CA Halibut, White Seabass and Other Species Set Gillnet (>3.5 in mesh) - MMPA List of Fisheries

U.S. fisheries are classified under the Marine Mammal Protection Act according to the level of interactions that result in incidental mortality or serious injury of marine mammals.

West Coast

Current Classification on the List of Fisheries

Category	II
Estimated Number of Participants	39
Target Species	CA halibut, white seabass, angel shark
Applicable Take Reduction Plans	N/A
Observer Coverage	Observer coverage was discontinued in 1994 after area closures were implemented prohibiting gillnets within 3 nautical miles nm) of the mainland and within 1 nm of the Channel Islands. Monterey Bay was observed in 1999-2000, showing that take of harbor porpoise (Monterey Bay stock) exceeded PBR, which lead CDFG to prohibit set gillnets within 60 fathoms along the central CA coast. The estimated observer coverage from 1990- 2005, 2010-2012, was: 5%, 10%, 13%, 15%, 8%, 0%, 0%, 0%, 0%, 4%, 2%, 0%, 0%, 0%, 0%, 12.5%, 8%, 5.5% respectively. In 2017, observer coverage was estimated to be less than 10%.
Marine Mammal Species/Stocks Killed or Injured	California sea lion, U.S.; Gray whale, Eastern North Pacific; Harbor seal, CA; Humpback whale, CA/OR/WA¹; Long-beaked common dolphin, CA; Northern elephant seal, CA breeding; Short-beaked common dolphin, CA/OR/WA; Southern sea otter, CA

^ Number of participants estimates are based on state and federal fisheries permit data. The estimated number of participants is expressed in terms of the number of active participants in the fishery, when possible. If this information is not available, the estimated number of vessels or persons licensed for a particular fishery is provided. If no recent information is available on the number of participants, then the number from the most recent LOF is used. NOAA Fisheries acknowledges that, in some cases, these estimations may be inflating actual effort.

*Observer coverage levels include the latest information reported in the most current final Stock Assessment Report (SAR).

¹Indicates the stock or species is driving the classification of the fishery.

Basis for Current Classification

The total mean annual mortality and serious injury of humpback whales (CA/OR/WA) in this fishery is greater than 1% and less than 50% of the stocks’ Potential Biological Removal (PBR) levels.

Distribution

California halibut, white seabass, and angel sharks are the main species targeted. The fishery occurs year round in federal waters ranging from the U.S./Mexico border northward to Monterey Bay. Gill nets have not been allowed in California state waters within three nautical miles (nm) off the mainland, and within 1 nm or shallower than 70 fathoms (whichever is less) from the Channel Islands. Fishing effort occurs year-round; however, it generally increases during summer months and declines during the last three months of the year.

Gear Description

Set gillnets that rest on the ocean bottom are secured by anchors on either side, and marked at the surface with buoys containing the fisherman’s identification number. The corkline of these gillnets is also marked every 45 fathoms with the fisherman’s identification number. The nets can consist of 1-3 panels of webbing; they are known as trammel nets when more than one panel of webbing is used.

There are gear restrictions based on the species targeted and location of effort. The configurations used for catching California halibut and Pacific angel shark includes a net length of up to 1500 fathoms (9,000 ft.), with a minimum net mesh size of 8 ½ inches (21.6 cm). Off Santa Barbara County, the net length is a maximum of 1000 fathoms, but mesh size remains the same. White seabass are targeted with set nets with a minimum mesh size of typically 6 inches (15.24 cm); but during the period of June 16 to March 14, the mesh size can range from 3 ½ inches (8.89 cm) to 6 inches (15.24 cm).

Management

This is a limited entry fishery with transferable permits managed by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW). Management includes use of size and catch limits, and mandatory logbook reporting. The placement of federal observers on vessels does occur from time to time. Other management measures include mandatory use of break-away and anchor features when using nets at certain depths and locations during specific times of the year. The central California portion from Point Arguello to Point Reyes has been closed since September 2002, following a ban on gillnets inshore of 60 fathoms, in response to fishery mortality exceeding Potential Biological Removal (PBR) for the Monterey Bay harbor porpoise stock.

Historical Information

Original Category (Year added to the LOF)	III (1996)
Original Number of Participants	80
Basis for Original Classification	Observer data from 1991-1993 indicated that the estimated annual mortality and serious injury of the harbor porpoise (Monterey Bay stock) as 31 animals, or 91% of PBR (PBR=34)
Past Names	CA angel shark/halibut and other species set gillnet (>3.5 in mesh) fishery (until 2009); CA angel shark/halibut and other species large mesh (>3.5 in mesh) set gillnet fishery (until 2003)
Species/stocks historically documented as killed or injured (but not currently on the list)	Harbor porpoise, central CA

Timeline of Changes

2022	Estimated number of participants reduced from 37 to 39.
2020	Added gray whale (Eastern North Pacific) Estimated number of participants updated from 50 to 37.
2011	Added humpback whale (CA/OR/WA stock) to the list of species/stocks killed/injured. One humpback whale was seriously injured in this fishery in 2007, resulting in an annual mortality and serious injury rate of 0.2 animals/year, or 1.7% of the stock’s PBR of 11.3. Therefore, a superscript “1” was also added after humpback whale (CA/OR/WA stock), indicating that this stock is driving the Category II classification of the fishery. Observer coverage in this fishery was approximately 1% in 2006 and 17% in 2007. There was no observer coverage in 2004, 2005, or 2008. Removed the superscript “1” after CA sea lions (U.S. stock) and harbor seals (CA stock) in the list of species/stocks killed/injured. There have been observed interactions with these stocks in this fishery in recent years; however, the average total fishery mortality and serious injury is less than 10 percent of the respective PBR for both stocks. Estimated number of participants reduced from 58 to 50.
2009	Renamed the "CA Halibut/White Seabass and Other Species Set Gillnet Fishery (>3.5 in. mesh)" to more accurately reflect the target species of the fishery. Reclassified from Category I to Category II. This fishery was classified as Category I due to serious injury and mortality to the Monterey Bay and Morro Bay stocks of central CA harbor porpoises. A ban on set gillnetting in central CA was implemented in 2002. As a result, effort in this fishery shifted its concentration to southern CA, south of the range of these harbor porpoise stocks. The elimination of this fishery from the stocks’ range removed the threat of mortality and serious injury to the stocks. Because interactions ceased as of 2002, no tier analysis was conducted for the level of annual mortality and serious injury of these stocks in this fishery for this proposed reclassification. The mean annual mortality and serious injury of CA sea lions in this fishery is 1,138, or 13 percent of PBR (PBR=8,511); the mean annual mortality and serious injury of harbor seals (CA stock) is 386, which is 20 percent of PBR (PBR=1,896) Removed harbor porpoise (central CA) from the list of species/stocks killed/injured in this fishery, for reasons described in the bullet above. Added the superscript “1” following CA sea lions (U.S.) and harbor seals (CA stock), indicating that takes of these stocks are driving the classification of the fishery.
2006	Added a superscript “1” to harbor porpoise (Central CA).
2003	Renamed the "CA Angel Shark/Halibut and Other Species Set Gillnet Fishery (>3.5 in. mesh)", to remove the reference to "large mesh" because 50 CFR Part 229.2 states that a large mesh gillnet has a mesh size of 7 to 18 inches. Added harbor seal (CA stock) back to the list to correct a typographical error in the 2001 LOF.
1999	Southern sea otter added.
1998	Estimated number of participants updated from 80 to 58.