California Wetfish Producers Association

PACIFIC SARDINE IS ONE OF THE TOP TEN HIGHEST VALUED COMMERCIAL FISHERIES IN CALIFORNIA. BUT DECLINING STOCK ASSESSMENTS PRECIPITATED CLOSURE OF THE DIRECTED SARDINE FISHERY IN 2015. IN 2019, NORTHERN SARDINES WERE DECLARED OVERFISHED, CURTAILING THE ALLOWED INCIDENTAL CATCH RATE. THIS ALSO CURTAILED FISHING FOR SPECIES THAT SCHOOL WITH SARDINES, INFLICTING SERIOUS IMPACTS ON INDUSTRY. THE GOAL OF THIS PROJECT IS TO COLLECT AND ANALYZE HISTORICAL AND CURRENT BIOLOGICAL AND LANDINGS DATA YEARLONG, BI-MONTHLY OBSERVATIONS AND MONTHLY SAMPLES FROM PURSE SEINE FISHING AND LIVE BAIT CATCHES, TO TEST THE HYPOTHESIS THAT NSP AND SSP SARDINES, PARTICULARLY SARDINES INSHORE OF NOAA SURVEYS, CAN BE ACCURATELY SEPARATED BY THEIR ASSOCIATION WITH 16.7C SST USING MORPHOLOGICAL (E.G. LENGTH, WEIGHT, AGE, VERTEBRAL COUNT) AND BIOLOGICAL METRICS. THE OUTCOME WILL ENHANCE UNDERSTANDING OF STOCK STRUCTURE AND MAY LEAD TO INCREASED FISHING OPPORTUNITIES.