Fishery Management Fishing is extractive – Removes choices organisms- “ fine-ing ” – Changes food web structure The human condition provides little incentive to maintain “ sustainable stocks ” Need way to control ourselves…

Fisheries by Their Nature are Extractive; They Alter the Natural Environment anthropogenic effect

B MSY ? no fishno fishing Maximum Sustainable Yield (MSY) The objective of fisheries management is to achieve a high level of sustainable yield

Under exploitation, natural populations decline in abundance to a new equilibrium

B MSY ? no fishno fishing Maximum Sustainable Yield (MSY) The objective of fisheries management is to achieve a high level of sustainable yield

A Bioeconomic MSY

Considering costs lowers sustainable yields MEY < MSY

Fish Management Objectives are to maintain sustainable maximum yields (or revenues) Harvest costs are sometimes considered (especially related to new regulation) Conservation is not (often) considered Nor are food webs (management is single species) Hard part is to figure out the proper harvest effort that produces a MSY

The Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (MSFCMA) as Amended in 1996 “ The policy of the Congress in this Act is to assure that the national fishery conservation and management program utilizes, and is based upon, the best available scientific information… ” 16 U.S.C M-S Act, Section 2, ,

Recent Developments The Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act of 1976 was re- authorized by Congress in 1996 and was implemented nationally in Reauthorized this year legislation requires Fishery Management Councils nationwide to establish biomass-based targets and thresholds for all actively managed stocks

Recent Developments On January 12, 2007, President Bush signed the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Reauthorization Act of Mandates the use of annual catch limits & accountability measures to end overfishing Provides for market-based fishery management through limited access, bycatch restrictions, improved role of science & calls for increased international cooperation.

What is the Pacific Fishery Management Council? Responsible for California, Oregon, and Washington EEZ waters (FEDERAL!!) Established with implementation of original MSFCMA of 1976 Draft Fishery Management Plans including salmon, highly migratory, groundfish, and coastal pelagics. Nearshore species - State F&G All regulations are ultimately approved by National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) PFMC Region

Who & Where of Fishery Management State waters < 3 nmi Fed waters > 3 but < 200 nmi (EEZ)

Final Network of MPAs, Oct 2007 Complete Marine Protected Area Network For the Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary

Stock Assessment Allowable Biological Catch (ABC) Harvest Policy Exploitable Biomass Promulgate Regulations Socioeconomic, Allocation, and Other Issues Optimum Yield (OY) OY < ABC Pacific Fishery Management Council Stock Assessment Team What is the process for regulating fishery harvests at the PFMC? “ Wall of Science ” This is now a three meeting process, with a five month notice and comment period, to be conducted once every 2 years!! science review Process must be transparent for all parties

Stock assessments form the basis of all fishery management Stock Assessment (statistical model) Landings by Gear Type 1. commercial 2. recreational Fishery Independent Surveys (shelf & slope trawl surveys, etc.) Age/Length Compositions 1. commercial 2. recreational Life History Information growth, maturity, etc. Fishery Dependent Information (logbook data, discards, etc.) Biomass and Recruitment Science Review Harvest Policy Allowable Biological Catch (ABC) Optimum Yield (OY)

Fish Management Instruments for setting Optimum Yield Harvest quotas, trip limits, limited entry, seasons, taxes on landings, ITQ ’ s, MPA ’ s, … Each has advantages Each requires knowledge of “ excess ” fishery production

Fish Recruitment Recruits are fish at harvestable age/size Reproductive Adults Juveniles Eggs/Larvae Immature Adults Harvestable Size/Age Harvest Recruitment

Curvature in the spawner-recruit curve controls fishery productivity

Some Real “ Data ” “ Noise ” makes “ steepness ” difficult to measure

Fishery Management Plan for Pacific Sardine FMP needed to regulate all fisheries Gives the Allowable Biological Catch (ABC) Components include: stock biomass, recruitment, egg production, size/age structure, spatial extent, SST, … Fishery dependent & independent data

Fishery Management Plan for Pacific Sardine A coastal species that forms large schools Feed on zooplankton & large phytoplankton Oviparous, with pelagic eggs, and pelagic larvae Matures in ~2 years & Can live up to 25 years Population doubling time 1.4 to 4.4 years Up to 16 ” long (mature at ~9 ” ) Northward migrations early in summer & south in autumn

Chavez et al. [2003] paper in readings

Fishery Management Plan for Pacific Sardine

FMP needed to regulate all fisheries Gives the Allowable Biological Catch (ABC) Components include: stock biomass, recruitment, egg production, size/age structure, spatial extent, SST, … Fishery dependent & independent data

Pacific Sardine Egg Production

Relative abundance of sardine eggs in CalCoFI larval tows

Spawning Biomass from Egg Obs

Sardine Stock Area from Surveys

Abundance of Pre-Adults

Scripps Pier SST

Biomass of >1y Sardines These data were used with an age-structured stock assessment model to predict stock biomass & recruitment

Recruitment of Sardines These data were used with an age-structured stock assessment model to predict stock biomass & recruitment

Harvest Policy for Pacific Sardines U.S. harvest guideline for 2003 Harvest = (TOTAL_STOCK_BIOMASS - CUTOFF) * FRACTION * US_DISTRIBUTION CUTOFF = minimal allowable biomass with harvest FRACTION = 5 to 15% depends on SST (f(PP)!!!) US_DISTRIBUTION = fraction total harvest in U.S. EEZ

Biomass of >1y Sardines

Pacific Sardine Quotas & Landings

Pacific Sardine Landings

Fishery Management Plan for Pacific Sardine Harvest guidelines require estimates of stock biomass & recruitment Components include: stock biomass, recruitment, egg production, size/age structure, spatial extent, SST, … Fishery dependent & independent data are used