Condition of the Pacific Ocean Perch Resource off Washington and Oregon during 1979: Results of a Cooperative Trawl Survey

Pacific ocean perch, Sebastes alutus, stocks in the northeastern Pacific Ocean off the coasts of Oregon, Washington, and British Columbia experienced severe damage from overexploitation in the mid-1960's. Catch limits were imposed during 1978. Fishermen questioned the need for these limitations on the basis of lack of precision in biomass estimates provided by research surveys and because of the recruitment of a relatively strong 1970 year class. To respond to these concerns and to provide an updated biomass estimate with better precision than for previous estimates, a trawl survey was conducted between 22 March and 2 May 1979. The survey was designed and conducted jointly by the Northwest and Alaska Fisheries Center of the National Marine Fisheries Service, the Washington Department of Fisheries, and the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife with the primary objective of obtaining information needed for improved management of this species. The objective was attained through stratification of th...