Management of Pacific Herring (Clupea harengus pallasi) in the Eastern Pacific Ocean

Abstract

Pacific herring (Clupea harengus pallasi) fishery management in the eastern Pacific Ocean is under jurisdiction of the federal governments of the United States and Canada and the states of Alaska, Washington, Oregon, and California. In Canada, the Department of Fisheries and Oceans is responsible for all Canadian marine fisheries. United States fisheries management is a federal responsibility in waters beyond 5.6 km (3 nautical miles), provided that a Fishery Management Plan is in effect. As no such plan currently exists for herring in the eastern Pacific, individual states manage offshore waters as well as territorial waters. The dominant product from herring fishing on the west coasts of the United States and Canada is "sac-roe," or mature egg skeins, which are used as a caviar product. Other uses include human food, king crab and other commercial bait, bait for recreational fishermen, herring spawn-on-kelp, and animal food. In-season and post-season standing stock estimates are based on direct observation or measurement. Quotas are based directly on standing stock estimates, using one of two philosophies. The first, used mainly in Canada, sets a spawning escapement goal designed to maximize average larval production, and allows harvest of all herring in excess of this goal. The second sets a harvest in proportion to the standing stock, to allow spawning escapement to fluctuate cyclically as in an unfished population. Serious management problems are caused by the large catching capacity of the herring fleets and by the short time period during which satisfactory roe maturity occurs before spawning. Fishing is often limited to several hours or several days, primarily to maintain catches within quota limits, and secondarily to prevent overloading processing facilities. An equitable allocation of the harvest among various users is difficult, compounding management problems.