CalCOFI Reports, Vol. 11, 1967 - California Cooperative Oceanic ...

REVIEW OF THE PELAGIC WET FISHERIESFOR THE 1963-64, 1964-65, 1965-66 SEASONSDuring the past 20 years the Pacific mackerel,jack mackerel and sardine fisheries have been majorcontributors to California’s pelagic wet-fish landings.In the same period the northern anchovy fishery wasconsiderably less important, being relegated primarilyto fresh fish and live-bait landings. In recent yearsthe sardine population has declined drastically andthe anchovy has taken on new significance with theauthorization of a fishery for reduction in 1965(Table 1).TABLE 1LANDINGS OF PELAGIC WET-FISHESIN CALIFORNIA IN TONS, 1962-1966I Sar- I An- I Pacific 1 1 JackYear dines chovies mackerel mackerel Herring Squid1962 _ ____1963 ____1964 ____1965 _____1966* ____7,682 1,382 24,289 44,990 653 4,6843,566 2,285 20,121 47,721 315 5,7806,569 2,488 13,414 44,846 175 8,217962 2,866 3,525 33,333 258 9,310450 31,089 2,004 20,580 120 8,798Total__-83,68079,78875,70950,25463,041Point Lopez. The southern California catch cameprincipally from Santa Catalina Island, with smallerquantities taken at Horseshoe Kelp, San NicolasIsland and between Santa Cruz and Anacapa Islands.Year California Baja California_____1962-63__._.._.__._ 4,172 14,6201963-64---------_-- 2,942 18,3841964-65 ___......... 6,103 27,1201965-66*--_--__-_-_ 719 22,247Total18,79221,32633,22322,966a Preliminary.The vessels harvesting these species consist primarilyof purse seiners, lampara boats. and scoopboats. During the past 4 years, vessels have continuedto leave the fishery; the fleet declining from 69 vesselsin 1963 to 54 in 1966. Most of the loss was in the largepurse seine group (over GO feet) which decreasedfrom 38 to 29 vessels.The fleet operating from Baja California portsduring the period 1963 through 1966 remained fairlystable, between 30 and 32 boats.The demand for wet-fish was good during the past4 years with cannery imposed vessel limits generally50 tons or more. Concomitantly there was a gradualincrease in the price paid to the fishermen withsardines increasing from $60 to $75 per ton and jackmackerel and Pacific mackerel rising from $42.50 to$75 per ton.SARDINES1963-64 Period (June through May)For the second consecutive year, cannery seasonlandings dropped to an all-time-low. Central Californialandings (August 1, 1963 to March 1, 1964)amounted to only 943 tons. Southern California landings(September 1, 1963 to March 1. 1964) wereslightly higher at 1,089 tons. Samples from both areasindicated 62 percent of the catch was produced bythe 1958 and 1959 year-classes. Statewide landingsfor the 1963-64 period were 2,942 tons,In central California, primary areas of catch wereMonterey Bay and the coastal areas from Point Sur to(21)