Burge, Richard

English

Aquatic Commons

State of California - The Resources Agency
Depa rtment of F'j sh and Game
Marine Resources Region
Long Beach, California
; ~-
CRUISE REPORT 74-KB-ts AND 74-M-3 ABALONE-LOBSTER INVESTIGATIONS
Prepared by R. Burge
Vessels:
Dates:
Locality:
Purpose:
R/V KELP BASS and R/V MOLLUSK
May 8 - 16, 1974
Abalone Cove, Palos Verdes Peninsula, San Nicolas
Island, Santa Catalina Island.
1. To inspect traditional co~~ercial abalone fishing
areas to determine species composition, spatial
distribution and relative abundance.
2. To catalog coa~on subtidal faunal and floral
components.
3. To determine relative abundance and size clf:.3s
distribution of California spiny lobsters,
PanuZirus interruptus.
4. To select an area in Abalone Cove to plant
juvenile red abalones, HaZiotis ru.fescens.
Procedures: The MOLLUSK was moved froJ::! Santa B2.rbara to i.'Jng Beach
on May 8 to dive Abalone Cove and to secure for towing
to S811 Nicolas Island on Ha.y 10.
A diving perusal of the Department's kelp planting
areas in Ab2~one Cove was made on May 9.
Divers using scuba occupied 20 stations at San Nicclas
Island in commercial fishing areas (Figu1e 1), and 12
stations at Santa Catalina Island (Figure 2), of Hhj;::h
11 were on the open seaward side. Information collec-
teG at each station included: 3. 20--minute. count of
. a]l abalones; estimates of major florell and fa1.1n2.1.
components; an inspection and evaluation of abalone
nursery areas; counts and measu:':"em.ents of California
spiny lobsters, and physic2.1 data such as substrate
type, depth, temperature, a..l.d water clarity.
Ten lobster traps ,.,ere set overnight in Alpha area,
San Nicolas Island, and near Cat alina Harbor and v..'es t
End, Sm1ta Catalina Island.
N
Alpha area
boundary line
San Nicolas Island
East
End
10 fathom line
San Nicolas Island
1S/ I
'\11 I1~ '\..;.'\ ~~ -......... t 14 ./" '\
/' "-- -"' 2() .. tl? r- --- _..i~ - .-~ -- /-),-J
Dutch ......... '----~ __ ~ -7--1("- __) :- --) \.--1
Harbor 17 -& \ "1?---' 13 ~--
19
N
FIGUP£ 1. Location of survey stations at San Nicolas Island occupied
during 74-KB-1S and 74-M-3.
NI
\~6
\
-"I \ . 5~~calalina Harbor
f
, I
\
~ ,
\
/
(~O fathom line
J
J
/
,
I
\
{
\
\
\
'-.. .
~" 11~
\
\ 2
\0\10 /IJ
~'. I\..1
Santa Catalina. Island
\ 3
~
""- -- ""
\.~
-------------~
FIGURE 2~ Location of survey stations at Santa Catalina Island occupied
during 74-KB-15 and 74-·KB-3.
Results: Moderate winds and ground swell pre,reIlted safe r~ork
in the foul area and along most of the we.st side of
San Nicolas Island, lilni ting diving operatioI1S to
th.e Naval Restricted Area Alpha on lytay 11 and to the
Dutch Harbor·-East End vicinity on May 12.
A total of 980 abalones and 16 lobsters was counted
at San Nicolas Island during 400 min bottom time.
Red abalon.es predominated the total count wi th 760
observed while 214 pink abalones (H. corrugataJ ~ 5
white abalones (H. B01YJnseniJ and one threaded abalone
(H. kamtschatkana ass·im1:Zis) \vere also seen (Table 1).
Very few abalones were seen during 10 dives in Alpha
area although the habitat was generally considered
adequate for both adults and juveni.1es. The few
red and pink ab a10nes observed were mostly large,
old specirnens displayin.g poor gro'\vth. characteristics.
The near absence of juveniles and the presence of
ver.y fe,v adlilts suggest Alplla area TIlay be depleted
of abalones ~7hen tIle few rernaining a.d.ults a.re picked.
There does not appear to be sufficient recruitment
to support a continued harvest.
Divers observed fair to good. numbers of red abalones
and a few pink abalones in the Dutch, l!arbor-Ea.st
End vicinity of San Nicolas, Island. Red abalone were
found alorlg the seaward edge of kelp, l1acroeystis sp.,
beds restri~ted to llarrO'~...T crevi.ces at rocky reef-salld
bottom illterfaces and a.long sand cnanrlels that pen.etra-
ted reefs. Higher relief rocky outcroppings that
lacked sa11d borders were generally dorairlated by giant
red sea urchins, StrG~gyZocentrotus fran(nscanus~ and
eIlcrusting invertebrates. Moderate. ground sv7ell pre-
vented sllrveyors from diving shEllow'er than 6 m (20 ft)
although the few observations made in shallow depths
indicated complete dOlrriu8.ilce. by gian,t red an.d purple
(B. pUlpuratusJ sea urchins.
Overnight trapping in Alpl1a area produced one lobster,
wh.ile 16 \vere observe<l by' di"=Jers. All appeared to be
cOIT1II1ercia1 size. Tn.e largest lobster taken to date on
our cruises 'VJas capture.d here by hand, measured 174 mIn
(6.9 incl1es) CL, and 'weiglled about .4.5 kg (10 Ib).
On May 13, uIlder hea.v"·y winds al1d building swell, we
moved to Catalina Harbor, Santa Catalina Island.
Dives were made in the vicinity of Catalina Harbor,
Farnsworth Bank, allo rlear the West E'nd on }-1ay 14 and
15 (Figure 2).
Divers counted 897 abalones including 352 pink) 453
green (Ii. fuZgensJ_, 89 black (H. CYiCChCl?odi.-iJ and 3
wJlite at Catalina Island dllring 12 di·ves totalling 236
min bottom time (Table 1). Moderate swell along the
exposed seaward side of the island (Stations C 1-11)
usually prevented our occupying depths below 6 m
(20 ft) where the habitat is most suitable for green
and black abalones. However, we did observe fair
numbers of green and pink abalones on most stations
and considered the populations here to be good in
relation to the available habitat.
A total of 57 California spiny lobsters was observed
by divers at the 12 Catalina stations. Most were
sublegal.
Traps set in the vicinity of Catalina Harbor yielded
3.1 lobster per trap of which 9.7% were legal size.
Traps set at Three Rocks on the north-west side of
the island where commercial trapping is prohibited
resulted in a catch of 4.4 lobster per trap of which
43.2% were legal size.
Ten percent of the female lobsters from Catalina
Harbor were ovigerous, while 70% from the Three Rocks
area were ovigerous.
Personnel: M. Mazarovich, Vessel Captain
R. Burge, Biologfst-in-charge, abalone
R. Hardy, Biologist-in-charge, lobster
s. Schultz, Biologist
M. Odemar, Biologist
R. McAllister, Biologist
ORB-LB/150
7-5-74/Wil
Table 1. Summary of data from diving stations at San Nicolas and Catalina Islands occupied during
74-KB-15 and 74-M-3.
Station and Location Count Bottom Number Number Number Number Number N"umber
time (nlin) aepth (m) red abe pink abe green abe black ab. white abe lobster
SN-1 Alpha area 20 9.1-10.7 0 24 0 a 0 1
SN-2 " 20 18.3-22.9 2 4 0 0 0 1
SN-3 " 20 12.2 0 4 0 0 0 0
SN-4 " 20 6.7 0 4 0 0 0 2
*SN-5 " 20 7.6 0 13 0 0 0 1
SN-6 " 20 16.8-18.3 30 12 0 0 0 0
SN-7 " 20 4.6-9.1 0 8 0 0 0 6
SN-8 " 20 7.6-10.7 1 31 0 0 0 3
SN-9 " 20 18.3-21.3 5 5 0 0 2 1
**SN-10 " 20 15.3 0 5 0 0 0 1
SN-11 Dutch Harbor vic. 20 13.7-15.2 72 15 0 0 0 0
SN-12 " 20 6.1-15.2 53 25 0 0 0 0
SN-13 " 20 7.6-15.2 23 4 0 0 0 0
SN-14 " 20 13.7-15.2 81 40 0 0 0 0
SN-15 " 20 6.7 32 5 0 0 0 0
SN-16 " 20 12.2 214 9 0 0 0 0
SN-17 11 20 6.1-7.6 143 1 0 0 0 0
SN-18 " 20 10.7-13.7 11 "2 0 0 1 0
SN-19 II 20 22.9 21 0 0 0 1 0
SN-20 " 20 6.1-13.7 12 3 0 0 1 0
sub total 400 --- 760 214 0 0 5 16
SC-1 Catalina Hbr. vic. 20 4.6-13.7 0 48 4 1 0 0
SC-2 Catalina Hd. 20 1.5-7 ."6 0 76 7 26 0 4
SC-3 Catalina Hbr. vic. 20 1.5-6.1 0 9 16 0 0 9.
SC-4 " 20 3.0-7.6 0 21 16 6 0 2
SC-5 11 20 4.6-10.7 0 25 26 0 2 1
SC-6 " 20 3.0-4.6 0 55 154 10 0 0
SC-7 Little Harbor 20 1.5-9.1 0 24 10 0 0 8
SC-8 " 16 7.6-9.1 0 42 7 0 0 0
SC-9 Catalina Hbr. vic. 20 4.6-7.6 0 17 65 4 1 4
SC-10 " 20 3.0-10.7 0 7 10 0 0 9
SC-11 " 20 4.6-12.2 0 21 17 40 0 0
SC-12 Three Rocks 20 3.0~4.6 0 7 121 2 0 20
~ub total 236 --- 0 352 453 89 3 57
Total 636 --- 760 566 453 89 8 73
* One threaded abalone counted on this station.
** Dive made with underwater propulsion devices (Farallones)


Cruise Report 74-KB-14 and 74-M-3: Abalone-Lobster investigations

http://aquaticcommons.org/826/1/74-KB-14.pdf

Cruise Report 74-KB-14 and 74-M-3: Abalone-Lobster investigations

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