Current Status of Accomplishment or Milestone: This cooperative project
is a thesis which is presently in draft form. The final thesis will be presented
in Paris in September 99.
Background: The US albacore fishery in the North Pacific has exhibited large regime scale variations
in both the availability of albacore and its geographic distribution off of the US west coast. High quality
information on CPUE is available from the Industry's cooperative log book program since 1961 and good quality
landings information is available since 1916. Environmental data from PFEL's archives are used to develop predictive
statistical models of the observed CPUE and Landings. These models describe 78% (Pacific Northwest) and 85% (California)
of the annual variation in CPUE. Lesser variance was described in the 1916-98 albacore landings which were also shown
to be only moderately correlated with CPUE in the Pacific Northwest.
Purpose of Activity/Goal of Project: To determine if environmental conditions in the North Pacific contribute
to the large annual alterations in the success of the West Coast Albacore Fishery.
Description of Accomplishment and Significant Results: The results of the study demonstrate that a large amount
of the variability of the US albacore fishery is the result of environmental conditions that alter the migration patterns
of the juvenile albacore which support the US fishery in the California Current.
Significance of Accomplishment (e.g., to the Center, to Management, and to NMFS Strategic plan Goals): Results suggest
that environmental fluctuations are the primary cause of the alterations in the number of albacore reaching the traditional fishing
grounds in the California Current
Problems: None.
Key Contact: Richard Parrish (831-648-9033, rparrish@pfeg.noaa.gov).