Dr. Richard M. Starr

New MLPA Baseline Monitoring

The California Collaborative Fisheries Research Program (CCFRP) has launched a new effort as part of the baseline monitoring effort program of the Marine Life Protection Act (MLPA).

CCFRP has begun monitoring 3 Marine Protected Areas (MPA) in collaboration with the Commercial Passenger Fishing Vessel industry in Port San Luis Obispo, Morro Bay, Monterey and Half Moon Bay. We are currently seeking funding to expand this effort to include commercial fishermen as well.

The protocols for the monitoring effort were developed collaboratively through a series of scoping meetings that included fishermen, academic scientists, and DFG and NOAA scientists and resource managers.

From those meetings we designed a study that uniquely utilizes the knowledge and expertise of fishermen and skippers within a standardized experimental framework ensuring that the data can be utilized for both MPA and stock assessment purposes.

The study includes a controlled catch-and- release program made possible by a group of dedicated volunteer anglers as well as the captains and crews of the F/V Caroline, Fiesta, Huli Cat, Pacific Horizon and Patriot.

In this study, fish are caught, tagged and carefully released to avoid trauma. Examples of a tag and the Git-R-Down release device are shown at right.

The type of tag used.

Ashley Greenley using the Git-R-Down release device.