Northern California Red Abalone Fishery Ian Taniguchi Department of Fish and Game October 20, 2011 Management for the Future
Presentation Summary Die-Off Event Update Impact and Implications for the Fishery Next Steps
Invertebrate Die-Off Update Toxic Poisoning Further Tests Die-off Event is Over Gonyaulax spinifera
Assessing the Impact Abalone –Fort Ross - 30% decline –Timber Cove – 19% decline –Salt Point - 12% decline –Ocean Cove – 35% decline Context of Event Mortality –Natural mortality: 10% to 21% per year
Assessing the Impact
Index Site Density Die-Off Event Overall Mean Abalone Density : 0.57 Abalone/m 2
Abalone Fishery Implications ARMP trigger to reduce catch Regulatory package Additional regulations if needed
Next Steps Complete Regulatory Package Additional Regulations (if needed) Begin Transition to Long Term Plan
Ian Taniguchi California Department of Fish and Game Marine Region Invertebrate Management Project 4665 Lampson Ave. Suite C Los Alamitos, CA
Proposed Regulatory Options Reduce card limit from 24 to no less than 12 Reduce daily fishing hours by early morning closure Site specific effort reduction Close Fort Ross the first 2 months of season No co-mingling of catches prior to tagging
ARMP TAC Adjustment Table CRITERIA ACTION Recruitment Density (abalone/m 2 ) – emergent surveys Deep (refuge)All Depths N/A 0.33/m 2 AND 0.66/m 2 2) Maintain TAC 3) Reduce TAC by 25% No AND< 0.25/m 2 OR < 0.50/m 2 Densities ( ): Deep = 0.28/m 2 ; All Depths = 0.54/m 2
Recruitment Densities Site Total Abalone Density (all depths and sizes) Recruitment Density (ab/m 2 for abalone 4 in. to 7 in. length) Todds Point 2009/ Caspar Cove Van Damme Point Arena Salt Point Ocean Cove Timber Cove Fort Ross Overall Average
Top Five Card Site Catch Estimates Site Fort Ross62,00056,00051,00033,000 Van Damme16,000 19,00016,000 Moat Creek12,00014,00019,00011,000 Salt Point13,00011,00012,0009,000 Sea Ranch13,00010,00012,000 Total Catch309,000265,000295,000234,000 Site Densities: Ft. Ross = 0.33/m 2 ; Salt Point = 0.39/m 2