1. Northern California Red Abalone Fishery Ian Taniguchi Department of Fish and Game October 20, 2011 Management for the Future

2. Presentation Summary Die-Off Event Update Impact and Implications for the Fishery Next Steps

3. Invertebrate Die-Off Update Toxic Poisoning Further Tests Die-off Event is Over Gonyaulax spinifera

4. 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

5. Assessing the Impact

6. Index Site Density Die-Off Event Overall Mean Abalone Density 2009-2011: 0.57 Abalone/m 2

7. Abalone Fishery Implications ARMP trigger to reduce catch Regulatory package Additional regulations if needed

8. Next Steps Complete Regulatory Package Additional Regulations (if needed) Begin Transition to Long Term Plan

9. Ian Taniguchi California Department of Fish and Game Marine Region Invertebrate Management Project 4665 Lampson Ave. Suite C Los Alamitos, CA. 90720 Email: itaniguchi@dfg.ca.govitaniguchi@dfg.ca.gov http://www.dfg.ca.gov/marine/invertebrate/abalone.asp

11. 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

12. 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 (2008-10): Deep = 0.28/m 2 ; All Depths = 0.54/m 2

13. Recruitment Densities 2008-2010 Site Total Abalone Density (all depths and sizes) Recruitment Density (ab/m 2 for abalone 4 in. to 7 in. length) Todds Point 2009/10 0.51 0.10 Caspar Cove 2008 0.43 0.11 Van Damme 20100.800.30 Point Arena 20100.810.22 Salt Point 20080.390.15 Ocean Cove 20100.620.23 Timber Cove 20090.430.09 Fort Ross 20090.330.10 Overall Average0.540.16

14. Top Five Card Site Catch Estimates Site2007200820092010 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