Quota options for the red sea urchin fishery in British Columbia for fishing season 2000/2001 / A. Campbell, W. Hajas, D. Bureau.: Fs70-1/1999-201E-PDF

Annual landings of red sea urchin (Strongylocentrotus franciscanus) increased rapidly in the early 1980s for the south coast of British Columbia (B.C.) and in the late 1980s for the north coast, but subsequently were reduced and stabilized by arbitrary quotas. Coastwide landings were 5091 t valued at $ 7.4 M (Cdn.), with 110 licenses issued during the 1998/99 fishing season. Bed areas were obtained by digitizing locations on charts indicated in harvest logbooks. Analyses of recent surveys and review of published survey reports provided estimates of mean density and weights allowing preliminary estimates of red sea urchin biomass in B.C. Based on recent published reports and preliminary estimates in B.C. natural mortality rates of red sea urchins was assumed for fishery management purposes to be between 0.05 and 0.15. Since industry and managers requested an evaluation of the implications of reducing the size limit from present legal size limit (≥ 100 mm test diameter, TD), estimated biomass and quota options were calculated and discussed for a variety of size limits of ≥ 90,≥ 100, 100-140, 90-120, and 90-130 mm TD for red sea urchins in B.C. Further surveys for red sea urchin density are required, especially in some areas of the south coast of B.C. where surveys are > 10 years old, and in areas in the North Coast that have been heavily fished. Reliable biomass estimates and more accurate estimates of bed areas, natural mortality and recruitment rates for red sea urchins in most areas of B.C. are required to manage this fishery effectively.

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