Southern California partyboat sampling study Quarterly Report no. 10

Abstract

Between October 1 and December 31, 1977, Departmental personnel sampled catches during 166 trips aboard commercial passenger fishing vessels operating in southern California. A total of 27,468 fishes belonging to 101 species were identified and measured. Otoliths for age determination studies were removed from 263 rockfish carcasses representing 27 species. In addition, 37 long-range trips originating in San Diego and fishing in Mexican waters were sampled. A total of 7,204 fishes comprising 20 species was identified and measured at dockside from these vessels. The 10 most commonly taken species during the quarter accounted for 74.3% of the southern California catch. The most frequently sampled species were chilipepper, Sebastes goodei (16.1%); Pacific mackerel, Scomber japonicus (15.4%) ; bocaccio, Sebastes paucispinis (10.1%); kelp bass, Paralabrax clathratus (7.8%); halfmoon, Medialuna californiensis (5.7%); olive rockfish, Sebastes serranoides (5.4%); blue rockfish, S. mystinus (4.4%); greenspotted rockfish, S. chlorostictus (3.4%); vermilion rockfish, S. miniatus (3.2%); and Pacific bonito, Sarda chiliensis (2.7%). Data gathered from long-range trips showed the top five species accounted for 88.8% of the fish sampled. The most frequently sampled species were yellowtail, Seriola dorsalis (31.0%); yellowfin tuna, Thunnus albacares (23.7%); dolphinfish, Coryphaena hippurus (18.6%); wahoo, Acanthocybium solanderi (10.0%); and snowy grouper, Epinephelus niveatus (5.6%). (67pp.)