Table of Contents:

A. Puget Sound Area Activities

Review of Agency Groundfish Research, Assessment, and Management

A. Puget Sound Area Activities

1. Puget Sound Groundfish (Contributed by Wayne Palsson (425) 379-2313)

Puget Sound Groundfish Management Plan

In June 1998, the Washington State Fish and Wildlife Commission endorsed a comprehensive Puget Sound Groundfish Management Plan. This plan puts the Commission’s policy for precautionary management of Puget Sound Groundfish into effect by instituting a conservation and use planning process. The plan identifies the fishery monitoring, stock assessment, and management activities that are required to achieve ecosystem management and a sustainable groundfish resource in Washington’s inland marine waters. Work is now progressing in developing conservation plans for individual species or species groups of groundfish. These plans will identify biological reference points to open and close fisheries based on stock status, productivity, and other ecological factors, and the conservation plans will provide the basis for planning and managing commercial and recreational fisheries, negotiating tribal agreements, and promoting the non-consumptive use of marine fishes. A copy of the plan is available from the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife.

Video-Acoustic Technique for Assessing Rocky Reef Fishes

With continued support from Sport Fish Restoration Act Funds, a new region of the inland marine waters was surveyed for lingcod and rockfish and a cooperative study was conducted with rockfish biologists from the Canadian Department of Fisheries and Oceans. The Video-Acoustic Technique (VAT), funded under the Recreational Management of Puget Sound Bottomfishes Project, has been used throughout Puget Sound to identify and characterize nearshore rocky reef habitats and to estimate the density of lingcod, rockfish, and other marine fishes that inhabit the reefs. During August and September 1998, a survey of the nearshore reefs in the Neah Bay area was conducted with support from the Olympic Coast National Marine Sanctuary. The systematic survey resulted in over 250 video samples from approximately 100 stations in depths from several meters to 38 meters ranging from the Sekiu River to Tatoosh Island. Acoustic transects were also conducted at most stations that targeted on the pelagic black and blue rockfishes. During this survey, a new laser package was employed to provide measures of fish length and, in many cases, measure the visual range of the camera. Results will be compiled in a forthcoming technical report.

During July 1998, project staff worked in the Canadian Gulf Islands with Lynne Yamanaka and other staff from CDFO on a project to better identify rockfish habitat and to assess rockfish size and densities by habitat for a basis of comparison of rockfish in adjacent U.S. waters. A pool of study sites was developed based on the results of hook and line surveys and fishermen interviews conducted by the CDFO. Eight areas were identified as having good bottomfish populations and were partitioned into study areas with a size of one minute of latitude (1 nm) by one minute of longitude (0.66 nm), for a total area of 0.66 nm². One site, at Cooper Reef , was used to conduct a fishing experiment to test the ability of the VAT system to detect differences between pre-fishing and post-fishing rockfish densities. Prior to the video survey, the firm of Questor-Tangent Corporation (QTC), of Victoria, B.C., was contracted to conduct an acoustic bottom type survey of the eight study sites. The acoustic survey identified five relatively distinct bottom classes (i.e., habitat types), with no a priori assumptions made concerning the habitat composition of any of the identified classes. Based on the results of the acoustic survey, the study sites were stratified by bottom class and random camera drop locations selected in proportion to the amount of each habitat class present at each site. These data are currently being evaluated and will appear in a study report in the near future.

No-Take Refuges for Reef Fish Management

Field work was completed during 1998 to evaluate the potential of no-take refuges as a fisheries management tool. The work, which began in 1992, has compared the size, density, and reproductive response of rockfishes, lingcod, and other rocky reef fishes in no-fishing areas to comparable habitats in fished zones. Several years of intensive field work has shown that a small no-take refuge established 27 years ago has large modal sizes of rockfishes and lingcod that are virtually absent on any of the fished sites. This long-term refuge also has many times the densities of large rockfishes that are typically caught in recreational fisheries. Combined, the density and size responses contribute an estimated 55 times more eggs per area than the average fished site. Studies in more recently created refuges in the San Juan Archipelago has revealed a two fold increase in rockfish density but no differences in rockfish size after seven years of no fishing. There are, however, larger and more lingcod in the refuges than at the fished sites examined. Surveys also revealed greater numbers of lingcod nests in the no-take refuges compared to the corresponding fished sites. A journal paper is being prepared evaluating and summarizing the complete results of the initial study. Further monitoring activities in the existing and newly created Puget Sound refuges are being planned.

These observations of no-take refuges have revealed the impact fishing has had on rocky reef fishes in Puget Sound. This has been one of the first no-take refuge studies in a northern temperate reef system. Intermediate results were presented at the workshop on Marine Harvest Refugia for West Coast rockfish held in Monterrey in September 1997. Proceedings from the rockfish workshop including Washington results were published in workshop proceedings.

The results from the rocky reef refuge studies in Puget Sound have also been useful in a planning effort in Washington State for a comprehensive policy and plan for a system of marine protected areas. A marine protected area policy was adopted by the Washington Fish and Wildlife Commission in June 1998 and a wider system is being considered by a multi-agency task force. As identified in the Commission’s MPA policy and the Puget Sound Groundfish Management Plan, the results from stock assessments, fishery monitoring, refuge comparisons, and video assessments of rockfish and lingcod populations and their habitats are being integrated into a design of a system of no-take refuges to manage lingcod and rockfish populations in Puget Sound.

Marine Recreational Fisheries Statistical Survey

In 1996, the Pacific States Marine Fisheries Commission selected WDFW as a contractor for the Marine Recreational Fisheries Statistical Survey (MRFSS). The MRFSS is a federal catch estimation system for marine anglers conducted in most coastal states. Although WDFW has had its own recreational catch estimation system, the implementation of the MRFSS has come at a time when major fishery closures for salmon have prevented the WDFW system from estimating the catch of groundfish during key months in important fishery areas. Although MRFSS estimates do not provide precise sub-regional estimates, they will provide a basis for comparing WDFW estimates, be more timely, result in biological and species composition information, and estimate catch and effort for all modes of fishing. Many of these statistics have not been available through the WDFW system.

Commercial Groundfish Management

Commercial fisheries for groundfish have been declining in recent years owing to declining stocks, area closures, or changes in management emphasis. Trawl fisheries still operate in the western Strait of Juan de Fuca, in the San Juan Archipelago, and in the southern Strait of Georgia. Set line (long line) and set net fisheries operate throughout Puget Sound and these fisheries target spiny dogfish. Finally, drag seine fisheries harvest surf perch in central and southern Puget Sound.

The evaluation of stock status conducted in 1996 and 1997 found Pacific cod stocks to be in critical or depressed conditions in Puget Sound. Accordingly, staff recommended restrictions for the trawl fishery that would minimize cod catches. After consultation with the industry in late 1997 and early 1998, quotas were established for two trawl fishery areas. A legal challenge was brought by several commercial fishers regarding the process and science that were being used to establish cod assessments and management. The court initially reopened trawl fisheries after the 1997 quota had been reached and stayed quota management during the winter and spring of 1998. In May 1998, the court ruled in favor of the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife affirming the legal and public process in setting regulations and the science that drove the quota process. During the remainder of 1998, the progress towards the cod quota was relatively slow compared to previous years and all indications were that the trawl fleet had taken measures to avoid concentrations of Pacific cod.

Transboundary Trawl Survey

WDFW has conducted trawl surveys in the U.S. portion of the Strait of Georgia and in other regions of Puget Sound. The Straits of Georgia and Juan de Fuca are shared between Washington and British Columbia, and previous work on spiny dogfish and Pacific cod has attested to the potential for transboundary movement to affect fisheries and population structure. With supplemental funding from the U.S. EPA and the Puget Sound Water Quality Action Team, WDFW conducted a transboundary trawl survey of the southern Strait of Georgia in May and June 1997. The objectives were to estimate the numerical and biomass abundance of groundfish and macroinvertebrates, describe the depth and geographic distributions of key species, relate catches from each country to the populations, describe the likelihood of transboundary effects, and provide a baseline of environmental information to scientists and managers in both countries.

The survey was conducted aboard a chartered 17 m fishing vessel equipped with a 400 mesh Eastern trawl with a 3 cm mesh codend liner. The stratified systematic design of the survey provided estimates by country and for five depth strata. Forty stations were occupied in the Washington Strait of Georgia and 69 stations were occupied in the B.C. Strait of Georgia and Gulf Islands south of a line between Vancouver B.C. and Nanoose Bay. The preliminary results found that an estimated 166 million fishes live in the southern Strait of Georgia accounting for a biomass of 36,500 mt. Total fish distribution accounted for a 30%/70% ratio of fish between Washington and B.C., roughly corresponding to the distribution of surveyed habitat between the two countries. Not all individual species corresponded to this ratio and the depth and spatial distribution patterns have significant transboundary implications. Shallow water species such as rock sole, sand sole, and starry flounder are limited to the rim of the basin and transboundary movements as adults are probably limited by the deep water trough in the middle of the basin. Fisheries in each respective country are probably operating on their own adult aggregations. Other species such as Pacific cod, Pacific hake, Dover sole, English sole, and spiny dogfish commonly occur in deep waters and are more likely to make transboundary movements exposing themselves to fisheries on each side of the border.

The final results were distributed to American and Canadian sponsors and persons of interest in June 1998 in a contract report. This report is being re-formatted for publication as a WDFW report.

2. Puget Sound Georgia Basin Environmental Cooperation Council (Contributed by Mary Lou Mills (360)-902-2834)

The Status of Marine Protected Areas in Puget Sound (two volumes) by Michael Murray was published by the Puget Sound Georgia Basin Environmental Cooperation Council. The report reviews 102 sites now in existence in Puget Sound. The boundaries, ownership, management and level of protection of these areas are discussed. The publication is Puget Sound/Georgia Basin Environmental Report Series: Number 8 and copies can be obtained by contacting the Puget Sound Water Quality Action Team (1-800-833-6388).

A working group of the Puget Sound Georgia Basin Environmental Cooperation Council completed their assignment and developed a series of management recommendations. The report from the Washington Protect Marine Life Work Group was completed and will be available as another publication in the same environmental report series.

3. Puget Sound Ambient Monitoring Program (PSAMP) (Contributed by Sandie O'Neill and Jim West (360) 902-2843)

PSAMP is a multi-agency effort to monitor the health of Puget Sound. The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife participates by monitoring toxic contaminants in Puget Sound fishes. To date, we have measured contaminant levels in English sole, Pacific cod, three species of demersal rockfish, Pacific herring, and chinook and coho salmon from a wide range of environments (polluted to clean). Geographic patterns of contaminants in these species was described. In 1998 we completed a focus study in Sinclair Inlet for English sole and quillback rockfish to examine finer-scale distribution patterns of contaminants as well as the effects of contaminants on reproductive competence. Starting in May, 1999, a similar focus study will be conducted in Commencement Bay.

Papers on English sole, salmon and rockfish were presented at the 1998 Research in Puget Sound Conference (March 1998) in Seattle, Washington. Copies are available on-line at www.wa.gov/Puget_Sound.

We have also begun two studies of contaminants in Pacific herring: (1) a long-term monitoring study of herring as an indicator of temporal trends in contaminants in Puget Sound fish, and (2) a collaborative study with the WDFW oil spill response team and the Washington Department of Natural Resources to assess exposure of herring eggs to maternally transferred and environmental contaminants.

We have expanded an existing program of sampling and archiving tissues from Puget Sound groundfish for future molecular genetics studies to now include Pacific herring. To date we have sampled tissues from eleven species, totaling over 2300 specimens.

4. Forage Fish

Management plan (Contributed by Greg Bargmann (360) 902-2835)

The Washington State Fish and Wildlife Commission adopted a forage fish management plan in January, 1998. The plan covers herring, smelt, anchovy and sardine. The plan recognizes the forage value of these fish and reduces harvest levels when necessary.

Sardine and mackerel

Both sardine and mackerel were common off of the Washington coast during the summer of 1998. Although no quantitative estimate of their abundance was made, frequent observations of both species and catches of mackerel in the sport fishery served as qualitative indication of their presence.

In response to commercial fishery interests, the department investigated the potential of a limited, experimental fishery for these two species starting in June 1998. An informal public workshop was held in Montesano during May 1998 to gather public comments regarding the proposed fishery. Public comment was strongly negative with concern centered on two issues: bycatch of salmon in the fishery and the potential impact on the food availability to other species. As a result of these workshops, the proposed fishery was never held.

Cherry Point Herring (Contributed by Jack Tagart (360) 902-2855)

WDFW strives to protect herring spawning habitat within Puget Sound. Over the past 20 years, stocks of herring throughout the Sound have experienced considerable declines in abundance. The Cherry Point stock is one of the largest and most important stocks in the Sound. Historically, this stock provided the fish taken in the sac-roe and spawn-on-kelp fisheries. The stock is currently at such a low level of abundance that commercial fishing is prohibited.

Spawning grounds for the Cherry Point herring stock are in the center of an area of considerable commerce, situated between Anacortes and Bellingham. One of the few undeveloped deep-water port locations in Puget Sound bisects the historic spawning grounds. A developer has requested a permit to build a long pier and trestle on this site. WDFW has been in negotiations with the developer to evaluate the potential impact of the pier on the Cherry Point herring stock. The experimental design to evaluate pier impacts is a joint effort of the WDFW, the Washington Environmental Council (a private environmental lobby group) and consultants for the pier proponents. In what might be a precedent setting endeavor, WDFW is trying to get the proponent to agree to environmental studies of the potential pier impact, and stipulated contingencies for pier operation dependent on the results of those studies.

Pre-spawning Cherry Point herring stock aggregate in the vicinity of the proposed pier foot print. Objectives of the environmental studies include: 1) determine whether there are preferred nearshore herring migration corridors/schooling areas at or near the project site; 2) assess whether the trestle/wharf structure, ship activity and bulk terminal operation at the site disrupt the use of preferred nearshore migration corridors/schooling areas; 3) assess whether the trestle/wharf structure, ship activity and/or bulk terminal operations disrupt the lateral nearshore migration and concentration of herring; and 4)assess whether ship activity and bulk terminal operations displace herring from using the spawning habitat in the immediate vicinity of the trestle. Initial research was undertaken by the pier proponent’s consultant in 1998. Additional work will proceed through the year 2000. 5. Coastal Area Activities

1. Coastal Groundfish Management (Contributed by Brian Culver (360) 249-4628)

Council Activities

The agency contributes technical support for coastal groundfish management issues via participation on the Groundfish Management Team (GMT), and the Scientific and Statistical Committee (SSC) of the Pacific Fishery Management Council (PFMC). The agency is also represented on the Scientific and Statistical Committee and Groundfish Plan Team of the North Pacific Fishery Management Council (NPFMC). Landings and fishery management descriptions for PFMC managed groundfish are summarized annually by the GMT in the Stock Assessment and Fishery Evaluation (SAFE) document.

The Pacific Council amended their groundfish fishery management plan this year (Amendment 11) to incorporate the mandates and guidance of the Magnuson-Stevens Sustainable Fisheries Act. Among other things, the amendment incorporates new precautionary harvest policies. The Council will also be faced with developing formal rebuilding plans for 3 species defined as "overfished" by the Act: Pacific ocean perch, bocaccio and lingcod. Due to WDFW’s role in developing the lingcod assessment, it is likely that the agency will be heavily involved in the lingcod rebuilding plan. 2. Black Rockfish

Pacific Fishery Management Council (PFMC) Stock Assessment (Contributed by Jack Tagart (360) 902-2855)

In Spring of 1998, WDFW formed a team to assess the status of stocks for coastal black rockfish. A new statistically based likelihood model was developed in AD Model Builder which relied on proportion at age data from the three fisheries (trawl, line, and sport) and auxiliary data from rockfish tagging. Unfortunately, model convergence was not achieved, and the assessment team had to request additional time to complete the report. Subsequently, the stock assessment review was rescheduled for evaluation in 1999.

As a part of the preparation for the black rockfish stock assessment we examined the temporal trends in mean length-at-age which suggested a possible decline in size over time. When data were pooled for all fisheries, it seemed as though a decline in mean-size-at-age was noticeable for the period 1985 to present. When the data was viewed by fishery this trend was much less apparent. If length-at-age varies by year, then year specific growth functions would be needed to model the population. We evaluated a hypothesis that there was no year effect on length-at-age using an analysis of covariance. We kept the data stratified by fishery in the analysis, and found no significant year effect.

Therefore we could pool the length-at-age data over all years for each sex and gear. Observing no apparent differences in the mean length-at-age for commercial line and sport line gears, these two gears were combined and von Bertalanffy growth functions were fit to each gear and sex separately. For both gear types, females obtain a larger asymptotic length than males. Predicted length was converted to weight using the allometric length/weight function. Estimated mean weight-at-age in the trawl fishery was consistently larger than the complimentary weight from the line fishery.

The first black rockfish stock assessment was completed in 1994. We had a limited set of observations on age reading error derived from a comparison of assigned ages between the WDFW and DFO age reading labs. Since then, the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife age reader has routinely provided multiple independent age assignments for a subset of all black rockfish sampled. Second ages are assigned without knowledge of the previously assigned age. The first and second age assignments are recorded independently. The standard deviation of average differences between the first and second age form the basis for our estimates of age reading error. Second age observations for 1474 fish were used to revise the age reading error matrix used in our model.

The age reading error matrix is employed to generate expected numbers at age from our model’s synthetic population for comparison with observed numbers at age (our input data). Since the synthetic population of fish created in our model are by design of "true known age", and because the age reading or age assignment process will inevitably incorrectly determine the age of some fish, the age reading error matrix converts true ages into the probable assigned age.

Fish were grouped by age category according to first age and the mean difference and standard deviation of the mean difference () between first and second age computed. Where sample size was small, fish were grouped into bins comprising multiple ages. A simple linear regression was computed with mean age as the independent variable and standard deviation of the mean difference between first and second age as the dependent variable. The predicted standard deviations from the regression were used to compute the probabilities used in the age reading error matrix.

Additional revisions in parameter estimates included a re-examination of natural mortality estimates. We computed estimates of natural mortality for black rockfish using two different catch-curve models including Robson and Chapman (RC) and Ricker. Each model assumes that mortality is constant for all ages. The RC model is based on geometric distribution and assumes that year class survival and recruitment are constant and all ages are equally selected. We tested the validity of these assumptions: first, a chi-square test is used to compare differences in survival estimates between Heinke’s and RC’s model to differentiate partially selected ages; then a goodness of fit test to determine whether the data follow the geometric distribution. Having eliminated partially selected age classes, the goodness of fit test was significant, indicating that the data were not geometric in distribution and thus the RC model could not be applied. Following Ricker’s advice, the best estimate of survival would have to be obtained from a catch curve analysis with equal weighting. Catch curve estimates for 10 to 19 year old males were 0.177 and for 10 to 18 year old females 0.265. Despite the constant mortality estimate for females, we used a function in our model that assumes an increasing female natural mortality with age. We believe this assumption is consistent with the data and accounts for some of the deviation between the geometric distribution.

The revised assessment will contain a complete review of the catch history, stock structure, and fishery performance, as well as a detailed description of the statistical model, assumptions and outcomes.

Development of a New Stock Assessment Model for Black Rockfish (Contributed by Annette Hoffmann (360) 902-2535)

A new catch at age stock assessment model was formulated for black rockfish for the assessment cycle in 1998. The model differed from previous versions in that it was based on the structure in place for sampling age structures and catch composition. The new formulation circumvented the variability problem typical with age data where the variability in the age composition data is too large to be accounted for by the commonly used multinomial distribution. This new model was created from scratch using AD Model Builder but was not finished in time to produce a complete black rockfish stock assessment in 1998. However, since then, substantial progress has been made on the model, and it is anticipated that a complete assessment will be available in 1999. Part of the progress included creation of a simulation assessment of the model where parameters were estimated from data with known parameter values. The simulation assessment indicated that the model could produce unbiased parameter estimates and provide unbiased estimates of variance.

Black Rockfish Tagging study (Contributed by Farron Wallace (360) 249-4628)

In 1998, WDFW began a multi-year mark-recapture survey near Westport Washington, the principal location of recreational landings of black rockfish along the Washington coast. The survey design involves five annual releases, and seven years of tag-recovery monitoring in the sport fishery. Between April 15^th and June 15^th aboard the WDFW research vessel Corliss, 2,870 black rockfish were captured, measured, tagged and released on pinnacles distributed throughout the area fished by the Westport charter fishing fleet. Each fish was tagged with two coded wire tags (CWT) placed in the opercular musculature: one on each side of the fishes head. Double tagging of fish, and holding experiments will be used to validate assumptions about tag shedding and tag related mortality (both tags remained in all fish recovered during 1998). The tags were marked to allow for identification of specific individuals upon subsequent recapture.

Approximately 43% (46,650 fish) of the total Westport recreational black rockfish catch was sampled for tags by passing fish carcasses through a CWT tube detector. A total of 14 tags were recovered. Cooperation of the charter boat industry was very good and enabled us to achieve the high sample proportion of the total number of fish landed (including those filleted at sea). Mark-recapture data will be used to produce estimates of abundance, survival, and mortality (Jagielo, 1991) for black rockfish in the Westport coastal area. Population parameter estimates will be incorporated into the 1999 black rockfish age structured model.

Data analysis show the importance of tagging as many fish as possible each year, and conducting an accurate and thorough sampling of as large a proportion of the catch as possible for tags. We hope to increase our releases and sampling rate during 1999. Study results so far are quite promising and efforts may be expanded to include the entire Washington coast in subsequent segments.

Black Rockfish Volunteer Charter Logbook Program. (Contributed by Farron Wallace (360) 249-4628)

In collaboration with the sport charter boat industry, WDFW developed a new logbook to collect site specific catch and effort information during directed coastal sport bottomfish trips. This is a volunteer program that is endorsed by the Washington Charter Boat Association. In 1998, 6 members participated. We are hopeful that more vessels will participate in 1999. This information will be crucial to ascertain the overlap of the fishery and tag releases.

3. Coastal Lingcod.

Pacific Fishery Management Council (PFMC) Stock Assessment (Contributed by Tom Jagielo (360) 902-2837, and John Sneva (360) 902-2762)

The primary effort in 1998 was to resolve lingcod age reading questions in advance of a new stock assessment scheduled for the year 2000.

Since the completion of the Lingcod Age Reading Exchange draft report in April, 1998, WDFW Fish Aging Unit Personnel have been attempting to resolve age reading discrepancies between the WDFW lab and the labs of the Canadian Department of Fisheries and Oceans (CDFO) and the National Marine Fisheries Service/Tiburon (NMFS). The Exchange age data suggest that WDFW may be over-aging younger (age 2-7) lingcod. We have been collaborating with CDFO and NMFS in an attempt to develop criteria that would produce acceptable coastwide age reading accuracy and precision.

Most of the problems associated with the age reading of lingcod stems from the preponderance of checks (translucent zones that form within summer growth zones) that are most prominent in the first 3-4 years. Some of these checks may be incorrectly interpreted as annuli, particularly in young fish. While these checks apparently confuse assigning an age in young fish, they may not in older fish. This is probably due to the fact that in older fish, an age reader can estimate where the first few annuli should be located, based on the spacing of the later, more evident annuli. It also appears that in older fish, these early checks are just not as prominent. The much better agreement between readers for the older Exchange samples tends to support the notion that younger fish can be more difficult to age.

WDFW is now in the process of investigating the utilization of measurement criteria for determining the first few annuli. Age readers from CDFO and NMFS have previously used measurement criteria in determining the first three annuli, particularly for young fish. An analysis of annuli measurements, and a comparison of age readings from three structures (fin rays, scales, and otoliths) from young fish is underway. Though not a validation study, this analysis should help us to more objectively determine where the checks are located in younger fish, and to what extent we should be using measurement criteria that are different from those of CDFO or NMFS.

Cape Flattery Lingcod Survey and New Coded-Wire-Tag (CWT) Study (Contributed by Tom Jagielo (360) 902-2837)

The annual February-March survey with bottom troll gear at Cape Flattery was conducted for the 13th year in 1999. In 1998, we resumed tag releases for a mark-recapture survey of the nearshore area at Cape Flattery. Tagging was conducted in 1999 as well. Previous mark-recapture estimates of survival and abundance at Cape Flattery (1986-1992) have proven useful for the PFMC stock assessment, particularly as an aid to estimate recruitment. The new mark-recapture survey uses coded wire tags (CWT) as internal marks, and involves direct sampling of the sport catch at Neah Bay with an R8-tube CWT detection system. In 1998, 42 tags were detected in this manner. The new survey design involves a much more labor-intensive recapture sampling effort, but eliminates the need for estimates or assumptions about tag reporting rates. The direct catch sub-sampling approach also has the potential to yield estimates of abundance with greater precision than the voluntary tag return sampling design, as estimates of the total sport catch and its variance are not required.

6. Undersea (In-Situ) Submersible Research. (Contributed by Tom Jagielo (360) 902-2837)

National Undersea Research Program (NURP) Project

A joint WDFW-NMFS project, funded by the National Undersea Research Center (NURC) began in early 1998. The project was designed as a pilot study to determine sample size requirements for estimating differences in rockfish and lingcod abundance between trawlable and un-trawlable habitats. The ultimate purpose of this work is to evaluate the "habitat" bias of trawl survey estimates of abundance.

Specific objectives of the study were to 1) qualitatively assess the catchability characteristics of the submersible, and 2) determine the size of an experiment (e.g. number of submersible dives) needed to obtain sufficient statistical power to reliably compare fish densities in trawlable and untrawlable habitats.

Our study site is a 4 by 16 mile area approximately 30 miles off of Cape Flattery. This site was selected because it 1) was historically sampled by the NMFS trawl survey, 2) was known to have lingcod and rockfish species of interest, and 3) was known to have both trawlable and untrawlable habitats. In May of 1998, a 5 day side scan sonar and multi-beam bathymetry survey was conducted on board the 108ft. Navy vessel Agate Pass. The navigational (GPS), bathymetric, and side-scan data were digitally co-registered by Williamson and Associates and a computer generated mosaic map of the study site was produced.

We used the mosaic map to establish the survey sample design as follows. First, we decided on square sample units of 800 m² in size and prepared a grid overlay for the mosaic map that identified all possible sample units in the study area. We then used the mosaic map in conjunction with NMFS trawl survey tow data, WDFW commercial fishery trawl logbook data, and information from knowledgeable fishermen to assign each possible sample unit with the a priori designation of "trawlable" or "untrawlable." We then selected, at random, an equal number of dive sites from the trawlable and untrawlable habitats as potential dive sites. At each site, we randomly identified the location of three transects. Transects were oriented in a North-South direction and were spaced no closer than 50 m apart to reduce the potential for inadvertent overlap during sampling.

In June of 1998, a six day cruise was conducted aboard the 158’ vessel FV Auriga. Sixteen dives were conducted aboard the submersible Delta at 8 trawlable and 8 untrawlable sites. We successfully videotaped 42 transects with two cameras; one facing forward (mounted on the bow), and one facing to the side (mounted on the starboard side). The forward-facing camera was equipped with two lasers spaced 20 cm apart and oriented horizontal to the cameras field of view. During the transects, the submersibles position was monitored using a Trackpoint II system with Winfrog navigational software. We supplemented the Trackpoint II data with frequent "surface fixes" which were taken by positioning the attending ship over the submersible and then recording the ships position with GPS.

We are now in the process of obtaining area-swept and fish count estimates using the videotapes from the forward-facing camera. This data will be used to estimate the within habitat variability of fish density. Given a certain magnitude of trawl survey bias, the within habitat estimates of variability will be used to calculate the necessary sample sizes for a larger assumption validation study to compare fish densities in trawlable and untrawlable habitats with sufficient statistical power (Objective 2 , above).

Our in-situ dive experiences and subsequent video analysis did not convince us that reliable, objective fish behavior data could be collected to qualitatively assess the catchability characteristics of the submersible in a meaningful way (Objective 1, above). Members of our team differed sharply in opinions as to what constituted positive and negative fish movement, and even when we agreed, there were no means to assess impacts that occurred beyond the camera’s range. Not being able to observe beyond the cameras range is the main limitation to using only one surveillance tool. We developed a new proposal to address Objective 1 by employing two surveillance tools, however it was not funded by NURP for 1999. Our proposal was accepted by the Sustainable Seas Expeditions (SSE), however, on a much reduced scale. Our plan for 1999 is to use the SSE opportunity to establish "proof of concept" for the use of a two surveillance tool approach to evaluate submersible catchability characteristics.

The videotapes of the dive transects, which were collected using a random sampling survey design, affords additional opportunities not addressed in the original proposal. Future work of interest includes detailed habitat analysis, quantification of the amount of observable trawl impacts on bottom habitat, and potentially macroinvertebrate analysis.

Sustainable Seas Expeditions (SSE) Project

In collaboration with the Olympic Coast National Marine Sanctuary (OCNMS), WDFW will participate in the first year of the Sustainable Seas Expeditions research off the coast of Washington. This project is a multi-year endeavor with support from National Geographic, the Goldman Foundation, NOAA, and the US Navy.

The WDFW work involves investigation of the utility of the new DeepWorker 2000 single person submersible for conducting quantitative fish surveys. In year one, the objective is to conduct "proof of concept" work to evaluate an experimental approach to determine if the presence of the submersible introduces a bias in fish counts. Two DeepWorker submersibles (one stationary and one in motion) will be employed to evaluate fish attraction or repulsion due to the moving vehicle.

Annette Hoffmann and Tom Jagielo received DeepWorker pilot training and will participate on a two week cruise in the Olympic Coast National Marine Sanctuary in June, 1999, to conduct this work. More information about SSE can be found at: www.sustainableseas.noaa.gov.

7. Juvenile Rockfish Recruitment. (Contributed by Ray Buckley (360) 902-2828)

In 1998, investigations continued on the ecology of surface drift algae habitats in the Olympic Coast National Marine Sanctuary and adjacent coastal waters. This research emphasizes the unique use of these habitats as pelagic nursery and refuge areas for a variety of nearshore and offshore juvenile marine fishes of ecological and harvest importance. The 1998 study provided information on 1) the composition and dynamics of the drift habitat, 2) the abundance and species composition of the fishes and planktonic and epiphytic invertebrates associated with the drift habitats, and 3) the ecotrophic dynamics of juvenile rockfishes (Sebastes) and other marine fishes found in association with drift habitats. The 1998 investigation provides the forth year of biological baseline information for this unusual coastal ecosystem. In addition to the ecological importance of drift habitat in surface waters, drift habitat is present in frontal zones and other aggregation areas, making it a potentially valuable tool for assessing surface zone impacts from oil spills and other sources of environmental degradation in sanctuary and offshore coastal waters.