. . . Pacific coast Groundfish Fisheries 



68 



SPECIES AND STATUS 



Most major west coast groundfishes are 

 now fully harvested (Table 15-1), and re- 

 cent catches have been controlled by an- 

 nual quotas or trip limits. Many species can 

 live a long time (50+ years if unfished), but 

 they can support only low harvest rates. 

 Sablefish is such a species whose overall 

 population is coming into equilibrium— that 

 is, its current potential yields are approach- 

 ing its long-term potential yields (Fig. 15- 

 2). Recent data indicate that the statuses 

 of Dover sole, yellowtail rockfish, canary 

 rockfish, and widow rockfish are similar. 

 Pacific whiting reached full utilization in 

 1989 (Fig. 15-3). Its CPY is very close to 

 its LTPY, but this is changing. The CPY for 

 whiting will likely vary because this species 

 has greater short-term natural fluctuations 



than most other groundfish species. 

 Shortbelly rockfish and jack mackerel are 

 underutilized, but no market has yet devel- 

 oped for them. 



Pacific ocean perch and bocaccio are 

 below potential population levels. The 

 long-lived perch was heavily fished by for- 

 eign nations in the 1960's and 1970's. Its 

 population is slowly growing, and its CPY 

 is zero, though some harvest is allowed as 

 bycatch. Bocaccio is a shorter-lived south- 

 ern species that has had several years of 

 poor reproduction and no stock assess- 

 ment updates. The 1990 assessment 

 showed that the harvest needed to be cut 

 50% to reduce the risk of further declines. 

 Specific species assessments follow. 



Pacific Whiting 



Pacific whiting stocks are well studied, with 

 accurate ageing, hydroacoustic stock sur- 

 veys, and an assessment model that ana- 

 lyzes all fishery and survey data while 

 taking into account environmental effects 

 on the stock. Still, this is not enough to help 



forecasts of 3-5 years owing to yet unpre- 

 dictable values. The greatest manage- 

 ment problems for this species are bycatch 

 of salmon, allocation of catch between the 

 (J.S. and Canada, and allocation between 

 onshore and offshore fisheries. 



Table 15-1— Recent average, 

 current potential, and long-term 

 potential yields in metric tons (t) 

 of Pacific coast groundfish. The 

 LTPY, CPY, and RAY for the unit 

 equals the sum of the species' 

 LTPY's, CPY's, and RAY'S. Where 

 the species' LTPY is unknown, 

 the species' CPY is substituted in 

 the sum. If the species' CPY is 

 unknown, the species' RAY is 

 substituted. 



Long-term potential yield (LTPY) - 357,773 t 



Current potential yield (CPY) = 308,738 1 



Recent average yield (RAY) 1 - 264.946 t 



'1988-90 average. 



2 All values are coastwide except V C is Cape Blanco, Oreg , to northern Vancouver Island. B C .; C-M-E is US -Mexican border to 



Cape Blanco, Oreg- Where a rockfish spedes is harvested outside the specified aiea, it is included with "Other rockfish* 



