Pacific herring, Clupea harengus pallasi, experimental roe-on-kelp open pound fishery studies in San Francisco Bay, December 1987 to February 1988

Abstract

The experimental open pound herring roe-on-kelp (ROK) fishery was studied in San Francisco Bay from mid December 1987 to mid February 1988. Five different harvests were observed and sampled. A total of 19.7 tons of Macrocystis sp. kelp covered with herring eggs was processed during this period. Kelp harvested from the Santa Barbara Channel Islands was transported to San Francisco Bay for hanging on the pounds. Weather conditions at the channel islands affected the condition and dimensions of the harvested kelp. Once suspended on the pounds in bay waters, the cut kelp deteriorated in 8 to 10 d. Based on our sampling, an average of 0.98 tons of kelp with a total blade surface area of 3031 m2 was suspended from each pound. ROK was sampled at the shoreside processing facility. Densities of attached eggs ranged from light (less than three layers) to heavy (more than six layers) for the five different spawns. Egg coverage on each pound also varied; kelp towards the middle portion of the pound received heavier deposition of eggs. Average weight increase from egg deposition, per blade, was 780% with the kelp weighing an average of 12.2% of the total. An average 13.2% by weight was trimmed during processing. A multiplication factor of 0.206 should be used to convert individual roe herring allotments to ROK allotments. Standard plastic totes containing processed ROK averaged 1783 lb total gross weight. Totes contained an average of 49.7% ROK by weight. Samples of roe-on-kelp increased an average of 10.9% in weight after brining during processing. (35pp.