Biology, Oceanography, and Fisheries of the North Pacific Transition Zone and Subarctic Frontal Zone: Papers from the North Pacific Transition Zone Workshop, Honolulu, Hawaii, 9-11 May 1988

In the past few years, large-scale, high-seas driftnet fishing has sparked intense debate and political conflict in many oceanic regions. In the Pacific Ocean the driftnet controversy first emerged in the North Pacific transition zone and subarctic frontal zone, where driftnet vessels from Japan, the Republic of Korea, and Taiwan pursue their target species of neon flying squid. Other North Pacific driftnet fleets from Japan and Taiwan target stocks of tunas and billfishes. Both types of driftnet fishing incidentally kill valued non-target species of marine life, including fish, mammals, birds, and turtles. In response to public concerns about driftnet fishing, government scientists began early on to assemble available information and consider what new data were required to assess impacts on North Pacific marine resources and the broader pelagic ecosystem. Accordingly, a workshop was convened at the NMFS Honolulu Laboratory in May 1988 to review current information on the biology, oceanography, and fisheries of the North Pacific transition zone and subarctic frontal zone. The workshop participants, from the United States and Canada, also developed a strategic plan to guide NMFS in developing a program of driftnet fishery research and impact assessment. This volume contains a selection of scientific review papers presented at the 1988 Honolulu workshop. The papers represent part of the small kernel of information available then, prior to the expansion of cooperative international scientific programs. Subsequent driftnet fishery monitoring and research by the United States, Canada, Japan, Korea, and Taiwan have added much new data. Nevertheless, this collection of papers provides a historical perspective and contains useful information not readily available elsewhere. (PDF file contains 118 pages.)

Incidental Catch of Marine Mammals by Foreign and Joint Venture Trawl Vessels in the U.S. EEZ of the North Pacific, 1973-88

During 1973-88, 3,661 marine mammals of 17 species were reported as incidental catch by U.S. fishery observers aboard foreign and joint venture trawl vessels in the U.S. Exclusive Economic Zone in the North Pacific Ocean and the Bering Sea. Northern sea lions (Eumetopias jubatus) accounted for 90% of the reported incidental mortality in the Gulf of Alaska and eastern Bering Sea. Nearly half of these sea lions were taken in trawl nets in the Shelikof Strait, Alaska, joint venture fishery during 1982-84. However, high incidental mortality rates (>25 sea lions per 10,000 metric tons of groundfish catch) also occurred in the foreign fisheries near Kodiak Island and in the Aleutian Islands area in earlier years. Estimated annual mortality of incidentally caught northern sea lions in Alaska declined from 1,000 to 2,000 animals per year during the early 1970s and 1982 to fewer than 100 animals in 1988. In the Bering Sea most sea lions incidentally caught were males, while in the Gulf of Alaska females were more frequently caught. Females may also have been dominant in the incidental catch of sea lions in the Aleutian Islands area, but age and sex composition data are limited. Incidental mortality of adult female sea lions by foreign trawl fisheries in these areas could have partially contributed to the reported declines in northern sea lion populations in Alaska during the 1970s, but it cannot alone account for the present decline in population size. (PDF file contains 64 pages.)

Laboratory guide to early life history stages of northeast Pacific fishes

This laboratory guide presents taxonomic information on eggs and larvae of fishes of the Northeast Pacific Ocean (north of California) and the eastern Bering Sea. Included are early-life-history series, illustrations, and comparative descriptions of 232 species expected to spawn here, out of a total 627 species known to occur in marine waters of this area. Meristic and general life-history data are included, as well as diagnostic characters to help identify eggs and larvae. Most of this information has been gleaned from literature, with the addition of 200 previously unpublished illustrations. (PDF file contains 654 pages.)

Index numbers and productivity measurement in multispecies fisheries: an application to the Pacific Coast Trawl Fleet

This study is concerned with the measurement of total factor prodnctivity in the marine fishing industries in general and in the Pacific coast trawl fishery in particular. The study is divided into two parts. Part I contains suitable empirical and introductory theoretical material for the examination of productivity in the Pacific coast trawl Deet. It is self-contained, and contains the basic formulae, empirical results, and discussion. Because the economic theory of index numbers and productivity is constantly evolving and is widely scattered throughout the economics literature, Part D draws together the theoretical literature into one place to allow ready access for readers interested in more details. The major methodological focus of the study is upon the type of economic index number that is most appropriate for use by economists with the National Marine Fisheries Service. This study recommends that the following types of economic index numbers be used: chain rather than fIxed base; bilateral rather than multilateral; one of the class of superlative indices, such as the Tornqvist or Fisher Ideal. (PDF file contains 40 pages.)

Atlas and zoogeography of common fishes in the Bering Sea and northeastern Pacific

The geographic and depth frequency distribution of 124 common demersal fish species in the northeastern Pacific were plotted from data on me at the Northwest and Alaska Fisheries Center (NWAFC), National Marine Fisheries Service. The data included catch records of fishes and invertebrates from 24,881 samples taken from the Chukchi Sea, throughout the Bering Sea, Aleutian Basin, Aleutian Archipelago, and the Gulf of Alaska, and from southeastern Alaska south to southern California. Samples were collected by a number of agencies and institutions over a 30-year period (1953-83), but were primarily from NWAFC demersal trawls. The distributions of all species with 100 or more occurrences in the data set were plotted by computer. Distributions plotted from these data were then compared with geographic and depth-range limits given in the literature. These data provide new range extensions (geographic, depth, or both) for 114 species. Questionable extensions are noted, the depth ranges determined for 95% of occurrences, and depths of most frequent occurrence are recorded. Ranges of the species were classified zoogeographically, according to life zone, and with regard to the depth zone of greatest occurrence. Because most species examined have broad geographic ranges, they do not provide the best information for testing the validity of proposed zoogeographic province boundaries. Because of the location of greatest sampling effort and methods used in sampling, most fIShes examined were eastern boreal Pacific, sublittoral-bathyal (outer shelf) species. (PDF file contains 158 pages.)

Limited access alternatives for the Pacific groundfish fishery

Despite its wide acceptance in other fisheries, limited access remains a controversial topic among Pacific coast groundfish fishermen and fishery managers. It is controversial because it immediately opens a wide array of public policy issues. How should the public conserve fish stocks, and who should benefit from harvesting those fish? What are the costs and benefits to the public, the taxpayer, the fishing industry, and the coastal communities supporting the groundfish industry? Should the government push the industry to be economically efficient in harvesting; or should it discourage technical efficiency to conserve fish stocks? Should management preserve the economic status quo by protecting existing harvest shares? These are the broad issues occupying the discussions of policy makers and academic writers concerned with resource management. The goal of this introductory section is to define limited access, to dispel some basic misunderstandings about limited access, to clarify the optional forms oflimited access, and to review the various resource management objectives addressed. This should set the stage for the following more lengthy discussions. By reducing the scope of needless misunderstandings, it should also help to make future discussions of limited access more productive. (PDF file contains 52 pages.)

Environment and resources of seamounts in the North Pacific: Proceedings of a workshop, March 21-23, 1984, Shimizu, Japan

The trawl fishery for pelagic annorhead, Pseuaopentaceros wheeleri(fonnerly referred to as Pentaceros richardsoni), and alfonsin, Beryx splendens, over the central North Pacific seamounts has a relatively short history. Before 1967, fishery scientists were generally unaware of the resources on seamounts; however, the discovery of commercial concentrations of pelagic armorhead on seamounts in the southern Emperor Seamounts by a Russian commercial trawler in November 1967 led to almost immediate exploitation of the species by the Soviets. Unconfinned reports indicated that the schools of pelagic annorhead on the seamounts averaged 30 m thick and catches averaged from 3 to 50 metric tons on 10-20 min hauls (Sakiura 1972). Japanese trawlers entered the fishery in 1969. To assist in the development of this tishery, Japanese research vessels conducted extensive surveys in 1972 on the distribution and potential for development ofthe pelagic armorhead and alfonsin resources. The results of their surveys to the central North Pacific and mid-Pacific seamounts showed that many had summits that were too deep for trawling. Those found suitable were concentrated in the southern Emperor-northern Hawaiian Ridge. (PDF file contains 113 pages.)

Review of geographical stocks of tropical dolphins (Stenella spp. and Delphinus delphis) in the eastern Pacific

Information on geographical variation is reviewed for Stenella attenuata, S. longirostris, S. coeruleoalba, and Delphinus delphis in the eastern tropical Pacific, and boundaries for potential management units are proposed. National Marine Fisheries Service and Inter-American Tropical Tuna Commission sighting records made from 1979 to 1983 which were outside boundaries used in a 1979 assessment were examined for validity. Tagging returns and morphological data were also analyzed. Several stock ranges are expanded or combined. Three management units are proposed for S. attenuata: the coastal, northern offshore, and southern offshore spoiled dolphins. Four management units are proposed for S. longirostris: the Costa Rican, eastern, northern whitebelly, and southern whitebelly spinner dolphins. Two provisional management units are proposed for S. coeruleoalba: the northern and southern striped dolphins. Five management units (two of which are provisional) are proposed for D. delphis: the Baja neritic, northern, central, southern, and Guerrero common dolphins. Division into management units was based on morphological stock differences and distributional breaks. (PDF file contains 34 pages.)

Congrid eels of the Eastern Pacific and key to their leptocephali

This study indicates that 13 species of congrid larvae belonging to 8 genera occur in the eastern Pacific. The species are: Ariosoma gilberti; Paraconger californiensis; Paraconger sp.; P. dentatus; Chiloconger labiatus; Taenioconger digueti; T. canabus; Gorgasia punctata; G. obtusa; Gnathophis catalinensis; Hildebrandia nitens; Bathycongrus macrurus; and B. varidens. The morphological and anatomical changes undergone during metamorphosis are useful in the identification of the larvae. Larvae are distributed closer to the coastal waters, and are more common from January to May than from June to December. A key to the larvae was developed based on the myotomal counts, adult vertebral counts, pigmentation patterns, and the nature of the teeth and tail tip to distinguish the genera and species. This study shows that Garman's unidentified larvae, Atopichthys acus and A. cingulus, are two different larval stages of Ariosoma gilberti, and points out that Atopichthys dentatus and A. obtusus belong to Paraconger and Gorgasia, respectively. (PDF file contains 25 pages.)

Identification and estimation of size from the beaks of 18 species of cephalopods from the Pacific Ocean

A method of identifying the beaks and estimating body weight and mantle length of 18 species of cephalopods from the Pacific Ocean is presented. Twenty specimens were selected from each of the following cephalopod species: Symplectoteuthis oualaniensis, Dosidicus gigas, Ommastrephes bartramii, S. luminosa, Todarodes pacificus, Nototodarus hawaiiensis, Ornithoteuthis volalilis, Hyaloteuthis pelagica, Onychoteuthis banksii, Pterygioteuthis giardi, Abraliopsis affinis, A. felis, Liocranchia reinhardti, Leachia danae, Histioteuthis heteropsis, H. dofleini, Gonalus onyx, and Loligo opalescens. Dimensions measured on the upper and lower beak are converted to ratios and compared individually among the species using an analysis of variance procedure with Tukey's omega and Duncan's multiple range tests. Significant differences (P =0.05) observed among the species' beak ratio means and structural characteristics are used to construct artificial keys for the upper and lower beaks of the 18 species. Upper and lower beak dimensions are used as independent variables in a linear regression model with mantle length and body weight (log transformed). (PDF file contains 56 pages.)

Development of hexagrammids (Pisces: Scorpaeniformes) in the northeastern Pacific Ocean

Larvae of Oxylebius pictus, Zaniolepis sp., Ophiodon elongatus, Hexagrommos stelleri, H. decagrammus, H. lagocephalus, H. octogrammus, and Pleurogrammus monopterygius are described and illustrated from field collections which were supplemented by laboratory reared specimens of some species. Larvae hatch at a rather large size (3-9 mm), are heavily pigmented, and undergo direct development to an epipelagic prejuvenile stage. Larvae or the five genera are separable on the basis of body shape, pigmentation, and meristic characters. Larvae or the four species of Hexagrammos, which are quite similar in appearance, are separable on the basis of a combination of several pigmentation characters. Developmental evidence indicates that Oxylebius and Zaniolepis are similar to each other and are more similar to presumed primitive coUids than the other included genera. Ophiodon is dissimilar to the other four genera. Pleurogrammus and Hexagrommos have similar appearing larvae. Among the species of Hexagrammos a progression or increasing larval pigmentation can be seen from H. stelleri to H. decagrammus, H. lagocephalus, and H. octogrammus. (PDF file contains 50 pages.)

Biology, ecology, control and management of the invasive Indo-Pacific lionfish: An updated integrated assessment

Venomous Indo-Pacific lionfish (Pterois miles and P. volitans) are now established along the Southeast U.S.A. and parts of the Caribbean and pose a serious threat to reef fish communities of these regions. Lionfish are likely to invade the Gulf of Mexico and potentially South America in the near future. Introductions of lionfish were noted since the 1980s along south Florida and by 2000 lionfish were established off the coast of North Carolina. Lionfish are now one of the more numerous predatory reef fishes at some locations off the Southeast U.S.A. and Caribbean. Lionfish are largely piscivores that feed occasionally on economically important reef fishes. The trophic impacts of lionfish could alter the structure of native reef fish communities and potentially hamper stock rebuilding efforts of the Snapper –Grouper Complex. Additional effects of the lionfish invasion are far-reaching and could increase coral reef ecosystem stress, threaten human health, and ultimately impact the marine aquarium industry. Control strategies for lionfish are needed to mitigate impacts, especially in protected areas. This integrated assessment provides a general overview of the biology and ecology of lionfish including genetics, taxonomy, reproductive biology, early life history and dispersal, venom defense and predation, and feeding ecology. In addition, alternative management actions for mitigating the negative impacts of lionfish, approaches for reducing the risk of future invasions, and directions for future research are provided.

Monthly charts of surface salinity in the Eastern Tropical Pacific Ocean

ENGLISH: Mean monthly maps of surface salinity of the eastern Pacific Ocean were prepared using all available data. Charts were also made of the distribution by one-degree quadrangles of the number of surface salinity observations for each month. Features of interest in the surface salinity distribution are discussed briefly, especially with reference to temporal changes. SPANISH: Se prepararon mapas mensuales sobre la salinidad media de superficie del Océano Pacifico oriental tropical, usando todos los datos disponibles. También se ejecutaron cartas por cuadrángulos de un grado, según el número de las observaciones mensuales de la distribución de la salinidad superficial. Las caracteristicas de interés de las distribuciones de la salinidad superficial se discuten brevemente, especialmente con referencia a los cambios estacionales. (PDF contains 44 pages.)

Size composition, growth and sexual maturity of bigeye tuna, Thunnus obesus (Lowe), from the Japanese long-line fishery in the Eastern Pacific Ocean

Size composition data of bigeye tuna taken from the eastern tropical Pacific Ocean by Japanese Prefectural experimental training vessels from 1958 to 1964 are examined. A gradient of increasing fish size from east to west is noted. Males increase in ratio over females for the entire range of lengths examined, and beyond 170 cm comprise more than 75 per cent of the total. The first semester of the year is important as a bigeye spawning season. A general relationship between sexual maturity and thermal structure of the water is discussed. At the end of their 12th quarter of life bigeye are about 114 cm long, by the 16th quarter, 137 cm and at the end of 20 quarters, about 153 cm. The long-line fishery in the eastern Pacific has had a marked effect on the size composition of the stocks of bigeye, but whether the fishing has driven the stocks below a point which could afford a maximum sustainable yield could not be determined. (PDF contains 55 pages.)

Geographical distribution of the annual catches of yellowfin and skipjack tuna from the Eastern Tropical Pacific Ocean from vessel logbook records, 1952-1955

ENGLISH: The Inter-American Tropical Tuna Commission is engaged in scientific studies of the tuna resources of the Eastern Tropical Pacific Ocean. One of the most important aspects of these investigations is the evaluation of the effects of fishing upon the populations of yellowfin tuna (Neothunnus macropterus) and skipjack (Katsuwonus pelamis) of this region, based upon the analysis of quantitative records of fishing effort and catch. The systematic collection and compilation of statistical information on the operations and production of the tuna fishing Beet have, therefore, been essential parts of the research program since its inception in 1951. SPANISH: La Comisión Interamericana del Atún Tropical está dedicada al estudio cientifico de los recursos de atún del Océano Pacifico Oriental Tropical. Uno de los aspectos más importantes de las investigaciones es la evaluación de los efectos de la pesca sobre las poblaciones de atún aleta amarilla (Neothunnus macropterus) y barrilete (Katsuwonus pelamis) de esta región, sobre la base del análisis de los registros cuantitativos del esfuerzo de pesca y captura respectiva. La recolección sistemática y la compilación de informaciones estadisticas sobre las operaciones y producción de la flota pesquera de atún han sido, consecuentemente, de esencial importancia dentro de nuestro programa de trabajo desde su comienzo en 1951. (PDF contains 77 pages.)