PACIFIC FISHERY MANAGEMENT COUNCIL (PFMC) CLOSES ALL ROCKFISH TAKE OUTSIDE OF 20 FATHOMS, EFFECTIVE JULY 1ST!

The PFMC met in San Francisco this week and based on recommendations from its scientific advisory panel acted to close the commercial and recreational take of all rockfish off most of the California coast. The action in southern California was based on a new bocaccio stock assessment that described the stocks as “much less productive” than seen only two years before. For 2003, the groundfish management team is recommending that no more than 6 tons of bocaccio be removed by all recreational or commercial impacts. In 2002, the quota was 100 tons, with 70 tons allocated to the sports.

For the boats of the SAC fleet, the action means no fishing for rockfish, lingcod or ocean white fish in waters deeper than 20 fathoms. This action does NOT affect fishing for other species, such as white seabass, yellowtail, halibut, barracuda, or sand or calico bass. It does mean that you will not be able to possess ANY rockfish, lingcod or whitefish if fishing in waters deeper than 20 fathoms. Inside 20 fathoms, you will be allowed 10 nearshore rockfish, as well as 2 lingcod, and whitefish and sheephead and other non-rockfish species. In the nearshore bag limit, you will be able to have up to 2 shelf species such as reds, chili’s, etc., but no bocaccio.

While this was a real blow to all SAC boats, the Council action was less damaging than the action that had been recommended by the scientific groundfish team of the Council. Their recommendation had been to close as soon as possible all take of rockfish, lingcod and whitefish in waters deeper than 10 fathoms! Had representatives of the sport fleet not been there to testify on the devastating impact of a 10 fathom closure, the outcome might have been different.

As far as the 2003 regulations on rockfish, the Council adopted three options for analysis, with the final decision scheduled for the Sept. 9-13, 2002 meeting in Portland, OR. Option One would limit all rockfishing to waters inside 10 fathoms, with a 5 fish bag for nearshore rockfish. In addition, there would be a complete rockfish closure in March and April. These regulations would be from the Mexican border to Cape Mendocino in northern California. Option Two would have no rockfish fishing outside 20 fathoms, and a 7 fish bag limit, which could include one shelf rockfish. All take of bocaccio, canary yellow eye rockfish would be prohibited under all options. This option would include no fishing for rockfish in March, April, November & December. Option Three would have no rockfishing outside 20 fathoms with a 10 fish bag limit, which could include 2 shelf rockfish. This option would close all rockfishing from November through April (6 months). In addition to these regulations, there would be options for 2 lingcod with a 24 inch minimum size limit, and 3 lingcod with a 22 inch minimum size limit. Added to this mix may be use of barbless and/or circle hooks. There were also options for allocating the small amount of bocaccio, canary and yellow eye rockfish between recreational and commercial fishermen.

The Pacific Fishery Management Council will be able to mix and match the various parts of these options, and then will adopt a final set of 2003 commercial and recreational fishing regulations at the Portland meeting in September. For those of you who may be concerned about the commercial regulations, the Council announced that from the nearshore line of 10 or 20 fathoms out to 150-250 fathoms, any recreational closure would be matched with a commercial closure.

Before I close, I want to mention that fishing strategy will have to be considered, as if you fish in waters less than 20 fathoms first and catch nearshore rockfish, you will NOT be able to fish in waters deeper than 20 fathoms with those rockfish on board. Enforcement has made it clear that fishing in more than 20 fathoms after July 1st with rockfish in an angler’s possession will be prohibited.

These are going to be tough times in the next few years, and the only thing that will help to change the management will be better science on the abundance of these rockfish populations. SAC is focused on that goal, and will continue to push the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) to carry out the independent groundfish surveys south of Pt. Conception that we think will confirm what the skippers in the SAC fleet have been saying lately; that the stocks of bocaccio rockfish are more abundant this year than in the last twenty years!

More when I have more to add.

Bob Fletcher, President.