Agenda Item G.1.b Supplemental NW & SW Fisheries Science Centers PowerPoint September 2011 Groundfish Science Report Michelle McClure and John Stein IEA Update Cisco Werner and John Stein September 15, 2011
Overview Short-tailed Albatross W. Coast groundfish fisheries interactions Survey Updates Hypoxia 2011 Conservation Engineering Observer Updates IEA Update 2
Estimating risk to short-tailed albatross from West Coast groundfish fisheries Purpose of analysis is to inform a biological assessment prepared by NMFS for FWS Tight timeline due in part to STAL mortality last April Excerpt from larger report on all ESA-listed species, available for review in November
Short-tailed albatross Listed as endangered <4000 individuals Extremely limited breeding habitat Fisheries identified as a threat in recovery plan, but not limiting at this time 16 known fishery mortalities since 1983 1 known mortality in WCGFF Satellite track lines for adults, sub-adults and juveniles captured at sea near Seguam Pass, Alaska (from USFWS 2008).
Risk assessment based on similarities between STAL and (much) more common black-footed albatross
Estimated STAL take and effect on the species WCGF takes ~0.8 STAL/year Assuming mortality rate = BFAL STAL population is increasing ~6.5%/year (>200 birds/year) Current level of take not substantially impacting recovery Negligible impacts on other listed bird spp. Deterrence measures would reduce take further
NWFSC FRAM Acoustics Team 2011 Joint US-Canada Pacific Hake Integrated Acoustic Trawl Survey US Portion of IATS 70 Days at Sea 10072 nmi. 53 Trawls 88 Transects, 82 in US and 6 in Canada IATS plus: Physical Oceanography Harmful Algal Bloom Sampling Plankton Sampling NOAA Ship Bell M. Shimada (photo: Alicia Billings) No Humboldt Squid caught coast wide Team Ping International consisted of 11 Acoustic Scientists: 7 from the US and 4 from Canada
2011 West Coast Groundfish Bottom Trawl Survey Pass 1: May 16 - Jul. 26 Completed (with 3 weather days) vessels: F/V Ms. Julie and F/V Noah s Ark Pass 2: Aug. 15 - Oct. 25 Current vessels: F/V Raven and F/V Excalibur Pass 2: Reports Low oxygen levels off Westport 1.0 ml l -1 at 137 m 0.7 ml l -1 at 117 m 0.6 ml l -1 at 101 m 0.8 ml l -1 at 91 m 0.5 ml l -1 at 60 m Hypoxia Cruise Sept. 1 3 off OR Biological Measurements length gender age maturity biomass stomach contents Environmental Measurements wind speed dissolved oxygen salinity temperature optical backscatter in vivo fluorescence irradiance Pass 2: Status Stations: 752 planned ~524 completed by Sept. 12 th Days-at-sea: 188 planned 131 completed by Sept. 12 th
Ongoing Conservation Engineering Projects Reducing bycatch of salmonids and rockfishes in the Pacific hake fishery through the use of an open escape window bycatch reduction device Bycatch reduction in the ocean shrimp fishery a collaboration with ODFW Providing loaner autonomous video systems to the fishing industry Testing a flexible sorting grate excluder to reduce Pacific halibut bycatch in the Pacific coast bottom trawl fishery
Open Escape Window Bycatch Reduction Device To Reduce Salmon and Rockfish Bycatch in the Hake Fishery
Pacific Halibut Bycatch Reduction Recapture Codend Trawl Codend Result Number 69 52 57% Weight (lbs) 678 423 62% Mean Length (TL-cm) 74.41 70.05 P<0.001 Catch in 30 minute tow petrale, English, Dover, rex, cod, lingcod sablefish Escapement Excluded Pacific halibut
NWFSC Observer Program Stats Description 2010 Jan Aug 15th, 2011 Observers trained 81 169 LE Trawl/Catch Share Trips 498 1442 LE Trawl/Catch Share Hauls 3174 8332 ASHOP Hauls 2498 950 WCGOP Sea Days 3419 6227 ASHOP Sea Days 1338 560
IFQ Data Stream Weekly transmission of observer data to vessel account system What holds data up? Data entry by observer Sampling Issues: Pacific halibut mortality calculation For data held up due to sampling issues, resolution generally within 1 to 2 weeks.
CA CURRENT LME IEA UPDATE 14
Policy Question What does a healthy ecosystem look like? What is the health of the ecosystem? What action should be considered? Where should we start? IEA Step Objectives, indicators / targets Current status, risk assessment Generate alternative management options Management strategy evaluation 15
The California Current Integrated Ecosystem Assessment Provides critical ecosystem information for fisheries management What is the state of the ocean? What is the status of the forage base? What is the status of predators? How are non-fisheries pressures affecting target stocks?
Abiotic/Chl-a Zooplankton Freshwater v Production Estuary Salmon Nests, Parr, Juvenile condition Juvenile condition Marine Production, Distribution Smolt survival, condition Adult growth and maturation
Status of Sacramento River Fall-Run Chinook Salmon Ocean/Climate conditions Freshwater habitat Forage base Predation pressure Fishing pressure Adult abundance Hatchery contribution Population growth rate
Food Webs for Focal Species Focal spp Predator Prey Both predator and prey
Non-fisheries threats to focal species in the California Current Using a risk assessment framework (Samhouri & Levin in review) Calculate relative risk of a species to a specific threat Exposure axis measures spatial and/or temporal overlap of species with a threat. Sensitivity axis measures the species ability to resist and recover from exposure to a specific threat The combination of these axes provides a relative risk score.
Bocaccio Hake Climate Prey Climate Prey Predators Nonfisheries Pressures Predators Nonfisheries Pressures Canary rockfish Sablefish Climate Prey Climate Prey Predators Nonfisheries Pressures Predators Nonfisheries Pressures
Next Steps November Council Meeting Late Sept. A draft of the fisheries ecosystem considerations portion of the IEA is completed Oct 1-8 Seeking Council review of the draft Oct 9-12 IEA team revises draft document for inclusion in Nov. briefing book Nov Presentation to Council Winter IEA team revises document in response to Council comments
Bycatch Research in the Ocean Shrimp Fishery (ODFW, NWFSC, PSMFC) Footrope and rigid grate modifications designed to reduce groundfishes, invertebrates, and ESA-listed Pacific eulachon bycatch, and reduce physical impacts on benthic communities
Fishermen s Loaner Camera Systems http://www.nwfsc.noaa.gov/research/divisions/fram/habitat.cfm
Halibut excluder video captured on the F/V Last Straw (Newport, OR)
Testing a BRD to Reduce Pacific Halibut Bycatch in the Pacific Coast Bottom Trawl Fishery