1999 

 OUR LIVING OCEANS 



Intertidal zone, Pacific Coast. 



Florida's waters. This ban took effect July 1 , 1 OOS. 

 Recent average yield is down to 12,5581, but more 

 telling are the landings for 1996, which were re- 

 ported at 9,484 t. Commercial landings outweigh 

 the recreational catch by slightly more than 10:1. 

 Herrings (not including American shad, alewite, 

 or blueback herring) and Spanish sardine recent 

 average yields total 6,040 r m the southeast, al- 

 most all from commercial landings. Bait fisheries 

 for species such as ballyhoo and bigeye scad 

 (goggle-eye) exist primarily in south Fk)rida, with 

 a net fishery for bigeye scad in the Florida pan- 

 handle. A major portion ot the bigeye scad were 

 landed in Palm Beach County prior to the state- 

 issued net ban. Present landings in that area are a 

 result of a live-bait fishery and have a high value. 

 Ballyhoo landings from the Palm Beach area also 

 dropped, but those in the Florida Ke\s have been 

 steady. FIving fish are often landed with the balK- 

 hoo. 



PACIFIC COAST 



On the Pacific Coast, California contributes 

 the most commercial landings of nearshore spe- 

 cies at an estimated 93,954 t (Table 21-4), fol- 

 lowed by Oregon (22,198 t) and Washington 

 (14,637 t). The total value of the iLsheries, much 

 of which is related to marine recreational angling, 

 is difficult to estimate but is thought to be sizable. 

 Although not a direct measure of economic value, 

 an estimated 2,000,000 California anglers spend 

 $800,000,000 yearly on about 6,000.000 fishing 

 trips to catch nearly 30,000,000 saltwater fish — 

 most in nearshore waters — and add more than 

 $1.8 billion to the U.S. economy. In addition to 

 the manv commercial nearshore species, marine 

 anglers also land species that have been reserved 

 exclusively for sport — such as striped bass, stur- 

 geon, kelp bass, and California corbina. 



Nearshore species also support an expanding 

 California live-fish fishery valued at more than 

 $3,600,000 in 1996, with estimated statewide 

 landings of 562 t. The 65 target species include 

 California halibut, California sheephead, white 

 croaker, and other nearshore finfish, and are caught 

 primarily by hook-and-line and trap gear, live and 

 premium quality fresh (dead) fish are sold as spe- 

 cialty items to local restaurants. I he growing de- 



mand for live-fish species has increased fishing 

 pressure on other commercial nearshore species 

 and resulted in a limited-entrv program for the 

 live-fish trap fishery in southern (Liliforni.i. 



Shrimp — Shrimp supports nearshore commercial 

 fisheries throughout the Pacific region. 1 hey also 

 provide opportunity for recreational fishing, es- 

 pecially near urban centers as in Puget Sound, 

 Washington. The most common species harvested 

 are Pacific (pink), ocean, spot, sidestripe, and bay 

 shrimps. In recent years, landings appear to be on 

 a slight increase from a cyclic low (Figure 21-3). 

 Ridgeback, pink, and spot prawns are taken in 

 California by trawl and trap vessels. Spot prawns 

 support a very lucrative commercial live-prawn 

 fisher)'. Landings of ridgeback and spot prawns 

 increased 39% in 1996, to 5f 1 t. 



Crab — nungeness crab is the most abund.int crab 

 harvested along the Pacific coast. Commercial fish- 

 eries operate along all the west coast states, with 

 Oregon and northern California providing the 

 bulk of the landings. Some recreational crabbing 

 also occurs and is an important recreation.il and 

 subsistence fishery to many ethnic groups. Like 

 other crustacean resources, Dungeness crab abun- 

 dance is highly variable. In recent N'cars, abundance 

 seems to be on the increase from a low cycle. The 

 productivity and status of the other crab resources, 

 which tend lo be localized, are largely unknown. 

 In 1996, amendnients to the Magiuison-Stevens 

 Fishery Conservation and Management Act gave 

 authority to the States of California, Washington, 

 and Oregon for their crab fisheries in Federal wa- 

 ters and also recommended that the Pacific Fish- 

 ery Management Council develop a fishery man- 

 agement plan for Dungeness crab. After explor- 



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