Linking Two Data Sets in Order to Establish a Longer Baseline for a Central California Marine Protected Area. Nathan C. Hall 1, Nakamura, R. 1, Starr, R. 2, Wendt, D. E Cal Poly Center for Coastal Marine Sciences, 2- UC Grant Extension Program, Moss Landing WSN Annual Meeting 2009 Monterey, California

Marine Protected Areas MPAs as a tool for conservation marine ecosystems –MPAs have been shown to have an effect on mean size and abundance of fish species targeted by anglers (e.g., Halpern 2003, Gell and Roberts 2003, Paddack and Estes 2000) Many studies analyze protected vs. non- protected fish populations without providing a baseline –Are differences direct results of protection?

Central California MPAs California Marine Life Protection Act (MLPA) –July MPAs put in place in central California –California Collaborative Fisheries Research Program (CCFRP) CA Department of Fish and Game

Cal Poly Commercial Passenger Fishing Vessel Observer Program Observers placed aboard CPFVs beginning in 2003 –Includes data in existing MPAs

Question Can the Cal Poly CPFV observer data be used to extend the baseline for MLPA monitoring?

Pt. Buchon Pt. Estero Piedras Blancas Purisima Point Pt. Sal Morro Bay Cape San Martin Pt. Conception Cal Poly Observer Program –Choose a subset of anglers –Identify and measure each fish that is caught –Record depth, location and time spent fishing for each drift : –417 trips –3,849 locations –57,563 total fish –59 species OBS Study Area

California Collaborative Fisheries Research Program Sampling in 4 MPAs and adjacent reference areas Areas broken into cells Point Buchon Fishing methods standardized

Linking The Datasets < 120 ft.< 240 ftDepth Randomly chosenChosen by captainLocation StandardizedVariedAngler Effort StandardizedVariedGear Type CCFRP (MLPA)OBS

Linking the Datasets Point Buchon Data overlap spatially and temporally Two rockfish species make up over 50% of the catch Can we use CPUE observations from OBS to extend the baseline for CCFRP? Can we use mean length observations from OBS to extend the baseline for CCFRP? N. Yochum Sebastes carnatus E. Nakada Sebastes mystinus

Blue Rockfish E. Nakada

Gopher Rockfish N. Yochum

Mean Length Can we use mean length observations from OBS to extend the baseline for CCFRP? P = F = 2.22 P = F = 0.06 P = F = 0.32 P = F = 9.85

Project Differences in Depth

Catch Per Unit Effort Can we use CPUE observations from OBS to extend the baseline for CCFRP? MPA REF Blue Rockfish Gopher Rockfish

Conclusions Can the Cal Poly CPFV observer data be used as baseline information for CCFRP MPA monitoring? –Mean length for blue and gopher rockfish are generally higher for OBS project Future analyses must have this project effect accounted for –CPUE… Extending the baseline of the Pt. Buchon study area will aid in assessing the direct effect of MPAs

Acknowledgements Cal Poly: The DEW Lab (Lenora Brewer, Grant Waltz, Dave Rasmussen, Leslie Longabach, Corbin Hodges, Larissa Ormonde, Owen Hackleman, Helen Dickson, Casey Dilg), Erin Nakada, Nick Nesbitt, Steve Reinecke, Andrew Schaffner Moss Landing Marine Laboratories: Noelle Yochum SLOSEA: Melissa Locke, Leslie Rebick Captains and crew of Patriot Sportfishing, Virg’s Landing and Central Coast Sportfishing, our volunteer anglers Funding Sources: The Packard Foundation, Ocean Protection Council, Resources Legacy Fund Foundation