Bycatch in the California halibut (Paralichthys californicus) Trawl Fishery

Abstract

Abstract. Bycatch rates within the California halibut trawl fishery were calculated using landed catch data from 1997–2020 fishery logbooks and estimated using landed and discarded catches from 2002–2019 fishery observer data. Average bycatch rates were significantly different between the two datasets. The average bycatch ratio estimated from fishery logbooks was 0.36 ± 0.17 while the average bycatch ratio estimated from the observer data was 4.61 ± 1.29, based on the weight of bycatch to weight of California halibut catch. Additionally, the most frequently caught bycatch species were estimated for each dataset. Bycatch rates calculated from the observer data were closely aligned with fishery-independent surveys conducted by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, signaling the importance of using fishery observers to obtain estimates of bycatch within the California halibut fishery. Spatial patterns of bycatch revealed that fishing effort was highest near Monterey, San Luis Obispo and Ventura. Our results suggest that data from logbooks alone are not sufficient to adequately estimate bycatch within the California halibut trawl fishery.