CalCOFI Reports, Vol. 11, 1967 - California Cooperative Oceanic ...
CalCOFI Reports, Vol. 11, 1967 - California Cooperative Oceanic ... CalCOFI Reports, Vol. 11, 1967 - California Cooperative Oceanic ...
10 CALIFORNIA COOPERATIVE OCEANIC FISHERIES INVESTIGATIONSCalifornia Department of Fish and GamePelagic Fish ZnuestigationsThe Department's portion of the CalCOFI Programis conducted by its Pelagic Fish Investigations.The primary responsibilities are : (i) basic monitoringof tlie pelagic wet fisheries, particularly Pacific sardine,Pacific niackerrl, jack mackerel, and northernanchovy, and (ii) conducting research vessel surveysof the pelagic and bathypelagic fishery resources ofthe California Current system.Studies of the wet fisheries include : (i) sampling ofcoiiiniercial and livr-bait catches to determine the ageaiid length composition ; sardine and anchovy age deteriiiinationsare made in cooperation with the C.S.Bureau of Coniniercial Fisheries ; (ii) interviewingfishermen aiid collecting logbook data to nie~sure fidiingeffort and determine catch localities ; and (iii) determiningthe amounts of fish landed and insuring theaccuracy of source documents in cooperation with theDcpartment 's biostatistical unit.(hod progress was made with respect to the largebacklog of age composition and fishery data on jackni:!c.kerel. This information, some dating back to 1947,1i;is been processed and the analysis of data and preparationof manuscripts is in progress. The analysisshould rereal whether the jack mackerel fishery dependsiipoii highly available year-classes and. if sucliis the case, possibly explain fluctuations in fishing successexperienced in recent years.High priority is being placed on analpsing all agecornposition and fishery data relating to Pacific mackerelwith the objectire of determing various aspects ofthe popiilation dynamics of the species. Such informationhas been only partially presented in the past andthis imrk will aid materially in understanding recentchanges in the status of Pacific mackerel.In November, 1965, the Califoriiia Fish and GameC'oniiiiission authorized an experimental iiiicliovy fislic~ryfor reduction witli a quota of 75,000 tons. To dothe research required to monitor the effects of thefishery. an expanded anchory research projrct wasestablished by the Department. Concurrent with theinception of a reducation fishery new or revised Sampling aiid monitoring procedures were needed. Previouslythc anchovy fishery was quite siiiall andsampling consisted of 30-fish samples, selected at raiidomand as convenient, and skipper interviews. Thissampling procedure continued through the 1963-66srason.Beginning November, 1963, a logbook system TWSinaugurated to obtain catch, effort, gear and fishingarea data. The chart-type logbook derised prior to the1965-66 reduction season prowd successful in fulfillingits intended purpose aiid with niiiior modificationwill continue to be used. Initial problcni~ with the lopbookswere lack of coiisistency among fishermen inrecordirig scouting time aiicl inaccuracy of the fishermen'sestimate of catch size. Both problems decreasedas the fishernieii gaiiicd experience. Data recorded inthese logbooks are coded, key punched, and machineproccssed to facilitate analAt the start of the secoiid anchovy reduction season,sanipling procediirrs wrre cah:inged rather extciisiyelj-.('hanges mere based on the kiioJTledge gaiiied durillgthe first season and will probably be modified as thefishery increases and as we increase sainpling efficiency.Briefly our southern California sampling planrequired obtaining 20 random samples for every
REPORTS YOLUME SI, 1 JULY 1963 TO 30 JUNE 1966 11California including northern Baja California. Followupcruises in southern and central California serveas both gear research cruises and intensive samplingsurveys.The first phase of the expanded survey, in fiscal1965-66, was designed to provide continuity withcruises conducted during the past and to develop thefollowing survey techniques, which have been in effectsince June, 1966. An echo sounder is operated continuouslyduring the day over predetermined transectlines that extend perpendicularly from shore for atleast 35 miles or until the 1000-fathom depth contouris reached. These lines are spaced 15-30 miles apartand average about 50 miles in length. Hourly fixes areobtained and the number of schools appearing on theecho sounder are recorded for each hour of runningtimci. Identification of species is accomplished by echotrace characteristics and by fishing x small, 30-footmidwater trawl. The trawl is also fished at regularIO-miles intervals during the night as the vessel returnsinshore over the outbound transect lines. Arecord is kept of all visually observed surface schoolsand indications of fish during both day and night.Catch records include species, numbers, sizes and sex.Scale or otolith samples are obtained Prom the imtantspecies for determining age composition. Limitedoceanographic obserrations pertaining to fish distributionare regularly obtained. These include bathytherinographcasts, water turbidities, temperatures, aiidweatlier conditions.We hare now completed five cruises of this newtype ; two to central California. two off southern Californiawhich includes northern Baja California andone in southern Baja California. Anchovies have beentlie dominant species in all areas. Since these surveyswere initiated some important seasoiial distribution andbeharioral aspects have been deterniined for anchovies.During spring the anchovy population was composedof thousands of rery sniall schools distributed overlarge areas extending at least 50 to 80 miles offshore.These schools were located near the surface in clear,deep water and normally contained less than 2 tons offish. All were adults in advanced spawning stages.Imge compact schools, suitable for purse-seine fishing,were scarce and found only in a, few localized areas.*Juvenile fish were generally found close to shore inwater shallower than 50 fathoms. During sumnier andfall all sizes of anchovies were found rniich closer toshore, at greater depths, and in larger but fewerschools. Decrease? in school numbers from spring tofill1 in th(J southern California area exreedd 80 percent.These rcsults indicate that, in general. the fishspread over a large area in spring to spawn and concentratein small coastal areas during suninier and fall.The most opportune time to estimate population sizeappears to be spring. With the large iiuinber of schoolsand extensive distribution, echo sounding surveyingis much inore effective. Schools size and identificationare also inore easily detemniined. Fall aiid suninier distributions,with fewer and large schools, decrease theeffectiveness of tlie echo sounder in probability of de-tection, species identification and school size determination.This type of distribution and behavior shouldbe more favorable for commercial fishing.School types and behavior patterns were also observed.Small numbers of horizontal-layer schooltypes 80 to 100 fathoms below the surface and morenumerous plumes located 20-50 fathoms deep werethe predominant schools in northern Baja Californiaand central California. The southern California regioncontained these types plus plume-type schools at shallowerdepths. At nightfall a11 school types came tothe surface where almost all dispersed into surfacescatter or loose detached school segments. Only a veryfew remained compact enough to be visible as a bioluminiscentspot or register as an echo trace.The night behavior of anchovies appears closely associatedwith the upper extremity of the scatteringlaper that coiners toward the surface after dark. Theafter dark rise and surface dispersal of schools suggestsa feeding behavior as eyidenced by the largenumbers of recently ingested food organisms observedin stomachs of night-caught fish. 9 very high percentageof these organisms were euphausiids, which are animportant constituent of the upper scattering layer.Quantities of sardines were present only in thesouthern part of Sebastian Vizcaino Bay. Adults ofthe fall spawning sub-population overwhelmingly predominatedthe samples taken. This group is now apparentlythe strongest remnant of the whole population.Incoming juvenile year-classes were practicallynil. Other species surveyed were minor in importancecompared to anchovies. Juyenile jack mackerel,mostly of the 1966 year-class, were widely distributedin small scattcred schools. Trawl catches usuallyranged from 1 to 50 individuals, they rarely exceededI00 specimens.Hale were locally abundant in July off San Francisco.Many- schools were found associated with whitebaitsmelt. Both species were in close association witheach other, the hake wre 1 to 3 fathoms off the bottomwith the smelt 3-4 fathoms abovc them. The hakeappeared as small groups, 20 to 50 yards apart. Aseries of these groups was counted as a school. Onesuch school was over a mile across. Those sampledwere large adults, 20-25 inches. Only minor traces ofhake were noted in southern California in Octoberand no concentrations were seen in November off centralCalifornia.The Department continued to issue data reports onpast-year cruises (since 1930). The material is codedonto IKM carcls. organized into tables by ail electroniccomputer, and printed directly by a photographicprocess. The data are printed in the California CooperativeOceanic Fisheries Investigations ( CalCOFI)Data Report series.EicL.lit reports, co~~ring the I) years from 19330through 1938, wcre printed and distribixted whik twoinore reports 19 and 10) for 1939 and 1960 Twre conpletedniid ready for printing. Data for the sevraladditional yearc, were partially processed and will beprinted as they are ready.
- Page 1 and 2: STATE OF CALIFORNIAMARINE RESEARCH
- Page 3 and 4: STATE OF CALIFORNIADEPARTMENT OF FI
- Page 5 and 6: RONALD REAGAXGovcriwr of the Slate
- Page 7 and 8: PART 1REVIEW OF ACTIVITIESJuly 1,19
- Page 9 and 10: REPORTS YOLUAIE SI, 1 JULY 1963 TO
- Page 11: REPORTS VOLUNE XI, 1 JULY 1963 TO 3
- Page 15 and 16: REPORTS VOLUME XI, 1 JULY 1963 TO 3
- Page 17 and 18: REPORTS vor,uiwIi; SI, 1 JULY 1063
- Page 19 and 20: REPORTS TOT2T71\IF: SI, 1 JUJIT 196
- Page 21 and 22: IiEPOHTS TOLUME XI, 1 JULY 1963 TO
- Page 23 and 24: REVIEW OF THE PELAGIC WET FISHERIES
- Page 25 and 26: KEI'OiiTH TOLUJIE SI, 1 JULY 1963 T
- Page 27 and 28: REPORTS VOLUME XI, 1 JULY 1963 TO 3
- Page 29 and 30: PART IISYMPOSIUM ON ANCHOVIES, GENU
- Page 31 and 32: OCEANIC ENVIRONMENTS OF THE GENUS E
- Page 33 and 34: KEI'OKTS VOLIXI.: SI, 1 JULY 1963 T
- Page 35 and 36: REPORTS VOLUME XI, 1 JULY 1963 TO 3
- Page 37 and 38: REPORTS VOLUME XI, 1 JULY 1963 TO 3
- Page 39 and 40: REPORTS VOLUME XI, 1 JULY 1963 TO 3
- Page 41 and 42: ~~~REPORTS VOLUME XI, 1 JULY 1963 T
- Page 43 and 44: REPORTS VOLUME XI, 1 JULY 1963 TO 3
- Page 45 and 46: REPORTS VOLUME SI, 1 JULY 1963 TO 3
- Page 47 and 48: 130'E 132' 134' 136' 138' 140' 142-
- Page 49 and 50: REPORTS VOLUSIE SI, 1 JULY 1963 TO
- Page 51 and 52: REPORTS VOLUME XI, 1 JULY 1963 TO 3
- Page 53 and 54: REPORTS VOLUME XI, 1 JULY 1963 TO 3
- Page 55 and 56: REPORTS VOLUME XI, 1 JULY 1963 TO 3
- Page 57 and 58: KI3I’ORTH VOLUJIE XI, 1 JULY 1963
- Page 59 and 60: REPORTS VOLUME XI, 1 JULY 1963 TO 3
- Page 61 and 62: REPORTS VOLUME SI, 1 JULY 1963 TO 3
10 CALIFORNIA COOPERATIVE OCEANIC FISHERIES INVESTIGATIONS<strong>California</strong> Department of Fish and GamePelagic Fish ZnuestigationsThe Department's portion of the <strong>CalCOFI</strong> Programis conducted by its Pelagic Fish Investigations.The primary responsibilities are : (i) basic monitoringof tlie pelagic wet fisheries, particularly Pacific sardine,Pacific niackerrl, jack mackerel, and northernanchovy, and (ii) conducting research vessel surveysof the pelagic and bathypelagic fishery resources ofthe <strong>California</strong> Current system.Studies of the wet fisheries include : (i) sampling ofcoiiiniercial and livr-bait catches to determine the ageaiid length composition ; sardine and anchovy age deteriiiinationsare made in cooperation with the C.S.Bureau of Coniniercial Fisheries ; (ii) interviewingfishermen aiid collecting logbook data to nie~sure fidiingeffort and determine catch localities ; and (iii) determiningthe amounts of fish landed and insuring theaccuracy of source documents in cooperation with theDcpartment 's biostatistical unit.(hod progress was made with respect to the largebacklog of age composition and fishery data on jackni:!c.kerel. This information, some dating back to 1947,1i;is been processed and the analysis of data and preparationof manuscripts is in progress. The analysisshould rereal whether the jack mackerel fishery dependsiipoii highly available year-classes and. if sucliis the case, possibly explain fluctuations in fishing successexperienced in recent years.High priority is being placed on analpsing all agecornposition and fishery data relating to Pacific mackerelwith the objectire of determing various aspects ofthe popiilation dynamics of the species. Such informationhas been only partially presented in the past andthis imrk will aid materially in understanding recentchanges in the status of Pacific mackerel.In November, 1965, the Califoriiia Fish and GameC'oniiiiission authorized an experimental iiiicliovy fislic~ryfor reduction witli a quota of 75,000 tons. To dothe research required to monitor the effects of thefishery. an expanded anchory research projrct wasestablished by the Department. Concurrent with theinception of a reducation fishery new or revised Sampling aiid monitoring procedures were needed. Previouslythc anchovy fishery was quite siiiall andsampling consisted of 30-fish samples, selected at raiidomand as convenient, and skipper interviews. Thissampling procedure continued through the 1963-66srason.Beginning November, 1963, a logbook system TWSinaugurated to obtain catch, effort, gear and fishingarea data. The chart-type logbook derised prior to the1965-66 reduction season prowd successful in fulfillingits intended purpose aiid with niiiior modificationwill continue to be used. Initial problcni~ with the lopbookswere lack of coiisistency among fishermen inrecordirig scouting time aiicl inaccuracy of the fishermen'sestimate of catch size. Both problems decreasedas the fishernieii gaiiicd experience. Data recorded inthese logbooks are coded, key punched, and machineproccssed to facilitate analAt the start of the secoiid anchovy reduction season,sanipling procediirrs wrre cah:inged rather extciisiyelj-.('hanges mere based on the kiioJTledge gaiiied durillgthe first season and will probably be modified as thefishery increases and as we increase sainpling efficiency.Briefly our southern <strong>California</strong> sampling planrequired obtaining 20 random samples for every
Change language