Southern California partyboat sampling study Quarterly Report no. 9

Abstract

Between July 1 and September 30, 1977, Departmental personnel sampled catches during 184 trips aboard commercial passenger fishing vessels operating in southern California. A total of 28,617 fishes belonging to 89 species was identified and measured. Otoliths for age determination studies were removed from 222 rockfish carcasses representing 20 species. The 10 most commonly sampled species during the quarter accounted for 82.9% of the catch. The most frequently sampled fishes were kelp bass, Paralabrax clathratus (18.9%); Pacific mackerel, Scomber japonicus (17.6%); olive rockfish, Sebastes serranoides (15.5%); blue rockfish, S. mystinus (8.7%); barred sand bass, P. nebulifer (8.6%); California barracuda, Sphyraena argentea (4.9%); sculpin, Scorpaena guttata (2.4%); bocaccio, S. paucispinis (2.3%); white croaker, Genyonemus lineatus (2.1%); and squarespot rockfish, S. hopkinsi (1.8%). Partyboat activity continued to center on surface fishing. (33pp.)