Key Issues for 2004

North / South Quota Allocation : The Pacific Fishery Management Council adopted an interim
allocation for Pacific Sardine during 2003. The interim allocation will remain in place through the 2005
fishery as long as the harvest guideline for 2005 is within 10% of the coast wide harvest guideline in
2003. The interim allocation is designed to help achieve total utilization of the coast-wide harvest
guideline. The interim allocation moves northern California into the southern management zone,
allocates 66% of the coast-wide harvest guideline to the southern area (California) and 33% directly to
the northern area (Oregon and Washington). There is a reallocation of unused harvest guideline on
September 1 st (80% to the south and 20% to the north), in addition, there is another reallocation on
December 1 st that essentially opens up the fishery coast-wide (no allocation). The process for
implementing a long-term allocation for the 2006 season and beyond will begin in 2004 with Council
approval slated for June of 2005. Rationalization of the fishery may also be considered. In addition, a
STAR panel will meet in June to discuss data needs for the sardine fishery, including incorporation of
northern fishery data into the stock assessment, contact the PFMC for more information on the STAR
panel process.

Long-term Issues and Opportunities

Markets . Much of the sardine landed into OR is exported either to the Japanese longline or human
consumption market. A negligible amount of sardine is sold locally in OR, usually to restaurants in
Portland. Creating new human consumption and food grade markets will help diversify product
disposition and increase value.


Improved Science . Increasing fishery-dependent and fishery-independent sampling off northern west
coast for utilization in coast-wide stock assessment is critical for accurate biomass estimates. Many
opportunities for collaborative research with National Marine Fisheries Service exist.


Long-term Allocation . A longer-tem allocation system must be implemented that helps achieve
optimum yield while preventing premature closures in any one sector of the fishery. The long-term
allocation scheme should be in place for the 2006 season.

•  Pacific sardine are managed under the ODFW's Developmental Fisheries Program.

•  20 permits are issued on an annual basis.

•  Season can begin when fish are available - usually in June. The fishery tends to end in Oct.

•  In 2003, 17 vessels out of the 20 permitted made at least one sardine landing.

•  In 2003, 7 processors purchased sardine in Oregon.

•  The 2004 coast-wide harvest guideline for pacific sardine is 121,747 mt, an increase of almost 12% from 2003.

•  The initial northern allocation for the 2004 season is 40,917 metric tons.

•  The initial southern allocation for the 2004 season is 81,831 metric tons.

On September 1 st , all unused harvest guideline is pooled and divided 1/3 to the north, and 2/3 to the south.

Risks

•  The Pacific sardine stock has been expanding over several years resulting in fish being available off
the northern west coast. If the sardine biomass begins to plateau or shrink availability of sardine in usual
fishing grounds off the northern areas may be diminished.

•  If water temperature decreases significantly so too will the available harvest guideline, which contains
an environmental control rule that assumes when water temperatures are cooler, sardine populations
are less productive resulting in a smaller biomass. Scripps Pier in La Jolla is where the temperatures are
taken.

Links & References

http://www.heads-up.net

HMSC Library (541) 867-0249
ODFW (541) 867-4741
http://www.hmsc.orst.edu/ODFW/finfish

Pacific Fishery Management Council
(866) 806-7204
http://www.pcouncil.org

National Marine Fisheries Service, Southwest Region (562) 980-4000
http://www.swr.nmfs.noaa.gov

Pacific Sardine TRENDS

Landings Data by State and Coast-wide in Metric Tons
Year	Oregon	Washington	California	Coast-wide	Harvest Guideline	Percent caught
2004	4,674*	350*	16,909*	21,933	122,747	18%
2003	25,258	11,604	36,317	73,179	110,908	66%
2002	22,713	13,757	63,445	99,915	118,442	84%
2001	12,798	10,837	53,666	77,301	134,737	57%
2000	9,516	4,791	57,935	72,242	186,791	39%

*2004 OR data is preliminary through 7/17/04, WA data is preliminary through 7/5/04, CA through 7/9/04


Prepared by: Coastal Oregon Marine Experiment Station for Oregon Department of Fish & Wildlife