Commercial Deepwater Groundfish Fishery

Commercial Deepwater Groundfish Fishery. . , The California Fishery , There are over 50 species included in this fishery. It is a well managed fishery and as a result it is healthy and not overfished. , Deepwater Groundfish are caught between 200 and 600 fathoms (1 fathom = 6 feet). , Groundfish species commonly caught in Central California include: , Rockfish: Boccaccio, Cowcod, Vermilion Rockfish, and Yelloweye Rockfish. , Flatfish: Petrale Sole, Dover Sole, Starry Flounder, Arrowtooth Flounder, and Pacific Sanddab. , Roundfish: Lingcod, Pacific Cod, Hake, and Sablefish. , Sharks and Skates: Leopard Shark, Spiny Dogfish, and California Skate., The Catch , Available year round. Many local fishermen sell directly off their boats here along the Embarcadero. , The Rules , Catch Limits: This fishery is managed with size limits and annual total allowable catch limits known as quotas., Permits: Fishermen without permits have limited open-access quotas while those who obtain Federal Groundfish Fishery Permits are given larger quotas., Vessel Monitoring Systems: When fishing more than 3 miles from shore, a tracking system is required onboard to monitor vessel activity and ensure fishing does not occur within the protected rockfish conservation areas., Onboard Observation: Fisheries that are managed with quotas are required to have either in-person observers or video monitoring when fishing at sea and when unloading at the dock., Trapping for Deepwater Groundfish , Deepwater Groundfish are targeted use strings of weighted traps connected with a single buoyed line that runs to the surface. Each string of traps are set at depths of 200-600 fathoms. Traps are allowed to "soak" for up to 72 hours before being collected. Traps are brought on board using hydraulic haulers and the fish are transported to port on ice., Bottom Longlines for Groundfish , Deepwater groundfish are also targeted using bottom longlines that have a weighted mainline that is anchored on either end and outfitted with baited hooks. Both ends of the longlines are marked with flag buoys for visibility at the surface. This method can be labor intensive as all hooks have to be individually baited., Rockfish Conservation Areas , In 2002, large swaths of the seafloor off the U.S. West Coast were closed to all groundfishing to rebuild certain stocks, such as Boccaccio, Canary Rockfish, Cowcod and Dark Blotched Rockfish. Because of the success of these closures, groundfishing may be allowed again in these areas in the future., Essential Fish Habitat , Fish depend on healthy habitats to survive. Throughout their lives they use many types of habitat including seagrass, salt marsh, coral reefs, kelp forests, rocky intertidal areas, rivers, and streams. NOAA Fisheries and the Pacific Fishery Management Council work together to identify Essential Fish Habitat (EFH). The EFH on the map shows where traps and hook and line are allowed but bottom trawling gear is prohibited in an effort to protect ancient deep coral reefs., Keeping It Local , Many fishermen start their careers in the Deepwater Groundfish Fishery as there are open-access quotas that allow fishermen without permits to participate in the fishery., The health and management of the West Coast Groundfish Fishery is a shining example of how a fishery can provide high quality food that is caught and processed locally. Eating locally sourced Groundfish helps support the hard-working Central Coast fishing communities that have been committed to sustainable practices for decades., (sidebar:), Morro Bay Commercial Fishing Industry , Morro Bay has a long and rich history as a fishing community. It has had a large abalone industry, significant sardine landings in the 1950s, and Albacore tuna through the 1970s. However, groundfish has always been the mainstay, supporting a year-round robust fishing industry and culture in Morro Bay. Since 2014, all major commercially fished West Coast Groundfish species have earned certification by the Marine Stewardship Council and are rated "Best Choice" by Seafood Watch., The Central Coast Women for Fisheries is a 501c3 local non-profit organization. It's mission is to promote and foster the fishing culture in our community. For more information visit: womenforfish.org