Species |
89 species covered by federal FMP: rockfish (62); flatfish (12); roundfish (8); sharks/skates/ratfish (7) |
Life history (biology, habitat, range) |
‘Groundfish’ are defined as species that spend a part or all of their life histories on or near the benthos or seafloor.
Many of the species – especially some of the rockfish - are long-living and relatively slow-growing.
For extensive information on individual species’ range and habitats, see:
PFMC/NOAA Essential Fish Habitat documents
Appendix B, Part 2 of FMP – Groundfish Life History Descriptions
http://www.pcouncil.org/wp-content/uploads/GF_FMP_App_B2.pdf |
Stock assessment status |
FSSI 2008, 1st quarter (The Fish Stock Sustainability Index is a federally mandated quarterly performance measure of the 230 federally-managed fish stocks currently covered in the index):
Overfished (4): Bocaccio, Darkblotched rockfish, Cowcod, Yelloweye rockfish
Rebuilding (3): Pacific Ocean Perch, Canary rockfish, Widow rockfish
PFMC Stock Assessment and Fishery Evaluation (SAFE) repos:
Depleted (7): Bocaccio, Darkblotched, Cowcod, Yelloweye, Pacific Ocean Perch, Canary, Widow
Precautionary (3): Cabezon (off CA), Petrale Sole, Sablefish
Healthy (14): Arrowtooth flounder, CA Scorpionfish, Dover sole, English sole, Lingcod, Longspine thornyhead, Shortspine thornyhead, Pacific whiting (Hake), Starry flounder; and Black, Chilipepper, Shortbelly, Splitnose, and Yellowtail rockfishes
Other 65 listed species unassessed or managed in complexes; each year, stock assessments are conducted on 5 to 10 species of groundfish; only Pacific whiting is assessed each year |
Indices of vulnerability |
Late age of first reproduction, long lives, and sporadic recruitment for some rockfish species result in low productivity and high vulnerability to fishing |
Protected/declared species interactions |
Incidental catch, especially in trawls (minimal salmon observed – 40 lbs coastwide in 2006 based on minimum 20% observer coverage)
Incidental catch of weak stocks of groundfish |
Gear types |
Trawl, Fixed gear (trap; demersal – bottom- longline), Hook and Line
Sector management – 4: Trawl, Fixed Gear, Open Access, Recreational |
Gear specifications |
Limited Entry: bottom trawl with footrope restriction to keep gear off rocky habitats, midwater trawl, whiting trawl, Scottish seine, pot, longline
Open Access (Directed Fishery): set gillnet, sculpin trawl, pot. Longline, vertical hook/line, rod/reel, troll/dinglebar, jig, drifted (fly gear), stick
Open Access (Incidental Fishery): Exempted trawl (pink shrimp, spot and ridgeback prawn, CA halibut, sea cucumber), setnet, driftnet, purse seine (round hawl net), pot (Dungeness crab, CA sheephead, spot prawn), longline, rod/reel, troll, dive (spear) |
Associated conservation concerns |
Bycatch, discards; Habitat impacts; overfishing of vulnerable rockfish species; unknown food web impacts of large removals of fish biomass |
Management, commercial |
Jurisdiction(s) |
PFMC makes recommendations to NOAA Fisheries |
FMP |
Groundfish Fishery Management Plan: http://www.pcouncil.org/groundfish/fishery-management-plan/ |
Code sections |
See Nearshore Fishery profile (some nearshore species managed by California are also managed under the federal groundfish FMP)
14 CCR §189 |
Restricted access |
Limited entry fleet: Season and optimum yield reserved for permitted trawl and fixed gear vessels with gear endorsements; each LE permit attached to vessel
LE requirements detailed in Chapter 11 of FMP
180 LE Trawl permits in 2006 (170 active)
Open access: Vessels that land groundfish under open access provisions; typically, open access vessels do not depend on groundfish as a major source of income
Logbook requirements
Trawl Individual Fishing Quota program under development; expected by 2010 |
TAC |
Council develops recommendations for Optimum Yields or Harvest Guidelines on a biennial basis, approved in part or full by Secretary, and published as final rule in Federal Register
Inseason Adjustments may occur
(see graphs below total landings weight and revenue for 1997-2007) |
Current seasons, size limits, other restrictions |
Bi-monthly trip limits to spread season through year (including the Open-Access Sector) |
Fishery closures/ MPAs |
Rockfish Conservation Areas (RCAs)
Cowcod Conservation Areast (CCAs)
Cordell Banks Closed Areas
Farallon Islands Closed Areas
Essential Fish Habitat Conservation Areas; some are off-limits to trawl gear
Yelloweye Rockfish Conservation Areas
For more information about conservation and closed areas: http://www.nwr.noaa.gov/Groundfish-Halibut/Groundfish-Fishery-Management/Groundfish-Closed-Areas/Index.cfm |
Proposed regulations |
Ongoing Amendments 20-22: Trawl Rationalization (TIQ); Intersector Allocation; Open Access Limitation |
Recreational component |
Which species |
Many of the 89 |
Gears fished |
Hook-and-line; spear |
Code sections |
50 C.F.R. § 660.384 |
Regulations |
For more information: http://law.justia.com/us/cfr/title50/50-8.0.1.1.9.3.1.32.html.
For conservation and closed areas, see “Fishery closures/MPAs” for commercial fisheries. |
RecFIN/ CRFS info |
Estimate of 5.5 million rockfish reported caught off CA from 2004-2007
Incomplete data |
Social context |
Participation statewide |
138 LE permits in California; limited entry permits control capacity of the groundfish fleet by limiting the number of fishing vessels, limiting number of vessels using each of 3 specified gear types (trawl, trap/pot, longline), and limiting increases in harvest capacity by limiting vessel length
Production capacity was reduced by approximately half with federal buyback/loan program |
Participation by area |
Statewide |
Fishing and trade organizations |
Fishermen’s Marketing Association (trawlers) |
Seafood industry context |
Product forms |
Fresh, frozen, processed forms |
Seafood selector status, if any |
Black Rockfish (Black Bass, Black Rock Cod, Sea Bass, Black Snapper): Green Status
Rockfish (Rock Cod, Pacific Snapper, Red Snapper): Red Status
Skates: Red Status |
MSC certification status |
N/A |
Potential for value added |
Higher-market value for non-trawled fish; direct marketing (1-2 processors dominate) |
Miscellaneous |
|
Sources |
Groundfish & Halibut. NOAA’s National Marine Fishery Services – Northwest Regional Office website. http://www.nwr.noaa.gov/Groundfish-Halibut/index.cfm.
DFG Marine Region 2001. California’s Living Marine Resources: A Status Report. Groundfish. http://www.dfg.ca.gov/marine/status/status2001.asp. |
