DFO Pacific Outside South Hard Bottom Longline Surveys

Citation

Description

The Outside South Hard Bottom Longline (HBLL) survey is one of a set of long-term and coordinated surveys that together cover most of the nearshore, hard-bottom habitat of coastal British Columbia. The other surveys are the Outside North HBLL survey, Inside South HBLL survey, and Inside North HBLL survey

The Outside South HBLL survey was first conducted in 2007 and has been repeated every second year in alternate years to the Outside North HBLL survey, with the exception that no surveys were conducted in 2013. The survey was not impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. The objective of these surveys is to provide fishery-independent abundance indices and associated biological data for the assessment of nearshore rockfishes and other groundfish species that live on untrawlable, hard bottom habitats. The surveys follow a random depth-stratified design and the sampling units are 2 km by 2 km blocks. The Outside HBLL surveys use size 14/0 circle hooks, baited with frozen squid.

The Outside South HBLL Survey is conducted by DFO in collaboration with the Pacific Halibut Management Association (PHMA) and takes place on several chartered commercial fishing vessels each year. This survey covers the southern portion of the British Columbia coastline, including the mainland coast south of Milbanke Sound, Queen Charlotte Sound, and the north and west coasts of Vancouver Island. The PHMA provides the chartered commercial fishing vessels and field technicians, while DFO provides support for running the surveys, including survey design and equipment.

The data provided include information about the annual survey trips and fishing events (tows/sets) that are part of this survey series, including the vessel name, dates, times, spatial coverage, gear details, and effort information. Catch information (total weight in kg or counts of individual specimens) is included from successful fishing events. Catches are identified to species or to the lowest taxonomic level possible. Most catches are weighed, but some are too small (“trace” amounts) or too large (e.g. very large Big Skate). Some catches were subsampled and biological data were collected from individual fish specimens, including length, sex, and weight information. Where age structures were collected and processed, fish ages have been included.

Sampling Description

Taxonomic Coverages

Geographic Coverages

Bibliographic Citations

1. Anderson, S.C., Keppel, E.A., Edwards, A.M. 2019. A reproducible data synopsis for over 100 species of British Columbia groundfsh. DFO Can. Sci. Advis. Sec. Res. Doc. 2019/041. vii + 321 p. - http://www.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/csas-sccs/Publications/ResDocs-DocRech/2019/2019_041-eng.html
2. Page, L.M., Espinoza-Perez, H., Findley, L.T., Gilbert, C.R., Lea, R.N., Mandrak, N.E., Mayden, R.L., and Nelson, J.S.. 2013. Common and scientific names of fishes from the United States, Canada, and Mexico, 7th edition. American Fisheries Society, Special Publication 34, Bethesda, Maryland. 384 p. -
3. Doherty, B., Benson, A.J., Cox, S.P. 2019. Data summary and review of the PHMA hard bottom longline survey in British Columbia after the first 10 years (2006-2016). Can. Tech. Rep. Fish. Aquat. Sci. 3276: ix + 75 p - https://waves-vagues.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/Library/40771118.pdf