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Condition of the Pacific Ocean Perch Resource off Washington and Oregon during 1979: Results of a Cooperative Trawl Survey
Author(s) -
Wilkins Mark E.,
Golden James T.
Publication year - 1983
Publication title -
north american journal of fisheries management
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.587
H-Index - 72
eISSN - 1548-8675
pISSN - 0275-5947
DOI - 10.1577/1548-8659(1983)3<103:cotpop>2.0.co;2
Subject(s) - sebastes , fishery , stock assessment , overexploitation , rockfish , geography , stock (firearms) , marine fisheries , oceanography , fisheries management , fisheries science , spawn (biology) , environmental science , fishing , fish <actinopterygii> , biology , geology , archaeology
Pacific ocean perch, Sebastes alutus, stocks in the northeastern Pacific Ocean off the coasts of Oregon, Washington, and British Columbia experienced severe damage from overexploitation in the mid‐1960's. Catch limits were imposed during 1978. Fishermen questioned the need for these limitations on the basis of lack of precision in biomass estimates provided by research surveys and because of the recruitment of a relatively strong 1970 year class. To respond to these concerns and to provide an updated biomass estimate with better precision than for previous estimates, a trawl survey was conducted between 22 March and 2 May 1979. The survey was designed and conducted jointly by the Northwest and Alaska Fisheries Center of the National Marine Fisheries Service, the Washington Department of Fisheries, and the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife with the primary objective of obtaining information needed for improved management of this species. The objective was attained through stratification of the survey area using commercial fishery data and results from previous research. The precision of the biomass estimate for the United States' portion of the International North Pacific Fisheries Commission's Vancouver area was improved by 31% over the estimate resulting from the 1977 rockfish (Sebastes spp.) survey. Review of the survey data indicated that (1) these stocks remain in serious condition despite an apparent increase in abundance attributable to the strong 1970 year class, and (2) the stock north of the Columbia River was composed of a wider range of sizes and ages than the stock off the coast of Oregon.