Rockfish Recovery Doesn’t Have to Take a Lifetime 3

Feb 18, 2010 by Rob Tobeck

Dr. Mike Rust of NOAA fisheries will be doing a presentation on culture of rockfish as a means of enhancement at 2pm Feb. 24 at the WDFW office in Mill Creek.  This will be an hour long presentation and will occur just before the Rockfish Advisory Board meets.  The public is welcome at both the presentatiion and the meeting so please make plans to attend.

As many of you know, Bear Holmes and I have been part of an effort to recover rockfish in Puget Sound.  Since many of these rockfish species are long lived and slow to grow it may take up to 95 years to recover some of these species.  As someone that enjoys bottomfishing, I don't want to wait 95 years before we can re-establish sustainable fisheries for all rockfish species.  While there are many reasons for the decline and just as many management proposals for recovery, I believe that the proposal that Bear and I have will be the fastest way to sustainable recovery. 

Make no mistake, there is not a single fix for the problems that are out there.  However, building artificial reefs and using the advances in hatchery supplementation of these fishes would be the most effective.  Many people question these recommendations for one reason or another.  What we would like to do is answer these questions once and for all.  Will artificial habitat enhance the populations for rockfish and act as nursuries for the young?  I believe they will but let's prove it once and for all.  Can an artificial habitat be as effective or maybe even more effective than natural habitat?  I would love to have the opportunity to prove that one as well.  Can hatchery supplementation speed recovery of species like rockfish?  I believe so, let's find out.  Can we use hatchery supplementation without repeating problems of the past?  There is only one way to find out.

Throught the world, places like Florida, Korea, Japan and many others have been using artificial reefs as effective tools in fisheries management.  It's time for the State of Washington to catch-up. 

 

3 comments

Salmonhawk on Feb 24, 2010 at 6:08 am said:

Thanks for attending Curt. Hopefully we can use every tool in the tool box to eventually recover these fish to sustainable levels.

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Curt Kraemer on Feb 23, 2010 at 2:34 pm said:

Attended Dr. Rust's presentation and found it very interesting with much to think about. The California work on rockfish colonization of theoff shore rigs was especially interest. Had never thought of the vertical aspect of rockfish habitat - no wonder the rock walls in the San Juans are rockfish magnet. Thanks for providing the information

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Bear on Feb 16, 2010 at 3:29 pm said:

Right on brother! Rockfish rock!

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