Streaming Media
Presentation Abstract
Knowledge of rockfish recruitment dynamics and habitat utilization by recently settled rockfishes is valuable for developing appropriate fishery management and recovery actions. Until 2015, no survey effort sought the spatial and temporal data necessary to fill these gaps in the southern Salish Sea. To address this need, NMFS collaborated with state and federal agencies, non-profit groups, and academic institutions to develop a citizen science SCUBA survey program directed at young-of-the-year (YOY) rockfishes. In this program, volunteer and professional divers perform timed roving surveys in discrete habitat types, recording data on rockfish abundance in four morphological classes, as well as qualitative habitat data. Continued and focused outreach effort has led to increased survey participation over time, while better coordination and agency support has allowed for more frequent professional surveys. We quantify the impact of outreach on partner survey participation and provide a preliminary evaluation of photo observations and data consistency across partner groups. General trends in YOY encounter across basins, habitat types, and seasons are also explored, along with the influence of current on YOY encounter rates and a basic interpretation of whether 2021 was a jackpot recruitment year. The applications of these data are growing as partner participation increases and additional years of data better define a baseline of YOY recruitment in Puget Sound and connected waters. After seven years, the program continues to grow and inform critical recovery actions outlined in the National Marine Fisheries Service Rockfish Recovery Plan for Puget Sound/Georgia Basin.
Session Title
Groundfish
Conference Track
SSE4: Fish Science and Policy
Conference Name
Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference (2022 : Online)
Document Type
Event
SSEC Identifier
SSE-traditionals-12
Start Date
26-4-2022 1:30 PM
End Date
26-4-2022 3:00 PM
Type of Presentation
Oral
Genre/Form
conference proceedings; presentations (communicative events)
Contributing Repository
Digital content made available by University Archives, Heritage Resources, Western Libraries, Western Washington University.
Subjects – Topical (LCSH)
Sebastes--Salish Sea (B.C. and Wash.); Fish surveys--Salish Sea (B.C. and Wash.)
Geographic Coverage
Salish Sea (B.C. and Wash.)
Rights
Copying of this document in whole or in part is allowable only for scholarly purposes. It is understood, however, that any copying or publication of this document for commercial purposes, or for financial gain, shall not be allowed without the author's written permission.
Type
Text
Language
English
Format
application/pdf
Included in
Marine Biology Commons, Natural Resources and Conservation Commons, Terrestrial and Aquatic Ecology Commons
Results from Seven Years of Partnership Driven Young-of-the-Year Rockfish Surveys in the South Salish Sea
Knowledge of rockfish recruitment dynamics and habitat utilization by recently settled rockfishes is valuable for developing appropriate fishery management and recovery actions. Until 2015, no survey effort sought the spatial and temporal data necessary to fill these gaps in the southern Salish Sea. To address this need, NMFS collaborated with state and federal agencies, non-profit groups, and academic institutions to develop a citizen science SCUBA survey program directed at young-of-the-year (YOY) rockfishes. In this program, volunteer and professional divers perform timed roving surveys in discrete habitat types, recording data on rockfish abundance in four morphological classes, as well as qualitative habitat data. Continued and focused outreach effort has led to increased survey participation over time, while better coordination and agency support has allowed for more frequent professional surveys. We quantify the impact of outreach on partner survey participation and provide a preliminary evaluation of photo observations and data consistency across partner groups. General trends in YOY encounter across basins, habitat types, and seasons are also explored, along with the influence of current on YOY encounter rates and a basic interpretation of whether 2021 was a jackpot recruitment year. The applications of these data are growing as partner participation increases and additional years of data better define a baseline of YOY recruitment in Puget Sound and connected waters. After seven years, the program continues to grow and inform critical recovery actions outlined in the National Marine Fisheries Service Rockfish Recovery Plan for Puget Sound/Georgia Basin.
