USA (West-Coast)

Despite management actions that recovered many harvested species, survey biomass declined 2003-2010, coincident with 4-5 years of a warm, unproductive phase of the Pacific Decadal Oscillation and attenuation of a strong 1999 groundfish cohort . Since 2000, increasing catches of Pacific hake, Pacific sardine, market squid and Dungeness crab dominated landings (of these, only hake contribute substantially to survey biomass). Increased pelagic catches and decreased surveyed groundfish biomass led to a decline in inverse fishing pressure. Rockfish (Sebastes spp.) drive the long average life span. Episodic climate forcing and upwelling keep biomass stability low. Management and governance indicators reflect frequent stock assessments, fishery management plans with long term ecological, social, and environmental objectives, and the recently developed Fishery Ecosystem Plan.