Development of larval and early juvenile penpoint gunnel (Apodichthys flavidus) (family: Pholidae)

The penpoint gunnel (Apodichthys flavidus) is a member of the perciform family Pholidae. Pholids, commonly referred to as gunnels, are eel-like fishes that inhabit the rocky intertidal and subtidal regions of the northern oceans and are often associated with macroalgae, such as Fucus spp. or kelp (Watson, 1996). Gunnels are ecologically important forage fishes that form part of the diet of birds and commercially important groundfish species (Hobson and Sealy, 1985; NMFS1; Golet et al., 2000). The diet of A. flavidus and other pholids comprises primarily harpactacoid copepods, gammarid amphipods, isopods, and other crustaceans (Cross, 1981). Apodichthys flavidus ranges along the west coast of North America from southern California to the Gulf of Alaska (Mecklenburg et al., 2002). Adult A. flavidus are distinguished from other pholids by their total vertebral counts, the presence of a thick and grooved first anal spine, a preanal length that is approximately 60% standard length (SL), and a dark green to light olive coloration (Yatsu, 1981). It is one of the largest pholids (up to 46 cm) and is important in the live fish trade for both home and public aquaria (Froese and Pauly2).

Temporal and Spatial Distribution of Finfish Bycatch in the U.S. Atlantic Bottom Longline Shark Fishery

Bycatch in U.S. fisheries has become an increasingly important issue to both fisheries managers and the public, owing to the wide range of marine resources that can be involved. From 2002 to 2006, the Commercial Shark Fishery Observer Program (CSFOP) and the Shark Bottom Longline Observer Program (SBLOP) collected data on catch and bycatch caught on randomly selected vessels of the U.S. Atlantic shark bottom longline fishery. Three subregions (eastern Gulf of Mexico, South Atlantic, Mid-Atlantic Bight), five years (2002–06), four hook types (small, medium, large, and other), seven depth ranges (<50 m to >300 m), and eight broad taxonomic categories (e.g. Selachimorpha, Batoidea, Serranidae, etc.) were used in the analyses. Results indicated that the majority of bycatch (number) was caught in the eastern Gulf of Mexico and that the Selachimorpha taxon category made up over 90% of the total bycatch. The factors year followed by depth were the most common significant factors affecting bycatch.

Overview of the U.S. East Coast Bottom Longline Shark Fishery, 1994–2003

The U.S. Atlantic coast and Gulf of Mexico commercial shark fisheries have greatly expanded over the last 30 years, yet fishery managers still lack much of the key information required to accurately assess many shark stocks. Fishery observer programs are one tool that can be utilized to acquire this information. The Commercial Shark Fishery Observer Program monitors the U.S. Atlantic coast and Gulf of Mexico commercial bottom longline (BLL) large coastal shark fishery. Data gathered by observers were summarized for the 10-year period, 1994 to 2003. A total of 1,165 BLL sets were observed aboard 96 vessels, with observers spending a total of 1,509 days at sea. Observers recorded data regarding the fishing gear and methods used, species composition, disposition of the catch, mortality rates, catch per unit of effort (sharks per 10,000 hook hours), and bycatch of this fishery. Fishing practices, species composition, and bycatch varied between regions, while catch rates, mortality rates, and catch disposition varied greatly between species.