California  Management  of  Forage  Fish  Species  

Deb  Wilson-­‐Vandenberg  Senior  Environmental  Scientist  

California  Department  of  Fish  and  Game  

Ø  State  Management  Authorities  

Ø Major  forage  species  under  state  management  (Market  squid  and  PaciEic  herring)  

 Ø  State  Objectives  Relative  to  Forage  Fish  

Ø  Fish  and  Game  Commission  policies  

Overview

l  Guided by the Marine Life Management Act since 1998 ¡ More management authority to the Fish and Game Commission

(particularly for commercial fisheries) ¡ Highest priority is on sustainable resources ¡ Ecosystem-based management founded in sound science – consider

needs of communities ¡ Direction for emerging fisheries ¡ Use Fishery Management Plans

State Management Authorities

Squid

Sardine

Anchovy

Groundfish

Crab Salmon

Urchin

Mackerel

BonitoShrimp

2009 Important Commercial Fisheries

Sardine

Squid

Anchovy

Dungeness Crab

Groundfish

Squid

Sardine

Anchovy

Groundfish

Crab Salmon

Urchin

Mackerel

BonitoShrimp

2009 Important Commercial Fisheries

Sardine

Squid

Anchovy

Dungeness Crab

Groundfish

US

Canada

Mex

AK

Range

Major

Fishing Grounds

Photo: Hilary Bryce

Market Squid

Market Squid Management  

Market Squid Management  MSFMP Goals l  Ensure long-term resource

conservation and sustainability l  Reduce the potential for overfishing l  Management responsive to

environmental and socioeconomic changes and ecosystem needs

Landings: Northern and Southern CA by Season

0

20,000

40,000

60,000

80,000

100,000

120,000

140,000

1980

-81

1982

-83

1984

-85

1986

-87

1988

-89

1990

-91

1992

-93

1994

-95

1996

-97

1998

-99

2000

-01

2002

-03

2004

-05

2006

-07

2008

-09

2010

-11

Shor

t Ton

s

NorthSouth

MSFMP Catch Limit

El Niño El Niño

MSFMP Tools l  Seasonal catch limit – prevent

over-expansion l  Weekend closures - uninterrupted spawning l  Lights shields/ limit wattage - to minimize effects on

coastal communities (birds and people) l  Monitoring program – monitor fishery/ resource l  Restricted Access – limit participation l  Spatial closures – MPAs, gear restrictions and to offer

seabird protection

Pacific Herring Fishery

Management

  Primary spawning and fishing areas: San Francisco, Tomales,

and Humboldt Bays, & Crescent City Harbor

  DFG has conducted annual assessments of the herring spawning population in San Francisco Bay since 1972

  Fishing quotas are intended to provide for a sustainable fishery and are limited to 20% maximum take of the spawning biomass

  Harvest levels are based on a peer reviewed model, ocean conditions, growth rates, year-class strength and recruitment

  Quotas are the primary management tool -- with monitoring, seasonal closures and restricted access

Pacific Herring Fishery San Francisco Bay Pacific Herring Biomass Estimates and Commercial Catch

1979 - 2012

5

59 53

65

100

59

41 47 49 57

69 66 65 51

47

21

40 40

99 90

20

40 27

37 35 34

145

11 11

38

57 61

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

140

160

1979

-80

1980

-81

1981

-82

1982

-83

1983

-84

1984

-85

1985

-86

1986

-87

1987

-88

1988

-89

1989

-90

1990

-91

1991

-92

1992

-93

1993

-94

1994

-95

1995

-96

1996

-97

1997

-98

1998

-99

1999

-00

2000

-01

2001

-02

2002

-03

2003

-04

2004

-05

2005

-06

2006

-07

2007

-08

2008

-09

2009

-10

2010

-11

2011

-12

Tons

(Sho

rt) x

100

0

Biomass Estimate

Commercial Catch

Average Biomass

Average 51,200

Estimate Unavailable

column values x1,000

Ø  Recognized  need  to  protect  forage  Eish            (managed  or  unmanaged)    

Ø No  new  Eisheries  for  forage  species  without  sufEicient  science  so  they  can  be  sustainable  

Ø  Existing  Eisheries  are  part  of  ecosystem-­‐based  management  

   

State Objectives Relative to Forage Fish

Ø  Emerging  Fisheries    Ø New  DRAFT  Fish  and  Game  Commission                                                  Policy  on  Forage  Fish    Ø  Final  Draft  at  Marine  Resources  Subcommittee  –  August  10,  2012  Ø  Collaborative  effort  with  FGC,  CDFG,  Industry  and  Environmental  Organizations  

Ø  Discussion  –  Fish  and  Game  Commission  meeting,                                                    October  3-­‐4,  2012            Sacramento  

   

Fish and Game Commission Policies

Marine Region Activity l 1998: Five staff for squid

¡ Market Squid Logbooks ¡ Fishery-dependent samples ¡ Numerous publications

l 2002: Squid project absorbed into CPS project due to staffing shortages

l 2005-06: Maintain a Restricted Access program

l 2011-12: Seven staff for CPS (squid) and HMS l Logbook and dock-side monitoring continues

Photo: Roger Bly

 The 33 year average spawning biomass for San Francisco Bay is 51,200 tons. (2011-12 season = 61,000 tons)

 The fishery has shown 3 years of increasing biomass following a historic low of 4,800 tons in 2009-2010

 Ongoing age structure concern: few fish over 4 years of age. As a result DFG will continue to recommend conservative quotas for stock rebuilding (4% of stock)

 The Department is currently working to develop a fishery model for Pacific herring

Pacific Herring Fishery Status of the Population

Coastal Pelagic Species (CPS)

• Pacific Sardine Sardinops sagax

• Pacific Mackerel Scomber japonicus

•  Jack Mackerel Trachurus symmetricus

• Northern Anchovy Engraulis mordax

• Market Squid Loligo opalescens

CPS Biomass Time Series

0

500,000

1,000,000

1,500,000

2,000,000

2,500,000

3,000,000

3,500,000

4,000,000

1929 34 39 44 49 54 59 64 69 74 79 84 89 94 99 04 09

Biomass (mt)

Year

P. mackerelP. sardineN. anchovy

CPS Catch Time Series

0

100,000

200,000

300,000

400,000

500,000

600,000

700,000

800,000

1929 34 39 44 49 54 59 64 69 74 79 84 89 94 99 04 09

Catch (mt)

Year

P. mackerelP. sardineN. anchovyJ. mackerelSquid

     

Ø Established an objective for their approach to forage species It is the Council’s intent to recognize the importance of forage fish to the marine ecosystem off our coast, and to provide adequate protection for forage fish. We declare that our objective is to prohibit the development of new directed fisheries on forage species that are not currently managed by our Council, or the States, until we have an adequate opportunity to assess the science relating to the fishery and any potential impacts to our existing fisheries and communities.

Pacific Fishery Management Council Actions on Forage Fish

June 2012

Pacific  Fishery  Management  Council    Ac7ons  on  Forage  Fish  

June  2012    

Ø  Establish objective for unregulated forage fish

Ø  Reaffirm priority that the Ecosystem Plan Development Team completes Draft Fishery Ecosystem Plan (FEP) for Council

Ø Revise the federal List of Fisheries with input from the states and include application guidelines in the FEP [& into the LOF federal regulations?] Ø EPDT and other advisory bodies work on process of amending fishery management plan(s) to incorporate forage species

Pacific  Fishery  Management  Council    Timeline  on  Forage  Fish    

Ø  June 2012 – adopt objective and plan of action

Ø  November 2012 – Ecosystem Plan Development Team delivers Draft Fishery Ecosystem Plan to Council for review and comments

Ø March 2013 – Council receives revised Plan and adopts final Plan

Ø March 2013 – EPDT completes revision of List of Fisheries

Ø June 2013??– EPDT and other advisory bodies work on process of amending fishery management plan(s) to incorporate forage species

Development of MSFMP l  1997: SB 364 – Interim laws; Moratorium on vessels l  1998-2000: Two advisory committees

¡ SFAC – Squid Fishery Advisory Committee ¡ SRSC – Squid Research Scientific Committee

l  1998: DFG Monitoring and Research Program l  2000: Interim measures by Commission l  2001: SB 209 - Management to Commission l  2001: Report to the Legislature l  2001: Notice of Preparation filed; 2 public meetings l  2002: Preliminary Draft MSFMP l  2003: 2nd Draft MSFMP l  2004: 3rd Draft MSFMP (April); 4th adopted December.

Market Squid

Data from CDFG Landing Receipts

CA Landings North and South of Pt. Conception

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009

Cat

ch (m

t) x

1,00

0 North South

Market Squid

Annual CA Landings 1926–2009

Data from CDFG Landing Receipts

1926 1936 1946 1956 1966 1976 1986 1996 2006

Cat

ch (m

t) x

1,00

0

020406080

100120140

2009 Ex-vessel: $56.5 million

El Niño

1860s 1980s: Demand

Largest fishery

2009: 92,338 mt

30k watts

Coastal Pelagic Species (CPS)

•  Ecology •  Schooling •  Forage fish •  Fluctuate

•  Fishery •  Gear •  Ports •  Use

•  Management •  Federal FMP •  State FMP •  Permits

CA

Photo: BBC

Monterey Moss Landing

Point Conception

Ventura Port Hueneme

San Pedro

Terminal Island

Area enlarged

San Francisco Bay