California Department of Fish and Game, Marine Resources Region
Abstract
State law requires that the population of Pacific sardines,
Sardinops sagax caeruleus, must reach a minimum spawning
biomass of 20,000 short tons before initiation of a fishery.
Data from ichthyoplankton surveys, the anchovy live bait
fishery, sea survey cruises, and the mackerel purse seine
fishery are analyzed for evidence of an increase in
population size. Presently, the spawning biomass of the
northern stock of sardines remains far below 20,000 tons. (9pp.