California Department of Fish and Game, Marine Resources Region
Abstract
The catch landed and effort expended by private-boat
sport fishermen in southern California were studied
between April and June 1982, in order to determine the
impact of this segment of the sport fishery on local
marine resources. Fishermen returning from fishing
trips were interviewed at launch ramps, hoists, and
boat-rental facilities. This report contains quantitative data and statistical estimates of total effort, total catch, catch of preferred species, and length frequencies for those species whose catches are regulated by minimum size limits.
An estimated 213,000 organisms were landed by 102,000
anglers and 3,300 divers. The major components of the
catch were white croaker, Genyonemus lineatus (56,000
landed); and Pacific mackerel, Scomber japonicus (43,000
landed). Together these two species made up almost one half of the estimated southern California sport catch.
Anglers' compliance with size limit regulations was
variable. Approximately 91% of all basses, Paralabrax
spp., measured were legal size. Only 10% of the white
seabass, Stractoscion nobilis, were larger than the minimum
size limit imposed on March 1, 1982. Divers' compliance
with size limit regulations on abalone, averaged 94%. (33pp.