swordfish (xiphias gladius) - ocean science trust
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Swordfish (Xiphias gladius)
Certification Units Covered Under this Species
• SouthernCalifornia,Harpoon
Summary
Swordfishisahighlymigratoryspecies(HMS)distributedthroughouttheworld’soceans.IntheNorthPacific,thesestocksaremonitoredandassessedbytheInternationalScientificCommitteeforTunaandTuna-likeSpecies(ISC)andtheInter-AmericanTropicalTunaCommission(IATTC).AlongtheU.S.WestCoast,swordfisharemanagedunderthePacificFisheryManagementCouncil’sHighlyMigratorySpeciesFisheryManagementPlan.Swordfisharefishedcommerciallyprimarilyusingharpoons,driftgillnets,andpelagiclonglines.StocksofWesternandCentralNorthPacific(WCNPO)andEasternNorthPacific(EPO)swordfishareconsideredhealthyandabovethelevelrequiredtosustainrecentcatches.Bycatchintheharpoonfisheryisclosetozero.
Strengths:
• NorthPacificandEasternPacificstocksareconsideredhealthy
• Stockassessmentsareconductedbyinternationalorganizations;theinformationis reviewedannuallybythePFMC
• Almostnobycatchintheharpoonfishery
Weaknesses:
• Harpoonfisheryissmall;maynotbeeconomicaltopursueMSCcertification
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History of the Fishery in California
Biology of the Species
Swordfish(Xiphias gladius)isthesolememberofthefamilyXiphiidae.Itisahighlymigratoryspecies(HMS)distributedthroughouttheworld’soceans.Swordfisharelargefishwithamaximumweightofover650kgandlengthof457cm.Swordfishhaveadistinctivesharppointedbillwhichisaflattenedextensionoftheupperjaw.Anotherdistinctivecharacteristicofswordfishistheydonothavepelvicfins.Adultswordfishfeedopportunisticallyonawiderangeofsquids,fishandcrustaceans.OffCalifornia,northernanchovy,squid,hake,jackmackerel,rockfish,barracudas,blacksmelt,ribbonfish,andshrimparecommonpreyitems(PFMC2003).Larvalandyoungswordfishactivelyfeedonzooplanktonandby11-12mminlengthstartfeedingonavarietyofepipelagicfishlarvae(PFMC2003).
Swordfishcanlivebetween9-14yearsformalesand15-32yearsforfemales(WilsonandDean1983;RadtkeandHurley1983).Femalesarebelievedtomatureat4-5yearsandmalesat3-4yearsold(Love2011).Swordfishdonotseemtohaveadiscretespawninggroundorspawningseason(PFMC2003),however,larvaeandjuvenilestendtooccurinwarmertropicalandsubtropicalregions.ThegeographicaldistributionoflarvaesuggeststhatspawningoccursinwaterswhereSSTsareabove24°C;thisisothermrarelyextendsnorthof35°Norsouthof35°S.Spawningoccursthroughouttheyearinequatorialwaters,butisprogressivelyrestrictedtospring-summerathigherlatitudes.Femalesarebatchspawners;a68kgfemaleisestimatedtorelease16,130,400eggs(Loveetal.2011).Eggshatchin2.5days.Larvalabundanceishighalongsharpthermalandsalinitygradients.Swordfishgrowextremelyfastduringtheirfirstyearoflife,andbyoneyearofagemayreach90cm(3feet)(Uchiyamaetal.1998;WardandElscot2000).Growthishighlyvariableamongfishofthesameageandsex,andthereisamarkeddifferenceingrowthratebetweenmalesandfemales.Aftertwoyearsofage,femalestendtogrowfasterthanmales,growtoalargersize,andareproportionatelyheavieratthesamelength(Palkoetal.1981).Mostlarge-sizedfisharefemales,andtheyappeartobemorecommonincoolerwaters.AccordingtoBeckett(1974)andPalkoetal.(1981)fewmalestendtooccurinwatersbelow18°C,andmalesmakeupthemajorityofwarmwaterlandings.
[FromPFMC2003]:StockstructureofswordfishintheIndianandPacificoceansisunclear.Somegeneticanalyses(Reebetal2000;Kasapidisetal.2008)suggestthatswordfishcompriseasingle,homogenouspopulationinthePacific,andthatgeneflowoccursthroughahorseshoe-shapedcorridor,runningbetweenthenorth-westernPacific,acrosstotheeasternPacificandbacktothesouth-westernPacific.Howeverothergeneticanalyses(AlvaradoBremeretal.2006)andfisheriesdata(HintonandDeriso1998,Hinton2003)indicatethattheswordfishpopulationinthePacificiscomprisedofthreeormoredistinctgroups.ThelateststockassessmentsbytheISCdividetheNorthPacificswordfishpopulationintotwogroups:WesternandCentralNorthPacific,andEasternNorthPacific.
Commercial Fishery
[FromPFMC2003]:Broadbillswordfishsupportmajorfisheriesinalloceansoftheworld.MajorPacificOceanfishingareasareoffJapan,theNorthPacificTransitionZonenorthofHawaii,thewestcoastsoftheU.S.,Mexico,Ecuador,Peru,Chile,andoffAustraliaandNewZealand.ThelargestcatchesofswordfishintheNorthPacificOceanhavebeentakenbyJapanformorethanfivedecades(Figure1).AlongtheU.S.WestCoastEEZ,swordfisharetargetedprimarilybythedriftgillnetfisheryoffCaliforniaandOregon(HoltsandSosa-Nishizaki1998,PFMC2012),
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byasmallharpoonfisheryoperatingwithintheSouthernCaliforniaBight(Coanetal.1998,PFMC2012),andbyaHawaii-basedlonglinefisherythatfishesbeyondtheU.S.WestCoastEEZonthehighseasandlandtheircatchinCalifornia,OregonandWashington(PFMC2012)(Figures2and3).Therehasalsobeenaverysmallsurfacehook-and-linefisheryinthepast,butfrom2003-2011landingswerelessthan0.5mtperyear.In2012,surface-hook-and-linelandingsincreasedto10.67mt(ElizabethHellmers,personalcommunication,2013).
[FromPFMC2012]:California’sharpoonfisheryforswordfishdevelopedintheearly1900s.Priorto1980,harpoonandhook-and-lineweretheonlylegalgearsforcommerciallyharvestingswordfish.Atthattime,harpoongearaccountedforthemajorityofswordfishlandingsinCaliforniaports.Intheearly1980s,alimitedentrydriftgillnetfisherywasauthorizedbytheStateLegislatureandsoonafterwarddriftgillnetsreplacedharpoonsastheprimarymethodforcatchingswordfish.driftgillnetsreplacedharpoonsastheprimarymethodforcatching
Figure 1.AnnuallandingsofswordfishreportedbyISCmembersintheNorthPacificOcean(figurefromISC2013).
swordfish.Historically,theCaliforniadriftgillnetfleetoperatedwithinEEZwatersadjacenttothestateandasfarnorthastheColumbiaRiver,Oregon,duringElNiñoyears;however,Oregonnolongerissuesthenecessarypermittolanddriftgillnetcatchinthestate.Driftgillnetfishingactivityishighlydependentonseasonaloceanographicconditionsthatcreatetemperaturefrontswhichconcentratefeedforswordfish.Becauseoftheseasonalmigratorypatternofswordfishandseasonalfishingrestrictions,over90percentofdriftgillnetfishingeffortoccursfromAugust15throughJanuary31.
IntheU.S.WestCoastharpoonfishery,26vesselsparticipatedin2010,17in2011andonly9in2012.(PFMC2012;ElizabethHellmers,personalcommunication,2013).FishingeffortwasconcentratedincoastalwatersoffSanDiegoandintheSouthernCaliforniaBight,especiallybetweenthecoastandSantaCatalinaandSanClementeIslands.Atotalof158swordfishwerelandedin2010byharpoon.
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Figure 2. SwordfishlandingsalongtheU.S.Westcoastfrom1970to2012bygeartype(datafromISC2011;PFMC2012;ElizabethHellmers,personalcommunication,2013).Dataforlonglinelandingsfrom2005-2009wasnotavailable.
Figure 3.Annualex-vesselrevenuealongtheU.S.Westcoastfrom1981to2012(datafromPFMC2012;ElizabethHellmers,personalcommunication,2013).Dataforlonglinelandingsfrom2005-2009wasnotavailable.
Recreational Fishery
RecreationallycaughtswordfisharearareoccurrencealongtheWestCoast.InCalifornia,recreationalcatchdataiscollectedfromtheCaliforniaRecreationalFisheriesSurvey(CRFS)program.DatafromCRFSindicatethatfrom2003to2012,swordfishwereonlycapturedrecreationallyinCaliforniain2007(CDGF2011;ElizabethHellmers,personalcommunication,2013).However,thismaynotbeanaccuratereflectionoftotalcatchofswordfishbyrecreationalanglers;theCRFSprogramonlysamplesfrompubliclaunchramps.Several
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billfishtournamentsareheldeachyearintheearlyfall,andthesenumbers,aswellasthosefromprivatevesselslaunchingfromprivatemarinas,arelikelynotcaptured(ElizabethHellmers,personalcommunication,2013).Thereisadailybaglimitof2fish.FurtherinformationonrecreationalcatchofswordfishinSouthernCaliforniamaybeavailablefromfishingtournamentorganizers.
MSC Principle 1: Resource Sustainability
*Sustainability of Target Stock
SwordfishareharvestedintheNorthPacificbyfleetsfromJapan,Korea,Taiwan,andtheUnitedStates.StockassessmentsoftheWesternandCentralNorthPacificandEasternNorthPacificstocksofswordfishareconsideredhealthyandabovethelevelrequiredtosustainrecentcatches(BrodziakandIshimura2010,IATTC2011,ISC2013)(Figure4).CatchofswordfishbyU.S.WestCoastfisheriesconstitutesabout5.8percentoftheEasternPacific-widecatch.ThePFMCusesthedatafromthesestockassessmentstoinformtheHMSFMP.StockstatusreferencepointsforBMSYandBMSST(minimumstandingstockthresholdbiomass)weregiveninthelateststockassessmentbytheISC(BrodziakandIshimura2010).ThePFMCalsohasgear,permit,season,andarearestrictionsinplacetomanagebycatch.
*ForCalifornia’sSustainableSeafoodProgram,thiscategorymustscorean80orhigherduringanMSCassessment.
Figure 4.Timeseriesofestimatesofexploitablebiomass(solidline,filledcircle)ofeasternNorthPacificswordfishduring1952-2006,with95%credibilityintervals(dashedlines),projectionsofexploitablebiomass(solidline,filledtriangle),and95%credibilityintervals(dashedlines).Stochasticprojectionsofexploitablebiomassandcatchbiomassduring2007-2010arebasedonproductionmodeldynamicsassumingthattheprojectedexploitationrateisnormallydistributedwithameanequaltotheaverageexploitationrateduring2004-2006andanassociatedstandarddeviation(ISC2010).
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Evaluation against MSC Component 1.1: Sustainability of Target Stock
Performance Indicators Rating Justification 1.1.1 Stock Status Stock biomass is above BMSY and considered
healthy 1.1.2 Reference Points Reference points have been calculated and the
stock is maintained at a level exceeding BMSY 1.1.3 Stock rebuilding Not triggered; stock is considered healthy
Harvest Strategy (Management)
Becauseswordfisharegloballydistributed,severalinternationalorganizationsundertakemonitoringandstockassessmentsforswordfish.IntheNorthPacific,thefisheryisdividedintotwostocks:theWesternandCentralNorthPacific(WCNPO)andtheEasternNorthPacific(EPO).TheWCNPOstockisassessedbytheInternationalScientificCommitteeforTunaandTuna-likeSpecies(ISC)andismanagedbytheWesternandCentralPacificFisheriesCommission(WCPFC).TheEPOstockisassessedandmanagedbytheInter-AmericanTropicalTunaCommission(IATTC).TheISCandtheIATTCworktogetherunderaMemorandumofCooperation(MOC).RepresentativesfromNOAA’sSouthwestFisheriesScienceCenterandPacificIslandsFisheriesScienceCenterparticipateinallthreeorganizations.
[PFMC2012]:AlongtheU.S.westcoast,swordfisharemanagedunderthePacificFisheryManagementCouncil’sHighlyMigratorySpeciesFisheryManagementPlan(HMSFMP).ThePFMCdoesnotassesstheswordfishstock,butusesthedatafromtheinternationalstockassessmentstoinformtheHMSFMP.Swordfisharetargetedcommerciallyusingharpoons(inSouthernCalifornia),driftgillnets,pelagiclonglines,andrecentlyafteraseveralyearshiatus,withsurfacehook-and-linegear.CatchofswordfishbyU.S.WestCoastfisheriesconstitutesabout5.8percentoftheEasternPacific-widecatch.NostockstatusreferencepointsorquotashavebeendevelopedbythePFMCforswordfishbecauseswordfishisoneofelevenHMSspeciesthatfallunderan“internationalexception”inplaceforstocksmanagedunderaninternationalagreementtowhichtheUnitedStatesisaparty.However,referencepointshavebeendevelopedbytheISCintheirlateststockassessmentforswordfish(BrodziakandIshimura2010).ThePFMCalsohasgear,permit,season,andarearestrictionsinplacetomanagebycatch.
Formoreinformationonmanagement,seeSection3.2:FisherySpecificManagementObjectives.
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Evaluation against MSC Component 1.2: Harvest StrategyPerformance Indicators Rating Justification 1.2.1 Harvest Strategy Operates under Magnuson-‐Stevens Act to prevent
overfishing; The U.S. fishery is monitored and mgmt actions are in place to limit bycatch; There are no set harvest limits because the stock is considered healthy.
1.2.2 Harvest Control Rules and Tools
Reference points were developed by the ISC and are evaluated during stock assessments every few years
1.2.3 Information/Monitoring Observers and logbook data are available to monitor catch in the U.S.
1.2.4 Assessment of Stock Status Until recently, stock assessments lacked enough data for accuracy. The most recent assessment with updated data from 2010 seems to be acceptable.
MSC Principle 2: Environment
Retained Catch
Harpoon
Thereisalmostnoretainedcatchintheswordfishharpoonfishery.Theremaybeanoccasionalshark,butthiswouldbearareoccurrence(ElizabethHellmers,personalcommunication,2013).
Evaluation against MSC Component 2.1: Retained Catch Performance Indicators Rating Justification 2.1.1 Outcome No retained species 2.1.2 Management Not applicable because no retained species 2.1.3 Information Logbook data
Harpoon
Bycatchintheswordfishharpoonfisheryisexpectedtobealmostnon-existent(NMFS2012).
Evaluation against MSC Component 2.2: BycatchPerformance Indicators Rating Justification 2.2.1 Outcome Bycatch is close to zero 2.2.2 Management Not applicable because no bycatch 2.2.3 Information Logbook data
*Endangered, Threatened, & Protected Species
Harpoon
NoETPspeciesareknowntobecapturedintheswordfishharpoonfishery.
*ForCalifornia’sSustainableSeafoodProgram,thiscategorymustscorean80orhigherduringanMSCassessment.
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Evaluation against MSC Component 2.3: Endangered, Threatened & Protected SpeciesPerformance Indicators Rating Justification 2.3.1 Outcome No ETP species 2.3.2 Management Not applicable – no ETP bycatch 2.3.3 Information Logbook data
Habitat
Harpoon
[FromPFMC2012]:Harpoongearconsistsofapointeddartorironattachedtotheendofalineseveralhundredfeetinlength,theotherendofwhichisattachedtoaflotationdevice.Harpoongearisattachedtoapoleorstickthatispropelledonlybyhand,andnotbymechanicalmeans.
Harpoonsdonottypicallyencountertheoceanbottom,thusthereisverylittleornobottomhabitatimpactfromharpoons.
Evaluation against MSC Component 2.4: HabitatPerformance Indicators Rating Justification 2.4.1 Outcome Limited to no impact on habitat 2.4.2 Management No mgmt strategy, but should not be applicable because
no habitat impacts 2.4.3 Information Not applicable because no habitat impacts
Ecosystem
[FromPFMC2003]:Swordfisharetoppredatorsandfeedopportunisticallyonawiderangeofsquids,fishandcrustaceans.OffCaliforniatheyeatnorthernanchovy,squid,hake,jackmackerel,rockfish,barracudas,blacksmelt,ribbonfish,andshrimp.OffBajaCalifornia,Pacifichake,theflyingpurplesquidandjumbosquidareimportantintheirdiet.Larvalandyoungswordfishactivelyfeedonzooplanktonandby11-12mminlengthstartfeedingonavarietyofepipelagicfishlarvae(Arata1954;Gorbunova1969).Swordfishcanforageatgreatdepthsandhavebeenphotographedatadepthof1,000mbyadeepdivingsubmersible(Mather1976).Itisgenerallyacceptedthatswordfishinthepelagicenvironmentfeedonsquidandmesopelagicfishandforageondemersalfishwheninshallowerwaters.
[FromPalkoetal.1981]:Predatorsofjuvenileswordfishlikelyincludeanysufficientlylargepiscivorousfishormarinemammal.Juvenileswordfishhavebeenfoundinthestomachofbluemarlin,blackmarlin,stripedmarlin,shortbillspearfish,sailfish,yellowfintuna,albacoretuna,bigeyetuna,dolphin,andblueshark.Adultswordfishhavefewknownnaturalenemies.Spermwhales,killerwhales,andlargesharksareperhapstheonlyspeciescapableofpreyingonadults.Sharksaretheonlycreatureseverseeninactualcombatwithswordfish.
Gearssuchasgillnetsandpelagiclonglinesusedintheswordfishfisherycanhavehighlevelsofbycatchwhichincludeseaturtles,sharks,seabirdsandmarinemammals.BycatchisstrictlyregulatedintheU.S.,butmanyothercountriesthatfishthesamestockdonothavebycatchmitigationplans.Higherbycatchlevelsbyothercountriesmayimpactecosystemstructureorfunction.
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Evaluation against MSC Component 2.5: EcosystemPerformance Indicators Rating Justification 2.5.1 Outcome In countries other than the U.S., bycatch can be
unregulated; this will likely have ecosystem impacts 2.5.2 Management Strict regulations to prevent bycatch in the U.S; fewer
bycatch regulations in other countries 2.5.3 Information Observer and logbook data in the U.S.
MSC Principle 3: Management System
Governance and Policy
FisheriesintheU.S.aregovernedbytheMagnuson-StevensFisheryConservationandManagementAct(MSFCMA)of1976.TheMSFMCArequiresmanagingatorbelowMSYlevels,rebuildingoverfishedstocksandendingoverfishing,minimizingbycatchandbycatchmortality,identificationofessentialfishhabitatandmitigationofadversefishingimpacts.Inaddition,theEndangeredSpeciesAct,theMarineMammalAct,theMigratoryBirdTreatyAct,theCoastalZoneManagementAct,andtheCleanWaterActapplytoorprovideprotectionforspeciesand/orhabitatthatmaybeaffectedbythetargetfishery.
TheMSFCMAestablishedeightregionalfisherymanagementcouncilstomanagefisheryresourcesintheU.S.ExclusiveEconomicZone(EEZ).AlongtheU.S.westcoast,theEEZextendsfrom3to200nauticalmilesoffshore.EachcounciliscomprisedofFederal,State,andstakeholderrepresentatives.Additionally,advisorybodiesprovideexpertadviceonmattersrelatedtothepurposeofthecouncil.Thecouncilprocessemphasizespublicparticipationandinvolvementinfisheriesmanagement;meetingsareopentothepublicandtopubliccomment.ManagementmeasuresdevelopedbytheeachcouncilarerecommendedtotheSecretaryofCommercethroughNOAA’sNationalMarineFisheriesService(NMFS).Alongthewestcoast,managementmeasuresareimplementedbyNMFSNorthwestandSouthwestRegionalofficesandenforcedbytheNOAAOfficeofLawEnforcement,theU.S.CoastGuard11thDistrict,andlocalenforcementagencies.
Eachcouncildevelopsfisherymanagementplans(FMPs)forthestocksintheirregionspecifyinghowafisherywillbemanaged.TheGuidelinesforFisheryManagementPlans(NMFS1997)requirethatastockassessmentandfisheryevaluation(SAFE)reportbepreparedandreviewedannuallyforeachFMP.SAFEreportsareintendedtosummarizethebestavailablescientificinformationconcerningthepast,present,andpossiblefutureconditionofthestocks,marineecosystems,andfisheriesbeingmanagedunderfederalregulation.Regionalfisherymanagementcouncilsusethisinformationtodetermineannualharvestlevelsforeachstock,documentsignificanttrendsorchangesintheresources,marineecosystems,andfisheryovertime,andassesstherelativesuccessofexistingstateandfederalfisherymanagementprograms.InCalifornia,thePacificFisheryManagementCouncil(PFMC)istheregionalcouncilthatmanagesfederalfisheries
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Evaluation against MSC Component 3.1: Governance and PolicyPerformance Indicators Rating Justification 3.1.1 Legal and/or Customary Framework
PFMC and NMFS operate under Magnuson-‐Stevens Act
3.1.2 Consultation, Roles and responsibilities
PFMC meetings are public and public participation is encouraged
3.1.3 Long-‐term Objectives Magnuson-‐Stevens Act and FMPs 3.1.4 Incentives for Sustainable Fishing Magnuson-‐Stevens Act
Fishery Specific Management System
AlongtheU.S.westcoast,swordfisharemanagedunderthePacificFisheryManagementCouncil’sHighlyMigratorySpeciesFisheryManagementPlan(HMSFMP).ThePFMCdoesnotassesstheswordfishstock,butusesthedatafromtheinternationalstockassessmentstoinformtheHMSFMP.ManagementandresearchgoalsformanagingbycatchintheswordfishfisheryareoutlinedintheHMSFMP.Swordfisharetargetedcommerciallyusingharpoons(inSouthernCalifornia),driftgillnets,pelagiclonglines,andrecentlyafteraseveralyearshiatus,withsurfacehook-and-linegear.NostockstatusreferencepointsorquotashavebeendevelopedbythePFMCforswordfishbecauseswordfishisoneofelevenHMSspeciesthatfallunderan“internationalexception”inplaceforstocksmanagedunderaninternationalagreementtowhichtheUnitedStatesisaparty.
[FromPFMC2012]:Toparticipateintheharpoonfisheryastatepermitandlogbookarerequiredinadditiontoageneralresidentornon-residentcommercialfishinglicense.Additionally,forallU.S.vesselsthatfishforHMSwithintheWestCoastEEZandonthehighseas,afederalpermitwithaharpoongearendorsementisrequired.
Thedriftgillnetfisheryismanagedbyalimitedentrypermitsystem,withmandatorygearstandardsandseasonalareaclosuresusedtoaddressvariousconservationconcerns.Alogbookandobservercoverageisalsorequired;in2010,approximately12%ofHMSdriftgillnetvesselshadobservercoverage.
CaliforniaprohibitspelagiclonglinefishingwithintheEEZ.VesselsoperatingoutsideoftheEEZonthehighseascanlandfishinCaliforniaportsiftheoperatorhasageneralresidentornon-residentcommercialfishinglicense,currentCDFWvesselregistration,andafederalpermitwithapelagiclonglinegearendorsement.Alogbookisalsorequired.
EnforcementoffishingregulationsisconductedinstatewatersbyCDFW’sLawEnforcementDivisionandinfederalwatersbyNOAA’sOfficeofLawEnforcement.Additionallytoolssuchasportsampling,logbooks,andobservercoverageareusedtomonitorcatchandensurevesselshavethecorrectpermitsforthecatchtheyarelanding.Violatorsareprosecutedunderthelaw.Thereisnoevidenceofsystemicnon-compliance.
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Evaluation against MSC Component 3.2: Fishery Specific Management SystemPerformance Indicators Rating Justification 3.2.1 Fishery Specific Objectives There are objectives on reducing bycatch in the HMS FMP 3.2.2 Decision-‐making Processes PFMC has an appropriate decision-‐making process in
place 3.2.3 Compliance & Enforcement
An enforcement system exists and has demonstrated an ability to enforce relevant management measures, strategies and/or rules.
3.2.4 Research Plan Yes, HMS FMP 3.2.5 Management Performance Evaluation
Stock assessments and reference points are developed by the ISC; catch restrictions are evaluated by the PFMC
California Specific Requirements
TheCaliforniavoluntarysustainableseafoodprogramrequiresfisheriesseekingcertificationtomeetCaliforniaspecificstandardsinadditiontothestandardsandrequirementsoftheMarineStewardshipCouncil(MSC)sustainablefisheriescertificationprogram.Theseinclude:
1.Higherscores(80insteadof60)fortwoperformanceindicators(PI)oftheMSCprogram:“StockStatus”(PI1.1.1)and“By-catchofEndangered,Threatened,orProtected(ETP)Species”(PI2.3.1).ThesetwoPIsarehighlightedinthereport.
2.Additionalindependentscientificreview:TheOPCScienceAdvisoryTeamwillbeengagedinthecertificationprocessthroughearlyconsultationinreviewingminimumeligibilitycriteria,andreviewoftheMSC-requiredpre-assessmentsandfullassessments.ThereviewswillbeconductedinadditiontoMSC’speerreview,thusbringingadditionalcredibility,transparency,andindependencetoCalifornia’scertificationprocess.
3.Additionaltraceabilitycomponents:TheCaliforniaprogramwilldevelopauniquebarcodeforCaliforniacertifiedsustainablefish.Thisbarcodecanbeeitherscannedbyasmart-phoneorlinkedtoawebsitethatwillrevealadditionalinformationaboutthefishery,andinformationabouttoxicitywhenavailable
Recommendations
AlthoughtheharpoonfisheryforswordfishhasalowimpacttotheecosystemandwouldlikelyscorewellduringanMSCassessment,catchofswordfishbyharpoonislow.Thereisagoodpossibilityitmaynotbeeconomicallyfeasibletocertifythissmallfishery.Alternatively,thesurfacehook-and-linefisheryappearedtomakeacomebackthisyear;ifthiscontinues,thismaybeanotherbranchofthefisherytotakeacloserlookattodetermineifitwouldbeeconomicallyfeasibletocertifythisgeartype.Hook-and-linefisheriestypicallyhavelowbycatchandalmostnohabitatimpacts.
References
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Appendix A
MSC Assessment Tree Swordfish Harpoon
Principle Component Performance Indicator Southern
Principle 1: Health of Fish Stock
Outcome
1.1.1: Stock status
1.1.2: Reference points
1.1.3: Stock rebuilding Did not assess
Harvest Strategy (Management)
1.2.1: Harvest strategy
1.2.2: Harvest control rules
1.2.3: Info/ monitoring
1.2.4: Stock assessment
Principle 2: Impact on Ecosystem
Retained species
2.1.1: Status
2.1.2: Mgmt strategy
2.1.3: Information
By-catch species 2.2.1: Status
2.2.2: Mgmt strategy
2.2.3: Info
ETP species 2.3.1: Status
2.3.2: Mgmt strategy
2.3.3: Info
Habitats 2.4.1: Status
2.4.2: Mgmt strategy
2.4.3: Info
Ecosystem 2.5.1: Status
2.5.2: Mgmt strategy
2.5.3: Info
Principle 3: Management System
Governance & Policy
3.1.1: Legal framework
3.1.2: Consultation, roles, and responsibilities
3.1.3: Long term objectives
3.1.4: Incentives for sustainable fishing
Fishery Specific Mgmt System
3.2.1: Fishery specific objectives
3.2.2: Decision making process
3.2.3: Compliance & enforcement
3.2.4: Research plan
3.2.5: Management performance evaluation