Juvenile Rockfish Habitat Utilization in Humboldt Bay

Rockfish support one of the most economically important fisheries in California and the northeastern Pacific Recently, the shifting of fishing effort into the nearshore ecosystem, proposed transfer of management responsibility for nearshore species from federal to state agencies, and large data gaps have resulted in state and federal legislation requiring new fishery management plans. Both laws have elevated habitat requirements and knowledge of all life history stages as priority issue for fishery management plans. The objectives of this study were to develop effective sampling methods for juvenile rockfishes, determine juvenile rockfish habitat associations, and work collaboratively with the fishing industry. Between April and December 2001, 122 juvenile rockfish of three species, Black rockfish, Sebastes melanops, Copper rockfish, S. caurinus, and Grass rockfish, S. rastrelliger were found. Overall fewer juvenile rockfish were trapped (11%) than found in trawls. The most common species was S. melanops which accounted for 89% of the catch.