California Squid Purse Seine Fishery - 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	III
Estimated Number of Participants	68
Target Species	Market squid
Applicable Take Reduction Plans	None
Observer Coverage	Limited coverage <~5% from 2004-2008
Marine Mammal Species/Stocks Killed or Injured	California sea lion, U.S.; Long-beaked common dolphin, CA; Risso’s dolphin, CA/OR/WA; Short-beaked common dolphin, CA/OR/WA

^ 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).

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

Basis for Current Classification

This fishery was classified as Category II due to the serious injury or mortality of long beaked common dolphins (CA stock). The 2010 SAR for long-beaked common dolphin (CA stock) indicates that the average total fishery mortality and serious injury for this stock is below 10 percent of its PBR and is considered insignificant and approaching a zero mortality and serious injury rate, meeting the criteria for a Category III classification.

Distribution

The fishery targets market squid in nearshore waters, typically over sandy bottom habitat. Generally, the fishery north of Point Conception, mainly around Monterey Bay, operates from April through September. The fishery south of Point Conception is most active from October through March. The fishery is closed during the weekends (from Friday noon until Sunday noon) to allow for uninterrupted spawning. The majority of the fishing effort takes place at night relatively close to shore. Landings decrease during warm water trends of El Niño years, as squid are strongly affected by warm waters associated with these ecosystem conditions. Strong El Niño periods can lead to substantial reductions in primary production. Catches usually increase during cooler La Niña phases and periods of increased upwelling.

Gear Description

Purse seines, which are large walls of netting deployed around an entire school of fish, are the primary gear used to harvest market squid in this fishery. Purse seines consist of floats adhered to the “float line” of the net with a lead line threaded through rings at the bottom. When a school of squid is located, a skiff will encircle the school with one end of the seine attached to it while the other end is attached to the fishing vessel itself, and circle back to the fishing vessel. Once the skiff reaches the vessel, the lead line at the bottom of the seine is pulled in “pursing” the net closed at the bottom, thus preventing the squid from escaping when swimming downward. Unlike seines targeting other Coastal Pelagic Species (CPS), squid seines and light boats are fitted with lights of up to 30,000 watts in order to attract squid.

Management

Market squid is included under the Pacific Fishery Management Council’s (PFMC) CPS Fishery Management Plan (FMP), which specifies a management framework for all CPS. However, this fishery is principally managed by the State of California, under the Market Squid Fishery Management Plan (MSFMP) since 2005. Squid purse seine is a restricted access fishery, consisting of transferable and non-transferrable market squid vessel permits that must be renewed annually. The market squid vessel permit authorizes the use of round haul gear, including purse seine, drum seine, and lampara nets, along with brail gear (see CA dip net fishery). In order to use light to aggregate squid for commercial harvest, a market squid vessel permit, squid brail permit, or a market squid light boat permit is required. No permit is required for the transfer of squid at sea for live bait in an amount less than 200 pounds in a calendar day..

Under the MSFMP there exists: a seasonal catch limit, area closures specific to lighting activity (e.g. Greater Farallones National Marine Sanctuary), general area closures (marine protected areas), weekend time closures, gear regulations (light shields and lamp wattage), and sustainable levels of egg escapement. When the seasonal catch limit is expected to be reached, CDFW makes a public announcement regarding the closure date of the fishery. However, squid can still continue to be taken incidentally to target species (not to exceed 2 tons per trip or 10% of the total volume by weight) or for live bait. Operators or permit holders are required to submit an accurate record of fishing activity on market squid logbooks. Submission of logbooks is required on the 10^th day of each month following the month in which fishing has occurred.

Historical Information

Original Category (Year added to the LOF)	III (1996)
Original Number of Participants	145
Basis for Original Classification	Based on 1990-1992 logbook data. Mortality and serious injury of CA sea lions was less than 1% PBR.
Past Names	N/A
Species/stocks historically documented as killed or injured (but not currently on the list)	Short-finned pilot whale, CA/OR/WA

Timeline of Changes

2022	Estimated number of participants updated from 80 to 68.
2021	Added California sea lion (U.S.) and Risso’s dolphin (CA/OR/WA).
2011	Reclassified from Category II to Category III. This fishery was classified as Category II due to the serious injury or mortality of long beaked common dolphins (CA stock). The 2010 SAR for long-beaked common dolphin (CA stock) indicates that the average total fishery mortality and serious injury for this stock is below 10 percent of its PBR and is considered insignificant and approaching a zero mortality and serious injury rate, meeting the criteria for a Category III classification. Removed superscript "1" after long-beaked common dolphins (CA). Estimated number of participants updated from 64 to 80.
2010	Removed short-finned pilot whale (CA/OR/WA) from the list of species/stocks killed/injured in this fishery. Based on the available information on the distribution and abundance of short-finned pilot whales, and observer and self-report data, the likelihood of interaction is extremely remote. This species was once common off the coast of CA, but have become quite rare in recent years. Added superscript "1" after long-beaked common dolphins (CA). In each year from 2004–2007, observer coverage in this fishery was low, under 2%. There was one mortality of a short-beaked common dolphin in 2005 and in 2006 one unidentified common dolphin was observed seriously injured. There are no available biological samples or photographs of the injured dolphin; therefore, there is insufficient information to identify the species. Both species, long-beaked common dolphins and short-beaked common dolphins, utilize much of the same habitat and overlap in areas with the squid purse seine fishery; therefore, it is possible that either species could have been taken and NOAA Fisheries cannot eliminate the possibility that a long-beaked common dolphin was seriously injured during this event. Extrapolating these sightings to the entire fishery and averaging over the four years of available information, the estimated annual serious injury or mortality is 22 long-beaked common dolphins. The current PBR for long-beaked common dolphins is 95/year. Therefore, the serious injury or mortality rate is 23%, warranting a Category II classification.
2009	Renamed common dolphin (unknown) on the list of species/stocks killed/injured in this fishery to short-beaked common dolphin (CA/OR/WA) and long-beaked common dolphin (CA) to account for the uncertainty of the species observed killed/injured in this fishery. Estimated number of participants updated from 71 to 64.
2008	Estimated number of participants updated from 65 to 71.
2006	Added common dolphin (stock unknown) to the list of species/stocks killed/injured in this fishery based on a mortality in 2005. Added a superscript “1” after short-finned pilot whale (CA/OR/WA), indicating that takes of this stock are driving the classification of this fishery.
1998	The State of CA established a management and research program on the biology and status of market squid for this fishery to regulate it more efficiently and to collect information. As part of research, there was the potential to place observers on vessels to collect biological data. If the CDFG established an observer program, NOAA Fisheries agreed to work to facilitate the collection of information on the fishery's interactions with marine mammals. Removed CA sea lion (U.S.) from the list of species/stocks killed/injured in this fishery. A CA sea lion has not been observed injured or killed in this fishery since the early 1990s. The last reported injury or mortality of a CA sea lion in this fishery was reported in a 1990-1992 logbook. Estimated number of participants updated from 145 to 65.
1997	Elevated to Category II. The Pacific Scientific Review Group recommended that this fishery be monitored with an observer program and by looking at historical data because of the lack of information about interactions with pilot whales. Using historical evidence of takings of long-finned pilot whales in this fishery, possible significant interactions with short-finned pilot whales because of their increasing numbers in the area, increasing effort in this fishery, and impacts to the short-finned population in other fisheries, NOAA Fisheries elevated this fishery to Category II. Added short-finned pilot whale (CA/OR/WA) added to the list of species/stocks killed/injured in this fishery based on possible significant interactions between this species and this fishery because of the species’ increasing numbers in the areas covered by this fishery.