Panama City Fisheries Resources Office: FY 2009 Annual Report

HIGHLIGHTS FOR FY 2009 1. Completed the second of a two-year Gulf sturgeon population study on the Choctawhatchee River, Florida. The juvenile, sub adult and adult Gulf sturgeon population was estimated at 3,400 fish. 2. Three young of year Gulf sturgeon were collected by Corps of Engineers biologists in the upper Brothers Rivers. 3. Two YCC enrollees spent eight weeks assisting PCFO biologists and Tyndall AFB with various projects. 4. The Gulf Sturgeon 5-Year Summary and Evaluation was completed. 5. Karen Herrington co-authored a peer-reviewed journal article for a striped bass symposium at the annual American Fisheries Society meeting, which will be published in the symposium proceedings. The article reviews the past 25 years of striped bass restoration in the ACF and is titled “Restoration of Gulf Striped Bass: Lessons and Management Implications”. 6. We documented recent purple bankclimber recruitment in the Ochlockonee River for the first time in several years. 7. We provided over 200 genetic samples to Warm Springs Fish Technology Center to compare mussel populations and genetic diversity, rank populations by status, and facilitate recovery actions. 8. We established permanent mussel monitoring locations in Sawhatchee Creek and the Flint River to examine trends in population size, survival, and recruitment. 9. We provided a prioritized list to the Federal Emergency Management Agency of 197 stream crossings that occur near freshwater mussel populations in order to facilitate habitat restoration following major flooding in Alabama, Florida, and Georgia in the spring of 2009.

Estimating abundances of 0-group western Baltic cod by using pound net fisheries

Nearshore 0-group western Baltic cod are frequently caught as bycatch in the commercial pound net fishery. Pound net fishermen from the Danish Isle of Funen and Lolland and the German Isle of Fehmarn have recorded their catches of small cod between September and December 2008. Abundance patterns were analysed, particularly concerning the influence of abiotic factors (hydrography, meteorology) and the differences between sampling sites. Catch per unit effort (CPUE) differed by site and location, whereas CPUE were highest at Lolland. Correlation between catch and wind/currents were generally weak. However, wind directions and current speeds seem to affect the catch rates. Finally an algorithm was developed to calculate a recruitment index for western Baltic cod recruitment success based on previous analyses.

Guter Nachwuchsjahrgang 2004 des Herings der westlichen Ostsee, des Kattegats und Skagerraks (ICES-Gebiete IIIa und 22 – 24)

Several fishery independent estimates of the year-class strength are necessary for the assessment and the ma-nagement of the total fish stock. An index for the year-class strength of the spring spawning herring in the western Baltic Sea is estimated on the basis of larvae surveys in the most important spawning ground. The results indicate a good year-class 2004.

Evaluierung der historischen Daten der deutschen Larvensurveys im Hauptlaichgebiet des Herings der westlichen Ostsee

The results of the time series of larvae surveys in the main spawning area of the western Baltic Sea spring spawning herring were evaluated. The quality of the recruitment index N 30 was studied. The raw data of 1977 to 1987 have got lost. In 1988 and 1989 the data for the estimation of the recruitment index are biased. Only since 1990 the basic data can be considered reliable.

Der PAH-Metabolit 1-Hydroxypyren in der Galle von Klieschen (Limanda limanda) aus Nord- und Ostsee

Due to their carcinogenic properties, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) are important environmental contaminants which may lead to increased levels of neoplastic aberrations in fish liver. To measure the PAH contamination of fish, concentrations of PAH metabolites were determined in the bile. The main metabolite 1-hydroxypyrene was determined in concentrations from < 0.8 to 189 ng/ml in bile of dab caught in the North Sea and the Baltic Sea re-spectively. The concentrations are comparable to levels of 1-hydroxypyrene measured in cod and herring from the Baltic Sea. The highest concentrations in dab bile were measured in fish from the inner German Bight and the Kiel Bight.

Zustand und Entwicklung ausgewählter Fischbestände Einschätzung und Empfehlungen des ICES im Jahr 2004

The state of North Atlantic, Baltic Sea and North Sea commercially exploited fish stocks are assessed annually by the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES). Estimates of the stock size (biomass), recruitment, landings, current exploitation rates and of future harvesting possibilities are provided for those stocks where sufficient information is available to conduct a full analytical assessment. For all other stocks, only landings and stock trends can be given. This paper presents the development of north-east Atlantic fish stocks which are of general or specific interest for the German fishery and fish industry. Generally, it may be concluded that most pelagic fish stocks, such as herring, sprat, mackerel, and blue whiting, are in good condition, while the majority of the demersal stocks, like cod, plaice or whiting are in critical state. There are, however, a number of remarkable exceptions to this pattern.

Zustand und Entwicklung ausgewählter Fischbestände: Einschätzung des ICES im Frühjahr 2003

During the spring session of the ICES Advisory Committee for Fisheries Management (ACFM) 48 stocks assessed by 7 Working Groups have been analyzed and reviewed, among these all herring stocks in the ICES area, blue whiting and most demersal stocks in the Baltic, Arctic and North-Western area. As in previous years, ICES recommends a reduction in fishing mortality for a number of stocks or even the establishment of recovery and management plans, to safeguard a continuous development of the stocks towards safe biological limits. ICES recommended a 90% reduction of the cod fishery in the Baltic Sea, while most of the herring stocks are in good condition.

Reconstructing an 83-Year Time Series of Daily Sea Surface Temperature at Pacific Grove, California

Daily sea surface temperatures have been acquired at the Hopkins Marine Station in Pacific Grove, California since January 20, 1919.This time series is one of the longest oceanographic records along the U.S. west coast. Because of its length it is well-suited for studying climate-related and oceanic variability on interannual, decadal, and interdecadal time scales. The record, however, is not homogeneous, has numerous gaps, contains possible outliers, and the observations were not always collected at the same time each day. Because of these problems we have undertaken the task of reconstructing this long and unique series. We describe the steps that were taken and the methods that were used in this reconstruction. Although the methods employed are basic, we believe that they are consistent with the quality of the data. The reconstructed record has values at every time point, original, or estimated, and has been adjusted for time-of-day variations where this information was available. Possible outliers have also been examined and replaced where their credibility could not be established. Many of the studies that have employed the Hopkins time series have not discussed the issue of data quality and how these problems were addressed. Because of growing interest in this record, it is important that a single, well-documented version be adopted, so that the results of future analyses can be directly compared. Although additional work may be done to further improve the quality of this record, it is now available via the internet. [PDF contains 48 pages]

Starker Nachwuchsjahrgang 2002 des Herings der westlichen Ostsee

Several fishery independent estimates of the year-class strength are necessary for the assessment and the management of the total fish stock. An index for the year-class strength of the spring spawning herring in the western Baltic Sea is estimated on the basis of larvae surveys in the most important spawning ground. The results indicate a strong year-class 2002.

On the climatology, oceanography and fisheries of the Panama Bight

ENGLISH: Seasonal changes in the climatology, oceanography and fisheries of the Panama Bight are determined mainly by the latitudinal movements of the ITCZ over the region. Evaporation is about 980 mm annually. Rainfall is probably much less than previous estimates because of a discontinuity in the ITCZ. Freshwater runoff from the northern watershed varies from 22 X 109 m3/mo in October-November to 11 X 109 m3/mo in February-March; from the southeastern watershed it varies from 16 X 109 m3/mo in April-June to 9 X 109 m3/mo in October-December. Total annual runoff is about 350 X 109m3. A marked salinity front is found at all seasons off the eastern shore. In the northern part of the Bight temperatures in the upper layers remained fairly constant from May to November; by February the mean temperature had decreased by 4°C and sharp gradients existed in the geographic distributions. Salinities in the upper layers decreased steadily from May to November; by February the mean salinity had increased by 2.5‰. The mean depth of the mixed layer increased from 27 m in May to 40 m in November; by February upwelling decreased it to 18 m. Between November and February upwelling had doubled the amount of P04-P and tripled that of NO3-N in the euphotic zone; surface phytoplankton production and standing crop, and zooplankton concentrations also doubled during this period. Upwelling was about 1.5 m/mo during May-November and about 9.0 m/mo during November-February, the annual total is about 48 m, Mean primary production is about 0.3 gC/m2day during May-December and about 0.6 gC/m2day during January-April; annual production is about 140 gC/m2. A thermal ridge occurred in February running from the northern to the southwestern part of the Bight. Within this ridge was a marked thermal dome coinciding with the center of the cyclonic circulation cell. Upwelling in the dome averaged 16 m/mo in November-February. The fisheries of the Panama Bight annually produce about 30,000 metric tons of food species and about 68,000 m.t. of species used for reduction. Most attempts to further the understanding of tuna ecology were unsuccessful. The apparent abundances of yellowfin and skipjack in the northern part of the Bight appear to be related to the seasonal cycle of upwelling and enrichment, as abundances are greatest in April and May when food appears to be plentiful. The life-cycle of the anchoveta in the Gulf of Panama also appears to be related to upwelling; the species mass varies from about 39,000 m.t. in December to about 169,000 m.t, in April. About 19.1 X 1012 anchoveta eggs are spawned annually. The life-cycles of shrimp in the Panama Bight appear to be related to upwelling as catches are greatest in May-July, about 3-5 months after peak upwelling, and annual catches are inversely correlated with sea level. SPANISH: Los cambios estacionales en la climatología, oceanografía y pesquerías del Panamá Bight están determinados principalmente por el movimiento latitudinal sobre la región de la Zona de Convergencia Intertropical (ZCIT). La evaporación es de unos 980 mm al año. La pluviosidad es probablemente muy inferior a las estimaciones previas a causa de la descontinuidad en la ZCIT. El drenaje de agua dulce, de la vertiente septentrional, varía de 22 x 109m3/mes en octubre-noviembre hasta 11 x 109m3/mes en febreromarzo; el de la vertiente sudeste varía de 16 x 109m3/mes en abril-junio a 9 x 109m3/mes en octubre-diciembre. El drenaje total, anual, es alrededor de 350 x 109m3. En todas las estaciones frente al litoral oriental se encuentra un frente de salinidad marcada. En la parte septentrional del Bight las temperaturas en las capas superiores permanecieron más bien constantes de mayo a noviembre; en febrero la temperatura media había disminuido en unos 4°C y existieron gradientes agudos en las distribuciones geográficas. Las salinidades en las capas superiores disminuyeron constantemente de mayo a noviembre; en febrero la salinidad media había aumentado en 2.5‰. La profundidad media de la capa mixta aumentó de 27 m en mayo a 40 m en noviembre; en febrero el afloramiento disminuyó el espesor de la capa mixta hasta 18 m. Entre noviembre y febrero el afloramiento había duplicado la cantidad de PO4-P y triplicado la de NO3-N en la zona eufótica; la producción superficial de fitoplancton y la biomasa primaria y las concentraciones de zooplancton también se duplicaron durante este período. El afloramiento era cerca de 1.5 mimes durante mayo-noviembre y de unos 9.0 mimes durante noviembre-febrero, el total anual es de unos 48 m. La producción media primaria es aproximadamente de 0.3 gC/m2 al día durante mayo-diciembre y cerca de 0.6 gC/m2 al día durante enero-abril; la producción anual es de unos 140 gC/m2. En febrero apareció una convexidad termal que se extendió de la parte norte a la parte sudoeste del Bight. Dentro de esta convexidad se encontró un domo termal marcado el cual coincidió con el centro de la circulación ciclonal de la célula. El afloramiento en el domo tuvo un promedio de 16 mimes en noviembre-febrero. Las pesquerías del Panamá Bight producen anualmente de cerca 30,000 toneladas métricas de especies alimenticias y unas 68,000 t.m. de especies usadas para la reducción. La mayoría de los esfuerzos realizados con el fin de adquirir más conocimiento sobre la ecología del atún no tuvo éxito. La abundancia aparente del atún aleta amarilla y del barrilete en la parte septentrional del Bight parece estar relacionada con el ciclo estacional del afloramiento y del enriquecimiento, ya que la abundancia mayor en abril y mayo cuando parece que hay abundancia es de alimento. El ciclo de vida de la anchoveta en el Golfo de Panamá parece también que está relacionada al afloramiento. La masa de la especie varía de unas 39,000 t.m. en diciembre a cerca de 169,000 t.m. en abril. Aproximadamente 19.1 x 1012 huevos de anchoveta son desovados anualmente. Los ciclos de vida del camarón en el Panamá Bight parecen estar relacionados con el afloramiento ya que las capturas son superiores en mayo-julio, unos 3-5 meses después del ápice del afloramiento, y las capturas anuales se correlacionan inversamente con el nivel del mar. (PDF contains 340 pages.)

The El Nino of 1972-1973 in the Eastern Tropical Pacific Ocean

ENGLISH: Beginning in February 1972 the usual seasonal cooling of the surface water of the eastern Pacific Ocean in the region of the Peru Current and along the equator failed to develop. By July tropical coastal and equatorial island stations and ships crossing the equator were recording sea-surface temperatures which were 6° to 8°F (3.3°-4.4°C) above the long-term mean. The anomalies spread over most of the eastern tropical Pacific and westward into the central equatorial Pacific through September. During October surface temperatures at coastal stations along South America were returning to normal, but in November and December 1972 temperatures rose rapidly again, with a near-record temperature anomaly of 8.1°F (4.2°C) above the long-term mean recorded at Puerto Chieama, Peru (7°42'S-79°27'W). After January 1973 sea-surface temperatures began returning to normal over most of the eastern tropical Pacific, and by March 1973 the El Nino had completed its cycle. Monthly sea-surface temperature anomalies over the eastern tropical Pacific are discussed to show the extent and magnitude of warming. Annual temperature profiles at several South American coastal and equatorial island stations are compared with temperature profiles for the 1957-1958 and 1965 EI Nino years. Characteristics of the temperature anomaly profiles at Puerto Chicama during several very warm years for the 1925-1972 period are also compared. Finally, meteorological factors contributing to a relaxation of the southeast trade winds and to the decreased unwilling along the coast of South America in 1972-1973 are examined. SPANISH: A comienzos de febrero de 1972, no se registró el enfriamiento común estacional del agua superficial del Océano Pacífico oriental en la región de la Corriente del Perú y a lo largo del ecuador. En julio las estaciones tropicales, costeras y de las islas ecuatoriales, y los barcos que cruzaban la linea ecuatorial registraron temperaturas superficiales del mar de 6° a 8°F (3.3°-4.4°C) más altas que la media a largo plazo. Las anomalías se esparcieron sobre la mayoría del Pacífico oriental tropical, y al oeste en el Pacífico central ecuatorial. En octubre, las temperaturas superficiales de las estaciones costaneras a lo largo de Sudamérica volvieron a la normalidad, pero en noviembre y diciembre de 1972, las temperaturas de nuevo ascendieron rápidamente con una anomalía de temperatura que alcanzó 8.1°F (4.2°C) sobre la media a largo plazo registrada en Puerto Chicama, Perú (7°42'S-79°27'W). Después de enero 1973 las temperaturas de la superficie del mar volvieron rápidamente a la normalidad en la mayoría del Pacífico oriental tropical y en marzo de 1973 el Niño había completado su ciclo. Se discuten las anomalías mensuales de las temperaturas de la superficie del mar en el Pacífico oriental tropical para indicar la extensión y magnitud del calentamiento. Los perfiles anuales de temperatura en varias estaciones costeras y de las islas ecuatoriales sudamericanas se comparan con los perfiles de temperatura de los años en que ocurrió el Niño en 1957-1958 y 1965. Se comparan también las características de los perfiles de las anomalías de temperatura en Puerto Chicama durante varios años muy cálidos para el período de 1925-1972. Finalmente, se examinan los factores meteorológicos que contribuyen al debilitamiento de los vientos alisios del sudeste y a la reducción del afloramiento a lo largo de la costa sudamericana en 1972-1973. (PDF contains 48 pages.)

Spawning of yellowfin tuna and the discrimination of subpopulations

ENGLISH: The spawning of yellowfin tuna (Thunnus albacares) in the eastern Pacific Ocean was examined to ascertain the existence of separate subpopulations within this area. Investigations of biochemical genetics of yellowfin indicate that there are a number of genetically distinct groups in the eastern Pacific. In addition, yellowfin belong to two recruitment cohorts, X and Y, which are composed of a mixture of these genetically different groups. Spawning data were collected from 1956 through 1961 from the coastal fishing grounds, and from 1970 through 1973 from the offshore fishing areas. Temporal and spatial aspects of spawning of the fish of the two cohorts were analyzed to determine if yellowfin spawning behavior supports the existence of genetically separate subpopulations. Spawning condition was inferred from the maturity of the ovaries. It was found that the coastal fish of each cohort exhibit at least two spawning periods per year which vary in length and time of occurrence from year to year. Fish taken from the offshore fishing grounds did not exhibit this variable spawning pattern. Although samples were not available for all months, the data showed that each cohort has a spawning period of at least 7 months and may spawn year around. Samples from offshore areas also had much higher percentages of spawners than those from the coastal areas. Temporal differences in spawning are not maintaining the genetically separate groups found in the fishery, since fish of both recruitment cohorts spawn at the same time. Also, fish of both the X and Y cohorts spawned in all areas examined; however, these data are insufficient to determine whether spatial isolation of spawning groups is occurring within the areas. SPANISH: Se examinó el desove del atún aleta amarilla (Thunnus albacares) en el Océano Pacífico oriental para averiguar la existencia de subpoblaciones separadas en esta zona. La investigación genética bioquímica del aleta amarilla indica que existen varios grupos genéticamente distintos en el Pacífico oriental. Además, el aleta amarilla pertenece a dos cohortes de reclutamiento X e Y, formadas por una mezcla de estos grupos genéticamente diferentes. Los datos del desove fueron obtenidos de 1956 a 1961, en las regiones neríticas de pesca y desde 1970 a 1973, en las áreas oceánicas de pesca. Se analizaron los aspectos temporales y espaciales del desove de los peces de las dos cohortes, para determinar si el comportamiento reproductor del aleta amarilla, apoya la existencia de subpoblaciones genéticamente diferentes. Se derivó la condición del desove según la madurez de los ovarios. Se encontró que los peces costeros de cada cohorte exhibían por lo menos dos períodos anuales de desove que varían en duración y fecha de ocurrencia de un año a otro. Los peces capturados en las regiones oceánicas de pesca no exhibieron este patrón variable de desove. Aunque o se consiguieron muestras en todos los meses, los datos indican que cada cohorte tiene un período de desove por lo menos de 7 meses y puede que desoven durante todo el año. Las muestras de las regiones oceánicas tuvieron porcentajes mucho mayores de reproductores que los de las zonas neríticas. Las diferencias temporales en el desove no sirven para explicar la presencia de grupos genéticamente separados que se encuentran en la pesca, ya que los peces de ambas cohortes de reclutamiento desovan al mismo tiempo. Además, los peces de ambas cohortes (X e Y) desovan en todas las zonas examinadas; sin embargo, estos datos no son suficientes para determinar si el aislamiento de los grupos de desove ocurre en las zonas. (PDF contains 53 pages.)

Keine überdurchschnittlichen Nachwuchsjahrgänge bei den Nutzfischen der Nordsee

In January/February 2001, Germany participated with “Walther Herwig III” in the International Bottom Trawl Survey (IBTS) of ICES by contributing 70 half hour tows with the Grande Ouverture Verticale Bottom Trawl (GOV), 78 hydrographic stations, and 88 catches with the Method-Isaac-Kidd net (MIK), mostly in the central and northern North Sea. In total, 368 fishing stations by means of the GOV were covered by the international fleet. Preliminary results indicate that only indices for herring, whiting, and – to some degree – haddock are in the long-term mean. In contrast, the index for cod gives reason to serious concern. In addition, indices for both mackerel and Norway pout do not show any signs for an increasing strength of these stocks. Oceanographic data show that in comparison with the data from 1995 onwards actual temperatures and salinities are in the normal range. However, mean water temperatures of this short period are about more than a half degree above the long-term means of the period 1961 to 1990.

Über Fischereiressourcen und ihre Nutzung

The reduction of discards will only be achieved, if more effective methods of catch selection will be developed and used. In principle, the unavoidable by catch of commercial fish should be used for human consumption, independent of the requirements for minimum length and existing catch quotas. The amount of such bycatch should be charged to the total catch quota and preferably be used for processing of fish portions with skin (carcasses with skin), because this kind of processing results in higher yields and nutrional advantages compared to fillet processing. Unfortunately, nowadays, in the German fishery and fish trade this traditional form of supply is only of minor importance because of the predominance of fillets and fillet products. However, cooperation between fishing industry and fish trade and a good advertising of processed fish portions with skin could overcome this problem. In the pelagic fishery of herring, mackerel and other similar pelagic species the bycatch of small sized specimen of these species can be a problem. These small sized fish can principally be processed to traditional fish products, but the processing costs for them are much higher. The prospects for processing of the bycatch into minced fish meat, fish protein concentrate or fish protein hydrolysate are very poor under the existing regime in the German fishing industry. A further way for processing of the bycatch, which can not be used for human consumption, is the production of fishmeal. However, only three German factory ships dispose of fish meal plants. Under the current economic conditions, i.e. because of limited storage capacity, the Ger-man trawler and cutter fleet is not able to transport the bycatch for fish meal production ashore.