Search results | Digital Commons of Moss Landing Marine Laboratories

Title: Deepwater habitat and fish resources associated with the Big Creek Marine Ecological Reserve,
Description: Big Creek Marine Ecological Reserve (BCER), located off the central California coast, has been closed to fishing since January 1994. We used side scan sonar and an occupied submersible to collect baseline information on species-habitat relationships, density, and species and size composition of fish inside and outside BCER. Forty-three dives were made in the fall of 1997 and 1998, at depths of 20-250 m. From 142 video transects, we identified over 70,000 fish from 82 taxa, including 36 species of rockfish. About 93% of the 25,159 fish inside BCER were rockfishes representing at least 20 species. Young-of-the-year rockfishes dominated rock outcrops in 20-90 m depth inside and outside BCER. Four distinct fish assemblages were associated with (1) fine, smooth sediment in deep water; (2) bedrock with uneven surface in deep water; (3) sand waves and shell hash in shallow water; and (4) boulders and organic habitats on rock in shallow water. There were no significant differences in fish density among locations (inside and outside BCER) and depths or between years. Density was significantly higher in high-relief rock habitat than in low-relief soft and mixed sediments, regardless of location. There were no consistent patterns of larger fish inside compared to outside the protected area. We recommend development of a monitoring program to continue these surveys after increased time of protection and with increased assessment effort in the appropriate habitats of economically valuable species. In addition, extending the boundaries of BCER seaward would protect habitats and fish in water depths greater than 100 m., Cited By (since 1996):18, , , Downloaded from: http://calcofi.org/publications/ccreports.html (05 June 14).
Author: Yoklavich, Cailliet, Starr, Lea, De Marignac, Greene, Field
Date: 2002-01-01T00:00:00Z

Title: Movements of small adult black rockfish: Implications for the design of MPAs
Description: Off the coast of central California, USA, small black rockfish Sebastes melanops (individuals below the length at 50% maturity) comprise a large percentage of the catch in recreational fisheries, yet little is known about the movements of these small fish. To better understand their movements, we implanted acoustic transmitters into 23 black rockfish (29 to 41 cm total length) in Carmel Bay, California, USA. Tagged fish were monitored over a 16 mo period between August 2006 and January 2008. Their vertical movements were correlated with environmental variables such as atmospheric pressure, wind speed, upwelling, and wave height. From October to May, black rockfish moved to deeper waters offshore during the day and returned at night. In the summer, diurnal movements of black rockfish decreased in frequency, perhaps due to locally abundant food resources associated with seasonal upwelling. About two-thirds of the tagged black rockfish (14 fish) displayed a high degree of residency to the study area (>11 mo). The remaining third (9 fish) left the study area within 6 mo of release; signals from 4 of these fish were later detected on other acoustic receiver arrays >50 km north of Carmel Bay. Storms may have caused those fish to move northward in winter. When in residence, the mean home range of tagged fish was 0.25 km2. Our results indicate that a better understanding of the variability of fish movements among age classes is necessary to design marine protected areas (MPAs) that are intended to protect all life stages of a species. © 2011 Inter-Research., Cited By (since 1996):2, CODEN: MESED
Author: Green, Starr
Date: 2011-01-01T00:00:00Z

Title: Habitat use, residency, and seasonal distribution of female leopard sharks Triakis semifasciata in Elkhorn Slough, California,
Description: Bays and estuaries play important roles in the life history of leopard sharks Triakis semifasciata, yet these coastal environments are among those most impacted by human activity. To better understand habitat use, spatial associations, and ecological roles of leopard sharks in estuarine environments, movements of leopard sharks were studied in Elkhorn Slough, California, USA. A total of 21 female leopard sharks (78 to 140 cm total length) were tagged with acoustic transmitters and tracked from August 2003 to February 2005. Eight sharks were manually tracked for 20 to 71.5 h, and 13 sharks were monitored for 4 to 280 d using an array of acoustic receivers. Female leopard sharks exhibited a high degree of fidelity to Elkhorn Slough. The distribution of tagged sharks changed seasonally and was likely associated with changes in temperature, salinity, and dissolved oxygen. Sharks used the area that comprises Elkhorn Slough National Estuarine Research Reserve (ESNERR) extensively throughout the year, but especially during spring and summer. When sharks occupied ESNERR, their habitat use was tidally influenced, with sharks using low intertidal mudflats extensively when available. Sharks using the main channel tended to remain in subtidal habitats at all tidal levels. These results suggest that efforts to protect important leopard shark habitats in bays and estuaries should focus on preserving and restoring intertidal mudflats., Cited By (since 1996):23, CODEN: MESED, ,
Author: Carlisle, Starr
Date: 2009-01-01T00:00:00Z

Title: Growth, mortality, and reproductive seasonality of California Halibut (Paralichthys californicus): A biogeographic approach
Description: Differences in key biological processes, such as growth and reproduction, can greatly influence localized population dynamics. Thus, it is important to characterize spatial variation in life history traits of harvested species to develop management plans that maximize fishery sustainability. We estimated sex- and region-specific growth, total mortality, and reproductive seasonality to assess biogeographic differences in California Halibut life history. We found that central California Halibut grew faster but attained smaller maximum sizes than those from southern California. Catch curve analysis illustrated no difference in total mortality by sex or region, though females live longer than males. Year-class frequency distributions suggested greater recruitment variability in central California, where abiotic factors (e.g., upwelling strength, sea surface temperature) are likely drivers. Reproductive data indicated that summer spawning seasons peak earliest in Mexico, followed by southern and central California. These results demonstrate a need to assess and manage California Halibut at the regional scale.
Author: Barnes, Starr, Reilly
Date: 2015-01-01T00:00:00Z

Title: A classification scheme for deep seafloor habitats,
Description: Cited By (since 1996):139, , , ,
Author: Greene, Yoklavich, Starr, O'Connell, Wakefield, Sullivan, McRea Jr., Cailliet
Date: 1999-01-01T00:00:00Z

Title: Use of acoustic tags to estimate natural mortality, spillover, and movements of lingcod (Ophiodon elongatus) in a marine reserve,
Description: Advances in electronic telemetry systems have led to fish tagging studies that are sufficiently long to provide estimates of natural mortality of many marine fishes. We used acoustic transmitters and an array of recording receivers to estimate natural mortality, residence times, and rates of movements of lingcod (Ophiodon elongatus) in a marine reserve in southeast Alaska. We surgically implanted acoustic tags in a total of 83 lingcod in December 1999 and July 2000, and distributed recording monitors with receiving ranges of at least 800 m throughout the reserve. The receivers were anchored on the seafloor in locations that resulted in overlapping receiving ranges, and thus created an array of receivers that completely encompassed an 8 km 2 reserve. In this way, we were able to estimate natural mortality rates and track movements of tagged lingcod into and out of the reserve from December 1999 through October 2001. Acoustic tag results indicated that most of the tagged fish frequently left the reserve, but were only absent for short time periods. Tagged fish showed a high degree of site fidelity. The large number of signals received from tagged fish enabled us to generate models that provided a way to predict the effects of marine reserves on yield and eggs per recruit for a cohort of female lingcod., Cited By (since 1996):8, Fish and Fisheries, ,
Author: Starr, O'Connell, Ralston, Breaker
Date: 2005-01-01T00:00:00Z

Title: Movements of bocaccio (Sebastes paucispinis) and greenspotted (S. chlorostictus) rockfishes in a Monterey submarine canyon: Implications for the design of marine reserves,
Description: Cited By (since 1996):49, , , ,
Author: Starr, Heine, Felton, Cailliet
Date: 2002-01-01T00:00:00Z

Title: A classification scheme for deep seafloor habitats,
Description: A standard, universally useful classification scheme for deepwater habitats needs to be established so that descriptions of these habitats can be accurately and efficiently applied among scientific disciplines In recent years many marine benthic habitats in deep water have been described using geophysical and biological data. These descriptions can vary from one investigator to another, which makes it difficult to compare habitats and associated biological assemblages among geographic regions. Using geophysical data collected with a variety of remote sensor systems and in situ biological and geologic observations, we have constructed a classification scheme that can be used in describing marine benthic habitats in deep water., Cited By (since 1996):117, Rocks and Cores, CODEN: OCACD, ,
Author: Greene, Yoklavich, Starr, O'Connell, Wakefield, Sullivan, McRea Jr., Cailliet
Date: 1999-01-01T00:00:00Z

Title: Diel activity and variability in habitat use of white sea bream in a temperate marine protected area
Description: Fish populations are often comprised of individuals that use habitats and associated resources in different ways. We placed sonic transmitters in, and tracked movements of, white sea bream (Diplodus sargus sargus) in the no-take zone of a Mediterranean marine protected area: the Torre Guaceto marine protected area, (Adriatic Sea, Italy). Tagged fish displayed three types of diel activity patterns in three different habitats: sand, rocky reefs and “matte” of the seagrass Posidonia oceanica. Individuals were more active during the day than at night. Overall, white sea bream displayed a remarkable behavioural plasticity in habitat use. Our results indicate that the observed behavioural plasticity in the marine protected area could be the result of multiple ecological and environmental drivers such as size, sex and increased intra-specific competition. Our findings support the view that habitat diversity helps support high densities of fishes., Available online
Author: Di Lorenzo, Fernandez, Badalamenti, Guidetti, Starr, Giacalone, Di Franco, D'Anna
Date: 2016-02-20T00:00:00Z

Title: Collaborative research: An effective way to collect data for stock assessments and evaluate marine protected areas in California,
Description: Collaborative fisheries research (in contrast to cooperative research) is based on the intellectual partnership between scientists and fishermen and is an effective way to collect data for stock assessments and to evaluate marine protected areas. Collaborative fisheries research is discussed in the context of comanagement of marine resources and how it contributes to a more democratic form of fisheries management. Many benefits result from working together, including (1) the incorporation of fishers' knowledge and expertise into the management process and (2) the development of shared perspectives derived through science-based investigations on the status of marine resources. The California Collaborative Fisheries Research Program was formed in 2006 to participate in the monitoring of marine reserves established through California's Marine Life Protection Act. This program has shown that it can serve as a model for other areas that are trying to implement collaborative research and that collaborative research can greatly contribute to the realization of community-based co-management of marine resources. © Copyright by the American Fisheries Society 2009., Cited By (since 1996):5 Fish and Fisheries, ,
Author: Wendt, Starr
Date: 2009-01-01T00:00:00Z

Title: Tidal movements of female leopard sharks (Triakis semifasciata) in Elkhorn Slough, California
Description: The leopard shark (Triakis semifasciata) is one of the most common species of elasmobranch in California, and uses the shallow bays and estuaries of California extensively throughout its life history. To examine the role that tides and time of day play on the distribution and movements of leopard sharks in an estuarine environment, a total of 22 female leopard sharks (78-140 cm TL) were tagged with acoustic transmitters in Elkhorn Slough, California, USA. Eight sharks were manually tracked for 20-71. 5 h, and 13 sharks were monitored for 4-280 days using an array of acoustic receivers. Overall, the distribution and movements of sharks were strongly influenced by the tides and to a lesser extent by period of day, although general patterns of movement differed depending on what region of Elkhorn Slough the sharks were using. In the main channel of Elkhorn Slough, sharks generally moved with the tide, maximizing the area over which they could forage on a more dispersed prey field. Conversely, leopard sharks within the Elkhorn Slough National Estuarine Research Reserve regularly swam against strong currents to remain in proximity to the intertidal mudflats. This high degree of fidelity to a specific region was probably due to an abundance of important prey in the area. These results indicate that movements, and thus the foraging ecology, of leopard sharks show a high degree of plasticity and are influenced by tidal stage, tidal current, availability of suitable habitat, and availability and distribution of important prey items. © 2010 Springer Science+Business Media B.V., Cited By (since 1996):2, Fish and Fisheries, CODEN: EBFID
Author: Carlisle, Starr
Date: 2010-01-01T00:00:00Z

Title: Fitting the size of no-take zones to species movement patterns: A case study on a Mediterranean seabream
Description: No-take zones (NTZs) have been shown to be useful tools for marine conservation and fishery management, although the lack of information on species' movements often makes it difficult to properly establish NTZ size. Using acoustic telemetry techniques, we monitored the movements, home range (HR) and homing ability (to capture sites) of 22 adult white seabream Diplodus sargus sargus in a fully protected portion (138.60 ha) of the Torre Guaceto Marine Protected Area (SE Italy). After release at a different location than the site of capture, 85% of the tagged fish returned to the capture site within 3 d. Fish were monitored for 161 d. All tagged fish spent most of the time within the monitoring area (fish presence index = 92.8%) and showed a mean HR of 20.6 ha. These results indicate that the studied NTZ effectively protects seabream, as it entirely encompasses their HRs, which are on average far smaller than the reserve. Twelve individuals left the monitoring area during the period of the year that corresponds to their known time of spawning. This potential emigration during the spawning period indicates that the reserve alone does not fully protect white seabream and that other management options, such as a seasonal fishing closure during the reproductive period, may be needed. Estimates of movement patterns and HRs of fishes, therefore, represent useful information to better understand, refine and enhance the value of NTZs for protecting ecologically valuable species. © Inter-Research 2014.
Author: Di Lorenzo, D'Anna, Badalamenti, Giacalone, Starr, Guidetti
Date: 2014-01-01T00:00:00Z

Title: Utilizing fishermen knowledge and expertise: Keys to success for collaborative fisheries research
Description: Collaborative fisheries research provides a mechanism for integrating the unique knowledge, experience, and skills of fishermen and scientists. It is a joint intellectual endeavor that begins with the inception of a project and continues until its final stages, with each group having mutual investment in-and ownership of- the project. Collaborative fisheries research promotes communication and trust among fishermen, scientists, and managers and can provide much-needed scientifically valid data for fisheries management. It can enhance federal and state management data collection programs, which span broad sections of coastline, by increasing the ability to detect changes in local metapopulations that may be overfished or underutilized. We describe a methodology for conducting collaborative fisheries surveys and apply it to marine protected areas along the central California coast. During a series of workshops in 2006, attended by members of the fishing, academic, environmental, and management communities, protocols were established for conducting hook-and-line surveys collaboratively with commercial passenger fishing vessel captains and volunteer recreational anglers. The protocols have been implemented annually since 2007. This case study highlights the effectiveness of-and the essential steps in-developing our collaborative fisheries research and monitoring projects., Cited By (since 1996):1, Fish and Fisheries
Author: Yochum, Starr, Wendt
Date: 2011-01-01T00:00:00Z