Research Document - 1999/053

Shelf rockfish assessment for 1998 and recommended yield options for 1999.

By R. Stanley

Abstract

Interim assessments are provided for silvergray, widow, yellowtail and canary rockfish. Recommendations for all stocks are unchanged from the previous year. The ranges for silvergray rockfish in PMFC Areas 3C+3D (Vancouver Island), 5A+5B (Queen Charlotte Sound), 5C+5D (Hecate Strait) and 5E (West Coast Vancouver Island) are 150-425 t, 350-700 t, 125-400 t, and 175-300 t, respectively. Trawl landings in 1997 for the four stocks were 236, 468, 236, and 208 t respectively. Recommended yield ranges for the canary rockfish stocks of Area 3C+3D and Area 5A+5B are unchanged at 350-525 t, and 200-400 t, respectively. Landings for the two stocks were 387 and 202 t. The recommended coastwide yield range for widow rockfish remains unchanged at 1,100-3,000 t. Landings were 1,137 t in 1997. The yield recommendation for the coastal yellowtail rockfish fishery (Areas 3D-5E) remains 2,000-4,025 t. Landings were 3,199 t in 1997. The yield recommendation for the yellowtail rockfish stock of PMFC Area 3C fishery (south Vancouver Island) is combined with the northern Washington fishery (Areas 3C-US and 3B). The recommendation remains 1,100-2,400 t. Combined landings were 1,517 in 1997

Stock assessment research in 1998 focussed on acoustic biomass estimation of a mid-winter aggregation of widow rockfish. The mid-winter aggregation near Triangle Island is well known to fishers. They suggested that the aggregation might, if estimated, be large enough to alter Department perceptions of harvest limits. A joint Fisheries and Oceans and Industry survey aboard the C.G.R.S. W. E. Ricker and Fishing Vessel Frosti was conducted in January-February of 1998. The aggregation was surveyed 20 times with a maximum estimate of approximately 2,000 t of widow rockfish. This biomass observation was not sufficient to alter current yield recommendations.

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