An analysis of migratory salmonid catch effort data, derived from anglers' log books, 1991

1000 log books were issued to anglers of which 236 were returned, those from the rivers Derwent, Kent, Lune and Ribble accounted for the vast majority. The Derwent had the highest catch rate of these rivers: one salmon every 13.89 hours followed by the Lune, Kent and Ribble at 16.39, 18.87 and 35.71 hours, respectively. For sea trout the Lune, Derwent and Ribble had a catch rate of approximately one fish every 10.0 hours (9.8, 10.0 and 10.64 hours),and for the Kent one fish per 16.1 hours fished. Salmon angling visits were, in general,longer than those for sea trout being between 2 and 6 hours as opposed to 2 to 4 hours. On the majority of visits (>80%) no fish were caught and was the same for salmon and sea trout. For salmon the majority of fish were caught on fly, spinner or worm, and the least on prawn. For sea trout fly predominated. The majority of salmon caught were less than 91b in weight and were presumed to be grilse (1 sea winter). The majority of the sea trout caught weighed between 1 and 31b. The pattern of catch, effort, CPUE, abundance and catchability for salmon and sea trout were modelled using the data from the rivers Derwent, Kent and Lune. Flow significantly influenced catch, effort and catchability of salmon which had entered in a particular month. For sea trout flow was not significantly correlated with any of the dependent variables. The catchability coefficient for salmon, determined from the total number of fish, remained relatively constant over the period June to October indicating that CPUE was a reasonable measure of within season abundance. This was not found to be the case for sea trout.

Use of telemetric tracking to examine environmental influences on catch/effort indices. A case study of Atlantic Salmon (Salmo salar L.)in the R. Tywi, S. Wales

A case study of Atlantic Salmon runs into the R. Tyvi (S. Wales) is presented. Radio tracking of over 200 salmon in 1988 and 1989 has demonstrated that flow is an important factor in modifying both run timing and migratory success. Entry of salmon into the river is typically in response to flow events, and periods of low falling flows delay entry and may directly result in reduced runs into the river. Delayed entry may also increase the proportion of the run migrating after the end of both rod and net fishing seasons. The implications of these results for net and rod catch and catch/effort data are discussed, using both statutory reported catch data and data from specific catch/effort studies. Flow is demonstrated to be a dominant factor in determining the within-season distribution of rod catch and catch/effort during low-flow years. Estuarial seine net catch and catch/effort tend to be controlled more by time of return than by flow although low flows may delay runs. Annual reported rod catch is correlated with flow, which controls in season availability, catchability and consequently the amount of fishing effort. Use of catch or catch/effort data should take account of inter-year variations in flow and other environmental factors. Although catch and catch/effort are valuable indicators of fishery performance, they are inadequate to represent changing stock levels.

The relationship between catch and effort and its effect on predicted yields of sardine fisheries in Lake Kariba

There is an unusual relationship between catch per unit effort and effort in the Lake Kariba sardine (Limnothrissa miodon) fishery. This is apparently a results of ecological changes in the lake following the decline of the Salvinia mats that existed there until 1973. Predictive models based on the entire data set (1974-89) are of limited value because they are influenced by the rapid decline in catch per unit effort that took place from 1974 to 1978. A model based on the 1980-89 data indicates that the current catch could be increased substantially. Some empirical models and features of the sardine's biology suggest that it is a realistic model.

Assessment of the fishing effort level in the shrimp fisheries of the central and southern Gulf of California

In view of the concern caused by the declining trend in the annual shrimp yield in the Central Gulf of California, an attempt was made to analyze the fishing effort level exerted upon the shrimp stocks of the blue (Farfantepenaeus stylirostris) and the brown shrimp (F. californiensis) from 1980 to 1991. For this purpose, both Schaefer and Fox production models were applied. The results from these analyses revealed an economic overexploitation condition, and suggested an imperative need to implement as a regulatory measure, the reduction of the catch per unit of effort level (CPUE) to keep the fishery within acceptable bioeconomic margins of a maximum sustainable yield (Ys). This can only be achieved through the adjustment of the fleet size from 481 vessels down to 250 or 275.

Catch-effort relationship in Pacific bigeye tuna fishery

Some problems associated with fitting surplus production models to unsuitable data are discussed. This is illustrated by an application of the Schaefer, Fox and PRODFIT models to Pacific Ocean bigeye tuna (Thunnus obesus ) catch and effort data for 1952-1987, which appear to be better described by purely empirical models.

Beluga, Delphinapterus leucas, Distribution and Survey Effort in the Gulf of Alaska

Beluga, Delphinapterus leucas, distribution in the Gulf of Alaska and adjacent inside waters was examined through a review of surveys conducted as far back as 1936. Although beluga sightings have occurred on almost every marine mammal survey in northern Cook Inlet (over 20 surveys reported here), beluga sightings have been rare outside the inlet in the Gulf of Alaska. More than 150,000 km of dedicated survey effort in the Gulf of Alaska resulted in sightings of over 23,000 individual cetaceans, of which only 4 beluga sightings (5 individuals) occurred. In addition, nearly 100,000 individual cetaceans were reported in the Platforms of Opportunity database; yet, of these, only 5 sightings (39 individuals) were belugas. Furthermore, approximately 19 beluga sightings (>260 individuals), possibly including resightings, have been reported without information on effort or other cetacean sightings. Of the 28 sightings of belugas outside of Cook Inlet, 9 were near Kodiak Island, 10 were in or near Prince William Sound, 8 were in Yakutat Bay, and 1 anomalous sighting was well south of the Gulf. These sightings support archaeological and commercial harvest evidence indicating the only persistent group of belugas in the Gulf of Alaska occurs in Cook Inlet.

Estimation of Standardized Effort in the Heterogeneous Gulf of Mexico Shrimp Fleet

In this paper we estimate nominal and standardized shrimping effort in the Gulf of Mexico for the years 1965 through 1993. We accomplish this by first developing a standardization method (model) and then an expansion method (model). The expansion model estimates nominal days fished for noninterview landings data. The standardization model converts nominal days fished to standard days fished. We then characterize the historical trends of the penaeid shrimp fishery byvessel configuration, relative fishing power, and nominal and standardized effort. Wherever possible, we provide comparison with previous estimates by the National Marine Fisheries Service, NOAA.

The California Red Sea Urchin, Strongylocentrotus franciscanus, Fishery: Catch, Effort, and Management Trends

California's red sea urchin, Strongylocentrotus franciscanus, catch peaked at 23,577 metric tons (t) in 1988. Since then, catches and CPUE have trended downward at different rates in northern and southern California, with 10,086 t landed statewide in 1995. West coast sea urchin catches and CPUE from British Columbia, Can., to Baja California, Mex., have generally declined during this period which followed a decade of rapid fishery expansion. This expansion was in response to increasing demand from Japan fueled by rising prices based largely on a more favorable export currency exchange rate. West coast stock assessment methods have been based on integrating a combination of fisheries dependent data and population surveys into models at various levels of complexity. California management policy has centered on technical measures such as size limits and seasonal closures and has been largely ineffective in stabilizing declining catches.

Restricted Access vs. Open Access Methods of Management: Toward More Effective Regulation of Fishing Effort

This paper gives an overview of the economic rationale for limited entry as a method of fishery management and discusses general advantages and disadvantages of license limitation and catch rights as the two primary methods of restricting access to marine fisheries. Traditional open-access methods of regulation (e.g., gear restrictions, size limits, trip limits, quotas, and closures) can be temporarily effective in protecting fish populations, but they generally fail to provide lasting biological or economic benefits to fishermen because they do not restrict access to the fishery. The general result of regulation with unrestricted access to a fishery is additional and more costly and complex regulations as competition increases for dwindling fishery resources. Regulation that restricts access to a fishery in conjunction with selected traditional methods of regulation would encourage efficient resource usage and minimize the need for future regulatory adjustments, provided that enforcement and monitoring costs are not too great. In theory, catch rights are superior to license limitation as a means of restricting access to a fishery.

Application of the Leslie Model to Commercial Catch and Effort of the Slipper Lobster, Scyllarides squammosus, Fishery in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands

Commercial catch and effort data were fit to the Leslie model to estimate preexploitation abundance and the catchability coefficient of slipper lobster, Scyllarides squammosus, in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands (NWHI). A single vessel fished for 34 consecutive days in the vicinity of Laysan Island and caught 126,127 total slipper lobster in 36,170 trap hauls. Adjusted catch of legal slipper lobster dropped from a high of 3.70 to 1.16 lobster per trap haul. Preexploitation abundance at Laysan Island was an estimated 204,000 legal slipper lobster, which was extrapolated to yield an estimate of 1.2 X 106 to 3.8 X 106 lobster for the entire NWHI slipper lobster fishery.