The ABMP focuses much of its research on the bays, estuaries, and nearshore habitats of California that support commercial and recreational fisheries, striving for ecosystem-based management through collaboration with universities, agencies, businesses, public stakeholders and fishermen. ABMP staff are committed to maintaining the health of wild and cultured marine species through disease monitoring and sustainable fisheries management. Staff participate in monitoring, assessment, and management of kelp and other marine algae, and marine finfish and shellfish, including white seabass, bay shrimp, and Pacific herring.
Aquaculture and Bay Management Project
The California Recreational Fisheries Survey (CRFS) is a multi-part survey implemented in 2004 with one goal: to produce, in a timely manner, marine recreational fishery data needed for sustainable management of California’s marine resources. The CRFS project collects fishery-dependent data, and resulting monthly catch and effort estimates are used to inform management decisions. CRFS is the largest project in the Marine Region with three Senior Environmental Scientists, five Environmental Scientists, seven Fish and Wildlife Technicians, and approximately 70 Scientific Aids. CRFS operates on 1,100 miles of coast, and conducts over 7,000 sampling assignments, interacting with over 68,000 fishing parties, at 400 sampling sites each year.
The California Recreational Fisheries Survey
The Diving Safety Program administers the compressed gas diving activities of the California Department of Fish and Wildlife. The Program oversees dive planning, supports projects in the field, and provides ongoing training for more than 70 active divers statewide. Administered by the Department's Marine Region, the DSP has been an AAUS Organizational Member since 2000.
Diving Safety Program
The Environmental Review and Water Quality Project staff reviews activities that impact marine habitat and resources such as dredging, new construction, artificial reefs, desalination plants, beach replenishment, and offshore renewable energy. The Project works to restore, mitigate, and protect habitats and waters critical to California's marine and estuarine resources. Staff ensures compliance with the California Endangered Species Act and the California Environmental Quality Act, and acts as lead for California's marine mitigation banking program.
Fisheries Analytics Project staff participates in gathering, managing, reviewing, and analyzing fishery data used to satisfy regulatory requirements, and providing these data to users. Staff supports the California Recreational Fisheries Survey and other recreational and commercial fisheries surveys, participates in developing fisheries data surveys and methods on an interstate level, and conducts stock assessment and other quantitative modeling to inform fisheries management.
Fisheries Analytics Project
Through analyzing and reviewing fisheries data, project staff provides annual and in-season management options and recommendations to the Fish and Game Commission and the Pacific Fishery Management Council (PFMC). Staff monitors and develops regulations for the commercial and recreational groundfish fisheries. "Groundfish" include rockfishes, flatfishes, roundfishes (including sablefish, cabezon, lingcod, and greenlings), and some sharks and skates. Staff also conducts and reviews stock assessments, and represents California fisheries on the PFMC Groundfish Management Team.
Groundfish Project
Invertebrate Management Project staff participates in data collection, monitoring, surveying, assessment, and management of commercial and recreational invertebrate fisheries occurring primarily in the nearshore environment. The project focuses on abalone, California spiny lobster, Dungeness crab, clams, red sea urchin, sea cucumbers, and other tidal invertebrates. Project biologists collaborate with fishermen, industry groups, NGOs, and other researchers on a broad range of activities related to California's invertebrate species.
Invertebrate Management Project
The California Department of Fish and Wildlife manages marine algae resources by conducting annual aerial surveys of kelp canopy, tracking commercial harvest records, and providing management recommendations to the California Fish and Game Commission on kelp harvest plans, kelp bed lease requests, and potential regulation changes.
Kelp and Other Marine Algae Project
MFSU staff collects, processes, and audits commercial fishery landings data, including landing receipts, commercial passenger fishing vessel logbooks, spiny lobster logbooks, and transportation receipts. The MFSU works closely with CDFW biologists and enforcement staff to monitor these data and ensure compliance is achieved. MFSU staff provides landing data and statistics to various governmental agencies, consulting firms, courts, fishermen and the general public.
Marine Fisheries Statistical Unit
Charged with implementing the Marine Life Protection Act (MLPA), MPA Project staff work in a public-private partnership to support the planning and implementation of a statewide network of MPAs. Staff works in collaboration with multi-interest stakeholder groups, provides feedback on MPA proposals, works with inter-agency scientists and policymakers, provides public outreach, and assists the overall MLPA implementation process. Staff also works on the long-term evaluation, monitoring, and enforcement of MPAs.
California Marine Protected Areas
This project is designed to enhance the working relationship between CDFW staff and the public by providing administrative guidance and support. Project staff provides the framework that guides CDFW staff through day-to-day business dealings, including but not limited to: facilities and contract management, license sales, and personnel transactions. Project staff helps to ensure conformance with State laws and CDFW policies as CDFW staff work to accomplish their projects' objectives.
formerly State Finfish Management Project
Project biologists participate in data collection and analysis, research, monitoring, surveying, and other management activities related to state-managed finfish species, including surfperches (especially barred surfperch), California halibut, kelp bass, and hagfish. Information gathered from fishery-independent and fishery-dependent sources may contribute to stock assessments, developing management options, and public informational aids (such as pamphlets) for state-managed finfish.
Northern and Central California Finfish Research and Management Project
The Ocean Salmon Project provides fishery-dependent and -independent data for managing California's ocean salmon fisheries. The project produces annual estimates of ocean salmon harvest, fishery effort, ocean abundances, and fishery impacts on stocks of special concern. OSP staff collaborates with CDFW's Fisheries Branch and the California Recreational Fisheries Survey, and provides technical assistance to the Pacific Fishery Management Council, the California Fish and Game Commission, NOAA Fisheries, tribal governments, and constituents.
Summary of California ocean salmon seasons
The Pelagic Fisheries and Ecosystems Program (PFEP) manages Coastal Pelagic Species (CPS; Pacific sardine, Pacific mackerel, jack mackerel, northern anchovy and market squid) and Highly Migratory Species (HMS; tunas, billfishes and sharks). Management activities and functions include collection and analysis of fishery data, assessment of species status, generation of management recommendations, and evaluation of existing regulations. PFEP staff coordinates state management of CPS and HMS species with multiple state, national and international managing bodies.
Pelagic Fisheries and Ecosystems
RVOP staff provides and maintains platforms for collecting data at sea. CDFW research vessels currently include a variety of boats ranging from the 45-ft. R/V Garibaldi to several small, inflatable boats. Vessels can be adapted for a wide variety of research, including abalone and finfish surveys, and kelp forest monitoring. RVOP staff also supports research by other CDFW and non-CDFW partners through use of Marine Region vessels.
Project staff uses fishery-independent methods including scuba to gather data from nearshore environments. The project goal is to provide information to improve management of nearshore resources. Staff activities include data collection for stock assessments, evaluation of marine protected areas, monitoring of important fished species and their habitats, and determination of life-history parameters for various species. Southern California Fisheries Research & Management Project staff often work collaboratively with other agencies, academic institutions, and the fishing community on large-scale monitoring and research efforts.
Southern California Fisheries Research & Management Project
