Fish Sniffer On Demand Digital Edition 3804 Feb 1-15 2019 | Page 26

24 SALTWATER Feb 1-15, 2019 VOL.38 • ISS. 4 California Recreational Groundfish and Lingcod Fishing Regulation Changes for 2019 T he California Fish and Game Commission took action to modify regulations for groundfish fishing. The changes went into effect January 2, 2019. While many of the changes are good news and reflect improvements in the status of several species, not all changes resulted in increased oppor- tunities for the recreational groundfish fishery. For Cali- fornia Groundfish Manage- ment Areas south of 40°10’ N latitude (near Cape Mendocino in northern California) to the California/Mexico border, the recreational daily bag and possession limit for Lingcod has been reduced from two fish to one fish. The rationale for the bag limit reduction lies in the scientific process behind how fish populations, or stocks, are evaluated. That process is called a stock assessment, and the results inform fishery managers about how much harvest can be allowed for a particular species or fishery across its range, or in a portion of its range. The healthier an assessment result, the more fishing opportunities can be considered. If an assessment result lands in a precau- tionary or overfished zone, then fishing opportunities may be limited or even prohibited. Stock assessments for federally managed groundfish species use the best available science and are approved for management use through the Pacific Fishery Manage- ment Council process. These stock assess- ments also undergo rigorous scientific review by independent experts, and must meet federal standards. In 2017, Lingcod off the West Coast of the United States was assessed as two independent stocks, one off Oregon and Washington (northern stock) and the other off California (southern stock). The results of the stock assessment for the southern stock indicated that the population off California is continuing to grow; however, the assessment changed the perception of how quickly the stock is growing. This is in part due to a lack of life history information (such as information about how old the fish are), which helps to inform the amount of “recruitment”, or fish that have grown big enough to be caught and seen in the fisheries data. For the southern stock, recruitment was estimated to have been below average over the last 10 to 15 years, which suggests the population is not increasing as quickly as the northern stock. As a result, the southern stock is in the precautionary zone, whereas the northern stock is healthy. More restrictive regulations were implemented this year to prevent further decline in the growth rate for the southern portion of the California Lingcod stock. The more restrictive regulations will help California stay within a reduced overall Lingcod harvest limit for the recreational and “non-trawl” commercial fisheries, which dropped from 683 metric tons (mt) in 2018 to 565 mt in 2019, and will drop to 471 mt in 2020. The reduction in the recreational Lingcod bag and possession limit to one fish, as well as lower commer- cial fishery trip limit allowances, are now in effect south of 40°10’ N latitude (near Cape Mendocino). So, what about north of Cape Mendocino? Why does the recreational Lingcod bag limit stay at two fish in this FISH SNIFFER COUNTRY by Melanie Parker and Melissa Mandrup, CDFW Environmental Scientists area when the southern stock assess- ment covers all of California? The answer is complex and rooted in history. West Coast groundfish management for all species is regional in nature, but when the original management framework was estab- lished decades ago, a hard line was established at Cape Mendocino to delineate ‘north’ from ‘south.’ This division remains for many stocks and stock complexes, including Lingcod. Several sets of federal rules establish allocations of groundfish to the north and south of this dividing line for different commercial and recreational stocks and fisheries on the West Coast. Meanwhile, Lingcod data has improved over time, allowing stock assessors to use the best scientific information to define the best boundary lines for assessment purposes, inde- pendent of the pre-established manage- ment lines. In 2017, the best boundary line for Lingcod stock assessment purposes was at the California-Oregon The limit on lingcod in 2019 will drop to one per day over 22 inches. That seems overly border–out of alignment with the estab- fish restrictive to some, but a big lingcod still produces lished management framework, which big smiles and a sack full of tasty fillets. specifies harvest limits and allocations Photo by CAL KELLOGG, Fish Sniffer Staff. for Lingcod in all waters north of news for anglers and include an increase Cape Mendocino. As a result, the northern to the season length in the San Francisco Lingcod assessment in 2017 most heavily influenced the harvest limits and allocations Management Area, a return to a year-round fishery for California Scorpionfish in the for the entire northern area in 2019-2020 Southern Groundfish Management Area, –allowing for the two-fish bag limit in an increase to depth limits in the Southern California north of Cape Mendocino. Management and the Cowcod Conserva- Despite the Lingcod bag limit reduction tion areas, and an increase to the Canary in most of the state, the overall outlook for groundfish fisheries in California is looking Rockfish bag limit statewide. For up-to-date recreational fishing up. Populations of other species, such as regulation information, check the Cali- Canary Rockfish and Yelloweye Rockfish, fornia Department of Fish and Wildlife are increasing and groundfish regulations Groundfish web page, or call the Ground- continue to be relaxed. fish Hotline (831-649-2801) before you go Several changes to the 2019-2020 recre- fishing ational groundfish regulations are good Celebrating 61 years of “The Unsinkable Legend”!! CALL NOW FOR BOAT SHOW PRICING!! It began in 1958 when Boston Whaler developed a unique method for injecting foam into the hull of a boat. This became known as Unibond™ construction, and it remains at the heart of every Boston Whaler. 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