Pacific herring. U.S., California: Eastern Central Pacific. Set gillnets. Clupea pallasii. October 6, 2014 Megsie Siple, Consulting researcher

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1 Pacific herring Clupea pallasii U.S., California: Eastern Central Pacific Set gillnets October 6, 2014 Megsie Siple, Consulting researcher Disclaimer Seafood Watch strives to have all Seafood Reports reviewed for accuracy and completeness by external scientists with expertise in ecology, fisheries science and aquaculture. Scientific review, however, does not constitute an endorsement of the Seafood Watch program or its recommendations on the part of the reviewing scientists. Seafood Watch is solely responsible for the conclusions reached in this report. Seafood Watch Standard used in this assessment: Standard for Fisheries vf2

2 Table of Contents About Seafood Watch Guiding Principles Summary Final Seafood Recommendations Introduction Assessment Criterion 1: Impacts on the species under assessment Criterion 2: Impacts on other species Criterion 3: Management Effectiveness Criterion 4: Impacts on the habitat and ecosystem Acknowledgements References Appendix A: Review Schedule

3 About Seafood Watch Monterey Bay Aquarium s Seafood Watch program evaluates the ecological sustainability of wild-caught and farmed seafood commonly found in the United States marketplace. Seafood Watch defines sustainable seafood as originating from sources, whether wild-caught or farmed, which can maintain or increase production in the long-term without jeopardizing the structure or function of affected ecosystems. Seafood Watch makes its science-based recommendations available to the public in the form of regional pocket guides that can be downloaded from The program s goals are to raise awareness of important ocean conservation issues and empower seafood consumers and businesses to make choices for healthy oceans. Each sustainability recommendation on the regional pocket guides is supported by a Seafood Report. Each report synthesizes and analyzes the most current ecological, fisheries and ecosystem science on a species, then evaluates this information against the program s conservation ethic to arrive at a recommendation of Best Choices, Good Alternatives or Avoid. The detailed evaluation methodology is available upon request. In producing the Seafood Reports, Seafood Watch seeks out research published in academic, peer-reviewed journals whenever possible. Other sources of information include government technical publications, fishery management plans and supporting documents, and other scientific reviews of ecological sustainability. Seafood Watch Research Analysts also communicate regularly with ecologists, fisheries and aquaculture scientists, and members of industry and conservation organizations when evaluating fisheries and aquaculture practices. Capture fisheries and aquaculture practices are highly dynamic; as the scientific information on each species changes, Seafood Watch s sustainability recommendations and the underlying Seafood Reports will be updated to reflect these changes. Parties interested in capture fisheries, aquaculture practices and the sustainability of ocean ecosystems are welcome to use Seafood Reports in any way they find useful. For more information about Seafood Watch and Seafood Reports, please contact the Seafood Watch program at Monterey Bay Aquarium by calling

4 Guiding Principles Seafood Watch defines sustainable seafood as originating from sources, whether fished 1 or farmed, that can maintain or increase production in the long-term without jeopardizing the structure or function of affected ecosystems. Based on this principle, Seafood Watch had developed four sustainability criteria for evaluating wildcatch fisheries for consumers and businesses. These criteria are: How does fishing affect the species under assessment? How does the fishing affect other, target and non-target species? How effective is the fishery s management? How does the fishing affect habitats and the stability of the ecosystem? Each criterion includes: Factors to evaluate and score Guidelines for integrating these factors to produce a numerical score and rating Once a rating has been assigned to each criterion, we develop an overall recommendation. Criteria ratings and the overall recommendation are color-coded to correspond to the categories on the Seafood Watch pocket guide and online guide: Best Choice/Green: Are well managed and caught in ways that cause little harm to habitats or other wildlife. Good Alternative/Yellow: Buy, but be aware there are concerns with how they re caught. Avoid/Red Take a pass on these for now. These items are overfished or caught in ways that harm other marine life or the environment. 1 Fish is used throughout this document to refer to finfish, shellfish and other invertebrates 4

5 Summary Pacific herring (Clupea pallasii) is a pelagic schooling fish distributed around the North Pacific, from South Korea to Southern California. The stocks in the northwestern Pacific are largely depleted, so the majority of Pacific herring catches occur in Alaska, Canada, or California. Commercial Pacific herring fisheries consist of three types: fresh fish (where whole fish are sold for human consumption), sac roe (where females are harvested and roe is sold) and roe on kelp (where kelp is placed in spawning grounds, herring lay eggs on it, and the kelp and eggs are sold). There are active commercial fisheries in Alaska and California in the U.S. These are predominantly sac roe and bait fisheries. This report will focus on herring caught in the gillnet fishery in San Francisco Bay, California. The stock assessment for San Francisco Bay herring fishery is still in development, so abundance estimates are not used to set annual harvest limits. Instead, quotas are revised each year and based on spawning biomass estimates from spawn surveys. Biomass has increased since 2008, and strong recruitment to fish of spawning age suggests that spawning stock biomass is likely to increase further. Landings have remained at or under the quota for sac roe and roe on kelp fisheries since Harvest is limited to 5% of the spawning biomass, and the fishery has been closed in years when abundance is too low. The San Francisco Bay herring sac roe fishery has very little bycatch, due to selective fishing gear and low nearshore salinities during the season. Bycatch species are limited to jack smelt (Atherinopsis californiensis) and Pacific sardine (Sardinops sagax). Jack smelt, which sometimes enter spawning grounds to feed on herring eggs after a spawning event, can often be avoided by fishermen with fathometers because of their distinct acoustic signal. Other species found in catches include bullhead, shiner perch, english sole and rock crab. These are not considered vulnerable or ETP species, and bycatch rates are likely <1%, so these species are not assessed here. The management regulations in place for the San Francisco Bay fishery are a result of recommendations from the California Department of Fish and Wildlife to the California Fish and Game Commission. Spawning biomass is estimated from fishery-independent data (spawn surveys) and fishery-dependent methods (age distributions from landed catch). Harvest rules aim to leave enough spawning biomass in the water to allow the stock to recover and provide food for predators. Even though the fishery operates under precautious harvest guidelines, it is still subject to changes in oceanic conditions, and recruitment can fluctuate unpredictably. The herring fishery in San Francisco Bay exclusively uses gillnets that are weighted on the bottom. These could potentially impact benthic algae and seagrasses. The current management plan does not include rules for mitigating gear impacts. However, the fishery occurs mainly in areas with mud bottoms, and the short season and small spatial extent of the fishery make it unlikely that gear greatly affects the substrate. More data on gillnet placement relative to the distribution of seagrasses and algae in San Francisco Bay is necessary to assess the habitat impacts of this fishery. Pacific herring is considered a forage fish which are defined by their functional role. Forage fish play an important role in energy transfer between phytoplankton and zooplankton and upper trophic levels. Changes in forage fish biomass could cause declines in predators of forage fish, including commercially valuable species. Ecosystem model simulations have confirmed that this is also a concern in the California Current ecosystem where this fishery occurs. The Pacific herring fishery in San Francisco Bay recently changed regulations to allow catch of whole herring to occur during the same season as the sac roe fishery. This fishery is managed in a way that considers fishery and ecosystem needs, and harvest rules are adaptable to changes in biomass. 5

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7 Final Seafood Recommendations SPECIES/FISHERY CRITERION 1: IMPACTS ON THE SPECIES CRITERION 2: IMPACTS ON OTHER SPECIES CRITERION 3: MANAGEMENT EFFECTIVENESS CRITERION 4: HABITAT AND ECOSYSTEM OVERALL RECOMMENDATION Pacific herring California Eastern Central Pacific, Set gillnets, United States of America Green (4.47) Green (5.00) Yellow (3.00) Green (3.24) Best Choice (3.84) Summary Pacific herring (Clupea pallasii) is a small pelagic forage fish found in the nearshore waters of the North Pacific, from South Korea to Southern California. This report covers the San Francisco Bay Pacific herring fishery, which composes a small proportion of the U.S. markets, because it is mainly available in California. The Best Choice rank for Pacific herring from San Francisco Bay is driven by the combination of the low impact of the fishery on the stock, minimal bycatch, and an adaptive, science-based management strategy. Eco-Certification Information There are currently no Pacific herring fisheries certified or under assessment by the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC). The California Ocean Sciences Trust (CalOST) reviewed San Francisco Bay Pacific herring among 11 fisheries in California using MSC assessment methods, in order to identify data and knowledge gaps. CalOST indicated three weaknesses for the fishery: the need to review assessment methods to ensure that they are appropriate for managing the stock, the need to record information in retained, bycatch, or ETP species, and the need to rigorously assess the habitat impacts of the fishery. Once these knowledge gaps have been appropriately filled, the fishery may be eligible for an MSC assessment. Scoring Guide Scores range from zero to five where zero indicates very poor performance and five indicates the fishing operations have no significant impact. Final Score = geometric mean of the four Scores (Criterion 1, Criterion 2, Criterion 3, Criterion 4). Best Choice/Green = Final Score >3.2, and no Red Criteria, and no Critical scores Good Alternative/Yellow = Final score > , and neither Harvest Strategy (Factor 3.1) nor Bycatch Management Strategy (Factor 3.2) are Very High Concern 2, and no more than one Red Criterion, and no Critical scores Avoid/Red = Final Score 2.2, or either Harvest Strategy (Factor 3.1) or Bycatch Management Strategy (Factor 3.2) is Very High Concern or two or more Red Criteria, or one or more Critical scores. 2 Because effective management is an essential component of sustainable fisheries, Seafood Watch issues an Avoid recommendation for any fishery scored as a Very High Concern for either factor under Management (Criterion 3). 7

8 Introduction Scope of the analysis and ensuing recommendation Pacific herring (Clupea pallasii) is a pelagic schooling fish with stocks distributed around the Pacific Rim from Southern California to Korea. This report focuses on the major sources of wild captured herring for food, bait, and roe in the U.S. Pacific. The majority of herring fished in the U.S. come from Alaska (with <5% of total domestic landings occuring in California and Washington), but this catch is nearly all exported. This assessment focuses on the herring fishery in San Francisco Bay, the only herring fishery in California that still has some commercial harvest. Because less than 0.5% of the landings from the roe on kelp fishery is sold in U.S. markets, only the sac roe and whole fish fisheries are analyzed here. The major gear type analyzed here is the bottom gillnet. Species Overview Pacific herring are a coastal, schooling forage fish species distributed throughout the northern Pacific from northern Baja California, Mexico, to Korea. Pacific herring typically spend spring and summer foraging in the ocean, and aggregate in nearshore areas during fall and winter, after which they spawn in the shallow subtidal. After spawning, adults recoup some energy loss by feeding at spawning grounds, and then return to sea. They are a relatively short-lived species; although they have a maximum reported age of 19 years, most individuals are no more than six years old (Morrow 1980). Each female lays between 40,000 50,000 eggs in one spawning season, and herring are repeat spawners). They can grow to a maximum size of 46 cm. Pacific herring are considered forage fish, which are defined by their important functional role in marine ecosystems. Forage fish transfer energy from phytoplankton and zooplankton to higher trophic level predators. Pacific herring are a dominant forage species in the northeast Pacific, along with Pacific sardine, Pacific herring, Northern anchovy, Pacific mackerel, smelts, sand lance, market squid, and krill. Pacific herring eggs are preferred by ducks (Anderson et al. 2009) and seabirds (Bishop & Green 2001), and adult herring are consumed by a broad range of seabirds (Furness 2007), marine mammals (Weise & Harvey 2008), and piscivorous fish (Duffy et al. 2010)(Logan et al. 2011). In an analysis of prevalence in the diet of 121 predators in the California Current Large Marine Ecosystem (CCLME), Pacific herring is the fifth most important prey item across all taxa, and the second most important for seabirds (Thayer et al. in prep).in a separate analysis of occurrence in the diet of 32 predators in the CCLME, Pacific herring is the fourth most important prey item (Ainley et al. 2014). Pacific herring also support a valuable commercial fishery in the US. Roe from fecund females ( sac roe ), eggs laid on kelp (sometimes referred to as herring eggs on kelp or HEOK; referred to here as roe on kelp ), and whole fish are all harvested in the U.S. The sac roe product is obtained by catching fecund females. The eggs are stuck together in an oblong shape called a skein, which is extracted from the females either on the boat or on shore. Skeins are packed in brine, and often soaked in freshwater they are consumed. The roe on kelp fishery involves the removal of giant kelp (Macrocystis pyifera) from the subtidal, sometimes from different sites than where the herring spawn. The kelp is then suspended in areas where herring spawn, and left in the water until the spawn has reached a certain thickness, at which point the kelp is harvested and dried or fried. Unlike the sac roe fishery, the HEOK fishery does not harvest any adults, only the eggs from the kelp. Pacific herring also support a valuable commercial fishery. Roe from fecund females ( sac roe ), eggs laid on kelp (sometimes referred to as herring eggs on kelp or HEOK), and whole fish are all harvested in the U.S. Landings of roe on kelp, sac roe, reduction (to fishmeal), fresh fish market and bait fisheries for Pacific herring in the U.S. were worth $19.9 million in 2012 (NMFS 2014). Most of the herring and roe on kelp fished on the West Coast of the U.S. is exported to Asian markets (primarily Japan), but some local consumption occurs in California. Herring is also used as bait for recreational and commercial halibut, groundfish, crab, and salmon troll fisheries (WDFW 2011)(ADFG 2014). 8

9 In 2012, Pacific herring accounted for 12.8% of the total global herring landings (FAO 2014). Since 1950, Pacific herring have composed 2-16% of annual global herring catches. Global Pacific herring landings peaked at about 506,000 metric tons (t) in 1998, with a long-term mean annual catch of ~250,000 ± 13,000 t. Landings were dominated by Asian and American fisheries through the 1970s, and the current global catch of Pacific herring is mostly by European fishing fleets ((FAO 2014); Figure 1). Pacific herring are most frequently caught with purse seines and gillnets. They are also captured with hand lines and cast nets in the small bait fishery. All of the catches in California in 2012 were made using bottom set gill nets, according to CDFW (these are recorded as "non-trawl nets" by NMFS) (NMFS 2014). The majority of catches occurred in San Francisco Bay, which is restricted to gillnets, so non-trawl net catches recorded by NMFS are all from gillnets. The HEOK fishery in San Francisco Bay uses giant kelp harvested from the Central Coast of California. Global landings of Pacific herring and U.S. imports of all herring species since (A) Annual global catches, from the National Marine Fisheries Service. Landings by European vessels have replaced catches by countries from Asia and the Americas in the last 30 years. (B) U.S. imports of Pacific herring products from each country; larger points represent a higher volume of imports. Data are from FAO. 9

10 Herring along the west coast vary widely in population size, fishing pressure, and environmental stressors, and each state with Pacific herring populations monitors and manages their stocks separately. Some spawning populations of Pacific herring on the U.S. west coast have been depleted or are populations of concern. The Sierra Club recently petitioned to list the Lynn Canal, Alaska Distinct Population Segment (DPS) as threatened or Endagered under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). Though the stock was classified as not warranting a listing (based on the lack of support for Lynn Canal and Juneau to be listed as a DPS), the fishery in Lynn Canal and Juneau has been closed since The Prince William Sound stock remains below its regulatory threshold (22,000 t) and the fishery has been closed since Fisheries in Washington and Oregon are bait fisheries only, with small catches relative to those in California and Alaska (Stick & Lindquist 2009). In 2012, 95% of the Pacific herring catch in the U.S. came from Alaska, and 4% came from California (Figure 2). Catches of Pacific herring on the U.S. West Coast from Data are from NMFS. 10

11 Historically, spawning areas in California included San Diego Bay, San Luis River, Morro Bay, Elkhorn Slough, San Francisco Bay, Tomales Bay, Bodega Bay, Russian River, Noyo River, Shelter Cove, Humboldt Bay, and Crescent City Harbor, with the largest catches in San Francisco and Tomales Bays (Figure 3). Catch comes from gillnets (Figure 4). As of 2014, the San Francisco Bay fishery is the only remaining active fishery and has the largest spawning population; Tomales Bay fisheries have been inactive since 2007, Humboldt Bay since 2005, and Crescent City Harbor since The San Francisco Bay fishery consists of whole fish, sac roe and roe on kelp fisheries. The largest annual landings come from the sac roe fishery, with a small amount of the quota allocated to the roe on kelp and whole fish market fisheries. Catches in California from San Francisco Bay has historically been the largest of the CA fisheries. Data are from Spratt (1992). 11

12 Catches by gear type in California since Data are from NMFS. This report focuses on sac roe and whole-fish fisheries in San Francisco Bay, California. The San Francisco Bay stock is managed by the California Fish and Game Commission, which is advised by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW). The stock is managed with rules set each year, and a Fishery Management Plan (FMP) is currently in the early stages of development. Production Statistics Mean annual catches of Pacific herring in California herring fisheries have been 1,737 t (Figure 2). The majority of catches are made by the sac roe fishery, which consists of two platoons of boats that fish at different times using bottom gillnets. The commercial sac roe fishery in San Francisco Bay caught 2,115 t of fish in 2012 and the HEOK fishery caught 35.6 t (the reported weight includes the weight of the kelp; (Bartling et al. 2013)). The market for fresh fish has recently grown, and currently fresh fish and herring roe are allowed under the same permit. The quota for fresh fish is currently set at 20 tons (daily market orders are less than 500 pounds). CDFW monitors landings and suggests an annual quota to the California Fish and Game Commission (FGC). 12

13 (A) Annual spawning biomass estimates (black line) are used to determine quotas (blue) for the sac roe and roe on kelp fisheries. (B) Age composition by biomass measured during research surveys by CDFW from show strong recruitment to age 2 in (C) Quotas and landings for the sac roe and roe on kelp fisheries (in blue and green, respectively). Until 1989, quota and landings data for sac roe and roe on kelp fisheries were reported together. Data are from CDFW. Importance to the US/North American market. Most of the herring (both Pacific herring and other species) available in U.S. markets is from Canada (69% in 2012; Figure 6). Import data for herring is not species-specific, so it is unknown exactly how much of total herring imports consist of Pacific herring and how much are Atlantic herring. On average, 10% of global landings are Pacific herring, and 76% are Atlantic herring (FAO 2014). 13

14 Contribution (%) by country to U.S. herring markets. This includes all species of herring. Other countries indicates countries that each contribute less than 1% of the total U.S. imports. Data are from FAO. Commercial catches of Pacific herring in the U.S. average 31,062 ± 437 t per year (NMFS 2014). These are largely exported to other countries, especially Japan (Figure 7). In California, there is a market for fresh whole Pacific herring from San Francisco Bay that may expand in the future. CDFW recently proposed an amendment to regulations that would allow take for the whole fish market during the sac roe season in San Francisco Bay (CDFW 2013). The new regulations took effect in the season. 14

15 Exports of herring to countries outside the U.S. Exports from west coast cities are assumed to be Pacific herring, and most exports go to Japan. Data are from NMFS. Common and market names. The name herring is attributed to several species of herring, the most common of which in U.S. markets are Atlantic herring. Pacific herring roe is sold as kazunoko and roe on kelp is sold as kazunoko kombu or komochi kombu. Primary product forms 15

16 Pacific herring is available as whole fish, herring roe, and roe on kelp. Whole fish are often smoked, kippered, frozen, fresh, or salted. 16

17 Assessment This section assesses the sustainability of the fishery(s) relative to the Seafood Watch Criteria for Fisheries, available at Criterion 1: Impacts on the species under assessment This criterion evaluates the impact of fishing mortality on the species, given its current abundance. The inherent vulnerability to fishing rating influences how abundance is scored, when abundance is unknown. The final Criterion 1 score is determined by taking the geometric mean of the abundance and fishing mortality scores. The Criterion 1 rating is determined as follows: Score >3.2=Green or Low Concern Score >2.2 and 3.2=Yellow or Moderate Concern Score 2.2=Red or High Concern Rating is Critical if Factor 1.3 (Fishing Mortality) is Critical Criterion 1 Summary PACIFIC HERRING Region Method California/Eastern Central Pacific Set gillnets United States of America Inherent Vulnerability Abundance Fishing Mortality Score 2.00: Medium 4.00: Low Concern 5.00: Very Low Concern Green (4.47) Criterion 1 Assessment SCORING GUIDELINES Factor Inherent Vulnerability Low The FishBase vulnerability score for species is 0-35, OR species exhibits life history characteristics that make it resilient to fishing, (e.g., early maturing). Medium The FishBase vulnerability score for species is 36-55, OR species exhibits life history characteristics that make it neither particularly vulnerable nor resilient to fishing, (e.g., moderate age at sexual maturity (5-15 years), moderate maximum age (10-25 years), moderate maximum size, and middle of food chain). High The FishBase vulnerability score for species is , OR species exhibits life history characteristics that make is particularly vulnerable to fishing, (e.g., long-lived (>25 years), late maturing (>15 years), low reproduction rate, large body size, and top-predator). Note: The FishBase vulnerability scores is an index of the inherent vulnerability of marine fishes to fishing based on life history parameters: maximum length, age at first maturity, longevity, growth rate, natural mortality rate, fecundity, spatial behaviors (e.g., schooling, aggregating for breeding, or consistently returning to the same sites for feeding or reproduction) and geographic range. Factor Abundance 17

18 5 (Very Low Concern) Strong evidence exists that the population is above target abundance level (e.g., biomass at maximum sustainable yield, BMSY) or near virgin biomass. 4 (Low Concern) Population may be below target abundance level, but it is considered not overfished 3 (Moderate Concern) Abundance level is unknown and the species has a low or medium inherent vulnerability to fishing. 2 (High Concern) Population is overfished, depleted, or a species of concern, OR abundance is unknown and the species has a high inherent vulnerability to fishing. 1 (Very High Concern) Population is listed as threatened or endangered. Factor Fishing Mortality 5 (Very Low Concern) Highly likely that fishing mortality is below a sustainable level (e.g., below fishing mortality at maximum sustainable yield, FMSY), OR fishery does not target species and its contribution to the mortality of species is negligible ( 5% of a sustainable level of fishing mortality) (Low Concern) Probable (>50%) chance that fishing mortality is at or below a sustainable level, but some uncertainty exists, OR fishery does not target species and does not adversely affect species, but its contribution to mortality is not negligible, OR fishing mortality is unknown, but the population is healthy and the species has a low susceptibility to the fishery (low chance of being caught) (Moderate Concern) Fishing mortality is fluctuating around sustainable levels, OR fishing mortality is unknown and species has a moderate-high susceptibility to the fishery and, if species is depleted, reasonable management is in place. 1 (High Concern) Overfishing is occurring, but management is in place to curtail overfishing, OR fishing mortality is unknown, species is depleted, and no management is in place. 0 (Critical) Overfishing is known to be occurring and no reasonable management is in place to curtail overfishing. PACIFIC HERRING Factor Inherent Vulnerability CALIFORNIA/EASTERN CENTRAL PACIFIC, SET GILLNETS, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA Medium The FishBase vulnerability score for Pacific herring is 28 out of 100 (Cheung et al. 2005). This is considered to be low to moderate vulnerability to fishing. However, herring are also highly vulnerable to fishing mortality during low-productivity years, and are susceptible to anthropogenic impacts on the nearshore environment like oil spills. Justification: Pacific herring are sexually mature between 2-4 years of age (about 20.9 cm, although this varies between spawning populations and across the Pacific; (Hay et al. 2008)(Schweigert et al. 2002)). Although they mature quickly and have a high fecundity, herring undergo large fluctuations in productivity, and can be more suspectible to overfishing when productivity is low (Pinsky et al. 2011). Long-term chronic inputs of contaminants from industrial activities (e.g., persistent organic pollutants) and short-term acute stress with lasting ecosystem impacts (e.g., oil spills) can both affect herring productivity. Exposure to oil from oil spills can have lethal and sublethal effects on Pacific herring embryos, causing malformations, genetic problems, deformities and mortality (Carls et al. 1999)(Incardona et al. 2012). Harmful algal blooms, predation, and variation in prey availability can all decrease herring productivity and increase vulnerability to high levels of fishing mortality. 18

19 Factor Abundance CALIFORNIA/EASTERN CENTRAL PACIFIC, SET GILLNETS, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA Low Concern Currently the stock assessment for the San Francisco Pacific herring stock consists of spawning biomass estimates each year, which are used to set precautionary targets for harvest. Other reference points (unfished biomass B 0, biomass needed to obtain maximum sustainable yield B MSY, and fishing mortality needed to obtain MSY F MSY) are not available, neither is an estimate of unfished age distribution. CDFW recognizes the lack of an estimate of unfished biomass as a weakness for the fishery, and has recommended precautionary harvest rules based on spawning stock biomass. Biomass has increased since 2008, and strong recruitment of three- and four-year old fish in indicates that the stock is rebounding from low abundance in While the fishery is not considered overfished (Bartling, CDFW, pers. comm. 2014), the stock assessment is still being developed (CDFW 2013) and the lack of reference points means a formal classification cannot be made. However, the upwards trend in biomass since 2008 and recent conservative annual quotas allow for a rating of 'low concern.' Justification: Precautionary quotas are important for Pacific herring because they undergo dramatic fluctuations in abundance in response to biological and physical drivers. Pacific herring are vulnerable to climate variability (Bartling et al. 2013)(Reum et al. 2011), competition from juvenile salmonids and other forage species (Deriso et al. 2008), and disease (Marty et al. 2010). Herring recruitment can also be impacted by human activities: herring eggs and embryos can also suffer developmental abnormalities and egg mortality if exposed to crude oil (Jeffries et al. 2013). In 2007, a bunker oil spill from a container ship resulted in sublethal cardiac toxicity for herring embryos in the subtidal zone, and tissue necrosis and mortality for herring embryos incubating in an adjacent shallow intertidal site (Incardona et al. 2012). The population may still be recovering from this event. In San Francisco Bay, herring are subject to biological and anthropogenic pressures, which could overwhelm even a well-managed stock. These concerns are relevant to San Francisco Bay. The preservation of larger fish (ages 4+) to support the gillnet fishery is a continuing concern; the El Niño event led to greatly reduced abundance estimates for fish aged 4 and older (ostensibly because of lower productivity). Less upwelling and lower productivity in is likely the cause of a second precipitous drop in biomass (Bartling, CDFW, pers. comm. 2014). Stronger cohorts of fish may lead to stock recovery (Figure 5), but can also experience disproportionate fishing mortality because they compose a larger proportion of the stock (CCR Title 14 Sections ). 19

20 (A) Annual spawning biomass estimates (black line) are used to determine quotas (blue) for the sac roe and roe on kelp fisheries. (B) Age composition by biomass measured during research surveys by CDFW from show strong recruitment to age 2 in (C) Quotas and landings for the sac roe and roe on kelp fisheries (in blue and green, respectively). Until 1989, quota and landings data for sac roe and roe on kelp fisheries were reported together. Data are from CDFW. Factor Fishing Mortality CALIFORNIA/EASTERN CENTRAL PACIFIC, SET GILLNETS, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA Very Low Concern Annual quotas have been set at 5% of total spawning biomass estimate since 2010, and have historically been <10% of total estimated spawning biomass. There is no official harvest control rule, but because the catch is limited to such a small proportion of the total estimated spawning biomass, Pacific herring are ranked as having very low concern for fishing mortality. Justification: The San Francisco Bay herring stock is managed to maintain a spawning stock biomass that is large enough to replenish itself (i.e., to prevent recruitment overfishing): CDFW and California Sea Grant assembled a team of experts in forage fish ecology and stock assessment, which determined that a harvest rate of 10-15% would be sustainable (CA Sea Grant 2003)(CDFW 2013). Annual quotas have been set at 5% of total spawning biomass estimate since 2010, and have been <10% of total estimated spawning biomass since Annual landings have consistently remained within the quota (see Figure 7). This quota is a precautionary harvest limit so that even during years when oceanographic conditions are suboptimal, the population can replenish 20

21 itself (CDFW 2013). There is no harvest control rule for Pacific herring yet; this is one of the benefits of CDFW s proposed FMP. Because of the relatively small proportion of spawning stock biomass allowed for catch in this fishery, it is assumed that the fishery has a small impact on the population. Fishing mortality and unexploited spawning biomass (B 0) estimates should be obtained from a formal stock assessment. The Centre for the Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science is currently developing one in collaboration with CDFW. 21

22 Criterion 2: Impacts on other species All main retained and bycatch species in the fishery are evaluated in the same way as the species under assessment were evaluated in Criterion 1. Seafood Watch defines bycatch as all fisheries-related mortality or injury to species other than the retained catch. Examples include discards, endangered or threatened species catch, and ghost fishing. To determine the final Criterion 2 score, the score for the lowest scoring retained/bycatch species is multiplied by the discard rate score (ranges from 0-1), which evaluates the amount of non-retained catch (discards) and bait use relative to the retained catch. The Criterion 2 rating is determined as follows: Score >3.2=Green or Low Concern Score >2.2 and 3.2=Yellow or Moderate Concern Score 2.2=Red or High Concern Rating is Critical if Factor 2.3 (Fishing Mortality) is Crtitical Criterion 2 Summary Only the lowest scoring main species is/are listed in the table and text in this Criterion 2 section; a full list and assessment of the main species can be found in Appendix A. PACIFIC HERRING - CALIFORNIA/EASTERN CENTRAL PACIFIC - SET GILLNETS - UNITED STATES OF AMERICA Subscore: 5.00 Discard Rate: 1.00 C2 Rate: 5.00 Species No other main species caught Inherent Vulnerability Abundance Fishing Mortality Subscore There are no data available on bycatch species currently caught in this fishery. However, managers indicate the bycatch rate in this fishery is very low (<1%, according to a study by CDFW in 1998). Bycatch consists primarily of jack smelt (Atherinopsis californiensis) and Pacific sardine (Sardinops sagax), and other species such as bullhead, shiner perch, english sole and rock crab have also been caught. Gillnet mesh size selects for three- and four-year-old fish, and gillnets are usually set in shallow water (~20 ft) where herring are actively spawning. Because the season for the Pacific herring fishery (December or January to March) also coincides with freshwater input from rainwater and snowmelt into San Francisco Bay, the salinity where the fishery occurs is too low for most other marine forage species. For this reason, the catch is composed of small, freshwater-tolerant species, and these are overwhelmingly Pacific herring. As there are no vulnerable or protected species caught in the fishery, and bycatch rates are likely <1%, no species other than Pacific herring are included in this assessment Discards + Bait / Landings CALIFORNIA/EASTERN CENTRAL PACIFIC, SET GILLNETS, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA < 20% 22

23 There is no bait used for the gillnet fishery. As bycatch rates are negligible for the sac roe and fresh fish fishery (<1%), it is safe to assume that the ratio of discards to total landings is less than 20%. More data on actual discard rates on vessels is necessary for this fishery. Justification: Bycatch data is not currently recorded for the San Francisco Bay Pacific herring fishery. However, a study performed by CDFG in 1998 shows that brown smoothhound (Mustelus sp.), spiny dogfish (Squalus acanthias), English sole (Parophrys vetulus), Pacific sanddab (Citharichthys sordidus), staghorn sculpin (Leptocottus armatus), smelt, shiner perch (Cymatogaster aggregata), and jack mackerel (Trachurus sp.) were caught as incidental catch in the gillnet fishery. Gill nets with a mesh size comparable to the size used in the commercial fishery were set to catch herring for research in 1982, 1983, and Incidental catch rates for these studies were , , and , respectively { 1998}. Most of the other forage species probably don't encounter herring gill nets because of their range and range of salinity tolerance. For example, delta smelt are an endangered species but are found in fresh water (their upper salinity tolerance is 26.8 ppt; salinity data collected from NOAA buoys near the fresher of the herring spawning sites is {Swanson et al. 2000}). Delta smelt range only extends to northern San Pablo Bay not San Francisco Bay so there is no reason to believe that they are caught incidentally in the herring fishery. The incidental catch rate for fresh fish and sac roe fisheries are negligible and bycaught species are rarely discarded {Bartling, CDFW, pers. comm. 2014}. It is highly likely that the ratio of discards to total landings is less than 20%. 23

24 Criterion 3: Management Effectiveness Management is separated into management of retained species (harvest strategy) and management of nonretained species (bycatch strategy). The final score for this criterion is the geometric mean of the two scores. The Criterion 3 rating is determined as follows: Score >3.2=Green or Low Concern Score >2.2 and 3.2=Yellow or Moderate Concern Score 2.2 or either the Harvest Strategy (Factor 3.1) or Bycatch Management Strategy (Factor 3.2) is Very High Concern = Red or High Concern Rating is Critical if either or both of Harvest Strategy (Factor 3.1) and Bycatch Management Strategy (Factor 3.2) ratings are Critical. Criterion 3 Summary Region / Method California / Eastern Central Pacific / Set gillnets / United States of America Harvest Strategy Bycatch Strategy Score Yellow (3.00) Criterion 3 Assessment SCORING GUIDELINES Factor Harvest Strategy Seven subfactors are evaluated: Management Strategy, Recovery of Species of Concern, Scientific Research/Monitoring, Following of Scientific Advice, Enforcement of Regulations, Management Track Record, and Inclusion of Stakeholders. Each is rated as ineffective, moderately effective, or highly effective. 5 (Very Low Concern) Rated as highly effective for all seven subfactors considered 4 (Low Concern) Management Strategy and Recovery of Species of Concern rated highly effective and all other subfactors rated at least moderately effective. 3 (Moderate Concern) All subfactors rated at least moderately effective. 2 (High Concern) At minimum, meets standards for moderately effective for Management Strategy and Recovery of Species of Concern, but at least one other subfactor rated ineffective. 1 (Very High Concern) Management exists, but Management Strategy and/or Recovery of Species of Concern rated ineffective. 0 (Critical) No management exists when there is a clear need for management (i.e., fishery catches threatened, endangered, or high concern species), OR there is a high level of Illegal, unregulated, and unreported fishing occurring. Factor 3.1 Summary 24

25 FACTOR MANAGEMENT OF FISHING IMPACTS ON RETAINED SPECIES Region / Method Strategy Recovery Research Advice Enforce Track Inclusion California / Eastern Central Pacific / Set gillnets / United States of America Moderately Effective Highly Effective Moderately Effective Highly Effective Highly Effective Moderately Effective Highly Effective Subfactor Management Strategy and Implementation Considerations: What type of management measures are in place? Are there appropriate management goals, and is there evidence that management goals are being met? To achieve a highly effective rating, there must be appropriate management goals, and evidence that the measures in place have been successful at maintaining/rebuilding species. CALIFORNIA / EASTERN CENTRAL PACIFIC, SET GILLNETS, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA Moderately Effective The San Francisco Bay herring fishery is managed by the California Fish and Game Commission (FGC). Management follows the requirements of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) guidelines. Each year, CDFW carries out a fishery-independent spawning biomass survey, as well as commercial fishery sampling to assess the spawning stock. Using the available data CDFW recommends a seasonal quota to FGC. The fishery sets precautionary harvest rules based on fishery-independent surveys, and responds annually to changes in biomass. Because the fishery management plan for Pacific herring (which should eventually include the determination of reference points and ecosystem needs for herring as a forage fish) is still in development, this fishery is ranked moderately effective. Justification: There is strong evidence that the fishery is monitored and enforced effectively. The fishery is controlled via limited entry permitting, seasonal closures, gear restrictions, and thseparation of the sac roe fisheries into two platoons that fish at different times. Sac roe permit holders are also allowed to to trade in their sac roe permits or roe on kelp permits. Recently, regulations were changed such that sac roe and whole fish fisheries operate under the same quota and fishing season, in order to increase the availability of fresh fish for local markets. Gillnets have replaced other gear types phased out in the late 1990s, including round haul (purse seine and lampara nets; (Spratt 1992)). The commercial gillnet fishery enforces gear restrictions that should select for herring that are four years and older: FGC requires standardized net sizes (2-inch mesh and ~119 m long), which must be tended at all times (Bartling et al. 2013). However, 2-3 year old fish are still caught in the fishery (they composed >70% of the commercial catch for sac roe in the season; Figure 8)(CDFW 2013), so gear is not absolutely selective for age 4+ individuals. 25

26 Age composition of total annual commercial landings for the sac roe fishery between Data are from CDFW. Overall, the fishery maintains a harvest strategy that buffers for environmental uncertainty and responds annually to changes in fish spawning biomass. However, there are several factors that are not addressed by current management. CDFW has recognized the need for determining unfished biomass, developing a harvest control rule, developing a simulation model for herring management, and accounting for herring as a forage species. To address these needs, CDFW is developing a fishery management plan (FMP) for Pacific herring. The FMP is still in development and has not yet been implemented, so the ranking of this fishery as 'moderately effective.' Subfactor Recovery of Species of Concern Considerations: When needed, are recovery strategies/management measures in place to rebuild overfished/threatened/ endangered species or to limit fishery s impact on these species and what is their likelihood of success? To achieve a rating of Highly Effective, rebuilding strategies that have a high likelihood of success in an appropriate timeframe must be in place when needed, as well as measures to minimize mortality for any overfished/threatened/endangered species. 26

27 CALIFORNIA / EASTERN CENTRAL PACIFIC, SET GILLNETS, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA Highly Effective There are no overfished, depleted, endangered or threatened species targeted or retained in the San Francisco Bay herring fishery. Subfactor Scientific Research and Monitoring Considerations: How much and what types of data are collected to evaluate the health of the population and the fishery s impact on the species? To achieve a Highly Effective rating, population assessments must be conducted regularly and they must be robust enough to reliably determine the population status. CALIFORNIA / EASTERN CENTRAL PACIFIC, SET GILLNETS, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA Moderately Effective CDFW carries out annual surveys to determine biomass and recommend a quota to FGC. The surveys consist of spawn surveys, which are used in other herring fisheries to provide a reliable estimate of total spawning biomass. FGC then sets the annual quota based on recommendations from CDFW. Though management methods are based on the best the best scientific evidence, better documentation could improve management, and an age-structured stock assessment would give a better indication of total abundance than spawning surveys alone. For this reason, the stock is given a score of moderately effective for this category. Justification: San Francisco Bay herring are monitored by the same methods used in other Pacific herring fisheries: egg surveys on spawning beaches give egg density counts, which are then converted to adult spawning biomass based on a constant fecundity. CDFW also collects fishery independent age composition data from surveys and fishery dependent age composition data from commercial catches (CDFW 2013), and though these are considered in the assessment of the population, they are not incorporated in a stock assessment. These surveys are reliable for estimating biomass, but may not give a reliable indication of the stock s abundance, as individual fecundity varies by body weight and spawning biomass estimates may not reliably capture total stock abundance. Subfactor Management Record of Following Scientific Advice Considerations: How often (always, sometimes, rarely) do managers of the fishery follow scientific recommendations/advice (e.g. do they set catch limits at recommended levels)? A Highly Effective rating is given if managers nearly always follow scientific advice. CALIFORNIA / EASTERN CENTRAL PACIFIC, SET GILLNETS, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA Highly Effective The FGC sets quotas based on recommendations from CDFW scientists. So far, the FGC has not exceeded the quotas recommended by CDFW. Additionally, CDFW has followed scientific advice from outside the agency. In 2003, CDFW and California Sea Grant assembled an expert review panel for the California herring fisheries and CDFW has adapted management strategies based on the suggestions of the panel. Justification: CDFW, in collaboration with California Sea Grant, assembled an expert peer review panel for the California 27

28 herring fisheries in 2003, with the intent of resolving conflicts between spawning biomass estimates made from acoustic and spawn surveys. Panelists were also asked to provide management recommendations based on their findings. The panel found that spawn surveys were a good method for estimating spawning biomass. They also suggested that the target exploitation rate should be lowered (to 10-15% of spawning biomass) and that CDFW adopt a stronger policy of documentation (CA Sea Grant 2003). Following the peer review recommendation, CDFW has continued to perform spawn surveys only and reduced the target exploitation rate to below 10%. Acoustic surveys were also discontinued because they consistently overestimated spawning stock biomass. Subfactor Enforcement of Management Regulations Considerations: Do fishermen comply with regulations, and how is this monitored? To achieve a Highly Effective rating, there must be regular enforcement of regulations and verification of compliance. CALIFORNIA / EASTERN CENTRAL PACIFIC, SET GILLNETS, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA Highly Effective There is no observer coverage for this fishery, but CDFW fishery managers are often present to monitor landings as the fishery occurs. CDFW enforcement staff are also present in the Bay during the fishing season to enforce adherence to fishing regulations and monitor offloading. There is strong evidence that the fishery is enforced effectively. Every vessel in the fishery is required to submit receipts for their daily catch. Landings have remained under the quota every year since 1978 (when the first landings data are available). Enforcement officials verify the receipts when catch is returned to the dock. Subfactor Management Track Record Considerations: Does management have a history of successfully maintaining populations at sustainable levels or a history of failing to maintain populations at sustainable levels? A Highly Effective rating is given if measures enacted by management have been shown to result in the long-term maintenance of species overtime. CALIFORNIA / EASTERN CENTRAL PACIFIC, SET GILLNETS, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA Moderately Effective It is unclear whether the current management strategy will result in the long-term maintenance of ecosystem abundance and stock integrity. There are no recovery benchmarks and the stock was at a historic low point in However, the stock is currently rebuilding (Bartling et al. 2013), and management is responsive to environmental changes and interannual changes in population size and age structure. Because of the uncertainty around long term maintenance, the track record for this stock is ranked 'Moderately effective.' Subfactor Stakeholder Inclusion Considerations: Are stakeholders involved/included in the decision-making process? Stakeholders are individuals/groups/organizations that have an interest in the fishery or that may be affected by the management of the fishery (e.g., fishermen, conservation groups, etc.). A Highly Effective rating is given if the management process is transparent and includes stakeholder input. 28