The Pacific Fishery Management Council (Pacific Council) will hold a methodology review meeting February 4-6, 2020. The meeting will begin each day at 8:30 a.m. Pacific Standard Time and will end at 5 p.m. or when business for the day has been completed.
Purpose of the meeting
The purpose of the Pacific Council methodology review meeting is to evaluate and review fishery independent visual survey methodologies, using remotely operated vehicles (ROVs), for nearshore groundfish species off the states of Oregon and California. West Coast nearshore groundfish stock assessments have identified the current lack of fishery-independent data sources as a research and data need. Both Oregon and California have conducted ROV surveys of rockfish in nearshore areas, focusing on rocky reef habitat, and, in California, on areas inside and outside of Marine Protected Areas.
The goals and objectives specific to the review of the new ROV survey methodologies are to: 1) evaluate the sampling design used in recent (2010-2019) ROV surveys conducted by the states of Oregon and California; 2) evaluate proposed methods to develop indices or estimates of abundance for these ROV surveys, including using habitat/substrate type and Marine Protected Area designation as covariates; 3) evaluate proposed methods to estimate size/age compositions of observed individuals of each species; and 4) identify potential impediments to developing independent indices or estimates of abundance using these ROV surveys and incorporating them into stock assessments.
This methodology review will likely provide the basis for future ROV surveys and the development of indices or estimates of abundance for those areas surveyed in Oregon and California, as well as the expansion of such methods to other areas within those states and/or within Washington State.
No management actions will be decided by the Pacific Council methodology review meeting participants. The Pacific Council methodology review meeting participants’ role will be development of recommendations and reports for consideration by the Pacific Council’s Scientific and Statistical Committee and the Pacific Council at their June meeting in San Diego, California.
Meeting location
The meeting will be held at the following location:
National Marine Fisheries Service, Southwest Fisheries Science Center
Santa Cruz Laboratory Conference Room (Room 188)
110 McAllister Way
Santa Cruz, CA 95060
Contact: Dr. John Field 831-420-3907
Driving DirectionsOfficial government issued identification (e.g., state issued identification card, federal identification card, etc.) will be required in order to enter the building.
