square meter.
The clam is a highly efcient lter feeder, ingesting bacteria and small zooplankton as well as phytoplankton. At
year 2000 densities in the bay, virtually the entire water
column may pass through the ltering apparatus of these
clams between once and twice a day. Since its arrival,
the clam has eliminated annual phytoplankton blooms that
had previously characterized this ecosystem, disrupted
food webs, reduced the populations of native zooplankton
species, and possibly increased the vulnerability of the
ecosystem to invasions by exotic zooplankton, many of
which have since occurred. This clam is also thought
responsible for a reduction in particulate organic carbon.
With less food available for larval and other benthic
lter feeders, the relative populations of native species
could shift.
The clam may also be acting as an accumulator of contaminants, concentrating selenium in bottom-feeding sh
and birds at levels that are high enough to cause reproductive defects. This magnication of selenium concentrations in the food chain could also affect sh- and shellsheating marine mammals such as harbor seals, sea lions,
and the sea otters, which are returning to the bay.
A South African Sabellid Worm

(Terebrasabella heterouncinata)
The South African sabellid worm is a parasitic polychaete
worm that infests mollusks. It was introduced into California waters in the mid-1980s with abalone imported
into a California aquaculture facility. The worm spread
rapidly among abalone facilities through the transfer of
infested seed stock and proved difcult to control once
established. The worm infests only the abalones shell,
signicantly reducing the growth rates of cultured abalone. A heavy infestation can cause shell deformation,
elevate mortality as the shell becomes brittle, and reduce
reproductive capacity as more energy is channeled into
shell production.
Introduction in state waters is highly likely, given the species broad host specicity. Sabellids have been detected
in a native gastropod mollusk, in the intertidal zone adjacent to the discharge pipe from an abalone facility in
central California. Attempts to eradicate this invasive species at this site and at culture facilities are ongoing.

December, 2001
Asian Clam, Potamocorbula amurensis

Credit: DFG
The California Department of Fish and Game (DFG) has

established inspection requirements for abalone stock
transfers, required detailed clean-up plans from all
infested aquaculture facilities, prohibited out-planting,
and added the sabellid to the Fish and Game Commissions
signicant disease list. Such controls appear to be having
some effect, as most abalone culture facilities report
some level of control and eradication of this worm. However, there have been reports of re-infestation by abalone
shipments that had been inspected and certied by the
DFG. The inspection protocols used have been mathematically demonstrated to be unlikely to detect a low level
of infestation in transferred abalone, such as one to ve
percent or lower. Moreover, the mesh on the screens of
the discharge pipes of onshore culturing facilities are far
too large to prevent the release of eggs or larvae, and
the openings in offshore barrel and cage culture are even
larger. Subtidal inspection of possible release sites for the
sabellid worm has been very limited, and the locations of
some of these possible release sites are simply unknown.
Further work is needed to ensure that all infestations are
removed and effective controls are in place to prevent
reinfestation.
A Tropical Seaweed
(Caulerpa taxifolia)
An invasive green algae dubbed the killer algae, was
discovered in the waters of southern California off Carlsbad in early 2000. Native to tropical waters, it became
popular in the aquarium trade in the late 1970s and either
escaped or was released into the Mediterranean Sea in
the mid-1980s. It is now widespread throughout much of
the northwestern Mediterranean. It appears that the algae
found off southern California is a clone of the released
Mediterranean plant, and can grow in deeper and colder
waters than the tropical populations. Its impacts have
been compared to unrolling a carpet of Astroturf across

A Status Report
515
Invasive Species
the sea bed. In areas where it has become well-established, it has caused economic and ecological devastation
by overgrowing and eliminating native seaweeds, seagrass
reefs, and other communities.
In southern California, the algae poses a signicant threat
to eelgrass meadows and other benthic environments that
are essential to the survival of native invertebrates, sh
and aquatic birds. If the algae spread from the coastal
lagoons to the nearshore reefs, it could inhibit the establishment of juveniles of many species, including kelp and
the biota associated with kelp beds. Efforts to destroy
this patch of algae have involved tarping off the area and
injecting chlorine under the tarp.
Other Invasives
Invasive species are present not only in San Francisco
Bay but are common as well in other harbors and bays
in California and along the Pacic Coast. For example,
recent compilations list about 25 invasive species in Morro
Bay in central California, and about 80 invasive species
in the bays and harbors of southern California. One such
organism is an Australasian isopod that signicantly erodes
the banks of salt marsh channels and marsh edges in
San Diego Bay, resulting in reduction of already-limited
coastal habitat.
Once established in one area, exotic organisms may
quickly spread to another through either natural or
anthropogenic transport. Invasive species initially established in bays may subsequently invade the open coast.
A predatory New Zealand sea slug that was collected
in San Francisco Bay in 1992 may have spread north to
Bodega Bay and south to near San Diego, though further
taxonomic work is needed to identify which of the two
to four species of invasive sea slugs are involved and the
locations of their spread.
Existing Regulatory Regime and

Regulatory Gaps
National Invasive Species Act of 1996
Existing regulation of the major vector of invasive species
introduction - ballast water discharges - is generally limited in its reach. The primary federal law regulating
ballast water discharges, the National Invasive Species
Act (NISA), calls primarily for voluntary ballast water
exchange by vessels entering the U.S. after operating
outside of the EEZ (mandatory ballast water exchange
requirements exist only in the Great Lakes). Some of
the limitations of NISA are that while it states that the
voluntary program could become mandatory after several
516

A Status Report
years, there are currently no criteria in the statute or

accompanying regulations to guide that decision. Moreover, it addresses only vessels entering the U.S. from
outside the EEZ, and ignores, for example, coastwise trafc from areas contaminated with problematic invasive
species (such as the San Francisco Bay area).
NISA requires annual reporting to assess the ongoing effectiveness of the program. The rst interim report by
the National Ballast Information Clearinghouse, issued in
October 2000, found that over the rst 12 months (July
1999-2000) that the rule was in effect, only 20.8 percent
of the vessels that entered U. S. waters from outside the
EEZ led the mandatory reports required under NISA and
pursuant to U.S. Coast Guard regulations. For the entire
U.S., compliance with reporting improved only slightly
over the 12-month period, remaining between 23 percent
and 29 percent from October 1999 through June 2000.
Only for the West Coast of the contiguous U.S. did compliance with the reporting requirement increase markedly
over time, primarily from an increase in California, which
receives the most ship arrivals. This increase coincided
with implementation of a 1999 California state law that
requires submission of copies of the federal ballast water
management reports to the State Lands Commission,
authorizes monetary and criminal penalties for noncompliance, and utilizes an active boarding program that targets
20-30 percent of arrivals. As a result, compliance with
reporting in California increased over the past 12 months
to approximately 75 percent.
The report concluded that due to the poor nationwide
reporting rate (20.8 percent), it is difcult to estimate
reliably (a) the patterns of ballast water delivery and
(b) the compliance with NISAs voluntary guidelines for
ballast water management. Based on the information that
was submitted, the report found that nationwide, approximately 42 percent (10.2 million metric tons) of the foreign water reported discharged into the U. S. had not
been exchanged completely as requested in the voluntary
guidelines. The report also noted that although it is clear
that many vessels that discharge ballast water in the U.S.
are not in compliance with voluntary guidelines, based
upon their reports, the extent of non-compliance with
these guidelines simply cannot be estimated accurately
due to the very low rate of reporting.
Clean Water Act

The Clean Water Act prohibits the discharge of any pollutant by any person into waters of the United States,
unless done in compliance with specied sections of the
Act, including the permit requirements in Section 402.
National Pollution Discharge Elimination System (NPDES)
permits issued to discharges into the territorial sea also
must comply with ocean discharge criteria specically

December, 2001
Currently, an EPA regulation adopted in the 1970s specically exempts ballast water from the NPDES permit program. In January 1999, a petition was made to the EPA
by the Pacic Environmental Advocacy Center, on behalf
of conservation groups, commercial and recreational shing interests, American Indian tribes and California water
agencies, to regulate ballast water discharges under the
NPDES permit program in Section 402, arguing that the
regulatory exemption adopted by EPA exceeded their
authority and violated the mandates of the Clean Water
Act. Moreover, the assumption that ballast discharges are
harmless is clearly no longer the view of the EPA or other
federal agencies. After two years of waiting, the petitioners led suit against EPA in January 2001 to respond to
the 1999 petition.
If a pollutant is threatening or impairing use of a water
body, the water body violates water quality standards
and must be listed under Section 303(d) of the Clean
Water Act as water quality limited for that pollutant.
EPA or the state then must establish the total maximum
daily load (TMDL) of the offending pollutant that can be
released into the water body and still ensure that the
water meets water quality standards, within a margin of
safety. A water body whose use is impaired by aquatic
invasive species could be listed under Section 303(d);
if so, EPA or the state must identify the maximum load
of problem aquatic invasive species that can be safely
discharged into that water body. Given the signicant and
ongoing impacts associated with numerous aquatic invasive species, it may be difcult for the applicable agency
to set a TMDL for aquatic invasive species other than
zero and still meet Section 303(d)s margin of safety
requirement. Currently, many reaches of the San Francisco Bay are listed as impaired by invasive species under
Section 303(d).
National Environmental Policy Act

The National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) requires
that federal agencies prepare an Environmental Impact
Statement (EIS) for major federal actions signicantly
affecting the quality of the human environment. NEPA
may be used to require further examination of federal
projects that may result in increased discharges of ballast
water containing invasive species. At least one circuit
court has recognized that NEPA requires federal agencies
to evaluate a projects indirect impacts on the spread and
introduction of aquatic invasive species.

December, 2001
Endangered Species Act

Under Section 7 of the federal Endangered Species Act
(ESA), federal agencies must ensure that their actions
are not likely to jeopardize the continued existence of
any endangered species or threatened species or result
in the destruction or adverse modication of habitat of
such species In addition, federal agencies must consult
with the Secretary of the Interior and/or Commerce, as
appropriate, on any agency action which is likely to jeopardize the continued existence of any species proposed to
be listedor result in the destruction or adverse modication of critical habitat proposed to be designated for
such species.
Invasive Species
designed to prevent the degradation of those waters,

pursuant to Clean Water Act Section 403.
Section 7 of the ESA should be used to examine

the impacts of a federal project that may result in
increased discharges of ballast containing invasive species, where such discharges may affect endangered or
threatened species.
Presidential Executive Order 13112

On Feb. 3, 1999, President Clinton issued an Invasive
Species Executive Order creating a Cabinet-level National
Invasive Species Council. The Council was charged with
creating a National Invasive Species Management Plan that
would address all types and sources of invasive species,
including aquatic invasive species in ballast water. An
Invasive Species Advisory Committee made up of a range
of stakeholders has been working with the Council on a
draft management plan. The draft management plan was
released for review in October 2000 and was nalized in
early 2001.
California Environmental Quality Act

The California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) requires
appropriate mitigation of projects that contain signicant
environmental impacts. A signicant impact is a substantial, or potentially substantial, adverse change in any
of the physical conditions within the area affected by the
Project including land, air, water, minerals, ora, [and]
fauna The documented adverse impacts associated
with invasive species appear to t this broad denition. In
addition to meeting the general denition of signicant
effect, the impacts associated with increased discharges
of invasive species may require a mandatory nding of
signicance under CEQA, thus mandating feasible mitigation of those impacts or an alternative project.

A Status Report
517
Invasive Species
California Porter-Cologne Water Quality

Control Act
Under Californias Porter-Cologne Water Quality Control
Act any person discharging waste, or proposing to discharge waste, within any region that could affect the quality of the waters of the state must le with the appropriate Regional Water Quality Control Board a report of the
discharge. Pursuant to the act, the regional board then
prescribes waste discharge requirements related to control of the discharge. The act denes waste broadly and
the term has been applied to a diverse array of materials.
The San Francisco Bay Regional Water Quality Control
Board has determined that ballast water and hull fouling
discharges cause pollution as dened under the Porter-Cologne Water Quality Control Act, raising the possibility that the act may be actively used to regulate
such discharges.
California Fish and Game Code

State sh and wildlife laws contain provisions that relate
to the control of aquatic invasive species from a variety
of vectors. Some examples in the California Fish and Game
Code include the following:
518
Section 2271. No live aquatic plant or animal may

be imported into this state without the prior written
approval of the department.
Section 6603. All sh, amphibia, or aquatic plants

which the department determines are merely deleterious to sh, amphibia, aquatic plants or aquatic
animal life, shall be destroyed by the department,
unless the owner or the person in charge . . . ships
them out of the state . . . .
Section 6400. It is unlawful to place, plant, or cause

to be placed or planted, in any waters of this state,
any live sh, any fresh or salt water animal, or any
aquatic plant, whether taken without or within the
state, without rst submitting it for inspection to,
and securing the written permission of, the department.
Section 15200. The commission may regulate the

placing of aquatic plants and animals in waters of
the state.
Section 15600. No live aquatic plant or animal may

be imported into this state by a registered aquaculturist without the prior written approval of the
department pursuant to the regulations adopted by
the commission.

A Status Report
Public Resources Code

In 1999, California became the rst state in the nation
to enact legislation mandating exchange of ships ballast
water in an effort to control the introduction of invasive
species. The Public Resources Code requires vessels carrying foreign ballast to exchange that ballast in open seas. It
also requires specied state agencies to analyze the status
of invasions, the effectiveness of the ballast exchange
program, and alternatives for ballast treatment; sets penalties for noncompliance; and levies fees on regulated
vessels to pay for the program. Washington state passed a
mandatory ballast water exchange law modeled on Californias law in 2000. Californias mandatory law, clear penalties, and an active ship boarding program has resulted in
its taking the lead in the nation on the control of ballast
water, as the Clearinghouse report conclusively found.
Controlling the introduction of invasive species is well
within the traditional police powers of the states. As
long as the proposed legislation does not dictate the
specic type of ballast water treatment techniques that
vessels must use and does not favor local shipping
over foreign, then state ballast water management laws
do not appear to be preempted by constitutional law or
by NISA.
Local Application of State and

Federal Laws
Place-based management of invasive species introductions
can occur where agencies implement state and federal
laws on a local level. For example, in response to a
petition from conservation groups, the San Francisco Bay
Regional Water Quality Control Board identied invasive
species as pollutant stressors subject to Clean Water
Act Section 303(d) in lower, south and central San Francisco Bay, Richardson Bay, Suisun Bay, San Pablo Bay,
Carquinez Strait and the delta. The regional board ranked
invasive species as a high priority for action in all affected
water bodies. The listing was approved by the State Water
Resources Control Board and U.S. EPA (see above discussion of TMDL requirements).
The regional board approved a resolution to transmit to
U.S. EPA an Exotic Species TMDL Report on impairment of
the San Francisco Bay estuary by invasive species. Among
other things, the regional board asserts in its report that
a water quality-based endpoint to achieve the estuarys
water quality standards is no exotic species introductions.
In other words, an acceptable TMDL of exotic species or
organisms is zero.

December, 2001
Invasive Species
Conclusions
The legal frameworks that apply, and may apply, to control of aquatic invasive species introductions are broad
and varied. Many of these legal tools are just beginning
to be utilized. As the costs associated with aquatic invasive species continue to mount, it appears likely that
additional research and regulatory actions will be taken to
reduce such discharges. To maximize the effectiveness of
regulatory regimes, stakeholder input - from the conservation, shipping, port, shing, utility and other communities - should be encouraged and carefully considered.
In spite of the signicance of the impacts of invasive
species, relatively little research has been done to date
on the status of current invasions (particularly outside
of San Francisco Bay). Research is also needed on the
potential for new invasions and on methods for preventing
and addressing invasions. Californias 1999 ballast water
exchange law requires the state to complete, by 2002,
research and reports on existing coastal aquatic invasions,
the effectiveness of ballast water exchange in controlling
invasions, and the potential for other methods to control
the discharge of invasives in ballast water.
The San Francisco estuary Institute, under an array of
federal and state grants, is taking a lead on needed
research. They have received funding to investigate and
report on invasions in southern California marine waters
and to sample ballast water coming into the San Francisco
estuary for invasive species. They are examining ballast
water treatment through two projects: one with the city
and county of San Francisco and the University of California, Berkeley Department of Civil and Environmental
Engineering to research treatment of ballast water in
municipal wastewater systems, and one to analyze more
generally the potential for onshore treatment of ballast
water in municipal and industrial treatment plants and
ballast-specic treatment plants.
Linda Sheenan
Francis Henry

December, 2001

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Invasive Species
520

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December, 2001
sing a loose denition of deriving some of their annual

needs from the ocean, marine birds comprise an
abundant and diverse group in California waters. Included
would be about 70 regularly-occurring species: divers
(loons and grebes), albatrosses, shearwaters, fulmars,
storm-petrels, certain waterfowl (scoters, brant), phalaropes, skuas, gulls, terns, and auks (murres, pufns, guillemots, auklets, and murrelets). Infrequently occurring
species would bring the total near 100. And that does
not include any estuarine species, which certainly feed on
marine sh and invertebrates (herons, egrets, curlews,
godwits, plovers, and sandpipers). Peregrine falcons, bald
eagles, and ospreys could also be considered as marine
species as their prey often are marine organisms.
A true seabird never comes to land except to raise its
young (incubate eggs, bring food to chicks), and most
spend about 90 percent of their lives at sea. Using such
a denition reduces the California species list of marine
birds to a few dozen. Notable examples are albatross,
storm-petrels, murres, and murrelets. Most divers, waterfowl, and gulls would drop from the list. Unlike most
marine sh and invertebrates, true seabirds are long lived
and produce very few offspring. They lay but one or
two eggs each year or every other year, and guard them
closely. Their strategy, unlike sh and invertebrates, is
to take care of a few young for a long time until they
become independent and have a pretty good chance for
future survival. For many, care of young continues after
departure from the nest. The reason for being so careful
of young is that it is difcult for air-breathing vertebrates
(including humans) to derive food from the sea.
Seabirds are highly evolved to exist at sea. They are
among the most efcient yers of all birds, and derive
energy not just from food but also, in a way, from the
winds. In fact, many species prefer to sit on the water
if there is no wind. Using the wind, they can search huge
expanses of ocean for prey and consume very little energy
in the process. By and large, they take the most abundant
and energy rich prey available, including small sh (anchovies, sardines, smelt, herring, and the juveniles of much
larger prey: salmon, rocksh), squid, and crustaceans.
For most species, the preferred prey are found in large
schools near the surface. Some marine birds, however, can
dive to depths greater than 300 feet (auks, loons). In their
ights, marine birds seek areas where ocean processes
concentrate their prey, for example where ocean waters
of differing properties (warm vs. cold) meet (fronts).
Another unusual characteristic of seabirds is that they
have almost no defense against land mammals. This is
because they evolved using offshore islands for nesting;

December, 2001
normally, such places provide easy access to the sea and

have no naturally occurring land predators.
For as long as humans have lived along the California (or
any) coast, seabirds have been important and are part of
the culture. Initially, they were used as sources of food
and clothing (feathers) during the short times annually
when thousands gather to breed and lay eggs. Nowadays,
most human uses are recreational although since seabirds
nd sh more quickly than humans do, their feeding concentrations serve as beacons to commercial shermen.
The slow reproductive rates of seabirds make them vulnerable to human factors that lead to mortality - especially
of adults and subadults (pollution, entanglement in shing
gear). The fact that they mostly eat the same sh prey
as humans makes them vulnerable to over-exploitation of
sh populations, showing signs of prey depletion (reduced
growth of populations) before humans do.
The marine mammals of California include cetaceans
(whales, dolphins, and porpoises), pinnipeds (seals, fur
seals, and sea lions), and sea otters. Some are residents,
while others pass along the coast during great migrations.
Gray and humpback whales, for example, feed in Alaskan
waters and migrate along the coast on their way to Mexican waters to breed and calf. Blue whales visit during
summer to feed on rich concentrations of krill.
Marine Birds and

Mammals: Overview
Marine mammals have been an important part of the

coastal commerce off California for centuries. Native
tribes used furs, teeth, and bones in different ways, and
ate the esh of various species of marine mammals. By
the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries the harvest
of seals, whales, and sea otters was such a protable
undertaking that many populations of marine mammals
became depressed to levels from which some are still
recovering. Off California, New England and Russian hunters captured sea otters for their furs until, on the brink
California Sea Lions, Zalophus califonianus

Credit: Lillian Smith

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521

522
of extinction, the International Fur Seal Treaty protected

them in 1911. Now they have repopulated most of the
California coast north of Point Conception. For a number
of years in the 1900s, whaling was a protable business
in parts of California, but the loss of whales and, subsequently, their protection made whaling unprotable.
Nowadays, boat excursions carrying enthusiasts to view
whales are more protable than direct exploitation in past
days. As examples of current use of marine mammals,
the passage of gray whales by the Point Reyes Headlands
during early winter requires shuttle buses by the National
Park Service to avoid the trafc jams that otherwise
would ensue. The Ao Nuevo State Reserve attracts many
thousands of visitors annually to observe the elephant seal
rookery there. Hundreds of tourists each weekend stop
at turnouts along California Highway 1 to observe harbor
seals hauled out nearby on Bolinas Lagoon mud ats,
and other thousands observe sea lions at Pier 45 in San
Francisco. Sea otter exhibits at such places as Monterey
Bay Aquarium and displays of other marine mammals at
Sea World are major attractions.
The Marine Mammal Protection Act of 1972 placed a moratorium on taking marine mammals. The act has since been
amended several times to better dene how it should
function in concert with other legislation. The focus now
is to reduce the incidental take of some species. In
response to protection, many populations of marine mammals have increased to levels that existed prior to their
exploitation. Some populations, while expanding, are still
listed as endangered or threatened under the federal

A Status Report
Endangered Species Act. The Guadalupe fur seal, believed

until 1926 to be extinct, is making a very gradual recovery. Among baleen whales, the humpback, blue, and n
whales have shown little recovery and are listed. On
the other hand, the gray whale was the rst marine
mammal species to be removed from the list of endangered and threatened wildlife. The sperm whale, the only
non-baleen great whale is still listed as endangered.
Meanwhile, populations of some pinniped species have
ourished from their protection to the extent that their
interactions with humans again have become controversial. The state depleted their populations signicantly
during the early 1900s through direct slaughter. Now, the
individual sea lion that feasts on the shermans catch
and/or destroys gear can be shot only when caught in
the act. Unintended entrapment or hooking of pinnipeds,
sea otters, and porpoises has become a problem in some
areas, where subsequently the use of gillnets has been
restricted or stopped. The population increase and spread
of sea otters have impinged on the sheries for abalone
and sea urchins, which are commercially protable only
in the absence of the otters. Whether or not the otter
population will be allowed to recover further is a source of
conict that needs continual attention.
David Ainley
Point Reyes Bird Observatory
William S. Leet
National Marine Fisheries Service (retired)

December, 2001
Pinnipeds
T
here are six pinniped species inhabiting the California

coast and offshore islands: the California sea lion
(Zalophus californianus californianus), Steller (or northern) sea lion (Eumetopias jubatus), Pacic harbor seal
(Phoca vitulina richardsi), northern elephant seal (Mirounga angustirostris), northern fur seal (Callorhinus ursinus) and Guadalupe fur seal (Arctocephalus townsendi).
The ribbon seal (Phoca fasciata) and the hooded seal (Cystophora cristata) have been reported in California waters,
but these were extremely rare events and they are not
considered normal California visitors.
The California sea lion and Pacic harbor seal are probably the best known and most often seen pinnipeds in
California waters. Californians and visitors from around
the world enjoy watching the playful behavior of these
animals cavorting in the water near shore or hauled out
to rest on buoys, rocks, and other solid objects. They also
enjoy seeing them in public display aquaria or as performers in animal shows at zoos and parks. Pinnipeds are
amusing and intelligent entertainers, but there is another
aspect of the pinniped story which is related to their diet
of sh and their expanding populations.
In recent years, California sea lions and, to a lesser
degree, Pacic harbor seals have gained notoriety by
taking over portions of marinas, bathing beaches and by
eating endangered or threatened salmon and steelhead
moving upstream to spawn. Marina operators and boat
owners consider them a major nuisance, and potentially
dangerous. Some seals react aggressively when people
approach. Some who sh commercially or for sport believe
that pinnipeds compete for sh and are costly pests consuming tons of valuable sh, destroying valuable shing
gear and interfering with shing operations. They complain that any sea lion is attracted to shing operations
and that the mere presence of a sea lion scares sh away
from the shing area. Research biologists speculate that
most of those problems are caused by a relatively few
rogue pinnipeds. The rogues have learned that a sh
caught in a net or hooked on a line is an easier meal
than a free-swimming sh, and some actually target these
sheries on a regular basis. A major concern is that this
behavior will spread as the pinniped populations grow.
Resolving pinniped conicts with human activities is a controversial issue. Faced with decreasing catches, increasing
marine mammal populations, and increasing shery interactions, some sport and commercial shermen contend
that some pinniped populations have reached the point
where population control and management efforts should
be implemented. This would include the lethal removal
of nuisance animals. Others will argue for protection of

December, 2001
pinnipeds in spite of the damage and economic losses

they cause.
It is unclear whether foraging by pinnipeds is impacting
the abundance of marine species harvested by man. Current research data are insufcient to answer this question. Ecological interactions between pinnipeds and shery resources are complex and poorly understood. Food
habits studies on California sea lions and Pacic harbor
seals indicate a broad range of prey species are consumed.
The opportunistic feeding nature of pinnipeds means food
habits can change dramatically between areas and years
in response to changes in the abundance of different prey
species. Research in this area is difcult because of the
great complexities of interactions. Though we do know
their diets often include sh such as anchovies, mackerel,
herring, hake, rocksh, salmon, and cephalopods, such as
squid and octopus.
Pinnipeds
History
In the 1860s and 1870s, many pinnipeds were killed for

their oil or body parts and many females were captured
for displays or animal acts. Pinnipeds were hunted commercially until 1938, when California law gave them complete protection from hunting. Nevertheless, sport and
commercial shermen were free to kill sea lions and
harbor seals that were destroying gear or otherwise interfering with shing operations. In 1972, the Marine Mammal
Protection Act was passed by Congress prohibiting the
take (pursuit, harassment, capture, or kill) of marine
mammals except under special permitted conditions. The
act was renewed and revised in 1994. From its inception,
the act specied that marine mammals should be protected as functioning elements of the ecosystem. The
1994 amendments to the act established a new system
to reduce the injuries and mortality of marine mammals
involved incidentally in commercial shing operations to
insignicant levels approaching zero.
Research has been conducted in the past on methods of
reducing the impacts that pinnipeds have on certain sheries (e.g., various taste aversion substances and acoustic
harassment devices), but with little success. In most
cases, the animals appeared to acclimate to the deterrents, and sometimes used the purported scare devices as
dinner bells signifying active shing boats and an easy
food source. Long-term solutions remain illusive.

California Sea Lion
The California sea lion ranges from British Columbia south
to Tres Marias Islands off Mexico. Breeding grounds are
mainly on offshore islands from the Channel Islands south
into Mexico. Breeding takes place in June and early July

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523
Pinnipeds
from the Pribilof Islands to Ao Nuevo Island. The largest

breeding colonies in California are at Point St. George, Ao
Nuevo, and the Farallon Islands. Breeding is in late June,
after which the animals migrate northward. This species is
a tawny or yellowish-brown color in contrast to the darker
reddish color of the California sea lion. Grown males are
1,500 to 2,200 pounds and reach a length of 13 feet.
Females usually weigh between 600 and 900 pounds and
reach a length of nine feet. Food of the Steller sea lion
consists primarily of squid and sh.
Pacific Harbor Seal

California Sea Lion, Zalophus californianus
Credit: Phil Schuyler
within a few days after the females give birth. The pups
are weaned at six months to a year or more. Males
and females reach sexual maturity between four and ve
years, although males normally do not achieve territorial
status until age eight or nine. Males weigh between 500
and 1,000 pounds and reach seven to eight feet in length.
Females weigh between 200 and 600 pounds and reach
six feet. Adult males have a pronounced sagittal crest (a
ridge on top of the skull extending from the forehead to
the rear of the skull), a characteristic distinguishing this
species from the Steller sea lion. Food of the California
sea lion consists largely of squid, octopus, and a variety
of shes (anchovies, mackerel, herring, rocksh, hake,
and salmon).
The Pacic harbor seal ranges along the northwest coast

of America from the Gulf of Alaska to Cedros Island off
Baja California. In California, harbor seals are abundant
along the entire coast. Adult male Pacic harbor seals
reach a length of six feet and weight of up to 240 pounds,
Steller Sea Lion

The Steller sea lions distribution partially overlaps that
of the California sea lion. It ranges from the Bering Strait
off Alaska to southern California. Breeding grounds extend
Pacific Harbor Seal, Phoca vitulina richardsi

while females reach 5.5 feet and 275 pounds (when pregnant). The coloration patterns of adults vary from black
with white spots to white with black spots. Breeding
season varies with latitude, starting in March to May on
the Channel Islands of southern California and continuing
later up the coast. Age at sexual maturity is three to
four years for females and ve years for males. Newborn
pups are approximately 32 inches long and weigh about
22 pounds. They are weaned at ve to six weeks at an
average weight of 50 pounds. Adult females ovulate and
mate at the end of weaning, with a two-month delayed
implantation of the developing embryo. Their diet consists
of sh such as ounders, herring, tomcod, hake, and
lampreys, and cephalopods such as squid and octopus.
Steller Sea Lion, Eumetopias jubatus

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December, 2001
The northern fur seal is one of the best-known seals in the

world because of its valuable fur, for which it was hunted
to near extinction. Historical populations, centered on
the Pribilof Islands, Alaska, are estimated at two million
animals, but in 1911, when international treaties were
established to protect and manage this species, there
were fewer than 125,000 animals. San Miguel Island, off
Santa Barbara, California, hosts a small breeding colony
and is the southernmost extent of its range. It is a remnant of a much larger population that existed in California
in the early 1800s. The peak breeding and pupping period
is in July. After breeding, the males migrate out to sea
where they spend as many as 10 months. The pups are
weaned at four months of age and are left to travel
in the northward migrations on their own. Fur seals are
distinguished from sea lions by their pelage, composed
of a very dense undercoat and a thinner, coarser layer
Pinnipeds
Northern Fur Seal
Guadalupe Fur Seal, Arctocephalus townsendi

only occasionally at islands in the Southern California Bight
and the Farallon Islands. They breed only on Guadalupe
Island. They are identied by a collie-like, long pointed
muzzle. Males reach up to six feet in length; females are
slightly smaller.
Northern Elephant Seal
Northern Fur Seal, Callorhinus ursinus

of guard hairs, and by their relatively long ippers. The
northern fur seal is closely related to the Guadalupe fur
seal and is distinguished from its close relative by its very
short muzzle. Males reach a length of eight feet and weigh
up to 700 pounds. Females are only four to ve feet long
and weigh about 130 pounds. Sexual maturity is attained
between three and seven years, with longevity reported
to be up to 26 years.
The comeback of the northern elephant seal, the largest

of all the seals, is one of the great success stories for
an animal threatened with extinction. Male elephant seals
reach a length of 15 to 16 feet and weight of about 4,000
to 5,000 pounds. Females reach a length of 11 feet and
weigh about 1,700 pounds. The male develops a bulbous
enlargement of the snout from which, along with its size,
it gets its common name. Breeding colonies exist on San
Miguel Island, Santa Barbara Island, San Nicolas Island,
San Simeon Island, Ao Nuevo Island, Southeast Farallon
Island, and Point Reyes Peninsula. They have also begun
hauling out at several other mainland sites where historically they did not haul out. The breeding season is from
December through March. Breeding groups, or harems,
consist of one male and eight to 40 females. The gestation
Guadalupe Fur Seal

The Guadalupe fur seal was presumed extinct until 1926,
when a group of 60 animals was discovered on Guadalupe
Island, Mexico. The population is recovering slowly from
near extinction brought about by sealers in the last century. This is a rare pinniped in California waters, seen

December, 2001
Northern Elephant Seal, Mirounga angurstirostris


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525
Pinnepeds
period is about 11.5 months. Pups are weaned by four

weeks but remain on the rookery another eight to 10
weeks, sleeping during the day and gradually starting to
enter the water at night. Departure from the rookery
occurs at an age of approximately three months. Females
begin breeding as young as two years of age. Males reach
sexual maturity at ve years; but older, larger males
prevent young and socially immature males from mating
until they are at least eight or nine years old. Males and
females both live about 14 years.
Elephant seals do most of their feeding at night and probably in deep water as evidenced by the fact that they have
been caught in nets at 2,000-foot depths. Time-depth
recorder experiments show that elephant seals can dive to
5,200 feet, and stay beneath the surface for up to an hour.
Stomach content analyses indicate that they feed on small
sharks, rays, ratsh, rocksh, and squid.

The Marine Mammal Protection Act recognizes marine
mammals as components of the marine ecosystem and
requires maintenance of stocks above levels at which they
would lose their function in the ecosystem. In practice,
marine mammal management is directed toward maintaining the optimum sustainable population size (OSP) for
each species within its geographical range. To be optimal,
the population size should be between the rate at which
maximum growth occurs and the carrying capacity of the
environment. A variety of procedures are used to assess
population status.
California Sea Lion

California sea lions breeding on U.S. rookeries are
assumed to comprise a single stock. The population of
newborn pups is determined from an aerial census. The
size of the entire population is estimated from the number
of new births and the proportion of pups in the population. Their status was last assessed in 2000. At that time,
the population size was estimated at 204,000 to 214,000
animals. Recent estimates place the population growth
rate at 6.2 percent per year. Fishery mortality is increasing.
Steller Sea Lion

Population estimates for northern sea lions are based on
counts of animals hauled-out during the breeding season.
A decline of this species is occurring throughout its range,
including the Gulf of Alaska and Aleutian Islands, which
support 75 percent of the worlds population. The current
West Coast population of northern sea lions is estimated
at 39,031 animals, which is less than half of the population
level from 1956 to 1960. The dramatic decline in numbers
526

A Status Report
of Steller sea lions throughout most of its range has

prompted its listing as endangered under the Endangered
Species Act and depleted under the Marine Mammal Protection Act.
Pacific Harbor Seal

From aerial census data, the harbor seal population along
the California coast appears to be increasing, and concurrently, the number of occupied sites has increased.
From the last aerial survey (1995), the population was
estimated at 30,293 animals after using correction factors.
The population appears to be growing and shery mortality is declining.
Northern Fur Seal

The eastern North Pacic population of fur seals is estimated at over one million animals. The population at San
Miguel Island was estimated in 1999 at 4,336 animals after
correction factors. The San Miguel Island population has
increased steadily since the 1970s. An annual increase
of eight percent occurred from 1965 through 1996. However, the eastern North Pacic stock of fur seals is
formally listed as depleted under the Marine Mammal
Protection Act.
Guadalupe Fur Seal

The historical distribution and abundance of the Guadalupe fur seal are unknown because commercial sealers
and other observers failed to distinguish between it and
the northern fur seal in their records. This species, once
thought to be extinct, has an estimated population of
7,408 animals. The population is growing at approximately
13.7 percent per year. Although the primary breeding
colony is on Guadalupe Island, recent sightings of adult
and juvenile seals on some of the Channel Islands suggest
that recolonization of that area may occur in the future.
The Guadalupe fur seal is listed as threatened under the
Endangered Species Act and depleted under the Marine
Mammal Protection Act.
Northern Elephant Seal

The exploitation and subsequent recovery of the northern
elephant seal population is a remarkable story. Biologists
estimate that only 100 to 500 animals were left on Guadalupe Island before protective legislation was passed.
They claim that the entire current population may have
originated from this small group of animals. Based on
pup counts, the California breeding stock was estimated
at 84,000 animals in 1996. The apparent growth rate
since 1980 has been about eight percent annually. Annual
surveys indicate that this species has reoccupied most or

December, 2001
Boveng, P. 1988. Status of the Pacic harbor seal population on the U.S. west coast. NOAA/NMFS SWFC Admin.
Rep. LJ-88-06. 43 pp.
Doyle Hanan
Boveng, P. 1988. Status of the California sea lion population on the U.S. west coast. NOAA/NMFS SWFC Admin.
Rep. LJ-88-07. 26 pp.
Joyce Sisson
Revised by:
Robert Read and Carrie Wilson
Pinnipeds
all of its historical rookeries and hauling grounds. The

population is continuing to grow and shery mortality is
relatively constant.
Hanan, D.A., L.M. Jones, and M.J. Beeson. 1992. Harbor

seal, Phoca vitulina richardsi, census in California, MayJune 1991. NOAA/NMFS SWFC Admin. Rpt. LJ-92-03. 68
pp.
References
Hanan, D.A. and S.L. Diamond. 1989. Estimates of sea lion,

harbor seal, and harbor porpoise mortalities in California
set net sheries for the 1986-87 shing year. Final Rpt.
Cooperative agreement No. NA-86-ABH-00018. Submitted
NOAA/NMFS SWR, January 1989. 10 pp.
Antonelis, G.A., S. Leatherwood, and D. K. Odell. 1981.

Population growth and censuses of the northern elephant
seal, Mirounga angustirostris, on the California channel
islands, 1958-1978. Fish. Bull., U.S. 79:562-567.
Lowry, M.S., C.W. Oliver, C. Macky, and J.B. Wexler. 1990.

Food habits of California sea lions Zalophus californinus at
San Clemente Island, California, 1981-86. Fish. Bull., U. S.
88:509-521.
Anonymous. 1999. Report to Congress: Impacts of California Sea Lions and Pacic Harbor Seals on Salmonids and
West Coast Ecosystems. DOC/NOAA/NMFS. 18 pp.
Miller, D., M. Herder, and J. Scholl. 1983. California marine

mammal-shery interaction study, 1979-1981. NOAA/NMFS
SWFC Admin. Rep. LJ-83-13C. 233 pp.
Barlow, J., et al. 1997. U.S. Pacic Marine Mammal Stock

Assessments: 1996. NOAA/NMFS-SWFSC Tech. Mem. 248.
223 pp.
Boveng, P. 1988. Status of the northern elephant seal
population on the U.S. west coast. NOAA/NMFS SWFC
Admin. Rep. LJ-88-05. 35 pp.

December, 2001

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527
Pinnipeds
528

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December, 2001
History
arine mammals played an important role in shaping

the early history of California. By the late 18th century, English whale ships had voyaged to the waters of
California in search of sperm whales. Portuguese immigrants from the Azores and Cape Verde followed in the
1840s, manning and operating the rst shore-based whaling industry. Shore whaling was distinct from nineteenth
century Yankee pelagic whaling, because whales were
pursued from a vessel launched from a nearby coastline.
Deploying rowboats from shore and using harpoons, whalers typically pursued, captured, and towed whales back
to the whaling stations. At shore-based whaling stations,
workers extracted oil from the whales blubber. The
lure of gold and quick prosperity brought numerous crewmen from New Englands whaling industry in the late
1840s and early 1850s. After the gold rush abated, many
returned to their previous occupations on whaling ships.
The early shore-based whaling industry in California primarily caught gray and humpback whales, because trips by
shore whalers were limited to within 10 miles of the coastline. However, whalers occasionally took the right, blue,
and n whales, more highly prized due to the greater oil
content of their blubber. Until 1901, at least 15 stations
operated at various locations between Crescent City and
San Diego.
After more than 40 years of whaling along the California
coast, whale populations and the demand for expensive
whale oil declined, and subsequently the whaling industry
became less protable in the late 1800s. Nevertheless,
modern whaling vessels caught some gray whales and
many humpback whales in California waters after the
turn of the century. Powered by engines, modern whaling
vessels hunted whales more efciently through the use
of explosives, mounted cannons, and grenades. Whalers
would deliver carcasses to oating processing plants
where the oil was extracted. Modern catcher boats originating from shore stations also periodically took whales
during this period. The last remaining whaling station
in the United States, near Richmond, California, closed
in 1971.
In 1931, 50 nations, including the United States, agreed
upon the International Convention for the Regulation of
Whaling. This agreement was the rst international effort
to control the decimation of the worlds whale populations. The primary protection measures included full protection for right whales and, for all other species, a
ban on the killing of calves, suckling whales, immature
whales, and females with calves. The agreement was
ineffective, however, because the major whaling nations

December, 2001
did not join. Several international agreements followed

which attempted to improve upon this initial document.
In 1946, the International Whaling Commission (IWC) was
established, both to ensure the development of the whaling industry and to conserve the worlds whale stocks for
the interests of future generations. For many years, the
IWC concentrated its efforts on maximizing the level of
removal of whales rather than on whale conservation.
However, in recent years, the IWC has attempted to move
towards whale conservation.
In 1972, the United States Congress enacted the Marine
Mammal Protection Act (MMPA), which established a complex and comprehensive federal policy of marine mammal
management. The MMPA made it unlawful to take (dened
as kill, capture, pursue, or harass) marine mammals in the
waters of the United States and it also prohibited U. S.
citizens from taking marine mammals on the high seas.
Under limited circumstances, exceptions may be authorized for the taking of some marine mammals, provided
that the level of removal will not cause the population
to decline below sustainable levels. For instance, marine
mammals may be removed for public display and scientic
research, or incidental to activities such as shipping and
commercial shing.
Whales, Dolphins, Porpoises
Whales, Dolphins,
Porpoises
Current Management
ince the enactment of the MMPA in 1972, the focus of

concern has shifted to the incidental capture of marine
mammals during commercial shing operations. Due to the
rapid expansion of several of Californias coastal sheries,
there has been an increase in the incidental capture of
marine mammals in recent years. Nonetheless, in California, the level of take of cetaceans is lower than it is
for other marine mammals (e.g., pinnipeds). The National
Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) is currently implementing
a management regime to govern the incidental taking of
marine mammals in commercial shing operations. Under
this program, some marine mammal species may be incidentally taken during commercial shing operations or
during other human-caused activities so long as the level
of take will allow the stock to reach and maintain its
optimum sustainable population. Moreover, the California
Department of Fish and Game (DFG) has developed regulations to help minimize the incidental take of marine mammals in the coastal gillnet shery.
Due to the recovery of the gray whale population and
accessibility of migrating gray whales along the California
coastline, a large and diverse whalewatching industry has
developed. Since the 1970s, commercial whalewatching
has become an important recreational, educational, and
economic activity. The 1983-1984 whalewatching season
alone generated an estimated total gross income of

A Status Report
529
$2.6 million. This estimate did not include regional economic benets from the sale of meals, fuel, lodging,
whale paraphernalia and other whale-related activities.
In 1985, the commercial whalewatching industry in California was the largest in the United States, with 74 boats
in operation.
The rapid growth of commercial whalewatching, and
increased interest by private boaters in observing
and approaching whales in the wild, have been accompanied by concerns that these activities could cause
adverse biological impacts to whales. In California, NMFS
adopted whalewatching guidelines that established minimum approach distances (100 yards) for vessels and aircraft, as well as additional operational guidelines for vessels. Nevertheless, each year there are numerous reports
of harassment of whales by commercial whalewatching
vessels and private boaters. NMFS is currently developing
regulations that will provide mechanisms to enforce minimum approach distances.
Partly as a result of the protection and management
achieved from regulatory measures, and partly because
of increased public awareness and appreciation of marine
mammals, some populations have rebounded since the
years of commercial exploitation. Marine mammals that
inhabit the coastal waters of California now represent
resources that enhance both the wealth and recreational
benets of the state. For many people, a commercial
whalewatching cruise is their rst contact with the marine
environment. Thus, the value of observing marine mammals in the wild not only increases public awareness of
these animals but also contributes to increased public
appreciation of the diversity and abundance of other living
marine resources.
The waters of California provide essential habitat to a
large variety and abundance of whales, dolphins, porpoises, and other marine mammals. These animals play
an important role in maintaining the balance of marine
ecosystems. Consequently, protecting Californias marine
mammals is an integral part of the conservation of all
living marine resources in California.
Status of Biological Knowledge and

Populations
Humpback Whale
Humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) are distinguished by their exceptionally long ippers up to 1/3 of
body length, and robust body that may reach a length
of over 45 feet and weigh up to 37.5 tons. There appear
to be two distinct populations of humpback whales in
the North Pacic. The Alaska feeding population migrates
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A Status Report
Humpback Whale, Megaptera novaeangliae

to its breeding grounds in Hawaii and offshore islands in
Mexico. The California, Oregon, and Washington feeding
populations migrate to coastal Mexico and Central America to breed. During their seasonal migrations, humpback
whales may frequently be seen along the California coast
from April through November. Some individuals appear to
remain in California year-round. In the Gulf of the Farallones, humpbacks may be observed feeding during May
and November. Off southern California, humpbacks often
migrate along submarine ridges (e.g., Santa Rosa-Cortez
Ridge) and occasionally enter the coastal waters of the
San Pedro and Santa Barbara Channels. They obtain their
food by straining krill (small shrimp-like crustaceans) and
schools of small sh with their baleen. Humpback whales
are well known for their complex songs, thought to be
used in courtship or competition between males, and their
leaping out of the water, or breaching behavior. The songs
on their breeding grounds can last up to several hours.
Near the turn of the century, an estimated 15,000 humpback whales inhabited the North Pacic Ocean. Commercial whaling reduced this population to dangerously
low levels, and in 1966 the IWC established a moratorium
on harvesting them. With this protection, the population
has recovered to a size of 8,000 individuals. The California
feeding population is thought to consist of about 1,000
animals. The California population appears to be growing
at about eight percent per year. The humpback whale has
been listed as an endangered species under the United
States Endangered Species Act (ESA) since 1970.
Blue Whale
Blue whales (Balaenoptera musculus) are the largest animals in the world, sometimes attaining a size of over 90
feet. An individual blue whale may consume up to eight
tons of krill in a single day. The majority of the eastern
North Pacic population spends the summer on feeding
grounds between central California, the Gulf of Alaska
and the Aleutian Islands. Like all baleen whales, the blue
whale seasonally migrates to lower latitudes in the winter
to calve and breed. Migratory routes generally follow the

December, 2001
Blue Whale, Balaenoptera musculus

continental shelf and slope, but blue whales are occasionally found in deep oceanic zones and shallow inshore
areas. Blue whales are usually seen off the California coast
traveling alone or in pairs, from May to January, although
they have been observed in every month of the year. They
frequently may be seen feeding in the Farallon Islands
between July and October and occasionally are sighted in
Monterey Bay and over deep coastal submarine canyons
off central and southern California. Historically, the North
Pacic population may have been comprised of over 5,000
individuals before its severe depletion by modern whaling
operations. An estimated 1,700 to 1,900 blue whales currently inhabit the eastern North Pacic Ocean. It is estimated that the California feeding population is comprised
of at least 1,700 whales. No information exists on the
rate of growth of blue whale populations in the Pacic.
The blue whale has been listed as an endangered species
under the ESA since 1970.
Fin Whale
The n whale (Balaenoptera physalus) is a common, large
cetacean occurring off the California coast. Fin whales
can reach a size of up to 87 feet and weigh up to 76
tons. These whales may be distinguished by the white
coloration of their lower right lip and V-shaped head.
They are distributed throughout the worlds oceans, but
Minke Whale
Minke whales (Balaenoptera acutorostrata) inhabit both
the high seas and nearshore waters where they are known
to enter bays, inlets, and estuaries. This species is the
smallest of the baleen whales in California waters, attaining a size of up to 32 feet, and is distinguished by a
transverse white band on its ippers and its relatively tall
and falcate (hooked) dorsal n. In the summer months,
minke whales feed on krill, copepods, sand lance, and
herring in the Bering Sea and Arctic Ocean. During the
month of the year in California. Approximately 1,000 n

whales are estimated to be off California. There is some
indication that n whales have increased in abundance
in California coastal waters. This species uses its baleen
to lter krill, capelin, sand lance, squid, herring, and
lantern sh from the water. They have been listed as an
endangered species under the ESA since 1970.
Minke Whale, Balaenoptera acutorostrata

winter months, they migrate south along the North America coastline to Mexico. There are some year-round residents off California. An estimated 400 minke whales live
off California. Minke whales are occasionally seen from
whalewatching and sport shing vessels and from shore in
California.
Gray Whale
Gray whales (Eschrichtius robustus) are distinguished by
their mottled gray body, narrow head and absence of a
dorsal n. They can reach a length of over 45 feet. The
gray whale undergoes one of the longest migrations in
the animal kingdom. Perhaps the best known of the great
Fin Whale, Balaenoptera physalus

little is known of their seasonal movements in the North
Pacic. The North Pacic population reportedly winters
between central California southward to 20o N latitude and
summers from Baja California to the Chukchi Sea north of
the Bering Strait. Fin whales have been observed in every

December, 2001
Gray Whale, Eschrichtius robustus


A Status Report
531
whales off California, the eastern North Pacic gray whale

migrates from its feeding grounds in the Bering Sea and
Arctic Ocean to its calving and breeding areas in the subtropical lagoons along the west coast of Baja California.
This population generally migrates along the coastline,
often within a few miles of shore. The gray whale migration can be observed from several locations in California
such as Point Loma, Point Vincente, Point Sur, and Point
Reyes. They begin to enter California waters in late
November and December on their southward migration.
In mid-February, gray whales begin their return migration
north, passing through southern California waters until
late May or early June. Some immature whales reportedly
remain in kelp beds to feed over the winter months
off California. The northbound cow/calf migration usually
occurs during April through June. Gray whales use their
baleen to sift out crustaceans, molluscs, and other invertebrates, which they suck up from bottom sediments.
The most recent population estimate is approximately
23,000 animals. In 1994, the gray whale became the rst
marine mammal species to be removed from the List of
Endangered and Threatened Wildlife. The number of gray
whales is above its unexploited stock size prior to whaling
and is increasing at a rate of 2.5 to 3.2 percent per year.
sperm whale has been listed as an endangered species

under the ESA since 1970.
Sperm Whale
cies may reach a length of nearly 30 feet. Killer whales are

top predators in the ocean, using their sharp conical teeth
for grasping and tearing prey. They have been observed
attacking the largest animal on Earth, the blue whale,
and there is one documented kill of a white shark by
a killer whale. Killer whales were so named for their
habit of attacking seals and whales; however, sh are
the most important component of their diet. Small groups
of sometimes-related individuals (pods) often hunt in a
coordinated and cooperative manner. Some killer whale
pods have strong social bonds, remaining in pods of ve
to 30 individuals for decades. There are 600 to 800 killer
whales along the coast of California, Oregon and Washington. No information is available regarding trends in
abundance of eastern North Pacic offshore killer whales.
Unlike the other great whales, the sperm whale does not
feed with baleen, but is a toothed whale. It is the largest
of the toothed whales with males reaching a length of
Sperm Whale, Physeter catodon

60 feet and females 40 feet. Sperm whales are noted for
their ability to make deep dives, which can last up to an
hour and a half and can be as deep as two miles below
the surface. They feed mainly on squid, including the
giant squid. Sperm whales are widely distributed across
the entire North Pacic and are found year-round in California waters. They reach peak abundance from April
through mid-June and from the end of August through
mid-November. Sperm whale abundance appears to be
fairly stable with approximately 1,000 to 1,200 sperm
whales estimated to be off the coast of California. The
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A Status Report
Killer Whale
Killer whales (Orcinus orca), actually the largest of the
dolphins, are year-round residents in California. They have
been seen entering kelp beds, bays, or inlets, but are
more common offshore. The killer whale is widely known
due to its popularity in oceanaria. It is recognized by its
striking black and white color pattern and erect dorsal n,
which can be up to six feet tall in adult males. This spe-
Killer Whale, Orcinus orca

Shortfinned Pilot Whale, Globicephala macrorhynchus


December, 2001
The shortnned pilot whale (Globicephala macrorhynchus)

can reach a size in excess of 17 feet, and is distinguished
by its bulbous forehead and broad based slightly falcate
dorsal n. In California, these whales are commonly found
south of Point Conception, but there have been sightings
as far north as the Gulf of the Farallones off San Francisco. Following movements of local squid populations,
shortnned pilot whales may move seasonally nearshore in
the winter and offshore during other times of the year.
Before the El Nio event in 1982 and 1983, the number
of shortnned pilot whales was near 2,000 during peak
periods off southern California. However their numbers
declined during that El Nio, presumably due to emigration, and the population has not returned to its previous level. One hypothesis for the populations failure to
rebound is that it was competitively excluded by the
Rissos dolphin population in California. Currently, the
population size is estimated to be between 700 to
1,000 individuals present in the nearshore waters of California. This species was the rst whale displayed in
captivity and is still seen occasionally in oceanaria around
the world.
phins often form groups of over 100 animals, sometimes

numbering in the thousands. Population surveys estimate
that over 350,000 common dolphins inhabit the waters
off southern California between summer and autumn.
Common dolphins frequently engage in bow-riding and
aerial acrobatics.
Bottlenose Dolphin
Bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) are readily recognizable by the public due to their antics on television,
their performances in oceanaria, and because the coastal
form is occasionally seen surng in the waves along populated southern California beaches. This species may reach
a size of over 12 feet and is distinguished by its gray coloration, lightly colored belly, and moderately tall and falcate
Shortfinned Pilot Whale
Bottlenose Dolphin, Tursiops truncatus

Common Dolphin
There are two different species of common dolphin in
California waters. One is called the short-beaked common
dolphin (Delphinus delphis) and the other is called the
long-beaked common dolphin (Delphinus capensis). The
long-beaked has a relatively longer beak and more muted
coloration. It occurs from offshore southern California
waters south to Islas Tres Marias and along the entire
coast in the Gulf of California. The short-beaked has
a relatively shorter beak, more contrasting coloration,
and is more common offshore from Isla Cedros north.
dorsal n. South of Point Conception, bottlenose dolphins

are common, whereas few animals are encountered further north. In California, both coastal and offshore forms
are found. The coastal form inhabits shallow water just
beyond the surf zone, and is known to frequent bays and
estuaries. Groups of 10 to 25 animals may travel together
and make regular migrations along the coastline. There
are reportedly seasonal shifts in their distribution northward to San Francisco County. It is estimated that the
coastal form is comprised of approximately 160 animals.
The population estimate for the offshore form is about
3,000 animals. This species often rides the bow wave of
vessels, and swims in the wake of large whales.
Rissos Dolphin
Common Dolphin, Delphinus delphis
The common dolphin is the most abundant cetacean in
California. Common dolphins can reach nearly eight feet in
length and can be distinguished by the unique hourglass
coloration on their sides which appears as a V-shaped
black or dark gray saddle when they are observed at sea.
Among the most gregarious of cetaceans, common dol-

December, 2001
Rissos dolphins (Grampus griseus) are known to reach a

size of over 13 feet, usually have extensive scarring over
their white to light-gray colored body, and lack a beak.
The population is estimated to be about 29,000 Rissos
dolphins residing off California. Since El Nio (1982-1983),
their numbers are believed to have increased. Rissos dolphins normally appear in pods of 25 to 50 individuals and
do not usually bow ride but will perform some acrobatics
such as spy hopping and breaching. They are distributed
widely, frequently being found in deep water areas with
warm temperate to tropical water conditions. Rissos dol-

A Status Report
533
Rissos Dolphin, Grampus griseus

phins are occasionally observed in central and northern
California waters.
Northern Right-Whale Dolphin

Northern right-whale dolphins (Lissodelphis borealis) have
no dorsal n and have a very slim and graceful black body
that may attain a length of 10 feet. They appear to prefer
offshore, cold temperate waters and only occur inshore
over deep submarine canyons. The northern right-whale
dolphin is commonly found in the waters off central and
northern California, although they also appear in winter
Northern Right-Whale Dolphin, Lissodelphis borealis

may reach a size of at least seven feet. The species

is thought to be the second most abundant dolphin off
southern California, and the most common off northern
California. The Pacic white-sided dolphin is seen yearround, frequenting the continental shelf and slope waters,
sometimes appearing in Monterey Bay. They may occur
in herds of over a few thousand individuals, but groups
of several hundred are more common. Recent surveys
indicate population sizes of 110,000 animals in California
waters. This species is known for its acrobatic behavior
and bow riding abilities. Pacic white-sided dolphins are
occasionally displayed in oceanaria.
Harbor Porpoise
The harbor porpoise (Phocoena phocoena) is the smallest
cetacean found in California waters, rarely reaching a
length of over six feet. It may be distinguished by its lack
of a beak and its triangular dorsal n. Harbor porpoises
frequent the cooler waters of central and northern California, seldom straying south of Point Conception. Locally
abundant concentrations exist between Cape Mendocino
and Point Reyes, and in Monterey Bay. They are not known
to migrate extensively, but may move between inshore
and offshore areas. The harbor porpoise occurs primarily
in relatively shallow nearshore water and, thus, is vulnerable to human activities such as the coastal gillnet shery
in California. In response to the general increase in gillnetting, DFG has implemented several management mecha-
and spring off southern California. There appears to be

some seasonal north-south shift in their distribution as a
result of water temperature changes and prey availability.
Recent surveys indicate there are between 14,000 and
20,000 northern right-whale dolphins in California waters.
This gregarious species sometimes occurs in large herds
of up to several thousand and is noted for its eetness.
Northern right-whale dolphins rarely approach vessels.
Pacific white-sided dolphin

The Pacic white-sided dolphin (Lagenorhynchus obliquidens) has a short, thick beak, a falcate dorsal n and
Harbor Porpoise, Phocoena phocoena

nisms to reduce the incidental take of harbor porpoises.
This species never approaches vessels or bow rides. The
harbor porpoise population off California may consist of
over 11,000 individuals.
Dalls Porpoise
Pacific White-Sided Dolphin, Lagenorhynchus obliquidens

534

A Status Report
The Dalls porpoise (Phocoenoides dalli) has a stocky

shape, and the striking white pattern on its belly, ank,
and tips of dorsal n and tail, contrasts with its generally
black body. This species may attain a size of over seven
feet. The Dalls porpoise inhabits the cooler waters of
the continental shelf in central and northern California,
and also frequents a variety of other areas including near-

December, 2001
1980-1983: Status, Abundance, and Distribution, Unpublished Report. MMS Contract #14-12-0001-29090. OCS
Study MMS 84-0045. Pacic OCS Region MMS, Los Angeles,
California. 284 pp.
Forney, K.A., M.M. Muto, and J. Baker. U.S. Pacic Marine
Mammal Stock Assessments: 1999. U.S. Dept. of Commerce. NOAA Technical Memorandum. NMFS-SWFSC-282.
Haley, D. 1978. Marine Mammals of Eastern North Pacic
and Arctic Waters. Pacic Search Press. 254 pp.
Jones, M. L., S. L. Swartz, and S. Leatherwood. 1984. The
Gray Whale, Eschrichtius robustus. Academic Press, Inc.,
Orlando. 600 pp.
Dalls Porpoise, Phocoenoides dalli

shore in the late spring. Dalls porpoises travel in small
groups of 10 to 20 individuals and are known to bow ride
often creating a rooster tail wake when traveling at high
speeds. Recent surveys indicate populations of between
82,000 to 118,000 individuals inhabit the eastern North
Pacic.
Irma Lagomarsino and Tim Price
Leatherwood, S., and R. R. Reeves. 1983. The Sierra Club

Handbook of Whales and Dolphins. Sierra Club Books, San
Francisco. 303 pp.
Leatherwood, S., B. S. Stewart, and P. A. Folkens. 1987.
Cetaceans of the Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary. National Marine Fisheries Service, National Oceanic
Atmospheric Administration. 66 pp.
shore deep-water canyons and the open sea. The Dalls

porpoise can be found off northern California in autumn
and winter, however individuals can also be found in
southern California at this time. There appear to be nearshore-offshore shifts in their distribution whereby they
remain inshore in autumn and move northward and off-
Orr, R.T. and R.C. Helm. 1990. Marine Mammals of

California. New and revised Edition. Calif. Natural History
Guides:29. U.C. Press, Berkeley. 93 p.
Tilt, W. C. 1985. Whalewatching in California: An industry
prole. Yale School of Forestry and Environmental Studies,
New Haven, CT. 17 pp.
References
Barlow, J., K.A. Forney, P.S. Hill, R. L. Brownell, Jr., J.V.
Caretta, D.P. DeMaster, F. Julian, M.S. Lowry, T. Ragen,
and R.R. Reeves. 1997. U.S. Pacic Marine Mammal Stock
Assessments: 1996. U.S. Dept. of Commerce, NOAA Technical Memorandum. NMFS-SWFSC-282.
Barlow, J., P.S. Hill, K.A. Forney, and D.P. DeMaster. 1998.
U.S. Pacic Marine Mammal Stock Assessments: 1998. U.S.
Dept. of Commerce, NOAA Technical Memorandum. NMFSSWFSC-258.
Dohl, T. P., K. S. Norris, R. C. Guess, J. D. Bryant, and M.
W. Honig. 1980. Cetacea of the Southern California Bight,
In: Marine Mammal and Seabird Surveys of the Southern
California Bight Area, 1975-1978. Vol. 3 - Investigators
Reports, Part II. NTIS PB81-248-71. 414 pp.
Dohl, T. P., R. C. Guess, M. L. Dunman, and R. C.
Helm. 1983. Cetaceans of Central and Northern California,

December, 2001

A Status Report
535
Sea Otter
History
ea otters (Enhydra lutris) once ranged from extreme

northern Japan through the Kuril Islands, southern
Sakhalin Island, southern Kamchatka Peninsula, Commander Islands, Aleutian Islands, southern Alaska, British
Columbia, Washington, Oregon and California, extending
south to about the midpoint of the Pacic coast of Baja
California, Mexico. Prior to 1741, human contact with sea
otters was limited to native cultures through much of the
range and to Spanish colonists in California and Mexico.
Commercial utilization of sea otters followed the Bering
Expedition of 1741 to the mainland of southern Alaska and
the Aleutian and Commander Islands. Reports of vast numbers of sea otters stimulated the fur trade and contributed
to the eventual settlement and economic development of
the west coast of North America by non-native people.
Russian fur traders developed facilities at several locations on the North American coast, most notably at
Kodiak Island and Sitka. The southernmost outpost, at
Fort Ross, California, was established in 1812. Russian
hunters worked at least as far south as the islands off
Santa Barbara, but the Russian presence in California was
contested by Spanish colonists. Spanish trade in sea otter
pelts began in 1786 and was the most important industry
in coastal California for several decades.
The early Russian otter traders utilized enslaved Aleut
natives as hunters. The Aleuts worked from native canoes,
hunting with spears and clubs. Later, American and
European hunters entered the trade using rearms as
primary tools of capture. By the 1840s, the sea otter
population in California was greatly reduced as a result
of overexploitation.
Sea otters were approaching extinction at the beginning
of the twentieth century. Thirteen remnant populations,
totaling perhaps 1,000 to 2,000 individuals, survived in

the North Pacic in 1911. Sea otters were widely regarded
as extinct in California by 1900, but scientists and game
wardens were aware of a surviving group near Point Sur
in Monterey County as early as 1914. Rough population
estimates in the early 1900s ranged from less than 50 to
about 100 sea otters in California. Other remnant populations were known to exist in 1911 in Mexico, Canada,
Alaska and Russia. The remnant populations in Mexico and
Canada were thought to be extinct by 1920.
The International Fur Seal Treaty was signed in 1911 by
Canada (for Great Britain), Japan, Russia and the United
States. The Treaty recognized the serious overexploitation
of northern fur seals and sea otters and provided full
protection for both species. State law has prohibited take
or possession of sea otters or their pelts in California
since 1913. With the termination of the trade in sea
otter pelts, the California sea otter population began to
grow in numbers and range. State Highway 1 was opened
between Monterey and San Simeon in 1937, traversing a
coastal segment previously not accessible by automobile.
Highway access led to the much-publicized rediscovery
of California sea otters by the general public at Bixby
Creek in 1938. The sea otter population numbered roughly
300 individuals at that time. The state of California provided additional protection for sea otters by creating the
Sea Otter Game Refuge, extending along 100 miles of
coastline from the Carmel River, near Monterey, to Santa
Rosa Creek, near Cambria.
Between the late 1930s and the late 1970s, the California
sea otter population grew at an average annual rate of
about ve percent, extending its range to more than
200 miles of coastline from Santa Cruz to Pismo Beach.
Whether this growth occurred smoothly or in pulses is
not known. In the early 1980s, a cessation of population
growth was recognized, and some argued that the population was declining in numbers. Studies by federal and state
agencies determined that the nearshore set-net shery for
halibut was causing signicant mortality of sea otters as a
result of incidental entanglement and drowning. Estimates
of annual mortality in nets ranged as high as 80-100 animals, a rate perhaps sufcient to account for the cessation
of population growth. Legislation by the state imposed
restrictions on set-net activity, greatly reducing incidental
take of sea otters in nets. By the middle 1980s, it was
apparent that population growth had returned to levels
previously observed. However, in the mid-1990s population growth again ceased and by 1999 numbers had
declined by more than 10 percent over a four-year period.
The spring 2000 sea otter count erased most of the
decline of the previous four years and raised hopes that
the population had resumed expansion.
Sea otter pup

Credit: D. Varonjean
536

A Status Report

December, 2001
he subspecic status of various populations of the sea

otter has been in dispute for many years. The most
recent studies, based on skull morphology and DNA, suggest the California population is a separate subspecies.
It is possible, if not likely, that subspecic differences
have been magnied by separation of northern and southern populations brought about by near extermination.
Denition of the subspecies of sea otters will likely
remain controversial.
While sea otters in California occur predominantly along
rocky shores supporting forests of the large kelps, in
the past decade it has become apparent that signicant
numbers can maintain themselves off sandy shores. Along
the mainland coast, the kelps typically form extensive surface canopies in waters less than 80 feet in depth where
the substratum is rock. Sea otters commonly form resting
groups, known as rafts, particularly in kelp canopies. Rafts
typically contain up to 10 individuals, but under certain
circumstances may include more than 100 otters. Most sea
otters remain within one mile of shore, but in some situations, such as in Monterey Bay, Estero Bay and off Pismo
Beach, otters are regularly seen foraging and resting more
than two miles offshore. Juvenile males tend to range
farther offshore than other age/sex categories. Records
from the fur trade suggest that sea otters once were
abundant in the soft-bottom habitats of San Francisco Bay.
Adult male sea otters in California typically weigh 60 to
75 pounds, reaching a length of four to 4.5 feet. Adult
females typically reach a weight of 40 to 55 pounds and
a length of four feet. The largest sea otter recorded in
California was a male weighing 92 pounds.
Sea otter pelage includes outer guard hairs and dense, ne
underfur. Density of sea otter fur is higher than that of
any other mammal. Sea otter pelage provides the primary
thermoregulatory barrier between the animal and the
chilling effects of seawater. Most other marine mammals
rely on subcutaneous fat or blubber rather than pelage
for thermal protection. The effectiveness of the pelage as
a thermal barrier depends on frequent grooming and consequent cleanliness. Soiling of the fur largely eliminates
the insulative qualities, resulting in rapid heat loss. Food
volume equivalent to 25 percent or more of individual
body weight must be consumed daily to maintain the high
metabolic rate typical of sea otters.
Male sea otters reach functional sexual maturity at ve to
six years. In California, adult males establish and defend
territories in areas of high female density, seasonally
in some areas and year-round in others. Younger males
typically are excluded from breeding areas by territorial
males. Female sea otters become reproductively mature
at three to ve years of age. Mature females typically

December, 2001
come into estrus within a few days to a few weeks after

weaning of pups. Gestation is four to six months and
involves delayed implantation. After implantation, development to birth normally requires about four months.
Virtually all births are single. Care of dependent pups
is entirely maternal. The period of pup dependency averages six months in California, with a range of 4.5 to
9.5 months. Studies suggest that pre-weaning mortality
rate for rstborn pups may exceed 50 percent. Survival
of dependent pups improves with the experience of the
mother. Most adult females produce one pup per year. In
cases of premature death of dependent pups, females may
come back into estrus and be reimpregnated within a few
weeks after loss of the pup.
Sea Otter
In California, rates of pup birth apparently peak in late

winter, with a secondary peak in late summer or early
fall. Some pupping occurs year round. Sea otters typically
weigh four to ve pounds at birth, and 20 to 30 pounds at
weaning. In most sea otter populations, maximum longevity probably is in the range of 11 to 15 years. Captive
animals are known to have lived as long as 28 years.
Known predators of sea otters include sharks, killer
whales, eagles, coyotes and bears. While attack by white
sharks probably occurs at a low rate throughout the California range, in areas north of Santa Cruz it accounts for a
signicant portion of the mortality. Predation generally is
regarded as less important than food limitation in controlling the size of sea otter populations. Patterns of activity
vary widely among sea otter populations and among individuals within sea otter populations. In California, most
otters forage during morning hours, rest from late morning through mid-afternoon and resume foraging in late
afternoon. Sometimes a third period of foraging occurs at
night, between about 11 p.m. and 2 a.m. Juvenile females
typically spend more time foraging than other age/sex
categories, often feeding during hours when other otters
are at rest.
In California, home ranges of adult males during the principal breeding season (summer and fall) have a mean
coastline length of about a half mile and an area of
about 100 acres. During winter the range approximately
doubles for those individuals that remain in breeding territories. Long-distance movements among high-use areas
range from 35 to 60 miles and often are seasonal. Males
may remain within a high-use area for months at a time,
but travel between such areas rarely requires more than
a few days. Females follow the same general pattern as
males, but high-use areas are typically 1.5 to two times
larger for females than for males. Females also travel
long distances in short periods, but such travel is much
less frequent for females than for males. Substantial shortterm movement of females among high-use areas often
occurs in association with pupping. Juvenile males tend

A Status Report
537
Sea Otter
to utilize larger areas and travel greater distances than

other age/sex categories. Various studies have shown that
sea otters are capable of homing from distances as great
as 300 miles.
Sea otters generally feed on large-bodied, bottom dwelling invertebrates obtained during dives. They are able
to dive to at least 320 feet, but most foraging dives in
California are in waters less than 80 feet deep. Dive duration may be as long as four minutes, but more typically,
is 50 to 80 seconds. Individual otters typically feed on
a relatively few species of prey. At the population level,
however, sea otters are dietary generalists. More than 160
species have been reported as sea otter prey. Composition
of sea otter diet relates to patterns of population growth.
In California, diet is predominantly sea urchins, abalones,
large crabs and large clams when otters have recently
reoccupied a foraging area. As the period of occupation
increases, preferred prey decline in availability and the
diet diversies. In cases of occupation by sea otters for
more than a few years, the most common prey in California are crabs and small snails. Other frequent prey include
octopus, mussels and clams, and at least some otters
eat large quantities of market squid when available. Sea
otters are well known for their abilities in using stones as
tools while foraging. Stones may be used as hammers to
dislodge prey from the substrate during dives and may be
used as anvils for breaking shells of prey during surface
intervals. Fish are common prey for sea otters at certain
locations in Alaska and Russia. Consumption of sh by sea
otters is rare in California.
Sea otters have important effects on the character of
nearshore biological communities. In a number of circumstances, it has been reported that otters substantially
reduce prey abundance and individual size. The bestknown cases involve species such as abalones and sea
urchins that are sought in commercial or recreational sheries. Such interactions have provided grist for intensive
political discord for many years regarding approaches to
management of sea otter populations. Such conicts rst
arose in regard to the central California abalone
shery in the 1960s. More recent conicts involve sea
urchins, Dungeness crabs and several species of clams.
Human over-harvesting of shellsh populations sometimes
contributes to management difculties and political
controversies associated with conicts of sea otters
and shellsheries.
The control of herbivorous invertebrates by sea otters
allows secondary development of dense algal populations,
including kelps, which may substantially alter the structure and dynamics of nearshore ecosystems. Proliferation
of algae as a consequence of growing sea otter populations has been reported at a number of locations throughout the range of the species.
538

A Status Report
The 1989 Exxon Valdez oil spill (EVOS) in Prince William

Sound demonstrated the potential vulnerability of sea
otter populations to catastrophic oil spills. As many as
781 spill related sea otter carcasses were recovered after
the spill. Total mortality of sea otters resulting from EVOS
was much higher. Over 350 sea otters, mostly oiled, were
captured alive after the spill, but survival was less than
50 percent despite intensive efforts to treat and rehabilitate oiled animals. Oiled sea otters died primarily from
hypothermia resulting from matted pelage, toxic effects
of oil fumes inhaled, oil ingested during futile grooming
efforts, and from stress.
To deal with potentially catastrophic oil spills impacting
sea otters in California, the California Department of Fish
and Games (DFG) Ofce of Spill Prevention and Response
(OSPR) built and maintains the Marine Wildlife Veterinary
Care and Research Center in Santa Cruz. This facility can
provide care for up to 120 sea otters as well as oiled
birds and other marine mammals if necessary. It is part
of the larger Oiled Wildlife Care Network (OWCN) run by
the Wildlife Health Center at the University of California,
Davis, under funding from DFG-OSPR. Smaller numbers of
oiled sea otters may also be cared for at the Monterey
Bay Aquarium, the Marine Mammal Center and Sea World,
which are afliated with the OWCN and OSPR.
he sea otter population in California currently ranges

along nearly 350 miles of coastline from approximately
Half Moon Bay, San Mateo County to approximately Gaviota, Santa Barbara County. Determination of trends in the
number of sea otters has been complicated by the variety
of survey techniques used, differing in accuracy and precision. However, few would argue that since the late 1960s
the population and range have more than doubled. In
1982, a standard survey method was adopted for assessments of the California population. The most recent count
in California, in the spring of 2000, totaled 2,317 animals,
2,053 independent sea otters and 264 dependent pups.
Intensive investigation into the causes of sea otter mortality in California occurred throughout the 1990s and into
2000. Virtually every fresh dead sea otter received a
detailed necropsy by a veterinary pathologist either from
the National Wildlife Health Center or the DFG in partnership with the Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital at the
University of California, Davis. Several new disease agents
and disease processes were described. Some of the more
important diseases and parasites of sea otters in California
include: 1) thorny headed worms of the genus Prolicollis,
which when present in high numbers penetrate the gut
wall causing peritonitis; 2) protozoal encephalitis; 3) bacterial septicemia; 4) biotoxin poisoning from certain red

December, 2001
The cessation of population growth centered around

1982-1983 and 1997-1998, both strong El Nio years,
suggests to some, that long term cyclic environmental
changes resulting in ups and downs in prey availability
may be responsible. Others argue that increases in disease
and/or parasite infection rates are primarily responsible
for population dips. Still others suspect that bycatch of
otters in net and trap sheries may be the major factor.
It is likely that all of these play a role in regulating population size. If long-term, more or less permanent, human
caused and/or natural environmental change is occurring,
then predicting the future for sea otter populations, or
any living resource, is troublesome.
Current Management
assage of the federal Marine Mammal Protection Act

(MMPA) of 1972 provided new authority for protection
of sea otters in all U.S. waters. With the passage of the
MMPA, management authority for sea otters in California
transferred from the state to the federal government. The
managing agency is the United States Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS). Sea otters were conferred threatened status
under the federal Endangered Species Act of 1973 (ESA) in
1977. The ESA directed the formation of a recovery team
and the production of a recovery plan for California sea
otters. A primary element of the plan, issued in 1982,
was the establishment of a new colony of sea otters
by translocation within California. The colony was to be
well separated from the existing mainland range, thereby
reducing the possibility that a single large oil spill or
similar disaster could contaminate all the sea otters
in California.
Between 1987 and 1990, 139 sea otters were translocated
from the mainland range to San Nicolas Island (SNI), off
southern California. The number of sea otters counted at
SNI through most of the 1990s hovered around 15. The
most recent survey of the island, in April 2000, found
23 sea otters (21 adult and two dependent pups). While
over 50 sea otter pups are known to have been born
at the SNI, the population strangely has remained small.

December, 2001
The status and future of the sea otter colony at SNI

remain uncertain.
The federal law (Public Law 99-625) that authorized the
translocation of sea otters to SNI also created a management zone (aka the no-otter zone) as a concession to
the shellsh industry for sheries expected to be lost due
to sea otter foraging. This management zone includes all
California waters south of Point Conception except for
those surrounding SNI. All sea otters found in the management zone were to be captured by FWS in cooperation
with DFG and returned either to SNI or the mainland
range. Over 20 sea otters were captured in the management zone between 1990 and 1993 and returned to
the mainland range. However, shortly after, two separate
otters captured from the management zone and translocated back to the Monterey area, were found dead. The
FWS judged that the deaths might have been due to the
stress of capture, transport and relocation. This brought
an end to the containment program, as it was called,
because removals were to be by non-lethal means. Small
numbers of otters remained in the management zone
through 1997 with relatively little outcry from opponents
of this outcome. Then in 1998, over 100 sea otters moved
into the area south of Point Conception. Since that time
the numbers counted in the management zone have seasonally vacillated from less than ve to over 150. The
count south of Point Conception in May 2000 was 79 sea
otters. No action by FWS to remove sea otters from the
management zone has occurred since 1993.
Sea Otter
tide organisms; and 5) San Joaquin Valley fever. The

prevalence of some of these pathogens may be inuenced
by human activities within and adjacent to the marine
environment of sea otters. If these diseases are
new to the sea otter population then serious consequences may be in store. However, these may be old diseases recently discovered. The inuence of contaminants,
immune system function, and malnutrition on patterns
of disease and overall mortality are being investigated.
Diseases and parasites of sea otters in California appear to
be largely different from those of Alaskan sea otters.
At this writing (June 2000) the FWS is being sued by

the shellsh industry for failure to enforce the management zone as legally mandated by Public Law 99-625.
Meanwhile, the Friends of the Sea Otter, a sea otter
advocacy group, has vowed to sue the FWS if they attempt
to enforce the management zone on the grounds that such
action would violate the ESA.
The draft revised recovery plan for sea otters in California
was made available for public review in the spring of
2000. The primary goal of the new Plan, like the old,
is attainment of a sea otter population with sufcient
numbers and range to eliminate the possibility of disasters
such as the EVOS exposing all California sea otters to
contamination and possible injury or death. Interestingly,
the draft revised plan no longer views the process of
translocation as a valuable tool to speed recovery, viewing natural expansion of the population to be the appropriate approach. According to the recovery team, it will
require the average of three consecutive standardized
spring counts to be 2,650 or greater for sea otters to be
delisted under ESA (Friends of the Sea Otter is threatening
to sue to increase this number).
If the sea otter population in California does increase
to the level suggested for delisting, and should delisting

A Status Report
539
Sea Otter
occur, it will still, in all likelihood, be accorded

depleted status under the MMPA. Removal from
depleted status requires the optimum sustainable population be attained which is generally regarded as 60 percent of the carrying capacity. If the historical statewide
population size of 14,000 is used, then the count of sea
otters in California necessary for removal from depleted
status under the MMPA is 8,400. Only after this sea otter
population size and associated range size are achieved will
real zonal management (separation of sea otter and shellshing areas), which would require lethal take, become a
possibility. Unlimited expansion is the likely management
option that will be pursued for the foreseeable future.
Glenn R. VanBlaricom
U.S. Geological Survey
Jack A. Ames, Michael D. Harris and Robert A Hardy
References
Estes, J. A. and G. R. VanBlaricom. 1985. Sea otters and
shellsheries. Pages 187-235 in R. Beverton, J. Beddington, and D. Lavigne (eds). Conicts between marine mammals and sheries. Allen and Unwin, London, England.
Garrott, R.A., L.E. Eberhardt, and D.M. Burn. 1993. Mortality of sea otters in Prince William Sound following the
Exxon Valdez oil spill. Marine Mammal Science 9:343-359.
Kenyon, K. W. 1969. The sea otter in the eastern Pacic
ocean. North American Fauna 68. 352 pp.
Ogden, A. 1941. The California sea otter trade, 1784-1848.
University of California Press, Berkeley. 251 p.
Riedman, M. 1990. Sea otters. Monterey Bay Aquarium,
Monterey. 80 pp.
Riedman, M. L. and J. A. Estes. 1990. The sea otter
(Enhydra lutris): Behavior, ecology, and natural history.
U.S. Fish and Wildl. Serv. Biol. Rep. 90(14). 126 pp.
Watson, J. (ed). 1996 Conservation and management of
the southern sea otter. Endangered Species Update 13
(12), Special Issue. University of Michigan, Ann Arbor,
Michigan.
Wendell, F.E., R.A. Hardy and J.A. Ames. 1986. An assessment of the accidental take of sea otters, Enhydra lutris,
in gill and trammel nets. Calif. Dept. Fish and Game, Mar
Resour. Tech. Rep. 54. 31 pp.
540

A Status Report

December, 2001
eabirds are a diverse assortment of bird species that

inhabit salt or brackish water environments for most of
their annual cycle, but this is no clear denition. Some
seabird species (such as the double-crested cormorant)
have populations that are both saltwater or freshwater
year-round (even with populations spending part of their
annual cycles in both environments). Other types of
waterbirds found on salt water also include the classic
waterfowl (ducks, geese, coots, and shorebirds) as well as
those that live on sandy beaches and in coastal marshy
areas or that nest in arctic tundra or inland lakes and
marshes (such as loons, grebes, wading birds, and even
the well-known seaducks). Loons and grebes are, in fact,
unique in many ways. They may be encountered during
their non-breeding seasons foraging and living miles at
sea; yet, they nest inland in fresh water habitats. This discussion is, however, limited to those species of birds that
have breeding populations on offshore islands, coastal
rocks, headlands, and certain coastal old-growth forests
and are part of the neritic (shallow marine waters less
than 200m deep) and pelagic food webs. Our California
seabird avifauna can also be further divided into resident
(breeding) and non-resident (non-breeding) species. Birds
in various ecological categories are very different
in how they affect or are affected by the natural
environment and human-related events offshore from
our coast.
There are 29 species of seabirds (according to our definition) that breed in the state of California. Point
Conception is generally considered a major area of transition between characteristically temperate (such as those
found in the Gulf of Alaska and Washington) and subtropical seabirds (such as those found in the Gulf of California).
North of Point Conception, marine waters are dominated
by cold, nutrient-rich water upwelled along the coast.
Waters south of Punta Eugenia, Baja California, are generally subtropical. Between is an area of transition that
varies in marine climate depending on the temporal
extent and timing of upwelling. For example, well-known
El Nio conditions often extend warmer waters northward,
while the opposite conditions known as La Nia often
move relatively colder waters more southward. Ecologically, (and including both breeders and non-breeders) this
makes Californias marine birds among the most interesting and taxonomically diverse (for the amount of coastline
and area of open ocean) in the Northern Hemisphere.
In California, many of our breeding seabirds, such as
common murres, Brandts cormorants, and Cassins auklets (all primarily northern species) are concentrated at
national wildlife refuges, for example, at the Farallon

December, 2001
Islands (off San Francisco) and Castle Rock (near Crescent

City). The Farallones are the most important single seabird-breeding site in California; these islands are monitored and studied each year by the Point Reyes Bird
Observatory and U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Large
seabird populations there are associated with a high availability of suitable and protected nesting habitat, coupled
with strong and productive upwelling systems that provide
for large prey resources in the same general area.
Marine Birds
Marine Bird
Resources
Many other species are concentrated on the Channel

Islands, located south of Point Conception in the Southern
California Bight. Most of these islands are within the
Channel Islands National Park. The Channel Islands harbor
important nesting colonies for some seabirds of northern
afnity (such as Cassins auklets), but also the states
entire nesting population of both brown pelicans (presently a recovering endangered species under the Endangered Species Act, ESA) and Xantuss murrelet (about to
be proposed for endangered species listing; a petition has
been recently submitted to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service for listing under the ESA). Both species have southern
breeding distributions and also nest on islands off Baja
California, but the brown pelican is of tropical afnity
(origin), whereas the Xantuss murrelet is of subarctic
afnity. Seabirds are monitored and studied each year
in the Channel Islands by biologists from a number
of government agencies, universities, and research
groups (e.g., University of California, Humboldt State University, U. S. Geological Survey, Channel Islands National
Park, U.S. Minerals Management Service, California
Department of Fish and Game, and California Institute of
Environmental Studies).
Most of the remainder of important seabird breeding sites
are protected by the National Park Service at Point Reyes
National Seashore and by the U.S. Bureau of Land Management and State of California, which manage all offshore
rocks as the new California Coastal National Monument.
The marbled murrelet nests on public and private land,
located within privately-owned forests.
The marbled murrelet, in fact, is one of the most unique
and interesting breeding seabirds off central and northern
California. It is a small seabird that nests inland on the
branches of coastal, old-growth coniferous trees, often
over a hundred feet above the ground. This little bird species, listed as threatened under the Endangered Species
Act, is very likely to be still declining (our table lists it as
unknown) because of the loss of its nesting habitat due
to logging and mortality caused by oil spills and, previously, gillnet shing. Fortunately, because of conservation
measures, there has been no known mortality in gillnets
for the past 15 or so years, so there is cause for optimism.
Usually by the end of summer (after the upwelling period),
the California Current system experiences an immigration,

A Status Report
541
Marine Birds
Table 1. Seabirds which breed off the California coast, their distributional status relative to areas north (Alaska) and
south (Baja California) of California, the approximate sizes of their breeding populations in 1989-1991, and their probable
status in the early 2000s (X indicates presence, 0 indicates absence).
1989-91 Distribution in:
Common Name
(Scientific Name)
Current Status
in CA
Alaska
California1
Forked-tailed storm-petrel
(Oceanodroma furcata)
300
Unknown
Leachs storm-petrel
(Oceanodroma leucorhoa)
18,300
Declining
Ashy storm-petrel 3
(Oceanodroma homochroa)
<10,000
Declining
Black storm-petrel
(Oceanodroma melania)
150
Unknown
Brown pelican 3
(Pelecanus occidentalis)
9,000
Stable
Double-crested cormorant
(Phalacrocorax auritus)
1,900
Stable/Increasing
Brandts cormorant
(Phalacrocorax penicillatus)
64,200
Stable/Increasing
Pelagic cormorant
(Phalacrocorax pelagicus)
15,900
Stable/Increasing
Western gull
(Larus occidentalis)
51,000
Increasing
Common murre
(Uria aalge)
363,200
Stable/Increasing
Pigeon guillemot
(Cepphus columba)
14,700
Stable
Marbled murrelet 3
(Brachyramphus marmoratus)
<10,000
Declining
Xantuss murrelet 3
(Synthliboramphus hypoleucus)
<10,000
Stable/Declining
Cassins auklet
(Ptychoramphus aleuticus)
131,200
Declining
Rhinoceros auklet
(Cerorhinca monocerata)
400
Increasing
Tufted puffin
(Fratercula cirrhata)
250
Stable/Declining
10
28 (30)
16 (29)
7
14 (22)
Number species in common

Total breeding species
1
2
3
542
Estimated CA
Breeding Pop.
Baja Calif. in the early 2000s 2
Some species that breed in Alaska or Baja California are not listed above because
they do not usually breed along the California coast; these species usually occur
only as visitors, but in many cases can occur in very large numbers. Species in
this category include white pelicans, black skimmers, at least four other species
of gulls (Heermans, laughing, ring-billed, and California), and seven species of
terns (elegant, royal, Caspian, Forsters, gull-billed, least, black); numbers in
parentheses indicate such additions for each area.
Indicates numbers of individuals.
Updated since 1991.

A Status Report
Note: The estimated total Alaskan breeding seabird population is about 40,200,000
compared to about 700,000 for California. These numbers represent approximate
mean levels throughout the 1980s. Ten to 40 percent should be added to include
non-breeders and immatures, a proportion that varies from year to year and species
to species. Four species (common murre, Brandts cormorant, Cassins auklet, and
western gull) comprise almost 90 percent of the total number of breeders. Population
numbers given in this column are from the most recent statewide breeding surveys
(see Carter et al. 1992).

December, 2001
Table 2. Scientic names of birds mentioned in text but

not included in Table 1.
Albatrosses . . . . . . . . . . . . Family Diomedeidae
Black-legged kittiwake . . . . Rissa tridactyla
Black skimmer . . . . . . . . . . Rynchops niger
Black tern . . . . . . . . . . . . . Childonias niger
Black-vented shearwater . . . Pufnus opisthomelas
Boobies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Sula sp.
Bullars shearwater. . . . . . . Pufnus bullari
California gull . . . . . . . . . . Larus californicus
California least tern . . . . . . Sterna antillarum
Caspian tern . . . . . . . . . . . Sterna caspia
Elegant tern . . . . . . . . . . . Thalasseus elegans
Forsters tern . . . . . . . . . . Sterna forsteri
Gull-billed tern . . . . . . . . . Sterna nilotica
Heermanns gull . . . . . . . . . Larus heermanni
Horned pufn . . . . . . . . . . Fratercula corniculata
Least storm-petrel . . . . . . . Oceanodroma microsoma
Magnicent frigatebird . . . . Fregata magnicens
Northern fulmar. . . . . . . . . Fulmarus glacialis

December, 2001
Pink-footed shearwater . . . . Pufnus creatopus

Red-billed tropicbird. . . . . . Phaethon aethereus
Ringed-bill gull . . . . . . . . . Larus delawarensis
Royal tern. . . . . . . . . . . . . Sterna maxima
Sooty shearwater . . . . . . . . Pufnus griseus
Marine Birds
emigration, and reshufing of certain species of seabirds

from the north, south, and within California. The abundance and diversity of seabirds increases immensely at
this time. One of the most abundant seabird species in
the world, the sooty shearwater, comes through California
waters by the hundreds of thousands, mostly from New
Zealand breeding colonies. Similarly, thousands of pinkfooted and Bullars shearwaters visit from Chile and New
Zealand, respectively. During the summer and late fall,
large numbers of black-footed and smaller numbers of
Laysan albatrosses visit from their Hawaii nesting colonies. Occasionally, southern seabirds, such as boobies,
red-billed tropicbirds, and magnicent frigatebirds, will
provide the highlight of an offshore birding trip. Usually,
beginning in July, several species arrive from the Gulf of
California, Mexico, dispersing northward along the California coast; these include black-vented shearwaters, least
storm-petrels, Heermanns gulls, elegant terns, and many
more brown pelicans than nest in California. Especially
during late fall and winter, we witness the arrival of
northern seabirds, such as northern fulmars, horned pufns (plus other species of the alcid family), black-legged
kittiwakes, and other species. Such diversity and abundance certainly adds to the overall richness and ecological
value of Californias total marine avian resources.
History and Utilization
eabirds are the most conspicuous and familiar elements

of marine communities and are a source of pleasure
and enjoyment for people at sea or along the coast.
They are unique and important biotic elements of marine
ecosystems and in the practical sense are a good indicator
of the general health of coastal offshore environments,
yet people working or recreating at sea often know little
about them. Although often omitted from marine resource
reference works, seabirds require management and protection, just as other elements of marine ecosystems do.
Seabirds are prominent elements in the biodiversity of
marine ecosystems. They perform what ecologist Paul
Ehrlich calls ecological services, such as nutrient cycling
and scavenging of biological waste materials and debris
from waters and beaches. They often guide shermen to
sh. They are a pleasure to watch, and consequently,
contribute signicantly to eco-tourism. A small industry
of offshore nature cruises has, in fact, developed in many
ports along the California coast. Healthy seabird populations give us the justied feeling that all is well at sea,
and a missing, sick, or oiled bird tells us that it might
not be.
Like most marine wildlife, marine birds have historically
suffered severe and relentless exploitations by man. In
California this was especially true at the Farallon and
other islands during and after the gold rush (from 1850
to about 1900), where common murres were heavily
exploited for their eggs. There was no regulation of take
and the murre populations declined severely. Numbers
had declined by an order of magnitude by the 1900s, and
only a few thousand individuals were left by the 1930s.
The Farallon Islands murre population did not recover for
several decades and even now is far below numbers of
the 1800s. Exploitation of seabirds or seabird products is
neither a local or recent phenomenon. Recall the ancient,
managed harvest of guano by the Incas of Peru, or the
harvest of guano for manufacturing gunpowder by the
imperialistic navies of Europe in the 16th-18th centuries.
Empires were won or lost over control of seabird islands.
Early sailors and explorers often utilized seabirds or their
eggs for food, driving some species to extinction. In general, however, there has been little success worldwide
in utilizing seabirds for sustainable food or other product
sources. The few exceptions include guano harvests in

A Status Report
543
Marine Birds
Peru, harvest of eider down from seaducks in Iceland,

and muttonbird (shearwater) harvests for food in New
Zealand. There has been no successful sustainable harvest
of seabirds or seabird products in California or along the
West Coast. Since the early days of exploitation, management has usually involved putting the nesting islands
into a protection system. This is the case for all islands
off California.
After World War II, Californias abundant seabird populations began to suffer from new problems. For example,
populations were depleted as a result of offshore chemical
pollutant discharges from industries in southern California.
Most recently, populations have declined as a result of
excessive mortality from entanglement in commercial gillnets. Bird populations in central and southern California
may have declined because of excessive sardine shing.
Most species of seabirds feed on or near the surface,
schooling species that are also sought in commercial sheries. The well-known decline of sardines off Monterey
is thought to have had deleterious effects on some species of seabirds. It is not well known, however, how long
it takes to bring about a population decline of seabirds
from prey depletion. Some species are able to switch
effectively to other prey species, but often there are no
other appropriate prey species to switch to. Since the
1950s, large oil spills and chronic waste oil discharges
Adult Western Gull, Larus occidentalis

Credit: Paul Gorenzel, UC Davis
544

A Status Report
(such as slops and oily bilge waste-water) have become

increasingly more frequent, and large numbers of seabirds
have been killed. An outstanding example of seabird losses
by oil spills is the Point Reyes Tar Ball Incident in
which it is estimated that 10,000 to 20,000 seabirds died.
Although acute oiling of seabirds from large oil spills
receives a great deal more attention, chronic oil fouling of
the offshore environment might cause the most damage to
seabirds and other marine wildlife. Rehabilitation (washing
and captive care) of oiled birds has so far not been very
successful. Most birds die before rehabilitation can be
attempted and many birds that receive care die anyway
either before or after their release. It is not likely that
most birds surviving rehabilitation will go on to breed.
Thus, prevention of both oil spills and chronic oiling is
the best solution. And, in stepping-up prevention activities, California has changed several factors to reduce the
incidence and spread of spills: oil spill response schemes
in all harbors, ship trafc control systems in all large
ports, heavy nes of perpetrators of spills, and doublehulls required of all new tankers. In 1994, a multi-million
dollar, statewide oil-spill rehabilitation network was initiated by the Ofce of Spill Prevention and Response, California Department of Fish and Game and Oiled Wildlife
Care Network, University of California, Davis, to provide
the immediate capability to clean oiled marine wildlife
and to conduct research to improve rehabilitation techniques and survival success. Rehabilitation of individuals
affected by diseases such as botulism or individuals that
have been hooked or otherwise injured by shing gear
have proven to be much more successful. Unfortunately,
funds to implement strategies to prevent birds from contacting oil during the spill response, such as wildlife
hazing programs, have received limited support.
Population restoration and maintenance of populations
into the future are ultimate goals of wildlife managers.
Historically, most seabird conservation and management
measures have been through protection of critical nesting, feeding, and roosting areas from human exploitation
and disturbance, eradication of small populations of introduced predators, protection and recovery of prey species,
and reduction of contaminants (e.g., DDT and PCB compounds). Now, however, more proactive efforts are being
utilized. For example, planned eradication of a large population of rats on Anacapa Island (by the Island Conservation and Ecology Group working with the Channel
Islands National Park, USFWS, NOAA, and CDFG) will
hopefully allow re-establishment of large populations
of formerly-abundant crevice-nesting seabird populations.
In another example, old-growth redwood forests have
been preserved because of their importance as nesting
habitat for marbled murrelets. Seabird recolonization is
being achieved through social attraction techniques (using
decoys, mirror boxes, and taped calls) to restore breeding

December, 2001
Since seabirds are visibly affected when people misuse

marine resources, the well-being of our seabird populations can tell us a great deal about the health of our
oceans. Potential effects on seabirds from future development are often examined to help evaluate overall projected effects on the marine environment. Such activities
include increased levels of offshore oil extraction and
transport, mining of other ocean resources, development
of other forms of energy, use of new shing techniques,
sh farming and sh ranching at sea, and new marine
product development and exploitation. Additionally, ecotourism, a rapidly growing industry, can itself lead to
unregulated intrusion onto islands that are important as
nesting sites for seabird populations. There is already
a long history of disappearance of seabird colonies on
islands visited too frequently by unsupervised tourists.
Global warming may also have detrimental effects on
sh resources and, ultimately, seabirds. This may be seen
in the form of population declines, changes in behavior,
and/or shifts in distribution. Often predictive models,
based on current research, will be necessary to more
adequately predict what changes might be expected from
long-term and radical changes in environmental conditions
due to global warming.
The heavy nes and natural resource damage assessments
that can be imposed on polluters, as well as recognition
of the importance of seabirds as environmental indicators
and of the effects that human activities can have on
them, has led to a surge of activity and interest in seabird
conservation and management. In addition to many governmental agencies that are concerned or charged with
seabird conservation, there are at least ve seabird
groups that are composed of interested professionals
worldwide who have become organized to study, help
conserve these important elements of marine wildlife, as
well as to educate the general public as to the value
of seabirds in the California area. The Pacic Seabird
Group focuses on the Pacic Coast from Baja California to
Washington, plus Alaska, Hawaii, British Columbia, other
parts of Mexico, and Japan. In California, state and federal
governmental agencies, sport and commercial shermen,
seabird biologists, and marine bird conservationists are
beginning to work together, guided in part by the Califor-

December, 2001
nia Marine Life Protection Act, to help study, conserve,

and manage marine wildlife. Trust funds established from
natural resource damage assessments resulting from oil
spills such as the Apex Houston, the American Trader, and
the Commend oil spills has already resulted in major
new initiatives for seabird conservation; restoration funds
of about $12.5 million have been committed to these
efforts. And for the rst time, signicant marine bird protection zones (mainly for nesting areas) are being considered along with marine reserves, which address primarily
shery resources.
Marine Birds
populations of common murres along the central California

coast. Using these methods, breeding-age individuals were
attracted to Devils Slide Rock in San Mateo County, the
site of a previously extirpated breeding colony. Since the
project was initiated in 1996 (by the USFWS, Humboldt
State University, and National Audubon Society), a small
breeding colony soon established itself and increased each
year to over 100 pairs in 2001. Proactive restoration
and conservation efforts will undoubtedly expand in
the future.
Seabird Ecology
lmost all important adaptations in body form and

behavior of seabirds reect specialization for either
breeding or feeding. Methods of marine bird feeding
depend on types of foods and where these foods are found
in the water column. Seabirds, therefore, are inuenced
by the environmental factors that inuence the marine
environment. During the breeding season, seabirds are
conned to feeding within range of their nesting islands.
In addition to providing suitable habitat, nesting islands
must be free of predators and disturbances. Outside the
breeding season, when not constrained to tending offspring, many seabird species are highly mobile and can
move long distances to nd food while some species may
remain in areas of abundant and predictable food supplies, just like shermen. At sea, distribution of seabirds
is heavily inuenced by physical oceanographic processes.
For example, plankton feeders will be found where ocean
currents favor growth and accumulation of planktonic species. Such areas, in turn, provide food for shoals of species such as northern anchovy, Pacic sardine, herring,
mackerel, or juvenile demersal shes such as rockshes.
These midwater and epipelagic sh in turn are preyed
upon by sh-feeding seabirds.
Juvenille Western Gull, Larus occidentalis


A Status Report
545
Marine Birds
Some seabirds feed at the surface and others y or paddle

underwater to extend their reach lower into the water
column. Some California species can dive to a depth of
330 feet. Water clarity inuences which type of feeding
method will be most successful. For example, clear, tropical waters typically best support species that catch sh by
plunge-diving (boobies and pelicans). In contrast, northern waters are usually too turbid for aerial plungers to see
prey, but are better suited to underwater swimmers or
yers (like the murres, auklets, and cormorants).
predators has left many seabirds with no defenses against

predators, except to abandon their colonies. Undisturbed
roosting and loang sites are also critical to seabirds.
Tourism and introductions of rats, cats, dogs, pigs, goats,
and other feral animals has repeatedly led to extermination of seabirds from islands that were formerly
predator-free.
While nesting, seabirds are largely bound to nest contents

that requires protection from predators. The breeding
season is the period of time it takes from courtship, nestbuilding, and egg-laying to the point of edging, when
young leave the nest or become independent. During
breeding seabirds are strongly inuenced by local food
supplies (i.e., prey available within the feeding range of
nesting birds), which are dependent upon oceanographic
and meteorological conditions. Reproductive success is
inuenced by the biomass, availability, and consistency of
local food supplies. For instance, when El Nio weather
patterns associated with reduced productivity occur,
seabirds reproduce poorly or not at all because prey
resources are less abundant and available. Decadal alteration of marine climate can also be important, for example,
the warm, nutrient-depleted period that existed during
the late 1800s and again in the last decades of the 1900s.
Since offshore islands with nearby, stable food supplies

are in short supply for nesting seabirds in California, such
birds are almost always found concentrated into tightlypacked nesting colonies, with different species usually
segregated onto different kinds of micro-habitat. As a
consequence, nesting colonies are vulnerable to destruction by mammalian predators such as foxes, raccoons,
mink, and cats. Therefore, nesting islands must be free
from both terrestrial predators and human disturbance
to provide seabirds with successful nesting opportunities.
Evolutionary development on islands lacking terrestrial
Brown Pelican, Pelecanus occidentalis

546

A Status Report
Management and Conservation

raditionally (up until about 1990), responsible government agencies had expressed almost no interest in
funding basic seabird conservation research. Ofcial listing under various categories and laws (the most outstanding being both state and federal endangered species
acts) forced agencies to expend some limited funds on
such species as brown pelicans, least terns, and marbled
murrelets. Impending offshore oil development prompted
some federal agencies to begin basic surveys of marine
birds and mammals at sea and on the California coastline.
Recent damage assessments guided by the Oil Pollution
Act of 1990 have stimulated new directions in seabird
conservation and management. It is ironic that mainly
because of impending threats to seabirds by various
forms of oceanic pollution (Outer Continental Shelf developments and marine contaminants), only then have seabirds begun to receive adequate research and conservation attention. Relative to other categories of marine
resources, however, marine wildlife research and conservation still has to be considered as minimal. Interestingly,
the non-game program of the California Department of
Fish and Game (under the leadership of Howard Leach)
pioneered on a national basis, investigations of seabird
resources in California. Also in the early-1970s, a nonprot research organization, the Point Reyes Bird Observatory, initiated important research on the Farallon Islands.
Many federal and state agencies are now involved in the
management and conservation of marine birds, and many
statutory and regulatory provisions contribute to their
protection. In addition, California has one of the nest
systems of sanctuaries and refuges for seabirds in the
world, although coordination among the many agencies
and organizations involved has proven to be challenging.
However, our coastal wetlands now comprise only a small
percentage of their former extent, and these habitats are
critical to many species of seabirds. Offshore waters are
becoming increasingly occupied and utilized by people,
yet many offshore islands and rocks are as close to their
natural states as one might reasonably expect in our
modern world.
Nonetheless, some of Californias seabirds have been designated as threatened or endangered (e.g., California least
tern, California brown pelican, and marbled murrelet),

December, 2001
Seabird populations have a number of characteristics in

common, which make them susceptible to harm from
environmental changes:
1)
Resident seabirds concentrate their nesting efforts

over several months at small areas, and they traditionally use the same nesting areas year after year.
2)
Some seabirds (e.g., pelicans, cormorants, and gulls)

concentrate in roosts or resting sites. Night roosts
provide protection from predators and disturbances
and may have benecial thermal characteristics. Day
roosts are located closer to food supplies and may
also have good plumage-drying properties, such as
sunny, cold-wind protected surfaces.
3)
Many seabirds depend on concentrated food supplies,

often commercially valuable sheries resources.
Marine sheries biologists are beginning to work with
marine wildlife biologists to balance recreational and
commercial sheries with other wildlife needs.
4)
Many seabirds tend to be long-lived with low

annual reproductive rates. Thus, seabirds cannot
usually recover very rapidly from large impacts on
their populations.
5)
Seabirds are often components of assemblages with

interdependent elements, which means that they are
closely allied to other species in their system. Disruption of one or more interacting elements may affect
the entire assemblage in some way.

December, 2001
Seabird and Fisheries Interactions
eabird-sheries interactions have been categorized as

follows: 1) direct competition, with negative population implications either for sh or seabird populations;
2) mutualism, where the interaction is benecial, or commensalism, where there is neither benet nor detriment
to the interaction; and 3) physical injury, where birds are
killed or injured by shing activities, or bird activities
affect operations or damage gear. Categories 1 and 3
describe conicts in resource use that should be minimized. Extensive mortality of common murres and other
seabirds in the 1980s and 1990s in gillnets has led to
extensive shing closures throughout most of California.
Multi-species or ecosystem management instead of management that is single-species oriented may be the key to
minimizing many conicts. The management plan of the
Pacic Fishery Management Council (PFMC) for northern
anchovies was one of the rst in the nation to consider the
multiple uses of the anchovy resource, including prey for
both seabirds and marine mammals and bait for sport shermen. With recovering Pacic sardine populations (beginning in the late 1980s), the PFMC is revising its anchovy
plan to include multi-species management of small
pelagic shes. Fishery management plans are beginning
to include concepts such as forage reserves, multipleneeds, ecosystem balance, and thresholds of minimum
resource abundance.
Marine Birds
and others may already warrant such designations (e.g.,

Xantuss murrelet and ashy storm-petrel). Brown pelicans
may eventually be downlisted and delisted as an endangered species because its populations have shown strong
recovery and are now self-sustaining; among seabirds this
is one of the few true success stories of marine bird
conservation in recent times.
In recent years, there has been conict between seabird

needs for disturbance free nesting habitat and the market
squid shery in the Channel Islands. This shery depends
on the use of intense lighting during the night to attract
squid. Much of the squid harvest occurs relatively close to
the shorelines of islands where seabirds nest. As a result,
smaller crevice-nesting nocturnal birds (e.g., Xantuss murrelet and ashy storm-petrels) become highly vulnerable to
predators (such as gulls and owls) while attending nest
sites. These species are also attracted to light and can
become disoriented and crash into the boats, potentially
causing death or injury, or separating adults from their
young on the water. Additionally, there is concern over
the impacts of continuous light on the breeding success
of diurnal species such as brown pelicans and cormorants.
For these species, continuous light may affect hormonal
levels, which in turn may alter behavioral patterns important in courtship, incubation, and chick care. Noise and
disturbance generated from shing activities may also
affect breeding success of vulnerable species. Measures
to resolve these conicts are currently (in 2001) being
considered and discussed by state and federal agencies
together with seabird biologists and shery managers, but
at this time (summer of 2001) there are no assurances of
a resolution.

A Status Report
547
Marine Birds
Overall, the future of shery-seabird interactions free

of major conicts is improving. For example, since gillnetting has been banned in many areas, some shermen
have switched to alternate shing methods that do not
harm seabirds. Situations are more difcult to control
when commercial shing occurs outside areas of state or
federal jurisdiction, such as foreign waters where many of
our migratory seabirds reside part of the year. Interactions
between the recreational sherman and marine wildlife
also occur. While each individual interaction may involve
only one angler and one bird (involving hook injuries,
monolament entanglements, and other injuries from handling and struggle), recreational shermen as a group
can have a signicant impact on some seabird populations. In most instances the best management approach is
still education.
Daniel W. Anderson and Franklin Gress
University of California, Davis and California Institute of
Environmental Studies
Harry R. Carter
U. S. Geological Survey and Humboldt State University
Paul R. Kelly
Alec D. MacCall
References
Because this report focuses on the status of marine sheries, as required my the MLMA, the editors have had to
limit the space devoted to birds. Since marine birds are an
integral part of all the ecosystem divisions of this book we
have included a comprehensive list of references.
General Seabird References

Cogswell, H. G. 1977. Water birds of California, University
of California Press, Berkeley, CA. 399 pp.
Fisher, J., and R. M. Lockley. 1954. Seabirds. HoughtonMifin, Boston, MA. 320 pp.
Grant, P. 1986. Gulls: a guide to identication, second
edition. Buteo Books, Vermillion, SD. 320 pp.
Haley, D. (ed.). 1984. Seabirds of eastern north Pacic and
Arctic waters. Pacic Search Press, Seattle, WA. 214 pp.
Harrison, P. 1983. Seabirds: an identication guide. Houghton-Mifin, Boston, MA. 448pp.
Lockley, R. M. 1974. Ocean wanderers. Stackpole Books,
Harrisburg, PA. 188 pp.
548

A Status Report
Morgan, K. H., K. Vermeer, R. W. McKelvey. 1991. Atlas of

pelagic birds of western Canada. Canadian Wildlife Service
Occasional Paper 72:1-72.
National Geographic Society. 1999. Field guide to the
birds of North America, 3rd edition. National Geographic
Society, Washington, DC. 480 pp.
Palmer, R. S. (ed.). 1962. Handbook of North American
birds, volume I. Yale University Press, New Haven CT. 567
pp.
Spendelow, J. A., and S. R. Patton. 1988. National atlas of
coastal waterbird colonies in the contiguous United States:
1976-82. U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service National Wetlands
Research Center, Washington, DC. 326 pp.
Surveys and Status Reports

Ainley, D. G., and T. J. Lewis. 1974. The history of
Farallon Island marine bird populations, 1854-1972. Condor
76:432-436.
Ainley, D. G., and G. L. Hunt, Jr. 1991. Status and conservation of seabirds in California. International Council for
Bird Protection Technical Publication 11:103-114.
Carter, H. R., G. J. McChesney, D. L. Jaques, C. S. Strong,
M. W. Parker, J. E. Takekawa, D. L. Jory, and D. L. Whitworth. 1992. Breeding seabird populations of California,
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Service, Dixon, CA.
Carter, H. R., A. L. Sowls, M. S. Rodway, U. W. Wilson,
R. W. Lowe, F. Gress, and D. W. Anderson. 1995. Population size, trends, and conservation problems of the
double-crested cormorant on the west coast of North
America. in: D. N. Nettleship, and D. C. Duffy (eds.).
The double-crested cormorant: biology, conservation and
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Carter, H. R., U. W. Wilson, R. W. Lowe, M. S. Rodway, D.
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Everett, W. T., and D. W. Anderson. 1991. Status and
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islands of Baja California and the Gulf of California. International Council for the Protection of Birds Technical Publication 11:115-139.
Harrison, C. S. 1991. Seabirds of Hawaii: natural history
and conservation. Cornell University Press, Ithaca, NY. 288
pp.

December, 2001
Ralph, C. J., G. L. Hunt, Jr., M. G. Raphael, and J. F. Piatt

(eds.). 1995. Ecology and conservation of the marbled
murrelet. U. S. Forest Service, General Technical Report
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Sowls, A. L., A. R. DeGange, J. W. Nelson, and G. S.
Lester. 1980. Catalog of California seabird colonies. U.
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Sowls, A. L., S. A. Hatch, and C. J. Lensink. 1978. Catalog
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Speich, S. M., and T. R. Wahl. 1989. Catalog of Washington
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Seabird Ecology
Ainley, D. G. 1977. Feeding methods in seabirds: a comparison of polar and tropical nesting communities in the
eastern Pacic Ocean. Proceedings S.C.A.R. Symposium on
Antarctic Biology 3:669-685.
Ainley, D. G. 1980. Birds as marine organisms: a
review. California Cooperative Ocean Fisheries Investigations Reports 21:48-52.
Ainley, D. G., and R. J. Boekelheide (eds.). 1990. Seabirds
of the Farallon Islands: ecology, dynamics, and structure
of an upwelling system community. Stanford University
Press, Stanford, CA. 450 pp.
Ainley, D. G., H. R. Carter, D. W. Anderson, K. T. Briggs,
M. C. Coulter, F. Cruz, J. B. Cruz, C. A. Valle, S. I. Fefer,
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December, 2001
Ashmole, N. P. 1971. Sea bird ecology and the marine

environment. Pp. 223-286, in: Farner, D. S., and J. R.
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Marine Birds
Hunt, G. L., Jr., R. L. Pitman, and H. L. Jones. 1980.

Distribution and abundance of seabirds breeding on the
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Burger, J. 1988. Seabirds and other marine vertebrates:

competition, predation, and other interactions. Columbia
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Burger, J., B. L. Olla, and H. E. Winn. 1980. Behavior of
marine animals, volume 4: marine birds. Plenum Press,
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Croxall, J. P. (ed.). 1987. Seabirds: feeding ecology and
role in marine ecosystems. Cambridge University Press,
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Furness, R. W., and P. Monaghan. 1987. Seabird ecology.
Chapman and Hall, New York, NY. 164 pp.
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reproductive performance and diet composition of marine
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Warham, J. 1990. The petrels: their ecology and breeding
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Conservation and Management

Anderson, D. W., and F. Gress. 1981. The politics of pelicans. Pp. 117-143. In: Jackson, T. C., and D. Reische (eds.),
Coast alert: scientists speak out. Coast Alliance Press, San
Francisco, CA. 181 pp.
Anderson, D. W., J. E. Mendoza, and J. O. Keith. 1976.
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Balance, L. T., D. G. Ainley, and G. L. Hunt, Jr. 2001.
Seabirds: foraging ecology. In: Steele, J. et al. (eds.).
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Bartonek, J. C., and D. N. Nettleship (eds.). 1979. Conservation of marine birds of northern North America.
U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service Wildlife Research Report
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Marine Birds
Croxall, J. P. (ed.). 1991. Seabird status and conservation:

a supplement. International Council for Bird Protection
Technical Publication 11:1-308.
Croxall, J. P., P. G. H. Evans, and R. W. Schreiber (eds.).
1984. Status and conservation of the worlds seabirds.
International Council for Bird Protection Technical Publication 2:1-778.
Diamond, A. W., and F. L. Filion. 1987. The value of birds.
International Council for Bird Protection 6:1-275.
Furness, R. W. and Greenwood. 1993. Birds as monitors of
environmental change. Chapman & Hall, New York.
Gress, F., and D.W. Anderson. 1983. California brown pelican recovery plan. U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Portland, OR. 179 pp.
Nettleship, D. N. 1991. Seabird management and future
research. Colonial Waterbirds 14:77-84.
Parker, M. J., J. Boyce, R. Young, N. Rojek, C. Hamilton,
V. Slowik, H. Gellerman, S. Kress, H. Carter, G. Moore, and
L. Cohen. 2000. Restoration of common murre colonies
in central California: Annual report 1999. Unpublished
report, U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service, San Francisco Bay
National Wildlife Refuge Complex, Newark, CA.
Sherman, K. 1991. The large marine ecosystem concept:
research and management strategy for living marine
resources. Ecological Applications 1:349-360.
U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service. 1980. California least tern
recovery plan. U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Portland,
OR.
U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service. 11997. Recovery plan for
the threatened marbled murrelet in Washington, Oregon,
and California. U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Portland,
OR.
Pollution and Other Perturbations

Anderson, D. W. 1988. Dose-response relationship between
human disturbance and brown pelican breeding success.
Wildlife Society Bulletin 16:339-345.
Anderson, D. W., and J. O. Keith. 1980. The human inuence on seabird nesting success: conservation implications. Biological Conservation 18:65-80.
Anderson, D. W., F. Gress, and D. M. Fry. 1996. Survival
and dispersal of oiled brown pelicans after rehabilitation
and release. Marine Pollution 32:711-718.
Anderson, D. W., J. R. Jehl, Jr., R. W. Risebrough, L. A.
Woods, Jr., L. R. DeWeese, and W. G. Edgecomb. 1975.
Brown pelicans: improved reproduction off the southern
California coast. Science 190:806-808.
Gress, F. 1995. Organochlorines, eggshell thinning, and
productivity relationships in brown pelicans breeding in
550

A Status Report
the Southern California Bight. Ph.D. dissertation. University of California, Davis.

Gress, F., R. W. Risebrough, D. W. Anderson, L. F. Kiff,
and J. R. Jehl, Jr. 1973. Reproductive failures of doublecrested cormorants in southern California and Baja California. Wilson Bulletin 85:197-208.
Manuwal, D. A. 1978. Effect of man on marine birds: a
review. Pp. 140-160 in: C. M. Kirkpatrick (ed.), Wildlife
and people. Purdue Research Association, West LaFayette,
IN.
Page, G. W., H. R. Carter, and R. G. Ford. 1990. Numbers
of seabirds killed or debilitated in the 1986 Apex Houston
oil spill in central California. Studies in Avian Biology
14:164-174.
Risebrough, R. W. 1972. Effects of environmental pollutants upon animals other than man. Pp. 443-463 in: L.
LeCam, J. Neyman, and E. L. Scott (eds.). Proceedings
Sixth Berkeley Symposium Mathematical Statistics and
Probability. University of California Press, Berkeley.
Takekawa, J. E., H. R. Carter, and T. E. Harvey. 1990.
Decline of the common murre in California, 1980-1986.
Studies in Avian Biology 14:149-163.
Seabirds and Fisheries

Anderson, D. W., F. Gress, K. F. Mais, and P. R. Kelly.
1980. Brown pelicans as anchovy stock indicators and their
relationships to commercial shing. California Cooperative
Oceanic Fisheries Investigations Reports 21:54-61.
Anderson, D. W., and F. Gress. 1984. Brown pelicans and
the anchovy shery off southern California. Pp. 128-135
in: D. N. Nettleship, G. A. Sanger, and P. F. Springer
(eds.) Marine birds: their feeding ecology and commercial
sheries relationships. Canadian Wildlife Service Special
Publication CW66-65, Ottawa, ON.
Furness, R. W., and R. T. Barrett. 1991. Seabirds and sh
declines. National Geographic Research and Exploration
7:82-95.
Nettleship, D. N., G. A. Sanger, and P. F. Springer (eds.).
1984. Marine birds: their feeding ecology and commercial
sheries relationships. Canadian Wildlife Service Special
Publication CW66-65, Ottawa, ON. 220 pp.
Radovich, J. 1981. The collapse of the California sardine
shery: what have we learned? Pp. 107-136 in: Glanz, M.
H., and J. D. Thompson (eds.), Resource management and
environmental uncertainty: lessons from coastal upwelling
sheries. Wiley and Sons, New York, NY. 491 pp.
Wahl, T. R., and D. Heinemann. 1979. Seabirds and
shing vessels: co-occurrences and attraction. Condor
81:390-396.

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December 2001
This appendix of Management Considerations is provided for informational purposes only. These views,
submitted by the authors, do not necessarily represent
the views of either the California Department of Fish
and Game or the California Fish and Game Commission,
and no endorsement of any of these views by these
agencies is implied.
Abalone
DFGs goals for abalone include the recovery of the abalone resource throughout its historic range to sustainable
levels, pursuant to the mandates of legislation (Abalone
Recovery and Management Plan and the Marine Life Management Act).
For reasons discussed above, many historic abalone shery
management practices were ineffective in protecting the
resource south of San Francisco. The state recognizes the
value and importance of abalone resources, and has made
abalone recovery and management a high priority. Future
abalone management might likely include the following:
1.
Marine protected areas that provide refuge and protection for breeding populations of abalones, and
other long lived, broadcast-spawning invertebrates.
Such areas need to have active and adequate enforcement. These areas are necessary early in the recovery phase to enhance reproductive viability.
2.
Individual species management. The life history, habitat needs, and population levels of each species
should be recognized and considered within the
framework of ecosystem management. Knowledge of
the age class structure, frequency and rate of recruitment, natural mortality rate, and growth is needed to
model the shery for each species and area.
3.
Rapid response to environmental and human induced

stresses is needed to adjust or stop harvests when
unforeseen problems such as disease or unusual climatic events arise.
4.
Fishery-independent data to determine the health

and sustainable harvest rate of the resource.
5.
An evaluation to identify the potential size of the

shery using biological data and an economic analysis
to evaluate resource rent, i.e., the amount necessary
to cover the cost of research, management, and pro-

December 2001
tection of the resource, in order to apply these costs

to the shery.
6.
A constituent involvement process that assists in evaluating the best uses of the resource. Such a process
would also enable information-exchange between the
DFG and interested parties.
7.
An evaluation of the consequences of reoccupation of

the sea otter into southern California waters.
Albacore
Currently, North Pacic albacore sheries are not subject
to formal management measures, such as limited entry or
total catch restrictions for the commercial sheries, or
size or bag limits for the recreational sheries. However,
more structured management of the albacore population
is being considered by an international convention (Multilateral High-Level Conference (MHLC) on the Conservation
and Management of Highly Migratory Fish Stocks in the
western and central Pacic Ocean) that includes nations
that historically have supported sheries for the highly
migratory stocks of the Pacic Ocean. It is likely that
initial management approaches will include some form
of limited entry intended to minimize the detrimental
effects to the stock that commonly arise due to intensive
shing over extended periods of time. One of the most
difcult tasks that the MHLC must address will be to
develop a strategic plan (research and management goals)
for the North Pacic albacore stock that is applicable to
the populations entire range. Such a plan must be supported by each nations albacore management institution
and industry if it is to be successful.
Appendix A:
Management
Considerations
Angel Shark
Though the angel shark shery is currently very minor
in California (it is growing in Mexico), it can serve as a
valuable case study of an emerging shery that grew to
be one of the most valuable elasmobranch sheries on the
Pacic coast in the past 25 years. A number of shermen,
both gill-netters and trawlers, who continue to harvest
angel sharks, have expressed interest in working with DFG
biologists to reassess the 1987 minimum size limit. They
cite the fact that the main angel shark habitat and population centers have been protected by the Proposition 132
area closures for over six years and that the Marine Life
Management Act (MLMA) encourages adaptive management to review and amend regulations if stocks improve.
Participation of experienced shermen proved valuable
in the cooperative life history and population studies conducted on the research vessel Squatina in the 1980s and
the MLMA identies collaborative research as a priority

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553
in obtaining cost-effective data for sheries management.

A future cooperative research study of the angel shark
population could also shed light on the effectiveness of
a large no-take marine reserve, at least on this single
resident species.
opportunities. The length of time needed to rebuild the

population depends on the frequency of rare large year
classes, but may require 40 years under conditions similar
to those seen in recent years.
Further studies on the genetic variability of geographically

separated island and mainland stocks would provide
resource managers with valuable information in developing a sheries management plan. A review of the
socio-economic impacts of the area closures on small
scale sheries, coastal communities, and local economies
could also provide managers with tools to assess the
pros and cons of incorporating marine reserves in future
management strategies.
Bull Kelp
1.
Continue the present management system for the

300-series beds, including the harvest prohibition for
beds 303-307.
2.
Modify the present 15 percent harvest-limit on the

leasable 300-series beds to require distribution of
the harvest throughout the bed to minimize local
impacts.
3.
Barred Sand Bass
Prohibit harvest of bull kelp in beds where the bull

kelp resource has been shown to be chronically diminished during the past several decades.
4.
This species seems to be a good candidate for the establishment of harvest refugia in some areas during peak
spawning times.
Encourage the use of alternative feeds, some of

which have already been developed for cultured species such as red abalone.
5.
Fund more regular assessments and more research to

examine the impacts of various harvest strategies.
The shing industry, university researchers, and resource

managers might seek to initiate a cooperative program
with Mexico to assure a sustainable angel shark
shery that can continue to supply both Mexican and
U.S. markets.
Bay Shrimp
The current lack of catch limits, closed seasons or
restricted areas is based upon the assumption that limited
demand for bay shrimp maintains effort at levels far below
the level that would threaten long-term sustainability of
the shery. Data is not available to test this assumption.
Because of this, the following measures are suggested:
1.
Continue the compilation of bay shrimp logbook data

to get past and current catch per unit effort, as well
as maintaining logbook requirements for commercial
shery participants.
2.
Monitor species composition in bay shrimp landings.

Currently, four species are known to be caught in the
shery with indications that a newly introduced fth
species may also be of importance. Long-term shifts
in species landed by the shery may be indicative of
broader problems in the populations of each species.
Bocaccio
Bocaccio have been managed under the Groundsh Management Plan of the Pacic Fishery Management Council
since 1982. The bocaccio population is now under a formal
rebuilding program, requiring severe restrictions on shing
554
In order to ensure a productive future for Californias

bull kelp resource and the species dependent on it, the
following considerations are offered:

A Status Report
Cabezon
In recent years, federal groundsh management policy has
resulted in drastic reductions in allowable take of many
groundsh species due to the overshed status of some
species such as lingcod, bocaccio, and canary rocksh.
These reductions in turn have shifted effort to more lucrative markets, such as the live-sh shery. For bocaccio
and canary rocksh, the efforts required to rebuild stocks
will restrict harvest levels for all associated species for
several years, so shing pressure on cabezon and other
nearshore groundsh species is not likely to decrease,
and may increase further, without some intervention.
DFG developed interim management measures to further
address increasing demands on these nearshore sh populations. Measures for cabezon include:
1.
An increase in the minimum size limit.
2.
A closed commercial and recreational shery during

spawning and nest guarding seasons.
In addition, the department is mandated to develop a

Nearshore Fishery Management Plan, which will include
cabezon and may be adopted by the Fish and Game Commission in January 2002.

December 2001
Calico rocksh are a minor component of commercial

rocksh landings in California, but they may comprise a
signicant portion of the undocumented bycatch of the
nearshore commercial sheries that target other nsh
or invertebrate species. The extent to which these nearshore shing operations increase calico rocksh mortality
is not known and requires further study, including onboard
observation and sampling of the bycatch of nearshore
commercial hook and line, trap, and trawl shing vessels
in southern and central California.
Implementation of the minimal size (12 inches) for the

sheephead may allow smaller females to reproduce prior
to their entry to the shery. However, larger, more fertile
females are still at risk. Careful monitoring of catch and
effort data, if possible, is needed to allow early detection
of a problem. A better understanding of reproduction
would help set a more realistic minimum size limit.
There is currently some onboard sampling of CPFVs in

California as part of the ongoing coastwide Marine Recreational Fisheries Statistical Survey, but additional onboard
sampling of CPFVs will be required to adequately assess
the mortality that is caused by sport anglers to calico
rocksh stocks. Angler education and enforcement efforts
to reduce the sport angler practice of high-grading would
also help conserve the stocks of calico rocksh.
Information on biological parameters of coonstripe shrimp

off California is limited. A precautionary approach to management should be employed until more is known about
the impacts of commercial harvest on this resource. Given
this lack of knowledge, the following management measures should be considered:
1.
Establish equilateral regulations with Mexico based on

collaborative research.
2.
Maintain current commercial and recreational

regulations.
Coonstripe Shrimp
1.
Restrictions on access.
2.
Limit the number of traps used by each sherman.
3.
A season closure from November through April, during

the predominant egg-bearing period.
4.
A mandatory logbook.
5.
Development of a shery dependent and independent

monitoring program to gather data on life history and
population characteristics.
6.
Since sport harvest of this resource may increase in

the future, the issue of equitable allocation should be
seriously considered.
California Corbina
1.
Maintain the current sport sh regulations and the

ban on commercial take of corbina.
2.
Ascertain size and age structure of populations.
California Halibut
1.
Maintain the current commercial and recreational

regulations.
2.
Protect nursery grounds in southern Californias

embayments and estuaries.
3.
Prohibit dredging operations in embayments and

estuaries during periods of peak abundance
(March-May) of larval and newly settled halibut in
Calico Rockfish
Coastal Cutthroat Trout

Sportshing regulations in many waters have been
changed to catch-and-release, enabling sport shing to
continue, at reduced harvest levels.
1.
Catch and release regulations should be continued.
2.
Data on abundance and distribution of coastal cutthroat trout should be collected in the context of
habitat conditions so that the relationship between
the sh and ecological processes can be understood.
3.
Programs should implement conservation measures

and restoration of habitat to permit dispersal among
populations and different strains of coastal cutthroat.
Dolphin
Continue to monitor the commercial and sport sheries
for catch and effort data. Work with the Pacic Fishery
Management Council to implement the Highly Migratory
Species Fishery Management Plan, which includes dolphin.

December 2001

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555
Eel Grass
Gaper Clam
1.
Carry out and maintain a comprehensive eelgrass

inventory for the state.
2.
Revise the Southern California Eelgrass Mitigation

Policy or develop and implement a new statewide
eelgrass disturbance, avoidance, and mitigation policy
that recognizes eelgrass as a vital living marine
resource whose presence is critical in nearshore
food web.
3.
Evaluate the potential impacts of anticipated sea

level rise and coastal erosion on remnant and reestablished eelgrass bed communities. Because the
natural, often gently sloping shorelines around many
of Californias bays have been replaced by revetments, a study of the potential loss of eelgrass habitat due to the lack of intertidal refuge from increased
water depth and reduced light penetration should be
undertaken. The results of such a study would then
be added to the analyses of potential impacts and
preparations for the anticipated rise in sea level.
Present sport bag limits for locations with large sport clam
sheries seem adequate to protect the gaper clam populations in those areas and also in areas where declines in
populations have occurred. Population declines in other
areas are most likely not caused by over-harvest since
there remains a subtidal portion of the population that
acts as a spawning reserve. There are a number of reasons
for reduced clammer success in formerly productive bay
and estuarine areas, including decreased tidal ushing
and increased sedimentation reducing gaper clam habitat;
increased foraging on gaper clams within the range of
southern sea otters; and environmental effects, both longterm and those associated with shorter-term El Nio
events. Poor clammer success and take of small-sized
clams tend to limit effort in areas where this occurs and
should preclude the necessity of having a large number of
differing bag limits for gaper clams throughout the state.
4.
Include maintaining plant stock genetic diversity as

an important parameter within mitigation-based eelgrass re-establishment requirements.
Flatfish
The author of the 1992 arrowtooth ounder assessment
recommended a conservative management approach,
especially until new data and models could estimate absolute biomass and exploitation rates. Management of this
species falls under the jurisdiction of the Pacic Fishery
Management Council (PFMC). The Pacic halibut shery
is regulated by the International Pacic Halibut Commission, made up of members from the United States and
Canada. For the other minor atshes, the most recent
recommendations of the Groundsh Management Team of
the PFMC suggest no change in the coastwide acceptable
biological catch.
Because of tighter restrictions on the primary federallymanaged groundsh species (notably members of the
Sebastes complex and lingcod), it is reasonable to assume
that more shing effort may be placed on other species of
sh in the immediate future as shermen seek alternate
sheries, including the minor atshes. If so, it is imperative that this group of sh be included in shery management plan development.
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A Status Report
Geoduck Clam
The present sport bag limit is adequate to protect the
resource from overharvest. In areas where foraging by sea
otters has reduced populations, the extremely low sport
take presents no threat to the populations, since reduced
clam density usually leads to reduced clammer effort.
Giant Kelp
For the purpose of management, the kelp beds off California represent more than just a single species of interest. They represent an important nearshore ecosystem.
Giant kelp forests provide essential habitat for a diverse
assemblage of marine shes and invertebrates and their
loss would reduce the populations of many marine species. Kelp forests are also important to sport and commercial shermen, kelp harvesters, recreational divers,
photographers, and sightseers, and for their general aesthetic value. During the latter half of the 20th century,
throughout California and in southern California in particular, kelp forests have been subjected to increasing
environmental stresses. Some are natural, such as the
warm water El Nios. Other stresses are clearly the result
of human activity. These include sources of pollution and
sedimentation resulting from coastal development and the
increasing inuences of human population growth. While
the causes of decline are complex and are masked by
seasonal uctuations, there is general agreement that
there is much less kelp along the southern California coast
than there was when we rst began conducting surveys,
shortly after the turn of the century.

December 2001
1.
Reduce harvest rates of urchin predators. These

include California sheephead and spiny lobster. The
Southern sea otter may eventually return to southern
California areas which would result in less dense populations of urchins.
2.
Coastwide kelp photographic ights should be

increased. The causes for the apparent declines in
kelp beds, particularly in southern California cannot
be thoroughly analyzed or understood without a
better time series of data. Once gathered, the data
should be incorporated into a statewide Geographic
Information System (GIS). A similar database should
be gathered on coastal development. Once established the GIS should be frequently reviewed for evidence of kelp bed damage tied to onshore activities.
3.
Provide additional substrate (constructed reefs) over

widespread areas for establishment of new kelp beds.
These may also serve as spore sources for re-establishment of former natural kelp communities.
Giant Sea Bass

Although there has been recent interest in re-opening the
recreational giant sea bass shery, this does not seem
prudent at this time given the lack of data and new
evidence that suggest high body burdens of DDE and PCB
in California giant sea bass. Research projects underway
at this time are collecting detailed information on the
movement, habitat use and behavior of this species. In a
few years, we may have enough data to make informed
management decisions regarding giant sea bass. Current
management measures should remain in place.
Gracilaria
Baseline data on the extent and density for Gracilaria and
Gracilariopsis in areas favorable for its growth are lacking.
Little is known about its ability to capture and recycle
nutrients, its invertebrate associates, and its value as a
food source for macrofauna, especially the various avian
species that over-winter in Californias bays and estuaries.
The California Fish and Game Code gives the commission
authority to make regulations to insure the proper harvesting of kelp or other aquatic plants. If the worldwide
market for Gracilaria and Gracilariopsis increases, the
pressure on the commission to open up more of Californias nearshore waters to wild stock harvesting of these
and other agar-bearing marine plants will likely increase.
However, until essential information is obtained on the
role these seaweeds play in the ecology of Californias

December 2001
bays and estuaries, a proactive management recommendation would continue to prohibit harvest of wild stocks of
Gracilaria and Gracilariopsis species at this time.
Grunion
Proactive investigations to enhance knowledge of this species for future management should include estimates of
relative abundance of spawning sh and human take along
the sandy beaches of the Southern California Bight. This
would reveal trends in abundance, distribution, beach
preference, and shing mortality. On-site observations at
several locations, over several nights of each run, could
add quantitative data on abundance and human take.
This information would be valuable for resource damage
assessment in the event of widespread petroleum spills
during the spawning season.
The only current aspect of grunion management that
should be a candidate for revision is the lack of a bag
limit. The case for establishing a bag limit is not based
on current harvest rates but on the potential impact of
a constantly growing human population in California. A
nominal bag limit of, perhaps, 50 sh would not restrict
current legitimate recreational harvesting but could serve
to prevent over harvest if grunion gathering became more
popular. A bag limit also is valuable to insure that sh
caught under the authority of a sport shing license are
not being harvested in large quantities for illegal sale.
At least three areas of management offer some hope for

reversing this trend of decline:
Jack Mackerel
The jack mackerel population can probably continue to
support the current level of shing exploitation, but it is
difcult to predict the effects of increased exploitation,
due to the limited knowledge of the composition and
behavior of the older segment of the population and to
the limited knowledge of reproduction and recruitment in
jack mackerel. Under the CPS FMP, jack mackerel are a
monitored species unless landings exceed the ABC for two
years. Should jack mackerel become actively managed, it
will be important to know the contribution of older sh to
the population and shery.
Kelp Bass
It may be time to explore new conservation measures such
as increasing the size limit, imposing minimum and maximum size limits (slot shing), and/or promoting catch-andrelease shing.

A Status Report
557
Louvar
Biological requirements and worldwide distribution limit
the ability of local sheries to severely impact the louvar
population. If a breeding or subpopulation is determined
to exist off the California coast, a level of awareness
through proactive management could be utilized to prevent over shing and maintain optimum yield.
Due to the relative low utilization of monkeyface prickleback, specic management recommendations are not
considered at this time. However, in view of the unique
and limited habitat which this species occupies, a reduction in number (from the existing 10-sh recreational bag
limit) and a minimum legal size (such as 14 inches) might
be appropriate in the future. Most individuals are taken
in the intertidal zone or in very shallow water, and the
survival rate for those returned to the water would be
expected to be high. However, based on their mode of
feeding, hooking mortality might be a limiting factor and
would preclude a size limitation.
Mussels
Improving and maintaining the water quality of Californias
coastal and estuarine waters is the most critical management issue affecting the continued survival of the mussel
industry. Both sport and commercial utilization of all of
the states shellsh sheries is impacted by increasing
quantities of ocean-bound efuents produced by point and
non-point sources in many areas of the state. Communitybased education programs beginning in elementary school
and emphasizing the linkages between our coastal watersheds, urban and ocean environments, and human health
are a positive step in developing an informed public. DFG,
the California Sea Grant Extension Program, California
Water Quality Control Board, National Marine Sanctuary
Programs and several other public and private groups
have made progress in this effort, but persistence and
determination are needed to slow and reverse the loss of
our clean coastal waters.
Opah
Although commercial landings of opah are recorded by
the department, opah is not presently a target species
and their take is not managed. The impact of California
landings on the species as a whole may be minimal, as
the population is worldwide in temperate and tropical
seas. However, since very little is known about the
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A Status Report
opah, it is difcult to determine the impacts of various

sheries worldwide.
Other Nearshore Rockfish

Concerns are increasing due to increasing demand on
a limited resource; commercial size limits, commercial
permits, and gear limitations have been implemented
to address these concerns. Recent changes in federal
management of nearshore species have resulted in very
low allowable take, increasing the demand and thus the
prices. DFG is currently mandated to develop a Nearshore
Fishery Management Plan (NFMP), which uses the best
available data, provides for signicant public involvement
in the process, and is peer-reviewed. The NFMP may
be adopted by the Commission in January 2002. DFG
has developed interim management measures to further
protect this emerging shery. Interim measures included
control date for limited entry, reduced bag limits, season
closures, gear limitations (rod and reel only), and adjustment of size limits. Increased sampling of landings, education of buyers to use proper market categories, and more
shery-independent sampling to assess stocks adequately
are needed to effectively protect these resources.
Pacific Bonito
An assessed decline in bonito abundance coupled with a
drastic reduction in the size of the sh harvested commercially, brought about a reduced bag limit and minimum
size regulation in 1982. The status of the population
has not been re-assessed since then. Also, this species
is not covered under any current or proposed federal
shery management plan. Declines in both recreational
and commercial landings in the 1990s indicate that this
species should be re-assessed and appropriate management actions be taken. Such actions might include the
initiation of discussions between the U.S. and Mexican
governments on coordinating management of this transboundary stock.
Pacific Hake
Since implementation of the Fisheries Conservation and
Management Act in the U.S. and the declaration of a
200-mile shery conservation zone in Canada in the late
1970s, annual quotas have been the primary management
tool used to limit the catch of Pacic hake in both zones
by foreign and domestic sheries. The scientists from
both countries have collaborated through the Technical
Subcomittee of the U.S.-Canada Groundsh Committee,
and there has been informal agreement on the adoption

December 2001
The current management of hake and the composition of

the shery may be affected by growth of tribal sheries.
At present, only the Makah Tribe of western Washington
has initiated a shery. However, two other Washington
tribes have stated an interest in entering the hake shery
and NMFS has established preliminary quotas for these
tribes. Other coastal tribes may also qualify for entry into
the hake shery. Non-Indian shers are challenging allocation of hake to treaty tribes, but denitive court rulings
on this matter have not yet been reached.
Hake remains the largest shery on the West Coast. With
the recent declines in salmon and the low abundance
of rocksh, shermen engaged in these sheries are concerned about the bycatch of these species in the hake
shery. The hake shery is one of the lowest bycatch
sheries in the U.S., but even the relatively low bycatch
of salmon and rocksh is a large portion of the current
low quotas for depleted salmon and rocksh. The hake
shery is currently faced with the challenge of developing
shing practices to minimize bycatch to the lowest level
possible.
Pacific Herring
In general, the current management strategy used for
Californias herring sheries has proven to be effective
because it allows the department and commission to integrate new and comprehensive information. This strategy
has several key components that have contributed to its
effectiveness over the years:
1.
Conservative harvest levels. Since the inception of

the roe shery, harvest quotas have been conservative and adjusted annually based on spawning population assessments for Tomales and San Francisco bays.
2.
Annual population assessments. Each year, DFG

assesses the status of the states two largest spawning populations (San Francisco Bay and Tomales Bay)
by collecting information on spawning biomass, age
structure, and other biological data.
3.
Limited entry. The expansion of the shery was carefully controlled and has not increased since 1983.
4.
Commission management authority. Unlike other

commercial sheries, which have been regulated by

December 2001
the legislature, the commission was given management authority for the herring shery during the roe
sherys second year. This allows the regulations to
be changed on an annual basis and new issues to be
addressed as they arise.
5.
Directors Herring Advisory Committee. This committee was established to seek valuable industry input
on shery-related matters.
The department is striving to incorporate an ecosystem

approach to management of its marine resources. The
harvest level used for Pacic herring to some extent takes
into consideration this species role in the marine food
web and its connection to environmental factors, but
these relationships are not well understood. Most aspects
of herring biology and ecology are in need of further
scientic research to improve existing herring management and further incorporate an ecosystem approach.
The Humboldt Bay and Crescent City spawning populations
need re-assessment and more frequent assessments in the
future to improve harvest levels. Herring spawning habitat
requirements need to be better understood so that they
can be adequately protected.
One of the weakest aspects of current management is the
inability to predict the number of two-year-old herring
that will recruit to the spawning population each year
because this age group has the largest impact on spawning
population size. Research is needed to understand how
environmental factors affect herring survival, particularly
during early life history stages, so that we may better
predict year-class strength.
of an annual shing policy. However, overall management

performance has been hampered by a long-standing disagreement between the U.S. and Canada on the division
of the acceptable biological catch (ABC) between U.S. and
Canadian sheries. In 1991-1992, U.S. and Canadian managers set quotas that summed to 128 percent of the ABC,
while in 1993-1998, the combined quotas were 112 percent
of the ABC on average. Under the current management
impasse there is a potential for overshing of Pacic hake.
Stock assessments and quota management will also

improve with better understanding of the distribution and
abundance of herring in the open ocean, and whether
or not spawning populations are genetically distinct from
each other.
Pacific Razor Clam

Current estimates for total catch and effort are needed
for the Crescent City beaches and especially Clam and
Moonstone beaches in the Eureka area. Little is known
about the extent and importance of subtidal populations
acting as brood stock for intertidal populations; dependance on these alone to repopulate the Eureka area
beaches may be unwarranted. Closure of Clam and Moonstone beaches to intertidal take or reduction of the present bag limit may increase the rate of recovery for these
sheries. In other parts of the state, the present sport bag
limit appears to be adequate to protect the resource since
minimal digger effort is seen for razor clams.

A Status Report
559
Pismo Clam
Red Rock Shrimp
Since 1948, DFG has managed the recreational Pismo clam

shery by the use of bag limits, size limits, closed seasons
and closed areas. In 1976, an invertebrate reserve (closed
to the commercial and recreational take of any invertebrates) was established in the Pismo Beach area to study
the separate effects of recreational clamming and sea
otter foraging on the Pismo clam population. In 1979,
sea otters were rst observed foraging on Pismo clams.
By 1982, beach surveys found few clams either inside or
outside of the invertebrate reserve.
Information on the size and condition of the red rock

shrimp population in California is mostly anecdotal. For
this reason, the resource should be managed cautiously
until its status is better understood. Fortunately, shing
pressure has historically been light, with only a few shermen involved, mostly along rock jetties and breakwaters.
In addition, these shrimp may have a low susceptibility to
trapping. Large numbers of shrimp have been observed
outside of traps while few, if any, were inside. In 1975,
a small number of experimental traps were set in deeper
water (20 to 70 feet) at locations including reefs and rocky
shorelines. Red rock shrimp were known to be present
at these locations, based on diver observation, but for
unknown reasons, no shrimp entered the traps. Traps have
also been observed with many shrimp climbing on the
outside, but none entering the trap. These characteristics
make it unlikely that the shrimp could be widely, or
excessively, harvested with current gear. Regardless, it
would be advisable to take the following precautions in
managing this shery:
1.
There is no further need for the closed seasons or

the ve-inch size limit in San Mateo, Santa Cruz
or Monterey counties since there is no recreational
clamming.
2.
It is suggested that a 4.5-inch statewide size limit be

adopted to simplify regulations.
3.
There is no further need for the invertebrate reserve

established in California Code of Regulations or the
various Pismo clam closed areas (known as clam preserves) because long term management of a recreational shery in these areas is not likely to be
needed.
Purple Sea Urchin

There are several gaps in basic knowledge concerning
purple sea urchins. Although there are scattered studies of
growth and survival in the literature, data have not been
gathered together and synthesized in a manner suitable
for setting harvest size limits. Studies of early growth
and survival up to an age of one year are few and
are needed to link settlement information with recruitment to the reproductive population. Linking sources of
larvae with sites of settlement has not been done and
is crucial to developing management plans that involve
marine reserves. Because of ocean current patterns, not
every region of coastline can be considered to be a suitable source of larvae for all marine species. Both sherydependent and -independent monitoring should continue
in order to assess changes in stock condition. Fishery
dependent monitoring of commercial landing levels and
patterns should detect any trend toward large-scale harvests that might require more specic management measures. At present, the most comprehensive shery independent data consists of the long-term monitoring of settlement patterns in northern and southern California. Continuing this monitoring should provide a measure of settlement supply, and an early warning of possible adverse
effects of harvesting on recruitment.
560

A Status Report
1.
Apply a closure during the egg-rearing period, most

likely from May through July.
2.
Regulate the size of openings in traps to allow small

shrimp (< one inch) to escape.
3.
Collect data from shermen including bycatch and

occurrence of females carrying eggs.
Red Sea Urchin

The red sea urchin shery is fully exploited in California,
and evidence from a variety of sources points to an overshed condition in northern and portions of southern
California. Management measures developed and implemented collaboratively with the industry (minimum size
limits, restricted access, temporal closures) have not been
effective in reversing long-term declines in harvestable
stocks. The following management-related actions may be
needed to reverse this condition:
1.
Expand existing shery-dependent and -independent

monitoring programs. Logbook data needs to be collected at a higher spatial resolution using GPS technology. Fishery-independent needs to be expanded
to allow managers to assess density and size distributions. Fishery-dependent monitoring will detect
trends in harvest, but is confounded by harvest
levels, which are strongly affected by quality of
urchin gonads and market conditions. Fishery-independent monitoring will allow managers to assess
abundance of size classes and poor quality urchins not
sampled within the shery. Continuation and expan-

December 2001
2.
3.
4.
5.
Develop a science-based red sea urchin shery management plan for the Fish and Game Commission.
Conduct a capacity goal analysis. Consider reducing
the permit goal to below the present level of 300
divers and explore methods for accelerating the attrition rate.
Continue to examine and consider the use of
spatial management techniques (i.e., marine protected areas, rotating harvest zones) in urchin management.
Expand collaborative monitoring and research with
industry participation.
The following management measures could be implemented on an interim basis before a shery management
plan is in place:
1.
Establish and monitor a maximum size limit to accelerate recovery of shed areas. A maximum size limit
would be expected to protect animals with the greatest spawning potential and enhance the survival of
juvenile urchins under the spine canopy.
2.
Establish regional management zones for northern

and southern California.
3.
Establish annual harvest quotas based on the veyear average annual catch. This measure could
ensure that a sudden increase in demand, as occurred
in the mid-1980s, does not drive stock levels below
their ability to recover.
Ridgeback Prawn
Recommendations for the management of ridgeback
prawns closely follow that of spot prawns. Current regulations need to be evaluated for effectiveness. As mentioned above, no population estimates are available for
ridgeback prawns in California; periodic assessments are
necessary to determine whether the resource is robust
and able to support a continuing shery.
Rock Crabs
The rock crab shery is currently one of the few remaining
signicant nearshore sheries not subject to some form
of restricted access limitation. Present open access and
relatively low capital requirements for entry could result
in large increases in effort for rock crabs as shermen

December 2001
seek opportunities to diversify their shing activities.

The multi-species nature of the rock crab shery also
presents a number of challenges to implementing biologically meaningful management measures. Future management activities, which should be considered to help insure
the future health of this resource and shery include:
1.
Establish a system for obtaining periodic shery-independent data on rock crab abundance, species and
size composition, recruitment patterns, and bycatch
characteristics.
2.
Begin to monitor the commercial shery for species

and size composition, geographic and temporal patterns in catch and effort, and bycatch characteristics.
3.
Investigate the need to establish a restricted access

program for this shery.
4.
Explore gear modications to reduce bycatch.
Rock Scallop
The rock scallop is a valuable marine resource to the sport
diver as well as a highly promising candidate for extensive
cultivation in the sea by new methods of aquaculture.
There will be an increasing demand for hatcheries to
provide seed stock for population enhancement and for
the developing aquaculture industry.
sion of long-term monitoring of settlement patterns is

crucial to providing a relative measure of settlement
supply and should be continued and expanded. Reestablishment of an industry-based revenue system
would assist in funding these programs.
Salmon
The major threat to Californias salmon resource is further
degradation and elimination of its freshwater and estuarine habitats. Restoration of inland spawning and rearing
habitats and renegotiation of inland water management
policies, particularly in the Central Valley, must be pursued if salmon production levels from naturally spawning
areas are ever to return to their former levels. Prudent
regulation of the sheries will be required to equitably
distribute the available sh between the various ocean
and in-river users and to meet spawning escapement
needs. To these ends, the California Department of Fish
and Game should:
1.
Continue its efforts to improve, restore, and enhance

freshwater and estuarine habitats for salmon,
focusing on:
a.
Screening of water diversions
b.
Abatement of pollution sources, chemical and

thermal
c.
Reductions in siltation and gravel compaction

levels
d.
Elimination of gravel removal operations in

important spawning and rearing areas

A Status Report
561
2.
e.
Reduction of vegetation encroachment into

major spawning areas
Sea Cucumber
f.
Maintenance of suitable stream ows and temperatures
g.
Control of diseases, particularly bacterial kidney

disease in hatcheries.
The dive and trawl sheries target different species. In

order to manage these sheries, it is important to know
the quantities of each species taken. Presently, both the
dive and trawl landings of sea cucumber are lumped on
commercial landing receipts under a single code for sea
cucumbers, unspecied. It is recommended that:
Support studies to differentiate races of salmon, particularly in the Central Valley, where winter chinook
and spring chinook are severely depressed.
3.
Develop and implement plans addressing habitat

and shery management to reverse the status of
depleted salmon stocks, winter-run and spring-run
in particular.
4.
Investigate the feasibility of constructing a salmon

(and steelhead) hatchery within the San Joaquin
basin to produce study sh needed to evaluate delta
water management strategies.
5.
Continue to work with the Klamath Fishery Management Council in negotiating harvest sharing agreements between ocean and river user groups, developing methods of adjusting sheries on an a real
time basis, and rening stock projection and shery
models.
6.
Support studies to compare hooking mortality rates

following release for sublegal and out-of-season
salmon caught by trolling and mooching.
7.
Operate hatcheries and rearing facilities and conduct

sh stocking practices responsibly to minimize effects
on natural production.
1.
Individual species codes be assigned to both the California and warty sea cucumber. The logbook data
also should be coded to species. This is especially
important for dive logbooks, because it is possible for
divers to target either species depending on where in
the state they are shing.
2.
Limited entry regulations for the two sheries be

maintained.
3.
Effort is needed to collect the eld data necessary

to perform stock assessments and generate biomass
estimates for both the warty and California sea
cucumber. The biological, catch, effort and catch per
unit effort parameters derived from logbook data
would be used to model the impact of different levels
of shing intensity.
4.
Fishery-independent, as well as the shery-dependent, information is needed to properly manage this

shery. Video surveys of shed areas, to compare
with unshed areas, should be conducted.
5.
Closed areas may need to be established to serve as

controls in order to evaluate the impact of harvests
on abundance in open areas.
6.
Finally, if the limited entry restrictions do not adequately limit the take of sea cucumbers to sustainable levels, additional management options, such as
individual or area quotas, may need to be considered.
Sand Crab
Not all beaches are suitable for sand crab survival through
the winter and must be colonized annually. For this
reason, regulation of the shery should focus on smaller
management areas such as the Santa Monica Bay in southern California, where most of the historic catch has been
taken.
Scorpionfish
Because there has been no assessment of California scorpionsh numbers, it may be prudent to set conservative
quotas on both the recreational and commercial catches,
in order to forestall the collapses seen in many other
California sheries.
562

A Status Report
Sheep Crab
The sheep crab shery is presently unregulated. Additional biological information, including a better understanding of physiological and behavioral reproduction, is
needed for the development of sound management policies. Nevertheless, limited recommendations can be made
based on certain biological characteristics of the sheep
crab.
1.
The sheep crab undergoes a terminal molt upon

reaching adulthood. Thus, the adult claws will not
regenerate once removed indicating the claw shery
utilizes a non-renewable resource.
2.
The terminal molt, as well as other characteristics,

also has implications for management of the live,
whole body shery. For example, size limits would

December 2001
3.
4.
Protection of seasonal spawning aggregations may

need to be incorporated into a management plan for
this species.
Use of abrasion stages may also provide a good
tool for management. However, duration of the
various abrasion stages and their association with
gonadal development and reproductive success needs
to be determined before considering this management strategy.
Shortfin Mako
The shortn makos uncertain status calls for increased
investment in shery-dependent and -independent
research. Population assessments are needed, which
require more research on shing mortality, demographics,
stock structure, and abundance. The state might consider
reinstatement of its volunteer pelagic shark-tagging program. This program has provided information on the
migration paths, biology, and ecology of mako sharks.
Satellite pop-up tags may also prove useful in determining
the distribution and biology of adult mako sharks.
Silversides
The only current aspect of topsmelt and jacksmelt management that might be a candidate for revision is the lack
of a bag limit. The case for establishing a bag limit is
not based on current harvest rates, but on the potential
impact of a constantly growing human population in California. A nominal bag limit of, perhaps, 30 topsmelt (which
are commonly used for game sh bait), including jacksmelt
in a general provision such as 20 sh, no more than 10
of any one species, would not restrict current legitimate
recreational harvesting but would serve to prevent overharvest if shing for these species became more popular.
A bag limit also is valuable to insure that sh caught
under the authority of a sport shing license are not being
harvested in large quantities for illegal sale.
Skates and Rays

The continued removal of large numbers of skates and
rays without additional management would be ill advised.
More data are needed to produce an effective management plan for the species involved. The information
needed includes:
1.
Landing data on size, sex, and species composition of

the sport and commercial catch.
2.
Survival rates for released catch.
3.
Life history parameters for many of the species

involved.
4.
Population dynamics including species movements.

All of this information will help determine if
increased landings of previously discarded catch are
altering the impact to the species involved.
5.
With skate landings increasing in California, Oregon,

and Washington, it would be advisable to coordinate
management among the three states.
Skipjack Tuna
likely need to include both an upper and lower limit,

leaving the largest and smallest crabs to mate so as to
maintain recruitment and intermediate sizes, as well
as to protect large juvenile males which overlap in
size with the adults.
Since skipjack tuna in the Pacic are considered under

shed, management is not being considered. However,
because skipjack tuna in the eastern Pacic are caught
with yellown tuna, many of the recommended management measures applied to yellown tuna may impact skipjack tuna. Some of these include reduction of effort
levels and reducing shing on schools associated with
drifting objects to minimize bycatch and the catches of
small tunas.
Spiny Lobster
The limited entry program has had some benecial
results. An active shermens organization, the California
Lobster and Trap Fishermens Association, worked with
the department to develop the current management
program. In addition to formalizing a trap retrieval program for traps washed into the surf or onto the beach,
the trappers regularly participate in the commission
process to resolve industry problems or improve the
current regulations.
The current logbook system needs to maintained, and
a program needs to be initiated to determine the recreational take of spiny lobster. A formal review of the
current limited access program should be scheduled to
address issues such as permit transferability until a shery
management plan is produced.

December 2001

A Status Report
563
Spot Prawn
tion of access to historical habitats that are still suitable

but blocked by dams.
The spot prawn shery has undergone signicant growth

in the last 10 years in terms of the total pounds landed,
numbers of participants and vessels. This pressure is not
likely to ease given the worldwide demand for shrimp and
prawn as well as the displacement of shermen from other
sheries such as the groundsh shery along the Pacic
Coast and from the spot prawn shery in Washington.
Given these issues, the following management measures
should be considered:
In 1999, the department implemented the north coast

steelhead research and monitoring project to obtain information on status and life history of north coast steelhead
stocks. A similar effort is needed for the Central Valley
and south coast. More steelhead focused research and
monitoring is needed to provide the necessary information
to facilitate the recovery these stocks.
1.
Limited entry for both the trap and trawl eet.
2.
Development of a coastwide spot prawn geographic

information system (GIS) database, which would identify historic and current shing areas as well as preferred habitats.
3.
Coastwide sheries-independent population survey of

the spot prawn resource.
4.
Evaluation of the effectiveness of the current management scheme.
5.
Evaluation and establishment of a minimum and/or

maximum roller gear size-limit.
Spotfin Croaker
1.
Maintain the current sport sh regulations and the

ban on commercial take of spotn croaker.
2.
Protect and enhance available bay and nearshore

habitats.
3.
Collect more complete data on age, growth and

maturity.
4.
Ascertain size and age structure of populations.
Spotted Sand Bass

Since they are not specically targeted as a food sh and
are mostly caught by recreational anglers adopting a catch
and release policy might prove benecial to this species.
Striped Marlin
All Pacic billsh resources will soon be covered under
new international conventions and a federal management
plan for highly migratory species is currently being drafted
for the Pacic Fishery Management Council. These management groups provide a great opportunity for effective
long-term management and conservation of striped marlin
and other highly migratory species. However, stock assessments for striped marlin are badly out of date and in
need of re-examination. New assessments should include
current shery statistics, a clear denition of geographical
limits, better understanding of age, growth and reproductive status, better indices of abundance and evaluation of the effectiveness of catch and release in the
recreational sheries.
Swordfish
Current assessments are based on old, incomplete
and sometimes inaccurate data. New assessments using
updated and standardized shery statistics are necessary
to determine stock condition and to validate existing
levels for MSY. International and domestic conventions
are currently being developed to improve reporting of
shery statistics from all shing nations. These international management authorities need to establish comprehensive assessments to ensure precautionary exploitation, allocation, and conservation of the Pacic
swordsh resource.
Steelhead
Steelhead are rarely caught in the ocean and state laws
and regulations require they be released. The management challenges for this species are almost exclusively
in inland waters. In 1996, the Steelhead Restoration
and Management Plan for California was published which
identied the goals and objectives for management and
research needs. The primary management focus for the
department recovery of imperiled populations is through
the restoration of freshwater habitat, particularly restora-
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A Status Report

December 2001
Delta Smelt
Since the delta smelt was listed as a threatened species,
modications to provide better habitat conditions as well
as restrictions on the timing and amounts of diversions
from the estuary have been instituted. Large-scale habitat
restoration projects to improve spawning and rearing habitat have also been planned. Monitoring of the population
as well as research designed to determine mechanisms
affecting abundance are needed to evaluate the success
or failure of these modications.
Eulachon
The eulachon populations in California need investigation
in order to evaluate the status of these populations. It
is unknown whether a shery for this fascinating sh can
be restored.
Longn Smelt
Abundance trends of longn smelt should be closely monitored since freshwater outows out of San Francisco Bay
estuary are highly regulated and other coastal estuaries
are highly modied.
Night Smelt
The shery for night smelt appears to be stable or increasing; however the shery is in fact poorly regulated and
monitored. Fisheries independent sampling, as suggested
earlier, can verify whether apparent increases in shing
effort are over-exploiting the resource. An evaluation
of the recreational impacts on spawning beaches should
be done.
Surf Smelt
The apparent shift from surf smelt to night smelt as the
most common smelt in the commercial shery may reect
changes in effort or methods; however, the shery should
be monitored much more closely. Fisheries-independent
sampling would also verify changes in abundance irrespective of changes in shing effort. Any additional information, especially on life stages where little or no information is known, would greatly add to our understanding of
surf smelt biology.

December 2001
Wakasagi
Additional research is recommended in order to monitor
the potential expansion of wakasagi distribution. The
impacts of wakasagi expanding its range into southern
California are unknown.
Whitebait Smelt
Since very little is known about the life history of this
species, any research or information would add greatly
to our understanding. Smelt catches should be constantly
examined for the presence of this species.
Washington Clam
The greatest take of Washington clams occurs in Humboldt
Bay and with the present level of effort unlikely to
increase greatly. The current combination of Washington
and gaper clam bag limits appears to be adequate. The
present sport bag limits for the rest of the state also
appear to be adequate at this time to protect Washington
and butter clams from over-harvest.
Wavy Turban Snails
Smelts
Further development of the shery should follow procedures for emerging sheries under the Marine Life Management Act. Thus, the department should identify and
monitor new emerging sheries and notify the commission
of such sheries. The commission can then adopt regulations that limit taking in the shery until a shery management plan is adopted and/or direct the department
to prepare a shery management plan for the shery and
regulations necessary to implement the plan.
Recommended interim regulations, based on current best
scientic knowledge and slow growth rates, include:
1.
A minimum legal size of four inches in shell diameter.
2.
A fall and winter shing season.
3.
A temporary cap on the number of shery participants.
4.
Closed areas for study where snails can not be shed.
These interim regulations could be implemented while

the department is developing and evaluating a shery
management plan and conducting population monitoring.

A Status Report
565

566
White Croaker
Yellowfin croaker
There are currently no limitations on catches of white

croaker off California, with the exception of a small notake zone off Palos Verdes. Future management considerations should include continual monitoring of the population size and the status of contaminant levels in areas of
concern.
1.
Retain current status as a recreational resource only

and existing bag limit of 10 sh.
2.
Collect basic life history information such as age and

growth, size at rst maturity, and fecundity.
Yellowfin Tuna
Given the current status of the yellowtail population,

and recent enactment of a minimum size limit for sport
caught sh, no further management measures are needed
to protect the stock.
The current IATTC management objective for yellown

tuna in the eastern Pacic is to maintain the stock at
levels capable of producing the average MSY. To attain this
objective, the IATTC continues to recommend an annual
catch quota. Future management issues for yellown tuna
in the eastern Pacic will also include capacity reductions
to maintain or reduce effort levels and reduced shing on
drifting objects to minimize the catches of small tunas
and bycatch.

A Status Report
Yellowtail

December 2001
ABC - See Acceptable Biological Catch.

Abyss - The deepest part of the ocean.
Acceptable Biological Catch (ABC)- A term used by a
management agency which refers to the range of allowable catch for a species or species group. It is set each
year by a scientific group created by the management
agency. The agency then takes the ABC estimate and
sets the annual total allowable catch (TAC).
Advection - Horizontal or vertical movement of water.
Allele - One of several variants of a gene that can occupy
a locus on a chromosome.
Allozyme - A variant of an enzyme coded by a different
allele.
Beam trawl - A conical-shaped net held open by an horizontal beam. At each end of the beam are iron frameworks that hold the net open in a vertical direction.
Benthic - Of, relating to, or occurring at the bottom of a
body of water (including the ocean).
Berried - Bearing eggs.
Bight - A name for the water body found abutting a large
indentation in the coast. A bight is less enclosed than
a bay.
Billfishes - The family of fish that includes marlins, sailfish
and spearfish.
Bioaccumulation - The build-up over time of substances
(like metals) that cannot be excreted by an organism.
Biomass - The total weight or volume of a species in a
given area.
Amphipod - Laterally compressed, planktonic or benthic

crustaceans.
Biosystematics - The study of relationships with reference to the laws of classification of organisms; taxonomy.
Anadromous - Fish that migrate from saltwater to fresh

water to spawn.
Biota - Refers to any and all living organisms and the

ecosystems in which they exist.
Anaerobic - Living in the absence of oxygen.
Biotoxin - Substances produced by organisms that can

seriously impair living processes and in some cases
cause death.
Angler - A person catching fish or shellfish with no intent

to sell. This includes people releasing the catch.
Annuli - Annual variations in the pattern of growth rings
on fish scales.
Aquaculture - The raising of fish or shellfish under some
controls. Feed and ponds, pens, tanks, or other containers may be used. A hatchery is also aquaculture,
but the fish are released before harvest size is reached.
Artisanal fishery - Commercial fishing using traditional or
small scale manually-operated gear and boats.
Ascidiacea - See Tunicate.
Bag limit - The number and/or size of a species that a
person can legally take in a day or trip. This may or may
not be the same as a possession limit.
Baitboat - Refers to a vessel that fishes with live bait.
Examples of target catch for baitboats include albacore
and other tunas.
Bioturbation - Disturbance of soft sediments by the movements and feeding activities of infauna (animals that live
just beneath the surface of the sea bed).
Bivalve - A mollusk with the shell divided into two halves;
e.g. clams, mussels.
Brachiopod - A bivalve mollusk distinguished by having,
on each side of the mouth, a long spiral arm, used to
obtain food.
Brackish water - Water of reduced salinity resulting from a
mixture of freshwater and seawater.
Brail net - A small dip net used to scoop out portions
of the catch from the main net and haul these portions
aboard. Brail nets are used to transfer tuna, salmon,
and sometimes menhaden from the purse seine to the
boats hold.
Baleen - A specialized plate of horny material used by

some species of whales (Mysticetes) to filter-feed.
Broken and burnt otolith method - Otoliths are broken

and burned, revealing more accurate information about
the age of a fish.
Barbel - A slender flesh chin whisker found in many

kinds of fishes. Barbels function primarily as sensory
organs for locating food.
Bryozoa - A group of sessile colonial animals that are

colonial invertebrates and live on hard surfaces.
Bathymetry - The science of measuring depths in the

ocean.
Batoid - A skate or ray.
Appendix B: Glossary
Appendix B:
Glossary
Bycatch - The harvest of fish or shellfish other than the

species for which the fishing gear was set. Bycatch is
also often called incidental catch. Some bycatch is kept
for sale.
CEQA - California Environmental Quality Act.

December 2001

A Status Report
567
CPFV - Commercial passenger fishing vessel.

CPS - Coastal pelagic species.
CPUE - See Catch Per Unit of Effort.
Calanoid copepod - A crustacean zooplankton that has a
barrel-shaped body, is found in all oceans of the world,
and is an important food source for many fishes.
Calcareous - Made of calcium carbonate.
Capelin - A small silvery fish, most common in the North
Atlantic.
Caridean - An infraorder of the decapod crustaceans.
Examples include many shrimps and prawns.
Catadromous - Refers to fish that migrate from fresh
water to saltwater to spawn.
Catch - The total number or poundage of fish captured
from an area over some period of time. This includes
fish that are caught but released or discarded instead
of being landed. The catch may take place in an area
different from where the fish are landed. Note that
catch, harvest, and landings are different terms with
different definitions.
Catch Per Unit of Effort (CPUE) - The number of fish
caught by an amount of effort. Typically, effort is a
combination of gear type, gear size, and the length of
time gear is used. Catch per unit of effort is often
used as a measurement of relative abundance for a
particular fish.
Caudal fin - Tail fin.
Caudal peduncle - The tapered, posterior fleshy part of a
fish just in front of the tail fin.
Cephalopod - Organisms belonging to the phylum Mollusca that are nearly always carnivorous and are characterized by complex behavior, a well-organized nervous
system, a circle of grasping arms, and a powerful beak.
Examples include squid and octopus.
Cetacean - A member of the order of marine mammals
that includes whales, porpoises, and dolphins.
568
Cilia - Hair-like structures used for locomotion, and in

some species, for feeding.
Cladogenesis - The branching of an ancestral lineage to
form equal sister taxa (species, genera, families, etc.).
Cladocera - Planktonic crustacea with a bivalved outer
skeleton.
Clupeid - A member of the Clupeidae family of fishes.
Clupeids include herrings, shads, sardines, and menhaden. They can be readily recognized by their keeled
(sawtooth) bellies and silvery, deciduous scales.
Codend - The end of a trawl net. Fish are eventually
pushed into the codend as the net is dragged along.
Cohort - A group of fish spawned during a given period,
usually within a year.
Coliform - A bacteria commonly associated with food poisoning.
Community - An ecological unit composed of the various
populations of micro-organisms, plants, and animals that
inhabit a particular area.
Congener - A member of the same genus.
Convergence - The contact at the sea surface between
two water masses converging, one plunging below
the other.
Copepod - A group of small planktonic, benthic or parasitic
crustaceans. Copepods that spend their entire life in
the water column are usually the numerically dominant
group of zooplankton captured by nets in most marine
areas.
Coriolis effect - The deflection of air or water bodies,
relative to the solid earth beneath, as a result of the
earths eastward rotation.
Creel - A container used by anglers to hold fish.
Crustacean - A group of freshwater and saltwater animals
having no backbone, with jointed legs and a hard shell
made of chitin. Includes shrimp, crabs, lobsters, and
crayfish.
Chimaera - A member of a group of bottom-dwelling,

invertebrate-feeding fishes. Distinctive characteristics
include an operculum that covers four gill openings, an
upper jaw fused to the skull, teeth consisting only of a
few large, flat plates, and no scales.
Ctenophore - Gelatinous zooplankton having eight longitudinal rows of fused cilia (ctenes) used in swimming.
Chitin - A horny substance forming the hard part of the

outer skeleton of crustacea.
Cycloid - A round, flat, and thin fish scale found on fish

such as trout, minnow, and herring.
Chiton - Mollusks found commonly on hard substrates that

are ovalshaped and flattened, have eight dorsal plates
which cover the dorsal mantle, and are herbivores.
Davit - A fixed or movable crane that projects over the side

of a boat or over a hatchway. It is used for hauling nets,
anchors, boats or cargo.
Chum - To attract fish to a hook by throwing whole or

chopped fish or shellfish into the water.
Demersal - Describes fish and animals that live near

water bottoms. Examples of demersal fish are flounder
and croaker.

A Status Report
Cultch - Material (as oyster shells) laid down on oyster

grounds that furnish points of attachment for the
young oyster.

December 2001
Epipelagic zone - The upper region of the sea from the

surface to about 200-300 meters depth.
Depuration - Cleansing of bivalve shellfish by moving

them from polluted waters to clean waters.
Epiphyte - A plant that grows on another plant.
Detritivore - An organism that feeds on detritus.

Detritus - Any loose material produced directly from rock
disintegration.
Diatom - One-celled phytoplankton with an external skeleton of silica.
Dinoflagellate - Unicellular plankton having two flagella
and, in some species, a cellulose test.
Doliolaria - The second stage of the echinoderm (which
include starfish and sea urchins) larvae.
Dorsal fin - An unpaired fin on the dorsal or upper side of
the body, between the head and the tail.
Dory - A flat-bottomed boat with high flaring sides, a sharp
bow, and a deep V-shaped transom.
Downwelling - The sinking of water.
Drum seine - Similar to a purse seine but the seine is
stored on a large drum mounted at the stern. The drum
is particularly successful in handling shallow nets.
EPA - Environmental Protection Agency.
ESA - Endangered Species Act.
Ecosystem - A group of organisms that interact among
themselves and with their nonliving environment
Effort - The amount of time and fishing power used to
harvest fish. Fishing power includes gear size, boat
size, and horsepower.
Ekman circulation - Movement of surface water at an
angle from the wind, as a result of the Coriolis effect.
El Nio - Condition in which warm surface water
moves into the eastern Pacific, collapsing upwelling and
increasing surface-water temperatures and precipitation
along the west coast of North and South America.
Elasmobranch - Describes a group of fish without a hard
bony skeleton, including sharks, skates, and rays.
Electrophoresis - A method of determining the genetic
differences or similarities between individual fish or
groups of fish by using tissue samples.
Embayment - Formation of a bay. Also, the portion of
water or coast that forms a bay.
Endangered species - A classification under the Endangered Species Act. A species is considered endangered
if it is in danger of extinction throughout a significant
portion of its range.
Entrainment - Mixing of salt water into fresh water, as in
an estuary.

December 2001
Epipodium - A ridge or fold in the lateral edges of each

side of the foot of certain gastropod mollusks.
Escapement - The percentage of fish in a particular fishery that escape from an inshore habitat and move offshore, where they eventually spawn.
Estuary - A partially enclosed body of water having a free
connection with the open sea; within it salt water and
fresh water mix.
Density - dependent factors - Factors, such as resource

availablilty, that vary with population density.
Etiology - All the causes of a disease or abnormality.

Euphausiid - Shrimplike crustaceans that spend their
entire lives in the sea; krill.
Extirpation - Situation when something is no longer
present.
Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) - The region from 3-200
nautical miles searward of the 48 contiguous states,
Alaska, Hawaii, and U.S.-affiliated islands. The U.S.
National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) regulates
fisheries within this area.
Ex-vessel - Refers to activities that occur when a commercial fishing boat lands or unloads a catch. For example,
the price received by a captain for the catch is an exvessel price.
FL - See Fork Length.
Falcate - Shaped like a sickle.
Fathom - A unit of measurement. One fathom equals six
feet or 1.83 meters.
Filter feed - See Suspension Feed.
Finfish - A common term to define fish as separate from
shellfish.
Fingerling - A term commonly used for any juvenile fish,
most commonly used for a life stage in trout and salmon.
A fingerling is the stage after fry and before smolt.
Finlet - Small fins located posterior to the anal and dorsal
fins. Examples are found in the mackerels (family
Scombridae).
Fishery - All the activities involved in catching a species of
fish or group of species.
Fishery-dependent - Describes data about fish resources
collected by sampling commercial and recreational
catches.
Fishery-independent - Describes data about fish
resources collected by methods other than sampling
commercial and recreational catches. An example of
such a method is sampling in marine reserves.

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569
Food chain - A linear sequence of organisms in which

each is food for the next member in the sequence.
Green mud - Greenish sand deposits in which glauconite

is abundant.
Food web - A network describing the feeding interactions

of the species in an area.
Groundfish - A species or group of fish that lives most of

its life on or near the sea bottom.
Fork length - The length of a fish as measured from the tip

of its snout to the fork in the tail.
Gurdy - Spool used in trolling upon which the fishing line is

wound. The gurdies are usually powered, but on some
of the smaller boats, like salmon dories, they are often
hand-operated.
Front - A major discontinuity separating ocean currents

and water masses in any combination.
Fully utilized - Situation when the amount of fishing effort
used is about equal to the amount needed to achieve
the LTPY.
Gaff - A pole with a large hook at its end.
Galactans - Plant polysaccharides. Examples are agaragar and carrageenan.
Gamete - An egg or a sperm.
Gammarid - A member of the suborder Gammaridea and
the order Amphipoda. Distinctive gammarid characteristics include that the first segment of the thorax is fused
to the head and that they live in salt water, fresh water,
and tropical forests. An example is the beach hopper.
Gastropod - A member of the class Gastropoda. Gastropods have a flattened foot, usually a cap-shaped or
coiled shell, a mouth apparatus known as a radula,
and are characterized by a twisting of the body,
known as torsion. Examples include limpets, whelks,
and periwinkles.
Gastrula - A stage in the development of a fertilized egg.
Gel chromatography - A method for comparing DNA or
genes of different organisms.
Genetic introgression - The transfer of a small amount
of genetic material from one (usually plant) species to
another as a result of hybridization between them and
repeated back-crossing.
Haplosporidian - A member of the phylum Haplosporidia,

which contains spore-forming parasitic protists. One
member of this group, Haplosporidium nelsoni, also
called MSX disease, has recently caused widespread
disease in Crassostrea virginica, the eastern oyster, on
the U.S. east coast.
Haplotype - A set of genes that determines different antigens but are closely enough linked to be inherited as
a unit.
Haptera - Basal outgrowths that form part of a holdfast.
Harvest - The total number or poundage of fish caught
and kept from an area over a period of time. Note that
landings, catch and harvest are different.
Heterosis - Segmentation in which the parts are different.
Also, the tendency of cross-breeding to produce an
animal or plant with a greater hardiness and capacity for
growth than either of the parents; hybrid vigor.
Hermaphrodite - An individual with both male and female
organs.
Histology - A branch of anatomy that deals with the
minute structure of animal and plant tissues as discernible with a microscope.
Holdfast - The rootlike structure at the base of an alga that
attaches to rocky substrate.
Hydroacoustics - Sound waves travelling through water.
Ghost fishing - Situation when abandoned fishing gear

continues to catch organisms.
Hydrography - The arrangement and movement of bodies

of water, such as currents and water masses.
Gillnet - A curtainlike net suspended in the water with

mesh openings large enough to permit only the heads of
the fish to pass through, ensnaring them around the gills
when they attempt to escape.
Hydroid - Benthic colonial cnidarians (a phylum that

includes jellyfish, sea anemones and corals), some of
which produce free-swimming jellyfish.
Gill rakers - Bony, tooth-like structures on the anterior

edges of gill arches. Used for protection or for straining
out food.
IWC - International Whaling Commission.
Gonad - Animal organs which produce gametes (eggs

or spermatazoa). Female gonads are ovaries; male
gonads are testes.
Gonosomatic index - The ratio of the weight of a fishs
eggs or sperm to its body weight. The index is used to
dermine the spawning time of a species of fish.
INPFC - International North Pacific Fisheries Commission.

Immunodiffusion - Any of several techniques for obtaining a precipitate between an antibody and its specific
antigen. One technique is to suspend one in a gel and
letting the other migrate through it from a well; another is
to let both antibody and antigen migrate through the gel
from separate wells to form an area of precipitation.
Intertidal - Between the high and low tide marks and
periodically exposed to air.
Gravid - Heavy with eggs or young.
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December 2001
Isotherm - An imaginary line passing through points on

the earths surface having the same mean temperature.
Long-term potential yield - The maximum long-term

average yield that can be achieved through conscientious stewardship, by controlling the proportion of the
population removed by harvesting by regulating fishing
effort or total catch levels.
Jetty - A rocky structure constructed from land into the sea

to protect shore-based property.
Lunate - Refers to the caudal fin shape that is indented

and looks like a crescent.
Jig - An artificial lure made to simulate live bait. It is

usually made with a lead head cast on a single hook and
is heavier than most other lures.
MLMA - Marine Life Management Act.
Juvenile - A young fish or animal that has not reached

sexual maturity.
MRFSS - Marine Recreational Fisheries Statistics Survey.
Keystone species - A species that maintains community

structure through its feeding activities, and without which
large changes would occur in the community.
Macrophyte - A plant that is large enough to be seen with

the naked eye.
Knot - A unit of speed equal to one nautical mile per hour

(approximately 51 centimeters per second).
LTPY - Long-term potential yield.
La Nia - An episode of strong trade winds and unusually
low sea surface temperature in the central and eastern
tropical Pacific. The antithesis of El Nino.
Lampara net - An encircling net (similar to purse seine yet
that does not close completely) used in shallow water.
Landing - The number or poundage of fish unloaded at
a dock by commercial fishermen or brought to shore by
recreational fishermen for personal use. Landings are
reported at the points at which fish are brought to shore.
Note that landings, catch, and harvest define different
things.
Lateen - A sailing rig used by early salmon fishing vessels
off California.
Leader - A length of monofilament or wire that connects
the main fishing line to the hook used for capturing fish.
Limited entry - A program that changes a common property resource like fish into private property for individual
fishermen. License limitation and the individual transferable quota (ITQ) are two forms of limited entry.
Limiting factor - A factor primarily responsible for determining the growth and/or reproduction of an organism
or a population. The limiting factor may be a physical
factor (such as temperature or light), a chemical factor
(such as a particular nutrient), or a biological factor
(such as a competing species). The limiting factor may
differ at different times and places.
Limnology - The study of freshwater ecosystems, especially lakes.
Littoral zone - The intertidal zone.
Longline - See Setline.

December 2001
MLPA - Marine Life Protection Act.

MMPA - Marine Mammal Protection Act.
Isopods - An order of crustaceans characterized by a

small flattened bodies, sessile eyes, and both benthic
and planktonic species.
MSY - See Maximum Sustainable Yield.
Mariculture - The raising of marine finfish or shellfish

under some controls. Feed and ponds, pens, tanks
or other containers may be used. A hatchery is also
mariculture but the fish are released before harvest size
is reached.
Maturity - The age at which reproduction is possible.
Maximum sustainable yield - The largest average catch
that can be taken continuously (sustained) from a stock
under average environmental conditions. This is often
used as a management goal.
Mean - The sum of the data divided by the number of
pieces of data; the average.
Median - Within a data set, the median is the the number
that divides the bottom 50% of the data from the top
50%.
Megalopa - A larval stage of crabs that follow the zoea
stages.
Meristem - The point or region from which active growth
takes place.
Mesohaline - A zone of water from 1.8% salinity to .5%
salinity.
Mesopelagic - A somewhat arbitrary depth zone in offshore or oceanic waters, usually below 600 feet and
above 3,000 (200-1000 meters).
Metric ton - 2200 pounds.
Midden - A refuse heap left by prehistoric Native Americans, usually marking campsites.
Milt - A term for the sperm of fish such as salmon, trout,
and herring.
Mollusk - A group of freashwater and saltwater animals
with no skeleton and usually one or two hard shells
made of calcium carbonate. Includes the oyster, clam,
mussel, snail, conch, scallop, squid, and octopus.

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571
Mooching - A method of salmon fishing from a drifting

or propelled boat. The bait is sunk deep with a heavy
sinker then brought upward at an angle as the boat is
maneuvered forward a few yards or the line retrieved.
The bait is then allowed to sink once again to the bottom
and the procedure repeated.
Optimum yield - The harvest level for a species that

acheives the greatest overall benefits, including economic, social, and biological considerations. Optimum
yield is different from maximum sustainable yield in that
MSY considers only the biology of the species. The
term includes both commercial and sport yields.
Morphology - The physical characteristics of an individual.
Organic - Deriving from living organisms.
Myctophid - A member of the Myctophidae family of

fishes. Commonly called lanternfishes, they are abundant in all oceans of the world, usually at 200-1000
meters depth.
Otolith - Calcareous concretions in the inner ear of a fish,

functioning as organs of hearing and balance. There are
three pairs of otoliths in the skull of each fish, and these
are termed sagittae, lapilli, and asterisci. Otoliths are
used by fishery biologists for numerous studies.
Mysid - A member of an order of shrimplike crustaceans,

mostly epibenthic.
NEPA - National Environmental Policy Act.
NFMP - Nearshore Fishery Management Plan.
NISA - National Invasive Species Act.
NMFS - National Marine Fisheries Service.
NPDES - National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System.
Nacre - A smooth, shining, iridescent substance forming
the inner layer in many shells; mother-of-pearl.
Nekton - Organisms with swimming abilities that permit
them to move actively throught the water column and to
move against currents. Examples include adult squid,
fish and marine mammals.
Neuston - Organisms that inhabit the uppermost few millimeters of the surface water.
Non-point source - Sources of pollution such as general
runoff of sediments, fertilizer, pesticides, and other
materials from farms and urban areas as compared to
specific points of discharge such as factories.
Overfishing - Harvesting at a rate greater than that which

will meet the management goal.
Overutilized - When more fishing effort is employed than
is necessary to achieve LTPY.
Oviparous - Producing eggs that hatch outside the
females body.
Oviphagous - Refers to an organism that consumes eggs.
Oviposit - To lay or deposit eggs, especially by means
of a specialized organ, as found on certain insects and
fishes.
Ovoviviparous - Pertaining to an animal that incubates
eggs inside the mother until they hatch.
PFMC - Pacific Fishery Management Council.
PSMFC - Pacific States Marine Fisheries Commission.
Nudibranch - Sea slug. A member of the mollusk class

Gastropoda that has no protective covering as an adult.
Respiration is carried on by gills or other projections on
the dorsal surface.
PacFIN - Pacific Fishery Information Network. A database

containing West Coast fishing landings that is maintained by the Pacific States Marine Fisheries Commission.
Nursery - Habitat suitable for protection and growth during

an organisms early life stages.
Palp - Any of various sensory and usually fleshy appendages near the oral aperture of certain invertebrates.
Nutricline - The depth zone where nutrient concentrations

increase rapidly with depth.
Papilla - A nipplelike protuberance of the skin.
Oocyte - An egg before the completion of maturation.

Oophagy - The first young to hatch in each of the two
oviducts proceed to eat the other embryos in the oviduct
with them.
Open access - A fishery in which no restrictions on entry
or gear occur. Licenses may be required in an open
access fishery, but if no quotas on fishermen exist the
fishery is still considered to be open access.
Operculum - The covering of the gills of a fish. Found in
higher order fishes.
572
Otter trawl - A cone-shaped net that is dragged along the

sea bottom. Its mouth is kept open by floats, weights
and by two otter boards which shear outward as the net
is towed.

A Status Report
Paranzella net - A bag-shaped net towed by two vessels

that run at various distances apart to keep the mouth
open and at various speeds according to the depth
desired. The paranzella net initiated the West Coast
trawl fishery in 1876 but by World War II it had been
replaced by the less expensive otter trawl.
Parturition - Birth.
Patchy distribution - A condition in which organisms
occur in aggregations.
Pectoral fins - Paired fins on the front lower sides of the
chest.

December 2001
Potential yield - The yield estimated to be available for

exploitation.
Pelagic - Refers to fish and animals that live in the open

sea, away from the sea bottom.
Productivity - The rate at which a given quantity of

organic material is produced by organisms.
Pelecypod - A bivalve.
Protandry - An organism functions first as a male, then

as a female.
Penaid - Member of a family of shrimp, used in shrimp

culture.
Periostracum - A protective layer of chitin covering the
outer portion of the shell in many mollusks, especially
freshwater forms.
Pharyngeal - Of, pertaining to, or connected with the
pharynx.
Pharyngeal teeth - Teeth developed on the pharyngeal
bone in many fishes.
Phycocolloid - A colloidal substance obtained from
seaweeds.
Phytoplankton - Microscopic planktonic plants. Examples include diatoms and dinoflagellates.
Pinniped - A member of the order of marine mammals that
includes the seals, sea lions, and walruses, all having
four swimming flippers.
Piscivorous - An organism that feeds on fish.
Planktivorous - An organism that feeds on planktonic
organisms.
Plankton - Plants or animals that live in the water column
and are incapable of swimming against a current.
Pleopod - One of the swimming limbs attached to the
abdomen in crustaceans.
Plug - A nonspecific term for any artificial lure having a
distinct body made of wood or plastic and having one
or more sets of single, double, or triple hooks hattached.
Most plugs are designed to wobble or create a commotion in the water when retrieved.
Pneumatocyst - A gas-filled bladder at the base of each
kelp blade that helps buoy the frond in the water column.
Point source - Specific points of origin of pollutants,
such as factory drains or outlets from sewage-treatment
plants.
Polychaete - Marine segmented worms belonging to the
phylum Annelida; some are planktonic, but most are
benthic.
Population - Fish of the same species inhabiting a specified geographic area.
Potamodromous - Refers to fish that migrate entirely
within fresh water.

December 2001
Procaryote - A member of a group of unicellular organisms comprising the bacteria and the cyanophyceae,
whose cell structures differs from all other organisms.
Protogynous - Female in the first phase of ones life.

Pteropod - A holoplanktonic (permanent resident of the
plankton community) snail having two swimming wings.
Pedicle - In jointed brachiopods, a short stalk, composed

mostly of tough connective tissue, that emerges through
a hole or notch in the posterior part of the larger valve.
Muscles that are inserted into the pedicle make it possible for an jointed brachiopod to change its orientation.
Purse seine - A net that is cast in a circle around a school

of fish. When the fish are surrounded, the bottom of the
net is closed up, preventing escape.
RecFIN - Recreational Fisheries Information Network.
A database of the National Marine Fisheries Service
(NMFS).
Recruit - An individual fish that has moved into a certain
class, such as the spawning class or fishing-size class.
Recruitment - A measure of the number of fish that enter
a class during some time period, such as the spawning
class or fishing-size class.
Red tide - A red coloration of seawater caused by high
concentrations of certain species of micro-organisms,
usually dinoflagellates, some of which release toxins.
Reduction fishery - Harvested fish are processed into fish
meal, oils, or fertilizer.
Regime shift - A long-term change in marine ecosystems
and/or in biological production resulting from a change
in the physical environment.
Riffle - A shallow extending across the bed of a stream
over which the water flows swiftly so that the surface of
the water is broken in waves.
Riprap - Piles of rock used to support river banks.
River-run - Describes upstream migration of anadromous
fish.
Roller trawl - A trawl net equipped with rollers that enable
the net to go over rocky areas without snagging.
Round haul net - A net, such as a purse seine, that
encircles schools of fish.
Running-ripe - A high state of reproductive readiness.
Sac-roe - Fish eggs that are encased in a clear membrane. Sac-roe are found in herring, among other species.
Salinity - The total amount of dissolved material (salts) in
seawater.

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573
Salmonid - A member of the Salmonidae family of

fishes. Salmonids are the dominant fishes in the coldwater streams and lakes of North America, Europe,
and Asia, where they support large recreational and
commercial fisheries.
Satellite pop-up tag - A specialized tag usually used to
mark pelagic fish to study their migrations. Data from
the tag is transmitted to researchers via a satellite.
Scaphopod - A member of the phylum Mollusca and class
Scaphopoda which have an elongate conical shell and
live buried within the sediment, feeding on foraminiferans and other small animals.
Scute - A type of sharp scale found on fish such as
sturgeon and jackmackerel.
Sea wall - Any solid structure onshore used to protect the
land from wave damage and erosion.
Seed - Juvenile shellfish, such as clams, oysters,
and mussels.
Serological - An adjective referring to the branch of science dealing with the properties and reactions of blood
sera.
Sessile - Referring to animals that are permanently
attached to a substrate.
Set gillnet - A gillnet that is anchored on both ends.
Setline - Fishing gear made up of a long main line
attached to which are a large number of short branch
lines. At the end of each branch line is a baited hook.
When catching groundfish, setlines are laid on the seafloor. When catching swordfish, shark or tuna they are
buoyed near the surface. Setlines can be twenty or
more miles long. They are also called longlines.
Sexual dimorphism - A phenomenon in which males and
females differ markedly in shape, size, color, or other
ways.
Short ton - 2000 pounds.
Single rig gear - Refers to a boat using a single trawl net
(instead of two trawl nets) when fishing for shrimp.
Simple random sampling - A sampling procedure for
which each possible sample is equally likely to be the
one selected. A sample obtained by simple random
sampling is called a simple random sample.
Skiff - Any of various small boats, especially a flat-bottomed rowboat.
Slough - A place of deep mud or mire. Also, a small
backwater.
Smolt - A term for a specific life stage in salmonids.
In anadromous populations parr (small active fish with
series of bars on their sides) transform into silvery
smolts and migrate to the sea. Once in the ocean (or
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large lakes), the smolts gradually become mature and

return to their home streams for spawning.
Somatic cell - All cells other than those in sexual gametes
(egg and sperm).
Spat - A flat young oyster.
Spatfall - Attachment of shellfish larvae to substrate where
they develop into their adult forms.
Spawn - The term for reproduction in fishes.
Spermatophore - An aggregation of sperm held together
by gelatinous material, or a gelatinous packet of sperm
which is inserted into or attached to the female as part
of reproductive behavior.
Spinning gear - A type of recreational fishing reel with an
open spool on the front end.
Spoon - An artificial lure with a curved or dished out body
that wobbles but does not revolve. A spoon attracts fish
by its movements as well as color.
Sporophyte - A plant that produces spores.
Stipe - The stem-like part that connects the holdfast and
blade of a frondose alga.
Stock - A grouping of fish usually based on genetic relationship, geographic distribution, and movement patterns. Also a managed unit of fish.
Stratified random sampling - A sampling method in
which one (1) divides the population into subpopulations
(called strata), (2) obtains from each stratum a simple
random sample of size proportional to the size of the
stratum, and (3) uses all of the members obtained in
step 2 as the sample.
Substrate - A solid surface on which an organism lives
or to which it is attached (also called substratum); or, a
chemical that forms the basis of a biochemical reaction
or acts as a nutrient for microorganisms.
Subtidal zone - The benthic zone extending from the low
tide mark to the outer edge of the continental shelf.
Suspension feeder - An organism that feeds by capturing
particles suspended in the water column.
Sympatry - The common occurrence of two taxa (closely
related forms) in the same geographic area.
TAC - See Total Allowable Catch.
TL - Total length.
Telemetry - The process of tracking movements of organisms using transmitting tags.
Territorial sea - A zone extending seaward from the shore
or internal waters of a nation for a distance of twelve
miles (19.3 km) as defined by the United Nations Conference on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). The coastal

December 2001
Test - The shell of a sea urchin.

Thermocline - The water layer in which temperature
changes most rapidly with increasing depth.
Threatened species - A classification under the Endangered Species Act. A species is considered threatened
if it is likely to become an endangered species in
the foreseeable future through a significant portion of
its range.
Ventral fins - Paired fins on the lower part of the body;

they may be near the anus, below the pectoral fins, or
near the throat. They are also called pelvic fins.
Virtual population analysis (VPA) - A type of analysis
that uses the number of fish caught at various ages or
lengths and an estimate of natural mortality to estimate
fishing mortality in a cohort. It also provides an estimate
of the number of fish in a cohort at various ages.
Viviparous - Bringing forth living young, rather than being
an egg-layer.
Tidal prism - The volume of water between the high tide

level and low tide level.
Water column - The water from the surface to the bottom

at a given point.
Total allowable catch (TAC) - The annual recommended

catch for a species or species group. The regional fishery management council sets the TAC from the range of
the allowable biological catch.
Weir - A low dam or barrier made across a water channel

to raise the level of water for different purposes. Also,
a barricade.
Trammel net - An entangling net that hangs down in

several curtains.
Trawl - A sturdy bag or net that can be dragged along the
ocean bottom, or at various depths above the bottom,
to catch fish.
Trematode - Any of a class (Trematoda) of parasitic flatworms including the flukes.
Trocophore - A free-swimming larval stage of polychaete
worms and some mollusks, characterized by having
bands of cilia (hair-like structures) around the body.
Troll - To trail artificial or natural baits behind a moving
boat. The bait can be made to skip along the surface or
trailed below at any depth to just above the bottom. A
bait or lure trailed behind an angler walking along a pier,
bridge, or breakwater is also called trolling.
Trophic level - The nutritional position occupied by an
organism in a food chain or food web; e.g. primary producers (plants); primary consumers (herbivores); secondary consumers (carnivores), etc.
Tunicate - Sessile benthic animals belonging to the
phylum Chordata.
Turbidity - Reduced visibility in water due to the presence
of suspended particles.
Underutilized - When more fishing effort is required to
achieve the LTPY.
Upwelling - A rising of nutrient-rich water toward the sea
surface.
VPA - See Virtual Population Analysis.
Vector - A physical quantity that has magnitude and direction. Examples are force, acceleration, and velocity.
Veliger - A free-swimming larval stage of mollusks.
state has full authority over this zone but must allow
rights of innocent passage.
Wrack zone - A bank of accumulated litter at the strandline.

YOY - Young-of-the-year.
Year-class - The fish spawned and hatched in a given
year, a generation of fish.
Zoea - A planktonic larval stage of crabs with characteristic
spines on the exoskeleton.
Zooplankton - Animal members of the plankton.
Zoospore - A motile spore with one or more flagella or cilia
by the vibration of which it swims.
Kristen Sortais
References
Dawson, E.Y. 1966. Seashore plants of northern California. University of California Press, Berkeley, CA, 103pp.
Fitch, J.E. and R.J. Lavenberg. 1968. Deep-water shes
of California. University of California Press, Berkeley, CA,
155pp.
Fitch, J.E. and R.J. Lavenberg. 1975. Tidepool and
nearshore shes of California. University of California
Press, Berkeley, CA, 156pp.
Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.
Fisheries Division. 1960. Trilingual dictionary of sheries
technological terms curing. FAO, Rome, Italy, 85pp.
Kramer, D.E., W.H. Barss, B.C. Paust, and B.E. Bracken.
1995. Guide to northeast Pacic atshes : families
Bothidae, Cynoglossidae, and Pleuronectidae. Alaska Sea
Grant College Program, University of Alaska, Fairbanks,
AK, 104pp.
Velum - A ciliated, sail-like appendage of a veliger larva.

December 2001

A Status Report
575
Lalli, C.M. and T.R. Parsons. 1993. Biological oceanography: an introduction. 1st ed. Pergamon Press, New York,
NY, 301pp.
& facilities. U.S. Dept. of Commerce, National Oceanic

and Atmospheric Administration, National Marine Fisheries
Service, Seattle, WA, 139pp.
Levinton, J.S. 1995. Marine biology: function, biodiversity, ecology. Oxford University Press, New York, NY,
420pp.,
U.S. Dept. of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, National Marine Fisheries Service.
1999. Our living oceans: Report on the status of
U.S. living marine resources, 1999. U.S. Dept. of
Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, National Marine Fisheries Service, Washington, D.C.,
301pp.
Meltzer, M. 1980. The world of the small commercial

shermen: their lives and their boats. Dover Publications, Inc., New York, NY, 86pp.
Merriam-Websters collegiate dictionary. 10th ed. 1998.
Merriam-Webster, Springeld, MA, 1559pp.
Moyle, P.B. and J.J. Cech, Jr. 2000. Fishes: an introduction to ichthyology. 4th ed. Prentice- Hall, Uppersaddle
River, NJ, 612pp.
Nebel, B.J. 1987. Environmental science: the way the
world works. 2nd ed. Prentice-Hall, Englewood Cliffs,
NJ, 671pp.
Newell, G.E. and R.C. Newell. 1963. Marine plankton, a
practical guide. Hutchinson Educational, London, 206pp.
Wallace, R.K. and K.M. Fletcher. 2000. Understanding

sheries management: a manual for understanding the
federal sheries management process, including analysis
of the 1996 Sustainable Fisheries Act. Mississippi-Alabama
Sea Grant Consortium, Mobile, AL and University, MS,
53pp.
Weiss, N.A.; biographies by C. Weiss. 1995. Introductory
statistics. 4th ed. Addison Wesley, Reading, MA, 939pp.
Parker, S.P. (editor). 1984. McGraw-Hill dictionary of

biology. McGraw-Hill, New York, NY, 384pp.
Simpson, J.A. and E.S.C. Weiner (editors). 1998. The
Oxford English dictionary. 2nd ed. Oxford University
Press, New York, NY.
Squire, J.L. and S.M. Smith. 1977. Anglers guide to the
United States Pacic coast: marine sh, shing grounds
576

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December 2001

December 2001

A Status Report
Appendix C:
Californias Commercial Fishing Gear
577

578

A Status Report

December 2001

December 2001

A Status Report
579

580

A Status Report

December 2001

December 2001

A Status Report
581

582

A Status Report

December 2001
The editors wish to thank the reviewers for their

invaluable assistance in compiling this book.
Alaska Sea Grant Extension Program
Brian Paust
California Aquaculture Association
Justin Malan
California Dept of Fish and Game
Alan Baracco (retired)
Kristine Barsky
Dennis Bedford
L.B. Boydston
Pat Collier
Steve Crooke
Paul Gregory
Doyle Hanan (retired)
Bob Hardy
Emma Hateld (Squid Fishery Scientic Committee)
Frank Henry (retired)
Bob Hulbrock
DeWayne Johnston
Rick Klingbeil
Mary Larson
Bob Lea
Mike Malone (Nearshore Advisory Committee)
Ken Oda
Dave Ono
Dave Parker
Christine Pattison
Connie Ryan
Jerry Spratt (now deceased)
Dale Sweetnam
Ian Taniguchi
Bob Tasto
Carl Wilcox
Deb Wilson-Vandenberg
California Fish and Game Commission
John Duffy
Mike Weber (Advisor)
California Marine Life Management Project
Burr Heneman
California Sea Grant Extension Program
Susan McBride
Paul Olin
Jim Waldvogel
California State University, Humboldt
Ron Fritzche
Dave Hankin
Tim Mulligan

December 2001
California State University, Long Beach

Chris Lowe
California State University, San Diego
Tom Ebert
California State Unversity, San Francisco
Ralph Larson
Commercial Fisherman
Peter Halmay
Richard Young
Pietro Parravano
Ducks Unlimited
Ryan Broddrick
Appendix D:
Reviewers
Fishermens Marketing Association

Pete Leipzig
Hubbs-Sea World Research Institute
Mark Drawbridge
Inter-American Tropical Tuna Commission
Bob Olson
Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute
Judith Connor
Moss Landing Marine Laboratory (CSU)
Greg Cailliet
Mike Foster
John Oliver
John Butler
Gonzalo Castillo
Jim Hastie
Bob Hoffman
Dave Holts
Larry Jacobson
Sus Kato (retired)
Mike Laurs
Bill Lenarz (retired)
Nancy Lo
Geoff Moser
Lisa Natanson
Richard Parrish
Gary Sakagawa
Mike Sigler
Sue Smith
Cindy Thomson
Chris Toole
Jack Turnock
Russ Vetter
Occidental College
John Stephens (retired)
Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife
Dave Fox

A Status Report
583

Tim Eichenberg
Oregon State University
Dave Sampson
Gil Sylvia
Pacic Coast Federation of Fishermens
Associations, Inc.
Zeke Grader
Pepperdine University
Karen Martin
Point Reyes Bird Observatory
David Ainley
Point Reyes-Farallon Island National Marine Sanctuary
Dan Howard
Jan Roletto
Processor
Dave Rudie
San Francisco Estuary Institute
Andy Cohen
Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History
Eric Hochberg

Joe Cech
Gary Cherr
Fred Conte
Frank Gress
Pete Klimley
Peter Moyle
University of California, San Diego
Mike Mullin (now deceased)
Richard Rosenblatt
Carrie Culver
Milton Love
John Richards
Steve Schroeter
University of South Carolina
Joe Hightower
Kathy Ann Miller
Washington Department of Fisheries
Dick Burge
Wayne Palsson
James Allen
Stillwater Associates
Sharon Kramer
University of California, Berkeley
Dick Moe
Julie Reynolds
584

A Status Report

December 2001
Index
Birds, 26, 32-35, 37, 45, 138, 158, 163, 176-177, 179, 182,
202, 211, 247, 293, 297, 301, 305, 310, 366, 370,
380-381, 435, 455, 458, 472, 476, 484, 486-487, 505,
511, 514-516, 521-522, 538, 541-550
Abalone culture, 493, 495, 515
Black abalone, 90, 92-94, 96, 188
Acipenser medirostris, 465
Black perch, 236
Acipenser transmontanus, 467, 469
Black rocksh, 68, 79, 162-164, 167-168
Agarophytes, 286-287
Black-and-yellow rocksh, 173, 185-187
Ahnfeltia, 286
Blackgill rocksh, 368-369, 378
Albacore, 48, 57, 67, 215-216, 291, 315, 317-321, 325-326,

332, 348, 352, 354-355, 357, 567
Blue rocksh, 26, 68, 162-168, 187, 194, 372
Alopias vulpinus, 339
Blue whale, 530-532
Amphistichus argenteus, 229, 236
Bluen tuna, 215-217, 235, 299, 308, 315, 325-327
Amphistichus koelzi, 236-237
Bocaccio, 22, 26, 166, 359, 361-363, 366-367, 372, 380,

398-400, 402, 404, 554
Amphistichus rhodoterus, 236, 238

Angel shark, 149-150, 248-251, 553-554
Blue shark, 342-344
Anoplopoma mbria, 390, 392
Bonito, 27, 54, 79, 149, 215-218, 263-264, 269, 301, 363,
558
Appendices, 20, 417, 123, 551
Bottlenose dolphin, 533
Aquaculture: overview, 493
Brachyistius frenatus, 236
Arctocephalus townsendi, 523, 525
Brown rock crab, 112, 114
Arrowtooth ounder, 119, 203-204, 264, 266, 268, 556
Brown rocksh, 68, 170-174, 188, 441, 455
Atheresthes stomias, 203
Bull kelp, 25, 79, 91, 102, 273, 282-284, 554
Atherinops afnis, 243
Butter clam, 447-448
Atherinopsis californiensis, 243, 245
Butter sole, 203
Atractoscion nobilis, 206, 208, 510, 512
Buttery ray, 260
Balaenoptera acutorostrata, 531
Cabezon, 19, 68, 79, 91, 95, 99, 109, 113, 116, 150-151,
157-159, 177, 179, 181-182, 263-264, 269, 449, 554
Balaenoptera musculus, 530-531

Balaenoptera physalus, 531
Bank rocksh, 378-379
Barracuda, 19, 27, 53-54, 63, 79, 127, 149-150, 219-221,
263-264, 269, 301, 323, 326, 363, 555
Calico rocksh, 68, 149, 179-180, 555

Calico surfperch, 236-237
California Barracuda, 19, 79, 149-150, 219-221, 555
California corbina, 136, 149, 228-229, 231, 555
Barred sand bass, 113, 149, 151, 198, 222-227, 269-272,

554
California halibut, 19, 21, 69, 149-151, 165, 195-200, 203,

236, 248, 363, 435, 455, 510-511, 555
Barred surfperch, 138, 229, 236-237, 239
California market squid, 295-298
Basking shark, 345-347
California scorpionsh, 53-54, 68, 149-150, 160-161, 562
Bat ray, 257-258, 260
California sea lion, 310, 523-524, 526-527
Bay and Estuarine Plants: Overview, 481-482
California sheephead, 56, 68, 149-150, 155-156, 555-556
Bay and Estuary Ecosystems, 431, 435-436, 481, 491
California skate, 258, 261
Bay and Estuary Finsh Resources, 455
California tonguesh, 203
Bay and Estuary Invertebrate Resources, 437-438
California s Variable Ocean Environment, 21-28
Bay shrimp, 439-442, 453, 467, 476, 514, 554
Callorhinus ursinus, 523, 525
Big skate, 257-258, 441
Canary rocksh, 175-176, 359, 372, 554
Bigmouth sole, 203
Cancer antennarius, 114

December 2001
Index
Abalone, 19, 25, 48, 51, 56-57, 59-61, 70, 73-74, 79, 87-97,
101-103, 113, 131, 142, 144-145, 147-148, 155, 158,
256, 273, 280, 282, 347, 471, 493-495, 499, 515, 522,
538, 553-554,

A Status Report
585
Index
Cancer anthonyi, 112, 114
Delphinus capensis, 533
Cancer magister, 107
Delphinus delphis, 533
Cancer productus, 112
Delta smelt, 463, 472-473, 475-479, 564
Carcharodon carcharias, 345, 347
Diamond stingray, 260
Carrageenophytes, 286-287
Diamond turbot, 203
Cebidichthys violaceus, 181-182
Dolphin, 331-332, 352-353, 356-357, 533-534, 555
Cetorhinus maximus, 345, 347
Dolphinsh, 315, 471
Chilipepper, 170, 359, 362-363, 366-367, 398-399,
Dolphins, 179, 291, 331-332, 470-471, 521, 529-535, 568
China rocksh, 68, 185-187
Dorado, 323, 352-353
Chinook salmon, 32, 109, 176, 193, 370, 407, 409-414,

417-418, 424, 460, 463, 466, 508-509,
Dover sole, 27, 359-360, 374, 382-384, 389-390,
Chione, 451-452
Dungeness crab, 71, 73-74, 87-88, 107-112, 129, 435, 437,

455, 514
Chione californiensis, 451
Dwarf perch, 236
Chione uctifraga, 451

Chione undatella, 451
Eelgrass, 33-34, 37, 177, 193, 207, 226, 243-244, 384, 435,
459, 481, 484, 487-490, 502, 505, 516, 555-556
Chondrus crispus, 286-287
Embiotoca jacksoni, 236
Chum salmon, 405, 407
Embiotoca lateralis, 236, 239
Citharichthys fragilis, 201-202
Emergent Marshes, 483-486
Citharichthys sordidus, 201-202
Emerita analoga, 138-139
Citharichthys stigmaeus, 201-202
English sole, 200 384-385, 441
Citharichthys xanthostigma, 201
Engraulis mordax, 293, 303, 305
Clupea pallasi, 456, 459
Enhydra lutris, 101, 536, 540
C-O turbot, 202
Eopsetta exilis, 203
Coastal Pelagic Species: overview, 293-294
Eopsetta jordani, 386-387, 389
Coastal Wetlands, 29, 32, 35, 483-486, 546,
Errex zachirus, 388
Coho salmon, 29, 69, 405, 410, 412-413, 415-417, 507-508
Eschrichtius robustus, 531, 535
Commercial Fishing Gear, 206, 215, 577-582
Eucheuma, 286
Common dolphin, 533
Eulachon, 472, 477-478, 564
Coonstripe shrimp, 129-130, 555
Eumetopias jubatus, 523-524
Copper rocksh, 68, 173-174, 177
Exotic Species, 30, 437, 473, 477, 493, 518
Coryphaena hippurus, 352-353
Fantail sole, 203
Cow shark, 470
Fat gaper, 445
Cowcod, 359, 363-365, 401-402
Fin whale, 531
Crangon franciscorum, 439-440, 442
Finsh culture, 510
Crangon nigricauda, 440, 442
Fishing Gear, 20, 37, 53, 64, 67-68, 73, 140, 150, 206, 215,
220, 232, 243, 328, 332, 336, 345, 467, 521, 523, 544,
567, 570, 574, 577-582
Crangon nigromaculata, 440

Crassostrea gigas, 500
Crassostrea sikamea, 501
Crassostrea virginica, 500, 506, 570
Curln turbot, 203
Dalls porpoise, 534-535
Dasyatis brevis, 260
586

A Status Report
Galeorhinus galeus, 255

Gaper clams, 445-447, 449, 556
Genyonemus lineatus, 234-235
Geoduck, 437, 449-450, 556
Giant kelp, 25, 28, 79, 91, 101-102, 140, 164, 194, 207,
273, 277-284, 288, 457, 495, 556

December 2001
Hyperprosopon argenteum, 236
Girella nigricans, 241-242
Hypomesus pretiosus, 474
Globicephala macrorhynchus, 532-533
Hypomesus nipponensis, 474, 479
Glossary, 20, 567-576
Hypomesus transpacicus, 472, 479
Gopher rocksh, 68, 173, 185-188
Hypsopsetta guttulata, 203
Grampus griseus, 533-534
Hypsurus caryi, 236
Grass rocksh, 68, 172, 182, 185-188, 271
Invasive Species, 34, 435, 486, 488, 498, 513-520, 572
Gray whale, 522, 529, 531-532, 535
Iridaea, 286
Green abalone, 92-93, 96
Isurus oxyrinchus, 336, 338
Green sturgeon, 465-466
Jack mackerel, 27, 212, 216, 220, 293-294, 299, 304, 306,
308-311, 341, 361, 557
Groundsh: Overview, 359-360
Hyperprosopon ellipticum, 236
Grunion, 34, 149, 151, 220, 232, 243, 246-247, 341, 472,
557
Jacksmelt, 243-246, 253, 472, 563
Guadalupe fur seal, 522-523, 525-526
Katsuwonus pelamis, 328, 330
Gulf sanddab, 201
Kelp, 21, 25, 28, 30-31, 33-34, 36, 47, 68-69, 79, 90-92,
95, 99, 101-103, 105-106, 116, 128, 132, 140-141, 143,
149-151, 155-158, 163-166, 168, 170, 174, 181, 183-187,
190-191, 193-194, 206-207, 209-210, 212, 220, 222-227,
232, 236, 239, 241, 243-244, 252, 259-260, 269-273,
277-285, 288, 307, 361, 363, 366, 435, 457, 470, 495,
516, 532, 537, 554, 556-557, 573
Gull, 542-5454
Gymnogongrus, 286
Gymnura marmorata, 260
Halfmoon, 79, 112, 149, 241-242, 279
Halibut, 19, 21, 69, 125, 149-151, 165, 195-200, 203-204,
209, 232, 235-236, 248, 259, 263-264, 270,348, 363,
396, 435, 455, 478, 510-511, 536, 555-556
Japanese littleneck, 451
Kelp bass, 21, 25, 79, 99, 149, 151, 222-227, 259, 269-272,
557
Haliotis corrugata, 89
Kelp greenling, 149, 183-184, 191, 193
Haliotis cracherodii, 89
Kelp perch, 236
Haliotis fulgens, 89
Kelp rocksh, 25, 68, 165, 185-187
Haliotis rufescens, 91, 96-97, 494-495,
Killer whale, 470, 532
Haliotis sorensensi, 89
Kumamoto oyster, 501-502, 504-506
Harbor porpoise, 527, 534
Lagenorhynchus obliquidens, 534
Herring, 19, 27, 48, 51, 53, 55-57, 59-60, 63, 69, 73-74,
129, 183, 193, 207, 244, 253, 259, 300, 341, 386,
409, 427, 435, 455-459, 468, 480, 487, 489, 491, 521,
523-524, 531, 545, 559, 568, 571, 573
Lamna ditropis, 345, 347
Hexagrammos decagrammus, 183-184
Leopard shark, 252-254, 435, 441, 455,
Hexanchus griseus, 470-471
Leuresthes tenuis, 246-247
Highly Migratory Species: overview, 315-316
Lingcod, 22, 27, 54-55, 66, 68, 109, 124, 129, 149-151, 158,
163-166, 177, 179, 183, 188, 190-194, 263-264, 270,
359, 366, 381, 388, 396, 554, 565
Hinnites multirugosus, 142

Hippoglossina stomata, 203
Hippoglossus stenolepsis, 203
Hornyhead turbot, 203
Human Ecosystem, 47-66
Humpback whale, 530
Hyperprosopon anale, 236

December 2001
Index
Giant sea bass, 99, 149-150, 209-211, 220, 235, 258, 308,
363, 510-511, 557
Lampris guttatus, 348

Law Enforcement, 20, 67-72
Lissodelphis borealis, 534

Littleneck clam, 451
Loligo opalescens, 293, 295, 297-298
Longn sanddab, 201
Longn smelt, 472-473, 476-479, 564
Longnose skate, 258

A Status Report
587
Index
Longspine thornyhead, 374-375
Northern fur seal, 523, 525-526
Louvar, 341, 350-351, 356, 557
Northern right-whale dolphin, 534
Loxorhynchus grandis, 115, 117
Notorynchus cepedianus, 470-471
Luvarus imperialis, 350-351
Ocean shrimp, 87-88, 118-120, 129
Lysmata californica, 127
Offshore ecosystem, 26, 289, 291-292
Mackerel sharks, 345-347
Olive rocksh, 68, 79, 168-169
Macrocystis pyrifera, 164, 194, 273, 277, 283
Oncorhynchus gorbuscha, 405
Mahi mahi, 352
Oncorhynchus keta, 405
Mako shark, 336-339, 354-355
Oncorhynchus kisutch, 405, 417, 507
Management Considerations, 553-566
Oncorhynchus mykiss, 405, 411, 418, 507
Manila clam, 451-452
Oncorhynchus nerka, 405
Marine Birds, 33-35, 163, 177, 310, 366, 455, 458, 521-522,
541-550
Oncorhynchus tshawytscha, 405, 407, 417
Marine Birds and Mammals: overview, 521-522
Opaleye, 127, 138, 149, 241-242, 265-266, 279
Medialuna californiensis, 241-242
Ophiodon elongatus, 191, 194
Megaptera novaeangliae, 530
Orcinus orca, 532
Megastrea undosa, 140
Ostreola conchaphila, 500
Merluccius productus, 393, 397, 120
Ostreola lurida, 500
Micrometrus aurora, 236
Other atshes, 386, 150, 198, 201, 203-205
Micrometrus minimus, 236
Other nearshore rockshes, 185-188
Microstomus pacicus, 382-383, 389
Oyster culture, 496, 500-502, 504, 506
Minke whale, 531
Pacic angel shark, 149, 248-251
Mirounga angurstirostris, 525
Pacic bonito, 79, 149, 215-218, 558
Mobula, 260
Pacic gaper, 445-446
Mobula japonica, 260

Monkeyface prickleback, 149, 181-182, 557
Pacic hake, 21, 27, 119-120, 341, 366, 393-397, 399, 402,
404, 558
Morone saxatilis, 460, 463-464
Pacic halibut, 348, 396, 203-204, 556
Mussel culture, 496
Pacic harbor seal, 523-524, 526-527
Myliobatis californica, 257, 260
Pacic herring, 48, 69, 207, 435, 455-459, 487, 489, 491,
559
Mytilus californianus, 496

Mytilus galloprovincialis, 496, 499
Mytilus trossulus, 496
Nearshore Marine Plant Resources, 17, 273
Nearshore rockshes, 164-165, 169, 174, 178-179, 185-188,
190
Opah, 348-349, 356, 558
Pacic mackerel, 22, 27, 207, 212, 216, 220, 223, 293-294,
304, 306-310, 314,
Pacic northern bluen tuna, 325-327
Pacic oyster, 500-501, 504
Pacic razor clam, 443-444, 559
Nereocystis luetkeana, 282, 284
Pacic salmon, 341, 407-419, 426-427
Night smelt, 472, 474, 476, 478, 480, 564
Pacic sanddab, 341, 201-202
Nonindigenous Species, 34, 37-38, 435
Pacic sardine, 21-22, 24, 27-28, 196, 220, 293, 299-302,

304, 306, 308-310, 341, 545, 547
Northern anchovy, 21, 24, 28, 216, 220, 293, 302-307,

309-310, 545
Pacic white-sided dolphin, 534
Northern bluen tuna, 325-327
Palaemon macrodactylus, 440
Northern elephant seal, 523, 525-527
Pandalus danae, 129

Pandalus jordani, 118, 120
588

A Status Report

December 2001
Quillback rocksh, 68, 170, 177-178
Panope generosa, 449-450
Rainbow perch, 236
Panulirus interruptus, 98, 100
Raja binoculata, 257
Paralabrax clathratus, 222-223
Raja inornata, 258
Paralabrax maculatofasciatus, 226-227
Raja rhina, 258
Paralabrax nebulifer, 198, 224
Rays, 53, 91, 93, 95, 116, 125, 136, 149, 151, 210, 236-237,
253, 256-262, 346, 348, 388, 396, 452, 455, 467,
470-471, 501, 503, 526, 563, 569
Paralichthys californicus, 195, 198, 510

Parastichopus californicus, 131, 134
Parastichopus parvimensis, 134
Pelagic stingray, 260
Pelican, 33, 3001, 305, 541-542, 546, 550
Petrale sole, 384, 386-387, 389, 21, 119, 199
Phanerodon atripes, 236
Phanerodon furcatus, 236
Phocoena phocoena, 534
Phocoenoides dalli, 534-535
Razor clam, 443-444, 559

Red abalone, 89-93, 95-97, 102, 145, 147-148, 494-495,
554
Red rock crab, 112, 114
Red rock shrimp, 187, 127-128, 560
Red sea urchin, 26, 87, 91, 101-106, 560
Redtail surfperch, 150, 236-238
Reef perch, 236
Physeter catodon, 532
Restricted Access, 19-20, 70, 73-76, 98, 105, 165, 216,

560-561
Pile perch, 127, 236-238, 240
Reviewers, 20, 583-584
Pilot whale, 532-533
Rex sole, 388-389, 400
Pink abalone, 89, 92, 95
Rhacochilus toxotes, 236, 239
Pink salmon, 405, 407
Rhacochilus vacca, 236, 238
Pink seaperch, 236
Rhinobatos productus, 257, 259
Pinnipeds, 177, 521-525, 527-529
Ridgeback prawn, 88, 121, 123-126, 561
Pismo clam, 87, 135-137, 437, 559
Risso s dolphin, 533-534
Platichthys stellatus, 199-200
Rock crabs, 87, 112-113, 115, 136, 501, 561
Platyrhinoidis triseriata, 257, 259
Rock scallop, 142-143, 561
Pleuronectes bilineatus, 203
Rock sole, 203
Pleuronectes isolepis, 203
Roncador stearnsii, 230
Pleuronectes vetulus, 384
Round stingray, 259-260
Pleuronichthys coenosus, 203
Rubberlip seaperch, 236, 239-240
Pleuronichthys decurrens, 203

Pleuronichthys ritteri, 203
Sablesh, 27, 76, 119, 291, 359-361, 366, 374, 382,

390-392, 401-402,
Pleuronichthys verticalis, 203
Salmo gairdneri, 418
Porpoises, 220, 301, 308, 395, 521-522, 529-535, 568
Salmon, 19, 21, 27, 29, 32, 36, 48, 50-57, 59-61, 63, 66,
69, 73-74, 107, 109-110, 122, 162, 176-177, 179, 193,
195, 259, 291, 295, 309, 341, 345-348, 361, 366, 370,
380-381, 394, 405-420, 424-429, 457, 460, 463, 466,
472, 478, 484, 507-509, 521, 523-524, 558-559, 561,
567, 569-572, 584
Postelsia palmaeformis, 285

Prionace glauca, 342, 344
Protothaca laciniata, 451
Protothaca staminea, 451
Protothaca tenerrima, 451
Psettichthys melanostictus, 203
Pteroplatytrygon violacea, 260
Purple sea urchin, 101, 105-106, 560

December 2001
Index
Pandalus platyceros, 121, 123, 126
Salmon culture, 507-508

Salmon shark, 345-347
Salmonids: overview, 405
Sand basses, 224-227

A Status Report
589
Index
Sand crab, 138-139, 562
Sebastolobus altivelis, 374, 377
Sand sole, 203
Semicossyphus pulcher, 155-156
Sanddabs, 149, 201-203
Seriola lalandi, 212
Sarda chiliensis, 215, 218
Sevengill shark, 253, 255, 470-471
Sardine, 21-22, 24, 27-28, 70, 129, 151, 196, 220, 234, 291,
293-294, 299-304, 306, 308-310, 312-313, 319, 335, 337,
341, 348, 544-545, 547, 550,
Sharpnose seaperch, 236
Sardinops sagax, 293, 299-300, 302

Saxidomus giganteus, 447
Saxidomus nuttalli, 447
Scomber japonicus, 293, 306, 308
Scorpaena guttata, 160
Scorpaenichthys marmoratus, 157-158
Scorpionsh, 53-54, 63, 68, 149-150, 160-161, 265-266,
272, 562
Sea cumbers, 131
Sea otter, 87, 89, 91-92, 96, 101-102, 113, 136-137, 279,
282, 437, 450, 498, 522, 536-540, 553, 556, 559
Shiner perch, 460, 498, 193, 236

Shortbelly rocksh, 176, 341, 380-381
Shortn mako shark, 336-339
Shortnned pilot whale, 532-533
Shortspine thornyhead, 374, 376
Shovelnose guitarsh, 257, 259-260
Sicyonia ingentis, 123-126
Siliqua patula, 443-444
Silver surfperch, 236, 239
Silversides, 53, 63, 206, 243-246, 265-266, 477, 563
Sixgill shark, 470-471
Sea palm, 273, 285
Skates and rays, 149, 151, 257-262, 563, 569
Seabirds, 37, 47, 150, 193, 199, 291, 308, 521, 541-550
Skipjack tuna, 216, 315, 328-330, 333, 563
Sebastes auriculatus, 170
Slender sole, 203
Sebastes carnatus, 185
Sockeye salmon, 27, 405, 407
Sebastes caurinus, 173
Soupn shark, 150, 255-256
Sebastes chrysomelas, 185
Spartina, 483
Sebastes dalli, 179
Speckled sanddab, 201-202
Sebastes entomelas, 370-371
Sperm whale, 522, 532
Sebastes avidus, 372
Sphyraena argentea, 219, 221
Sebastes goodei, 366
Spiny lobster, 21, 79, 87-88, 98-100, 280, 556, 563
Sebastes jordani, 380-381
Spirinchus starksi, 476
Sebastes levis, 363
Spirinchus thaleichthys, 476, 479
Sebastes maliger, 177-178
Spot prawn, 75, 121-126, 563
Sebastes melanops, 162
Spotn croaker, 138, 229-231, 563
Sebastes melanostomus, 368-369
Spotn surfperch, 236, 239
Sebastes miniatus, 189
Spotted sand bass, 149, 222, 226-227, 564
Sebastes mystinus, 165
Squatina californica, 248, 251
Sebastes nebulosus, 185
Sebastes rufus, 378-379
Squid, 19, 21, 27, 48, 52, 55-57, 59-61, 70, 74-75, 87,
151, 158, 174, 190, 196, 202, 206-207, 210, 212, 215,
217, 220, 224, 235, 243, 250, 291, 293-298, 306-307,
309-310, 319, 323, 326, 333, 335, 337, 341-343, 361,
366, 521, 523-524, 526, 531-533, 538, 547, 568,
571-572, 583
Sebastes serranoides, 168-169
Starry ounder, 149, 199-200, 203, 385, 435, 441, 449
Sebastes serriceps, 185, 188
Steelhead, 32, 67, 405-406, 411, 415, 417-427, 507-509,

523, 561, 564
Sebastes paucispinis, 361

Sebastes pinniger, 175
Sebastes rastrelliger, 172, 185, 188
Sebastolobus alascanus, 377
590
Sheep crab, 88, 115-117, 145, 147-148, 562

A Status Report

December 2001
Steller sea lion, 524
Whales, 291, 301, 335, 346, 395, 471, 521-522, 529-535,

537, 567-568
Stereolepis gigas, 510
White abalone, 19, 89, 93-95, 97, 494
Striped bass, 53-54, 63, 69, 437, 439, 441, 455, 460-464,
467, 469, 477, 480
White croaker, 56, 150, 196, 234-235, 264, 266, 268-272,

341, 441, 565
Striped marlin, 308, 334-335, 564
White seabass, 56, 79, 119-120, 127, 149-151, 206-209, 212,

308, 493, 510-512
Striped seaperch, 193, 236, 239-240

Strongylocentrotus franciscanus, 101, 104-106
Strongylocentrotus purpuratus, 105-106
Submerged Aquatic Plants, 487-492
Surf smelt, 79, 151, 472-474, 476, 478, 564
Surfperches, 27, 149, 151, 236-240, 253, 435, 455
Swordsh, 27, 48, 57, 59-61, 67, 315, 322-324, 328,
331-332, 334, 336, 339, 341-343, 350, 352, 356, 363,
396, 471, 564, 574
Symphurus atricauda, 203
Tapes philippinarum, 451
Thaleichthys pacicus, 477
Thornback, 257, 259-260
Thornyheads, 359-360, 374-377, 382, 390
Thresher shark, 248, 315, 336-337, 339-341
Index
Steelhead rainbow trout, 418-425
White shark, 151, 253, 255, 345-347, 470, 532

White sturgeon, 441, 455, 465-469
Widow rocksh, 19, 171, 359, 363, 370-372,
Xiphias gladius, 322, 324
Yellow rock crab, 112
Yellown croaker, 138, 232-233, 565
Yellown tuna, 27, 215-216, 315, 328, 331-333, 563, 565
Yellowtail, 127, 67, 79, 149-150, 163, 166, 168, 212-214,
264, 266-268, 272, 301, 308, 326, 359, 363, 372-373,
398-399, 565
Yellowtail rocksh, 163, 168, 359, 372-373
Zalembius rosaceus, 236
Zalophus californianus, 523-524
Zostera marina, 481, 487, 490
Thunnus alalunga, 317, 321

Thunnus albacares, 331, 333
Thunnus orientalis, 325
Tivela stultorum, 135, 137
Topsmelt, 472, 220, 243-244, 246, 253, 563
Trachurus symmetricus, 293, 309, 311
Treesh, 68, 149, 185-188, 272
Tresus capax, 445-446
Tresus nuttalli, 445
Triakis semifasciata, 252, 254
True smelts, 27, 243, 246, 455, 472-480
Turban snail, 140-141, 145, 147-148
Umbrina roncador, 232
Urolophus halleri, 259
Vermilion rocksh, 26, 189-190, 363
Wakasagi, 472-476, 479, 565
Walleye surfperch, 236, 239-240
Washington clam, 447-448, 565
Water Quality, 20, 29-45, 87, 227, 416, 419, 437, 452, 481,
483, 486, 493, 497, 500-502, 505, 507, 510, 517-518,
558
Wavy turban snail, 140-141, 145, 147-148

December 2001

A Status Report
591
Index
592

A Status Report

December 2001
The University of California, in accordance with applicable Federal and State law and University policy, does not discriminate on the basis of race, color,
national origin, religion, sex, disability, age, medical condition (cancer-related), ancestry, marital status, citizenship, sexual orientation, or status as a
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December 2001

A Status Report
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CA Living Marine Resources Status Report

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Californias Living Marine Resources:

CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF FISH AND GAME

Californias Living Marine Resources:

The Resources Agency

California Governor Gray Davis

CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF FISH AND GAME

Californias Living Marine Resources:

Californias Living Marine Resources:

CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF FISH AND GAME

Californias Living Marine Resources: A Status Report is dedicated to the

Dr. Mia J. Tegner

Dr. Tegners presence as a scientist and concerned citizen will be

CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF FISH AND GAME

Californias Living Marine Resources:

Californias Living Marine Resources:

CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF FISH AND GAME

Purpose and Overview

Purpose and Overview

The rst section of Californias Living Marine Resources: A Status

CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF FISH AND GAME

Californias Living Marine Resources:

Californias Living Marine Resources:

CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF FISH AND GAME

CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF FISH AND GAME

Californias Living Marine Resources:

Californias Living Marine Resources:

CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF FISH AND GAME

Purpose and Overview

Introduction and Historical Overview

Californias Variable Ocean Environment

Climatic Processes, El Nio Events and Regime Shifts.......... 22

The Status of Habitats and Water Quality in

Importance of Healthy Waters and Habitats to Marine Life

Health of Coastal and Marine Water Quality and Habitats ... 29

CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF FISH AND GAME

Endangered Species Act.............................................. 39

Human Ecosystem Dimension

Human Benefits of the Marine Ecosystem............................. 47

Marine Law Enforcement

Californias Living Marine Resources:

Coastal Pelagic Species ......................................................... 70

A Review of Restricted Access Fisheries

Californias Nearshore Ecosystem

Californias Living Marine Resources:

Purple Sea Urchin ...................................................................... 105

CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF FISH AND GAME

Nearshore Ecosystem Fish Resources: Overview

CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF FISH AND GAME

Blue Rockfish ............................................................................. 165

Californias Living Marine Resources:

Sea Cucumbers........................................................................... 131

Lingcod ...................................................................................... 191

Californias Living Marine Resources:

Kelp Bass.................................................................................... 222

CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF FISH AND GAME

CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF FISH AND GAME

Skates and Rays.......................................................................... 257

Nearshore Marine Plant Resources: Overview