U.S. West Coast Bottom Trawl Survey of Groundfish Resources (2003) off Washington, Oregon, and California: Estimates of Distribution, Abundance, and Length Composition

摘要

The U.S. West Coast groundfish fishery, supported by 82 commercially valuable species, spans the area from the Canadian to the Mexican borders in nearshore to offshore waters. Multiple vessel types, ranging in size from kayaks to trawlers, participate in the fishery. The fishery sectors deploy mobile and fixed gear including bottom trawls, midwater trawls, pots, longlines, and other hook and line gear; however, trawlers take the majority of landed groundfish. Active management of the fishery began in the early 1980s with the establishment of optimum yields and trip limits for several managed species. Management measures currently include landings limits, size limits, gear restrictions, and time and area closures. The management measures are designed to avoid overfishing and to rebuild overfished stocks.