A. AGENCY OVERVIEW

B. MULTISPECIES STUDIES

1. Staff participated in RecFIN committee work and planning. Sampling was conducted in 1996 and continues in 1997. Linda Zumbrunnen became the new project coordinator, effective April 1996.
2. Recreational Fisheries Project:

Coastwide species composition sampling continues on recreational catches.

3. Species composition sampling of rockfish and thornyheads continues on commercial trawl landings and commercial fixed gear landings.
4. Bi-monthly cumulative trip limits were used in 1996.

For more information contact Mark Saelens (541) 867-4741
5. Finfish Excluder Project:

No field work was completed on finfish excluder devices in 1996. Field research focused instead on using underwater video to evaluate physical impacts on shrimp from passing through codend mesh. A videotape summarizing this project is available.

The ODFW shrimp logbook format was revised in early 1997 to begin to capture data on the use of fish excluders by individual vessels, on a tow-by-tow basis. Some charter work is planned for 1997 testing a new style of excluder that some shrimp fishermen are using called the "Willapa".

For more information contact Bob Hannah at (541) 867-4741.

6. ODFW continued to coordinate a cooperative observation program to monitor bycatch and collect biological samples of unsorted Pacific whiting landings made at shoreside processors. Cooperators are the fishing industry, CDFG, WDFW, PSMFC, NMFS, and PFMC. Observers and staff obtained age samples from 591 yellowtail rockfish, 600 widow rockfish, 210 sablefish, 690 jack mackerel, 240 Pacific mackerel and 1,197 Pacific whiting. Additional length frequency samples were taken on 2,094 Pacific whiting.

For more information contact Hal Weeks (541) 867-4741

7. Enhanced Data Collection Project:

The "Enhanced groundfish Data Collection Project" (EDCP) began as an effort by the Oregon Trawl Commission (OTC) during the summer of 1994. OTC approved a collection fee of 0.5 percent of the ex-vessel value of all groundfish and shrimp landed by trawl fisheries in Oregon in September 1994. This fee was initiated to generate a fund to support fisheries research efforts, and is being used to fund the EDCP. Phase I of this program is designed to be the "pilot" phase of a three year program that will focus on trying to determine discard rates brought about by trip limit management. In addition the program will collect information on salmon and halibut bycatch rates, survival likelihood of halibut encountering trawl capture, and biological parameters (age, length, sex, etc.) for species, sizes, depth intervals or areas that are not readily available to port sampling programs. OTC agreed to fund about $82,000 for additional staff and equipment for the program and $106,000 to pay observer wages, vessel insurance and food. The additional staff funding was needed to provide the resources needed for ODFW to coordinate the program in Washington, Oregon, and California.

During August, 1995, ODFW and NMFS agreed to provide matching funds of $106,500 each to also pay for observers.

The first "shakedown" trip occurred aboard the F/V Excalibur I (Newport) during November (one trip only). Following this trip observers were placed aboard the F/V's Jamie K (Charleston), Capt. Jack (Charleston), Miss Mary (Astoria) and Karina (Westport). A total of 31 trips have been observed aboard these four vessels. In addition the vessels Billie Jean (Charleston), Miss Linda (Charleston) and Pacific Queen (Astoria) are operating with "enhanced" logbooks - discard information is recorded, but no observer is aboard. An additional 6-10 vessels have expressed interest in carrying an observer, and several vessels remain to be setup with enhanced logbooks.

Details of the program are presented in Research Proposal Submitted to the Oregon Trawl Commission by Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, Enhanced Data Collection Project - Phase I, June 14, 1995.

For more information contact Mark Saelens (541) 867-4741

8. CORE Studies:

The Cooperative Reef Ecosystem(C.O.R.E.) study continued work on subtidal rocky bottom habitats off the Oregon coast near Cape Blanco and Port Orford, beginning a long-term study of the potential environmental effects of kelp harvest. ODFW biologists completed three tasks during 1996. The first was a SCUBA survey of demersal fish density in four subtidal rocky reef areas near Port Orford. The survey was stratified by bottom habitat type and reef area to discern statistical differences in fish densities among different habitat types. The second task was estimation of kelp (Nereocystis luetkeana) canopy biomass. This task involved aerial photography, kelp bed mapping, and kelp plant density and weight analysis. The third task was testing seabird transects and behavioral observation methods to determine appropriate methods for examining the use of kelp beds by seabirds. The results of this work are summarized in Fox, et al. (1996)..

For information contact Dave Fox or Jim Golden (541) 867-4741.

10. Recreational Angler Survey:

A survey of recreational anglers was conducted in 1996. Anglers were questioned for their knowledge of bag limits, species identification, response to bag limit changes and preferences for future regulations. The survey will not continue in 1997.

For more information contact Jerry Butler at (541) 867-4741.

11. Developmental Fisheries Project:

    Developmental Fisheries was a new project for the Marine Region in 1995. Administratively, the project is in the shellfish program; however, it deals with finfish as well as shellfish.

    The 1993 Oregon Legislature created the Developmental Fisheries Program to allow for controlled development of new fisheries. The legislation created the Developmental Fishery Board, made up of nine members and five ex-officio members from a broad range of fishing interests. Under the legislation, the Developmental Fisheries Board annually recommends to the Oregon Fish and Wildlife Commission a list of food fish species that are considered to be developmental and a harvest program which includes a limited entry system.

    In 1996, a total of 112 permits were issued for all species; 35 permits for finfish species. The main finfish interest was for swordfish, which had 1 permit issued for longline gear, 10 permits for unlimited landings with gillnet gear, and 5 permits for single delivery landings with gillnet gear. Other species for which we issued permits were hagfish (12), blue shark (2), anchovy/herring (5).

    The majority of the landings of developmental species was as by-catch in other established fisheries. In directed fisheries, there were 20 landings of hagfish (38,297 lb) and 9 landings of swordfish (35,417 lb) in Oregon in 1996.

    No gear conflicts occurred in 1996 between the deep water trawl fishery and the developmental fishery for Tanner crab as it did in 1995, because there was no effort for Tanner crab.

    Contact Jean McCrae for more information (541) 867-4741.

12. Ageing Unit:

    1. This is the second year of cooperative ageing unit funded by FAM and supervised/ operated by ODFW. The NMFS/ODFW Cooperative Ageing Project (CAP) continues to focus continues on ageing Dover sole and sablefish otoliths collected during NMFS surveys and ODFW port sampling. In 1996, the team finished ageing the backlog of NMFS collected Dover sole and started training and production ageing of the sablefish backlog.

       Contact Bob Mikus for more information on ageing (541) 867-4741.

    2. ODFW continues to provide ages on Dover sole (collected by NMFS, WDFW, ODFW and CDFG), Canary rockfish (collected by ODFW and WDFW), and a backlog of Darkblotched rockfish (collected by NMFS).

       Contact Bob Mikus for more information on ageing (541) 867-4741.

13. Logbooks:

    1. Revised Coastwide Logbook

       The current coastwide trawl logbook has been revised to more closely reflect current groundfish trawl operations - a set of coastwide species or market categories have been developed (based on PacFIN coding). Fishing strategies have been reviewed and revised and will be added as an element, and some other minor revisions have occurred as well. These changes will be reflected in the next printing of the logbook which will occur sometime this year as the supply of the current logbook is nearly exhausted. WDFW took the lead on this effort and ODFW participated in this development.

       Contact Mark Saelens for more information (541) 867-4741.

    2. Logbook Development Using the Enhanced Data Collection Project

       Participation in the Enhanced Data Project (including industry funding mechanism in Wash. and CA) requires a major commitment from industry volunteers, but also results in acquiring some portion of all the different categories of badly needed fishery data including discard rate, species composition, length and age, geographic distribution, catch-per-unit-effort, etc. To date many vessels have already begun participating in the project, as reported above, however additional participants are needed. In particular there is no limit to the number of vessels which may be issued instructions to begin maintaining an enhanced logbook for recording discard and bycatch. Placing observers aboard vessels has a more finite funding source. Currently some of the money received from FAM is being utilized to begin placing observers in Washington and California; however, industry in these states will need to develop a way to fund their own observers if the program is to be a success. A fee collection schedule based on the amount of catch delivered, or on the value of the delivery has been used successfully in Oregon.

       Successful use of enhanced logbooks during this program could result in the development of what has been referred to as the "super" logbook. But first the enhanced logbook must become commonly utilized and accepted as the manner in which industry desires to capture information to assist with accurate fisheries management.

       The "Enhanced" logbook is utilized in the pilot groundfish Enhanced Data Collection Project". It is not a different physical logbook, but rather a series of instructions on how cooperating fishers should fill out the logbook. The major addition is capturing discarded catch estimates - including salmon and halibut. Salmon biological information is collected, and then fish are turned over to a food bank. Halibut are measured, weighed and given a visual inspection for survival likelihood. Supplemental "logbook" information collected by the vessel may include species composition of rockfish, average weight, etc. and a more complete description of the fishing strategy.

    3. Super Logbook

       This term is applied if we envision the enhanced logbook eventually becoming the logbook required by all trawl vessels. The idea is to sell the value of such a logbook during our enhanced study and eventually to have most, if not all, of the fleet maintaining a more detailed logbook. This logbook is also likely to contain detailed information on how gear is deployed, weather conditions (current, swell, etc.) and more detailed information on fishing strategy.

    4. Electronic Logbook

       Microcomputer technology could be utilized to replace any of the above logbooks in an electronic form - The obvious advantage to an electronic logbook is the ability to improve agency processing time by avoiding the data entry stage. Other advantages include the ability to record location of tow and depth much more frequently. If we are successful in our efforts to develop a super logbook, an electronic form of it will be almost essential to facilitate processing in a timely fashion.

    C. BY SPECIES

    1. Pacific cod: no work was conducted on Pacific cod. Few fish were found in the trawl landings. Total Oregon Pacific cod landings were similar to landings in 1995 with about 185,808 pounds (84.3 mt) compared to 177,067 pounds (80.3 mt) in 1995.

    2. Shelf rockfish

       1. Black rockfish

          1. Coastwide sampling continues on recreational catches of black rockfish. Sampling includes biological sampling for age, length, sex and maturity. Age determination is done by ODFW.

          2. Recreational limit for Black rockfish remains at 10 fish.

          3. Total commercial Oregon landings were about 309,722 pounds (140.5 mt) which was up from the 1995 landings of 220,190 pounds (99.9 mt).

             Contact Jerry Butler for more information(541) 867-4741.

       2. Widow rockfish - coastwide sampling continues for age, length and sex. Age determination is done by NMFS, Tiburon. Oregon landings in 1996 were 8,385,762 pounds (3,803.8 mt) which was about a 2% decrease from 1995.

       3. Canary rockfish - coastwide sampling continues for age, length and sex. Age determination is done by ODFW. Oregon landings in 1996 were 1,676,860 pounds (760.6 mt) which was a about a 43.8% increase from 1995.

          A stock assessment was completed in 1996.

          Regarding stock assessment, contact David Sampson, HMSC, OSU (541) 867-0100

       4. Yellowtail - coastwide sampling continues for age, length and sex. Age determination is done by WDFW. Oregon landings were about 7,858,772 pounds (3,564.7 mt) which was up 16.5% from 1995.