Summary Report of the 2008 Experimental Purse Seine Fishery for Pacific Sardine (Sardinops sagax)

Pacific sardines (or pilchards) are managed under the Pacific Fishery Management Council’s Coastal Pelagic Species (CPS) fishery management plan. Through the Pacific Council process, scientists develop and review an annual coastswide stock assessment incorporating data from federally sponsored surveys and state-managed fisheries. The Pacific Council’s Scientific and Statistical Committee reviews that assessment and develops a recommendation for an annual coastwide harvest guideline for the Council. The Council considers all of the information presented through its advisory bodies and public comment and and adopts a coastwide annual harvest guideline for the following year. The harvest guideline is allocated seasonally with releases on January 1st, July 1st, and September 15th (Table 1). In 2008, the overall coastwide harvest guideline was 89,093 mt. Since the total 2008 allocation was down 41% compared to 2007, there was concern that Washington, Oregon, and California sardine fishermen would harvest the periodic allocations quickly and there would not be enough sardines to cover incidental catch of sardines in fisheries targeting other coastal pelagic species, such as squid and anchovy. To this end, a small amount of sardines were set aside during each period for incidental catch. In 2008, each period consisted of the adjusted allocation (directed sardine catch) and a set aside (sardine catch in other fisheries).