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News Release: For Immediate Release
March 18, 2003
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DFG Launches Restricted Access Program for California's Nearshore Fishery
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Contacts: Chamois Andersen, Information Officer, (916) 657-4132; Fred Wendell, Nearshore Fishery Manager, (805) 772-1714; Traci Bishop, Marine Region, (562) 342-7111
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The California Department of Fish and Game (DFG) will launch a new restricted access program April 1 for California's commercial nearshore fishery. DFG's Nearshore Restricted Access Program effectively downsizes the nearshore fishing fleet to a level that can be better supported by current fish populations.
The regulations for this action were approved by the Fish and Game Commission in February, and cover 10 nearshore species, including rockfishes, cabezon, greenlings, and California sheephead. The new regulations are available online at www.dfg.ca.gov/fg_comm/2002/150nsra_fsor.pdf.
"This effort is being done to ensure these lucrative nearshore fisheries do not decline as the result of a fishing fleet that is too large for the resource to support," said Fred Wendell, DFG's nearshore fishery manager.
In the past, the Commission has had to close nearshore commercial fisheries mid-season due to the annual harvest allocations being met earlier than expected. Marine region managers realized this was because of the sheer number of boats and fishermen targeting the resource all at once. This concept in fisheries management is known as "derby style" fishing, where fishermen race to harvest as many fish as possible to then sell their catches to commercial markets.
The program seeks to alleviate "the race to fish" scenario. As an offshoot of the state's Nearshore Fishery Management Plan, this program focuses on regional management efforts, and was designed to limit the number of fishery permits in four established regions along the coast (see list of fish species and regions below).
In addition to commercial fishermen, a broad range of constituents worked with DFG's marine region managers over the past two years to design this program. Many have said it will decrease the possibility of having to face a shut down of the fishery mid-season as a result of intense competition for the resource. Commercial fishermen also agree that downsizing the fleet will provide them with a better incentive to conserve the resource.
Fishing trip and catch limits also included in this program are intended to help alleviate fishing pressure on nearshore stocks. "Sustainable fishing practices and this restricted access program makes it less likely that the Department will have to close the fishery in-season," said Wendell, who also manages the state's Nearshore Fishery Management Plan for both sport and commercial fisheries. "Reduced permits coupled with trip limits that are used to spread the catches among fishermen and over time, will also help to better manage the nearshore resource at a sustainable level."
Nearshore landings (total allowable catches) have been established for each of the four regional areas. Because northern populations of nearshore fishes differ considerably from populations found in southern California, a regional management approach to allocating fish is beneficial, Wendell said. "All this is being done to avoid having nearshore rockfish as well as other species decline like many of the offshore species have," he said.
The nearshore species managed in the commercial fishery are: Cabezon, California sheephead, California scorpionfish, kelp and rock greenlings, and black and yellow, China, gopher, grass and kelp rockfishes.
The regional management areas and permit numbers are as follows:
• North Coast Region (Oregon border - Cape Mendocino) - 35 permits, no gear endorsements.
• North-Central Coast Region (Cape Mendocino - Point Año Nuevo) - 22 permits, six trap gear
endorsements.
•South-Central Coast Region (Point Año Nuevo - Point Conception) - 60 permits, 13 trap
endorsements.
•South Coast Region (Point Conception - US/Mexico border) - 57 permits, 39 trap gear
endorsements.
Note: Within each region are limited gear requirements and in-season fishing trip limits. These details are available on-line at http://www.dfg.ca.gov/mrd/index_regs.html.
March 18, 2003
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
DFG Launches Restricted Access Program for California's Nearshore Fishery
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Contacts: Chamois Andersen, Information Officer, (916) 657-4132; Fred Wendell, Nearshore Fishery Manager, (805) 772-1714; Traci Bishop, Marine Region, (562) 342-7111
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The California Department of Fish and Game (DFG) will launch a new restricted access program April 1 for California's commercial nearshore fishery. DFG's Nearshore Restricted Access Program effectively downsizes the nearshore fishing fleet to a level that can be better supported by current fish populations.
The regulations for this action were approved by the Fish and Game Commission in February, and cover 10 nearshore species, including rockfishes, cabezon, greenlings, and California sheephead. The new regulations are available online at www.dfg.ca.gov/fg_comm/2002/150nsra_fsor.pdf.
"This effort is being done to ensure these lucrative nearshore fisheries do not decline as the result of a fishing fleet that is too large for the resource to support," said Fred Wendell, DFG's nearshore fishery manager.
In the past, the Commission has had to close nearshore commercial fisheries mid-season due to the annual harvest allocations being met earlier than expected. Marine region managers realized this was because of the sheer number of boats and fishermen targeting the resource all at once. This concept in fisheries management is known as "derby style" fishing, where fishermen race to harvest as many fish as possible to then sell their catches to commercial markets.
The program seeks to alleviate "the race to fish" scenario. As an offshoot of the state's Nearshore Fishery Management Plan, this program focuses on regional management efforts, and was designed to limit the number of fishery permits in four established regions along the coast (see list of fish species and regions below).
In addition to commercial fishermen, a broad range of constituents worked with DFG's marine region managers over the past two years to design this program. Many have said it will decrease the possibility of having to face a shut down of the fishery mid-season as a result of intense competition for the resource. Commercial fishermen also agree that downsizing the fleet will provide them with a better incentive to conserve the resource.
Fishing trip and catch limits also included in this program are intended to help alleviate fishing pressure on nearshore stocks. "Sustainable fishing practices and this restricted access program makes it less likely that the Department will have to close the fishery in-season," said Wendell, who also manages the state's Nearshore Fishery Management Plan for both sport and commercial fisheries. "Reduced permits coupled with trip limits that are used to spread the catches among fishermen and over time, will also help to better manage the nearshore resource at a sustainable level."
Nearshore landings (total allowable catches) have been established for each of the four regional areas. Because northern populations of nearshore fishes differ considerably from populations found in southern California, a regional management approach to allocating fish is beneficial, Wendell said. "All this is being done to avoid having nearshore rockfish as well as other species decline like many of the offshore species have," he said.
The nearshore species managed in the commercial fishery are: Cabezon, California sheephead, California scorpionfish, kelp and rock greenlings, and black and yellow, China, gopher, grass and kelp rockfishes.
The regional management areas and permit numbers are as follows:
• North Coast Region (Oregon border - Cape Mendocino) - 35 permits, no gear endorsements.
• North-Central Coast Region (Cape Mendocino - Point Año Nuevo) - 22 permits, six trap gear
endorsements.
•South-Central Coast Region (Point Año Nuevo - Point Conception) - 60 permits, 13 trap
endorsements.
•South Coast Region (Point Conception - US/Mexico border) - 57 permits, 39 trap gear
endorsements.
Note: Within each region are limited gear requirements and in-season fishing trip limits. These details are available on-line at http://www.dfg.ca.gov/mrd/index_regs.html.
