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Key Southern California Rockfish Species Survive Capture Over the Longer-term Following Release

October 26, 2021 โ€” Deep-water rockfish reeled quickly to the surface often emerge from the water with eyes and organs bulging like alien beingsโ€”due to the sudden change in pressureโ€”a condition known as barotrauma.

Now new research shows that if fishermen return fish to their natural depths quickly, their bodies return to normal and they can survive any ill effects. The research focused on cowcod and bocaccio, two historically overfished rockfish species caught off the coast of Southern California. They were returned to the depths using special descending devices that are now standard for many recreational fishermen.

Prior to this research and the use of descending devices, it was widely assumed that deep-dwelling rockfish could not survive catch and release due to their extensive barotrauma injuries. โ€œWe now know that these deep-dwelling rockfish species can survive,โ€ said Nick Wegner, a research scientist at NOAA Fisheriesโ€™ Southwest Fisheries Science Center and lead author of the new research. โ€œThat is good news for the fish, and good news for the fishermen who go to the trouble of trying to release them properly.โ€

The research was published in ICES Journal of Marine Science. Scientists used acoustic transmitters to track released cowcod and bocaccio for up to a year on an underwater seamount approximately 40 miles off the coast of San Diego, California. They were captured at depths of 75 to 183 meters, or about 250 to 600 feet. By tracking the fish for extended periods, researchers found that most fish survived beyond 30 days. Of those fish that died, 40 percent died beyond the typical 2-day tracking window used in many fish survivorship studies.

Read the full story at NOAA Fisheries

 

Cowcod Stock South of 40ยฐ10โ€™ N lat. Successfully Rebuilt

September 18, 2019 โ€” The following was released by the Pacific Fishery Management Council:

An important West Coast groundfish stock that was formerly overfished has now been rebuilt ahead of schedule, the Pacific Fishery Management Council announced today. The cowcod (Sebastes levis) stock south of 40ยฐ10โ€™ N. latitude has been managed under a strict rebuilding plan that has severely constrained West Coast fisheries in California for two decades. Rebuilding cowcod was achieved through large area closures, non-retention rules, and very low allowance for incidental bycatch. โ€œThis is a remarkable accomplishment,โ€ said Council Chair Phil Anderson. โ€œThe Councilโ€™s perseverance, adherence to scientific advice, and partnering with the commercial and recreational stakeholders resulted in the rebuilding of this important groundfish species.โ€

Cowcod, prized by both California recreational and commercial fishermen, were declared overfished and placed under rebuilding measures in 2000. They are a longโ€ lived, slowโ€growing species, prone to protracted rebuilding progress. Under the original rebuilding plan, the stock was expected to rebuild by 2090. Improved science and understanding of this stockโ€™s population dynamics allowed the Councilโ€™s management measures to rebuild much quicker than originally anticipated.

Read the full release here

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