69 



Figure 15-2.— The 20-year trend 

 in total catch (domestic and 

 foreign) of sablefish in the U.S. 

 EEZ and the estimated trend in 

 biiomass for ages 3 and older. 



Figure 15-3.— The 20-year trend 

 in domestic and foreign catch of 

 Pacific whiting in the U.S. EEZ, 

 total quota for harvest in the 

 U.S. EEZ since 1978, and 

 estimated trend in biomass for 

 ages 2 and older. 



350 



^Foreign landings 'Joint-venture landings ^Domestic landings 

 — Biomass — Quota 



1970 



1975 



1980 



1985 



3.5 



1990 



Sablefish 



Sablefish assessment is hampered by lack 

 of data. The size and age composition of 

 the commercial catch has only been mon- 

 itored since 1986, and trawl surveys at 

 100-700 fm have only been conducted in 

 a small part of the species' wide range. 



Imprecise age and stock determinations 

 must be clarified by further research. Other 

 problems are catch allocations between 

 trap and longline fishermen and incidental 

 catches of sablefish by trawlers fishing for 

 other species. 



Dover Sole 



Dover sole stock assessment suffers from 

 the same lack of extensive, quantitative 

 trawl survey data and similar stock mixing 

 problems as sablefish. Although fishery 



catch and fishing effort data have been 

 collected for several years, interpretation 

 has been confounded by changing market 

 conditions. 



