Abalone

Hi All,

For those members of the forum who shore pick or dive for abalone, at this RAAC meeting, the recent transect data will be discussed.  Short story, a 'trigger' per the Abalone Report Management Plan (ARMP) was hit requiring the DFG Commission to take some action, 25% TAC reduction minimum. Before there is panic, the fishery will not be closed down, but there will be some sort of reduction made.  The RAAC meeting welcomes the public and is encouraging them to participate at this meeting in person or via phone.  Please feel free to share this information.

Draft MEETING AGENDA
Recreational Abalone Advisory Committee (RAAC)
Saturday, November 5, 2016

10:30 AM – 3:30 PM

Location: Marin/Sonoma Mosquito and Vector Control boardroom, 595 Helman Lane, Cotati, CA.

Conference line: Toll-Free Number (in USA): 888-808-6929
When prompted, enter the Meeting Access Code: 9961539#

Contact Person: Ian Taniguchi, Senior Environmental Scientist, 4665 Lampson Ave. Suite C, Los Alamitos, CA. 90720 Phone: (562) 342-7182 Email: [email protected]

Committee Web Page: https://www.wildlife.ca.gov/Con.../Marine/Invertebrates/RAAC

1. 10:30 – 10:45 Introductions and announcements (Taniguchi)
a. Welcome new RAAC representatives

2. 10:45 – 11:30 CDFW enforcement report 2015-2016 activities (Hendricks)

3. 11:30 – 12:00 Budget 2016/17 and abalone dedicated account update (Taniguchi)

4. 12:00 – 13:00 Lunch

5. 13:00 – 14:30 Proposed Emergency Rulemaking for the 2017 red abalone fishery

a. Recent survey results and need for rulemaking
b. Environmental factors causing the concern for action
c. Discussion of rulemaking options (includes public expression on this topic)

6. 14:30 – 14:45 Break

7. 14:45 – 15:00 Other Business

8. 15:00 – 15:15 Public Expression on other agenda items (please limit to 3 minutes per person)

9. 15:15 – 15:30 Wrap up, next meeting and Adjournment

Additional meetings:

Marine Resources Committee (MRC) Tuesday November 15 in Los Alamitos where, like the RAAC, there will be discussions on suggested actions to be taken regarding the recent transect data.
http://www.fgc.ca.gov/meetings/2016/index.aspx
Agenda will be posted about 2 weeks prior to meeting. 
To my knowledge, no video coverage nor phone in opportunities for this meeting.
WestEd Building-Ed Meyers Classroom
4665 Lampson Ave., Ste. A
Los Alamitos, CA 90720

Department of Fish and Game Commission (DFGC) Tuesday and Wednesday December 7-8.
Agenda will be posted about 2 weeks prior to meeting.
http://www.fgc.ca.gov/meetings/2016/index.aspx
This is the meeting where the Commissioners will weigh out the recommendations by the RAAC, MRC and the public and take action pursuant to the current ARMP.  Live streamed coverage will be available though if you want to speak, you will need to attend the meeting.
Hilton Garden Inn San Diego Mission Valley/Stadium
3805 Murphy Canyon Road
San Diego, CA 92123

Brandi

thanks for posting Brandy hope I can attend as this will be pivitol in determining 2017 bag limit and counties involved. quite possibly a quota also

Is the data available, are there already recommended actions (or an array of possible actions)  laid out for discussion?

thanks for posting Brandy hope I can attend as this will be pivitol in determining 2017 bag limit and counties involved. quite possibly a quota also

Hi eiboh,

Trying to keep a complex issue simple, there are two things going on here 1) trigger being hit and subsequent action to be taken pursuant to the Abalone Report Management Plan (ARMP) 2) Development of the Red Abalone Fishery Management Plan (FMP).

#1 will not determine overall 2017 bag limits per se, but limits may be modified in areas within the fishery.  Emergency action to be determined by the DFGC in December. What ever is determined may or may not be part of the Abalone FMP.

#2 Currently, the Red Abalone FMP is being developed which may include modified ARMP and new regulations scheduled to be implemented in 2018 (was 2017, but extended to 2018 for a variety of reasons). No new regulations will go into effect until the FMP is in place.  Only modifications to recreational take is emergency actions - see #1

If you are unable to attend in person, call in! See agenda for call in info. That is how I have attended several RAAC meetings. 

Hope that makes sense.
Brandi

The data is not yet available though the Department is doing its best to make it available before the RAAC meeting.

No recommendations yet - to be discussed at both the RAAC and MRC meetings.  Recommendations will be provided to the DFGC just prior to their Dec 7-8 meeting.  Abalone will be on the agenda, recommendations discussed and action to take determined at that meeting - to go into effect in 2017.

If you have a recommendation that would align with the ARMP, Ian Tanaguchi would love to hear from you! 

Ian Taniguchi,
Senior Environmental Scientist
4665 Lampson Ave. Suite C
Los Alamitos, CA. 90720
Phone: (562) 342-7182
Email: [email protected]

You can also CC your public comments to the DFG Commission

California Fish and Game Commission
P.O. Box 944209
Sacramento, CA 94244-2090
Submit Comments on Proposed Regulations ([email protected])
(Please include the subject of the regulations in the e-mail subject line.)

Is the data available, are there already recommended actions (or an array of possible actions)  laid out for discussion?

First of all Thanks for your involvement in this, I know that this kinda stuff can be really frustrating.

Did DFW at least specify where the trigger point site was? Or was there more than one?

Thank you for all your hard work Brandi.

They did.  I think it was a Sonoma site.  Definitely was a deep water transect (25' and deeper)

One of the things that is making this complex issue more complex is Mother Nature. See https://cdfwmarine.wordpress.com/2016/03/30/perfect-storm-decimates-kelp/ The alleged speculation for low densities in deep water is lack of food (kelp) and the abs are migrating to shallower waters. 
Again, more will be discussed at the RAAC meeting.

First of all Thanks for your involvement in this, I know that this kinda stuff can be really frustrating.

Did DFW at least specify where the trigger point site was? Or was there more than one?

Thanks Tote.  Appreciate your kind words though I am actually not as involved as I once was.  Just sharing what I am learning

Thank you for all your hard work Brandi.

Just received:

The agenda for the November 15, 2016, meeting of
the Marine Resources Committee is available at
 http://www.fgc.ca.gov/meetings/2016/Nov/mrc/111516mrcagd.pdf. 

Brandi, et al,

I attended a meeting last Spring at FreeDive in West Sacramento. One of the topics included information that the current transects used for population studies have been over harvested due to their locations being public info. Volunteers were sought for a new series of transacts to be sampled. They also had some newly devised measuring calipers that marked the length of a whole bunch of abalone on a mylar strip. I put my contact information down on a list, but I never heard back from anyone. Does anybody on the NCKA forum know if anything ever came of that effort?
Thanks in advance,

Dan

Hi Dan,

I will preface that I do not know all of the intricacies to the project. 

What I do know is it is still going on though I believe they wanted to be much further along at this point in time. In short, The Nature Conservancy (aka TNC) has taken its first interest in the North Coast fisheries and is supporting Dr. Prince's (Australian abalone biologist) Spawn Potential Ratio (SPR) theory utilizing the calipers.  There is an Abalone Working Group (AWG) comprised of several recreational ab divers who is working with TNC with this concept.  It was that group who put on the info meeting at the Freedive Shop in Sacto to generate interest and possible participation with the project. At the time of the meeting, I am not sure they had more than 2 calipers, but I believe they had more made.  I have not seen one in person yet nor seen how they work.  The AWG has been reaching out to the Dept of Fish & Wildlife for support of their supplemental data collection method.  To my knowledge, it has not yet been clearly explained to the Dept how the data collected with the calipers will help with management of the abalone fisheries though I believe TNC's goal is to have the SPR method using citizen science participation (use of calipers) integrated into the Ab FMP??? Not really sure.  I suspect this method will be broached in the RAAC discussions as the newly seated north rep, Josh Russo, has been part of the AWG.

Send me an email [email protected] if you want to learn more how to be apart of the AWG.  No, I am not part of the AWG at this time.

**EDIT ADD**  I just learned there will be a presentation by one of the AWG members about the Abalone Working Group and what they have been up to sometime during the RAAC meeting. 

Brandi, et al,

I attended a meeting last Spring at FreeDive in West Sacramento. One of the topics included information that the current transects used for population studies have been over harvested due to their locations being public info. Volunteers were sought for a new series of transacts to be sampled. They also had some newly devised measuring calipers that marked the length of a whole bunch of abalone on a mylar strip. I put my contact information down on a list, but I never heard back from anyone. Does anybody on the NCKA forum know if anything ever came of that effort?
Thanks in advance,

Dan

Brandi, et al,

I attended a meeting last Spring at FreeDive in West Sacramento. One of the topics included information that the current transects used for population studies have been over harvested due to their locations being public info. Volunteers were sought for a new series of transacts to be sampled. They also had some newly devised measuring calipers that marked the length of a whole bunch of abalone on a mylar strip. I put my contact information down on a list, but I never heard back from anyone. Does anybody on the NCKA forum know if anything ever came of that effort?
Thanks in advance,

Dan

Frank had all the contact info from that meeting in his back pack and it was stolen.  You can reconnect with him at (408)394-1885

Thanks for bringing those of us who have been out of touch up to speed.   I assume there's a push on to get as may divers to attend as possible. 

The agenda has time for public comment but it's brief give the three agenda items in the 90 minute slot.  Do we have a concise position that everyone could base thier comments on in order to have a common theme?

e.g. Josh Russo's point that if the ARMP requires a reduction then it should be time bound with an expiration date.  Meaning we don't have to fight to get it back they have to fight to keep it in place.

Thanks for bringing those of us who have been out of touch up to speed.   I assume there's a push on to get as may divers to attend as possible. 

The agenda has time for public comment but it's brief give the three agenda items in the 90 minute slot.  Do we have a concise position that everyone could base thier comments on in order to have a common theme?

e.g. Josh Russo's point that if the ARMP requires a reduction then it should be time bound with an expiration date.  Meaning we don't have to fight to get it back they have to fight to keep it in place.

They had been accepting of the expiration date but now they're not.  The RAAC meeting will be the first time the "public" will see their plan and reasoning so in the immediate, it's important to oppose the annual limit reduction.  After the RAAC we will know more and be able to be more specific about why and what options we have.