Pacific Hagfish, Eptatretus stouti, and Black Hagfish, E. deani: The Oregon Fishery and Port Sampling Observations, 1988-92

In 1988, the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife began sampling and monitoring the development of a new fishery for Pacific hagfish, Eptatretus stouti, and black hagfish, E. deani. Hagfish landings by Oregon trap vessels have ranged from 11,695 kg in 1988 to 340,774 kg in 1992. Whole frozen fish were shipped to South Korea for the "eel skin" leather market. From 1988 through 1989, I sampled 924 Pacific hagfish and 897 black hagfish from commercial and research catches. Mean length of fish sampled from commercial landings was 39.6 cmf or Pacific hagfish and 34.5 cm for black hagfish. Weight-length relationships (W=aLb) were calculated for males and females of both species. Fifty percent maturity for male and female Pacific hagfish was 35 cm and 42 cm, respectively, while 50% maturityf or male and female black hagfish was 34 cm and 38 cm, respectively. Examination of gonads for both species indicated that spawning either occurs throughout the year or the spawning period is protracted. Mature females of both species had from one to three distinct sizes of eggs, but they usually carried only one group of eggs over 5 mm in length. Mature Pacific hagfish females averaged 28 eggs over 5 mm in length, and black hagfish females averaged 14 eggs over 5 mm in length. Hermaphroditism was found in 0.2% of the Pacific hagfish examined

The English sole

The English sole is a major contributor to Pacific Ocean trawl fisheries off the United States and Canada. Only Dover sole and sometimes petrale sole provide greater annual landings in Oregon. English sole are considered fine eating sole and usually enjoy a good market. In British Columbia, local consumers of this popular fish have learned to relish the “iodine” flavor that can be detected in fish from some inshore waters. In Canada it is known as the lemon sole because of its resemblance in shape and color to the lemon sole found off Europe. In California it has been called the point sole because of its characteristic pointed head. The development of the Oregon trawl fishery in the late 1930's produced the first large landings of English sole. Demand for English sole increased during World War II and Oregon landings peaked at about four million pounds in 1946. There was an abrupt drop in landings in 1949 to about one million pounds reflecting a declining demand for bottom fish. Since then, annual landings have fluctuated around two million pounds with the exception of low landings in the mid 1950’s and an exceptional 3.5 million pounds in 1966. Total U.S. and Canadian landings have maintained a ten-year average of 10 million pounds a year. Oregon ranks third in production with California leading 1n annual landings

The sablefish

The sablefish has made a modest contribution to Oregon's commercial foodfish landings since the early part of this century, usually incidental to the halibut longline fishery. Trawl caught sablefish now dominate landings, but in recent years a pot fishery has developed off Astoria and Newport

The Pacific sanddab

The Pacific sanddab has been a minor contributor to trawl fisheries off the United States and Canada. Its market potential has never been fully utilized off Oregon, even though such potential was first recognized in 1914. In 1914 the Federal research vessel Albatross caught sanddabs with a beam trawl off Yaquina Light. It was predicted that sanddabs would be one of the most profitable species taken from these banks. Unfortunately the prediction was based on the high demand for this species in the San Francisco area. Until lately the sanddab in Oregon has been in low demand for human consumption and was used mainly as food for mink. Today, sanddabs maintain a small intermittent demand in Oregon and a small steady demand in British Columbia. In California this fish has long been regarded as a delicacy. Sanddabs enjoy local importance in the San Francisco region where they are popular and command a high price on the fresh market. A steady demand was cultivated by restaurant owners who feature it on their menus. This is due to the species year around availability as a reasonably assured supply of fresh fish. The accepted common name is Pacific sanddab. It has been called the "soft flounder" in California and the mottled sanddab and megrim in Canada

Submersible observations of deep-reef fishes of Heceta Bank, Oregon

Rockfishes, Sebastes spp.. were the most numerous and speciose fishes seen during 16 submersible dives from 64 to 305 m depth in the vicinity of Heceta Bank off the coast of Oregon. Dense schools of juvenile rockfishes and large yellowtail rockfish, S. flavidus, were observed only over rocky, high relief areas near the top of the bank, and highest densities of small benthic rockfishes (up to 5-10/m2) on the flanks of the bank. These observations suggest that shallow, rocky portions of Heceta Bank are a nursery area for juvenile rockfishes. Two species groups of nonschooling fishes were identified based on transects over the diverse seafloor habitats around the bank: one comprised primarily of rockfishes in shallow water on rock and cobble, and the other comprised of flatfishes, agonids, sablefish, and some rockfishes in deep water over mud and cobble. Species composition of fishes observed from submersible dives differed from species composition of fishes taken from trawl catches in the same general areas.This publication is associated with the document Fish Assemblages of Rocky Banks of the Pacific Northwest: Final Report by M.A. Hixon, B.N. Tissot, and W.G. Pearcy, and its accompanying data reports

Groundfish resource survey of the continental shelf off Washington, 1975: Annual report July1, 1975 to September 30, 1976.

“This report summarizes project progress in FY 1976 on the first phase of a survey on the continental shelf and upper continental slope off the coast of Washington. The second and final phase is a replicate survey scheduled for FY 1977. Objectives of the survey were to obtain estimates of biomass of fishes occupying the continental shelf and upper slope, with particular emphasis on flatfish; to collect the necessary data for estimating age composition, growth and mortality; to determine fish distribution; and to index year class strength of flatfishes important to the commercial fishery prior to their recruitment to the fishery.” (From the Introduction)“Commercial Fisheries Research and Development Act Project No. 1-108-R. Grant No. 04-6-208-3” Includes species list (Appendix 4). 18 p

Groundfish assessment: Pacific Ocean perch (Sebastes alutus), English sole (Parophrys retulus) and lingcod (Ophiodon elongatus): Annual report: October 1, 1977 to September 30, 1978

“This report summarizes activities from October 1, 1977 through September 30, 1978 (FY 77). Major activities were analysis of data collected from the cooperative coastwide rockfish survey, English sole (Sebastes alutus) tagging in PMFC areas 2B and 2C and lingcod (Ophiodon elongatus) tagging off Newport, Oregon in PMFC area 2c. Objectives of the work can generally be classed as stock assessment. However, objectives of the tagging studies were to determine stock delineation and fishing rate for English sole and inshore-offshore exchange of lingcod. Proposed objectives relating to rockfish assessment were generally to obtain: (1) abundance estimtes of rockfish between the Columbia River and Cape Blanco, Oregon; (2) estimate mortality rates of principal rockfish species (Sebastes alutus, S. flavidus, S. pinniger and S. crameri) and (3) to determine estimates of growth parameters of the above mentioned species.” (From the Introduction)“Commercial Fisheries Research and Development Act Project No. 1-132-R, Grant No. 820840RAC” 17 p.Keywords: Ophiodon elongatus, Sebastes species, English sole, RockfishKeywords: Ophiodon elongatus, Sebastes species, English sole, Rockfis

Rockfish assessment studies on Heceta Bank, Oregon, 1980-81. Sub-project annual report: October 1, 1980 to March 1, 1982

From January 1980 to January 1981 approximate monthly sampling of a unique rockfish (Scorpaenidae) fishing area on Heceta Bank, Oregon was undertaken using acoustic techniques and trawling aboard chartered commercial fishing vessels. Rankings of density of fish sign observed on acoustic transects were regressed against selected environmental variables. Acoustic abundance results showed no seasonal fluctuations nor were abundance ratings correlated to time of day. A significant correlation was obtained between rockfish abundance and feed abundance. Although regressions of acoustic estimates were significant each of the principal variables of weekly upwelling index, secchi depth, time of day, barometric pressure, feed abundance and tide fluctuations accounted for only a small part of the variance. A relationship between trawl catch rate (1b/hr) and season or time of day was not observed. Catch rates were correlated with bottom temperature, maximum tide change and tide change during the tow. Quarterly biomass estimates calculated by the area-swept method varied as much as 20-fold. We concluded that the method of ranking abundance based on acoustic signals was unsuccessful. More importantly we were unable to predict conditions during which canary rockfish (Sebastes pinniger) were available to trawlable areas."Commercial Fisheries Research and Development Act Project No. 1-151-R-2 Contract No. 81-ABD-ORAC" (from title page). 22 p

Groundfish Assessment : Pacific Ocean Perch (Sebastes alutus) and Tagging Studies : Annual Report : October 1, 1978 to September 30, 1979

During April 1979 the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife participated in a survey of Pacific ocean perch (Sebastes alutus) in cooperation with the National Marine Fisheries Service and Washington Department of Fisheries. The survey occurred off the coasts of Oregon and Washington from Newport, Oregon to Cape Flattery. Planning of the overall survey was coordinated by the Northwest and Alaska fisheries Center of the MNFS. The overall goal was to reassess Pacific ocean perch abundance and to study survey methodology in an attempt to identify factors which may aid in increasing precision and reducing bias of biomass estimates of Pacific ocean perch. Specific objectives were: 1) to estimate the absolute abundance of Pacific ocean perch in INPFC Columbia area and U.S. sector of INPFC Vancouver area; 2) to determine the percent change in precision of biomass estimates from the 1977 rockfish survey estimates caused by stratification of sampling units and allocation of tows based on commercial CPUE records, bathymetric, geographic and seasonal availability of Pacific ocean perch; and 3) to determine whether or not the addition of optional tows based on the experience and knowledge of the fishing grounds by the vessel captain had any significant effect on the biomass estimate. There were several concurrent sub-objectives of the survey accomplished as well. These were: 1) to determine the age and size composition of Pacific ocean perch in the INPFC Columbia area; 2) to determine the species composition of slope rockfish in the INPFC Columbia area; and 3) to estimate biomass of some of the other species of the family Scorpeanidae which contributed to a significant portion of the catch