Proposed Award of a Saltonstall-Kennedy Grant to Capture and Tag Swordfish (Xiphias gladius) off the Coast of Southern California using Experimental Deep-set Buoy Gear. Environmental Assessment.

摘要

The future viability of the west coast swordfish fishery has been raised by stakeholders and fisheries managers as an issue of concern because the fishery has declined substantially in response to, among other factors, the increased regulation of the California/Oregon Swordfish/Thresher Shark Large-Mesh Drift Gillnet (Swordfish DGN) fishery. A major driver of the increased regulation was the high rate of bycatch in the fishery including relatively frequent interactions with protected species such as sea turtles and marine mammals. Swordfish DGN operations are now significantly reduced within the traditional fishery range, which at one time extended as far north as the waters offshore of the Columbia River, Oregon. A small fleet of approximately 40-45 active Swordfish DGN vessels remains today restricted to operating seasonally in the Southern California Bight (SCB) with many west coast vessel owners and shoreside support industries suffering an economic disadvantage as a result. The current suite of swordfish fisheries and their underlying regulatory regime is likely contributing to the underutilization of a healthy swordfish stock whose geographic range extends well beyond the SCB area. Thus, development of an economically feasible/low bycatch gear for swordfish fishing along the U.S west coast may provide relief to swordfish fishermen and the communities that are supported by them. The relief would also be timely given the seafood trade imbalance that exists with over 80% of seafood consumed by Americans being supplied via imports.