SFMP Kelp Bass Studies

In 2009, State Finfish Management Project (SFMP) staff began reviewing historical recreational fishery information for kelp bass. Currently SFMP biologists are collecting and processing historical length and catch data.

Historical Length and Catch Data

Marine Recreational Fisheries Statistics Survey (MRFSS) and California Recreational Fisheries Survey (CRFS) kelp bass length and catch data from 2000 to 2008 were analyzed by project staff to determine trends in length and angler catch (or bag) frequencies. All data analyzed were obtained from anglers interviewed by MRFSS and CRFS field technicians. These data will be used to assist in future kelp bass population evaluations. Summaries of data are provided below.

Length frequency data

The total length (TL) data summarize the total number of kelp bass measured from interviewed anglers each year. The TL data were grouped into four length intervals: less than 12 inches (sub-legal), 12 to 12.99 inches, 13 to 17 inches, and greater than 17 inches to provide a better understanding of length distribution. Average percentages were calculated for the 9-year period and results indicated that almost 86% of all kelp bass measured were from the 12- to 17- inch TL interval.

2000-2008 Kelp Bass Length Frequency Data by Year

Year	Number of Fish & Percentage	Total Length of Kelp Bass (in inches)
		<12	12 to 12.99	13 to 17	>17
2000	Number of Fish	34	234	704	120
	Annual Percentage	3.11	21.43	64.47	10.99
2001	Number of Fish	41	227	514	55
	Annual Percentage	4.90	27.12	61.41	6.57
2002	Number of Fish	83	503	896	133
	Annual Percentage	5.14	31.15	55.48	8.24
2003	Number of Fish	91	814	1431	233
	Annual Percentage	3.54	31.69	55.70	9.07
2004	Number of Fish	152	1071	3306	566
	Annual Percentage	2.98	21.02	64.89	11.11
2005	Number of Fish	134	828	2473	589
	Annual Percentage	3.33	20.58	61.46	14.64
2006	Number of Fish	146	1103	4214	878
	Annual Percentage	2.30	17.39	66.46	13.85
2007	Number of Fish	107	722	2615	544
	Annual Percentage	2.68	18.10	65.57	13.64
2008	Number of Fish	184	1045	2933	450
	Annual Percentage	3.99	22.66	63.59	9.76
Combined 2000-2008	Total Number of Fish	972	6547	19086	3568
	Average Percentage	3.55	23.46	62.11	10.87

Note: MRFSS and CRFS kelp bass length measurements were collected as fork length in millimeters.
All fork lengths presented here were converted to total length in inches as California regulations are written in this manner.

Catch frequency data

The kelp bass catch frequency data summarize the number of fish caught (also called daily bag and possession) per individual interviewed angler from 2000 to 2008. The table below provides annual summaries of total fish caught, total number of anglers sampled, and the average number of fish per angler. Data summarized include all angler trips that targeted kelp bass, which means that bags over the legal 10-fish limit and bags with zero fish caught were included. The average annual catch of kelp bass per angler for the 9-year period was 0.8 fish. If bags with zero fish were eliminated from the summary, the average annual catch of kelp bass per angler for the 9-year period would be 2.1 fish.

2000-2008 Kelp Bass Average Angler Catch (or Bag) by Year

	Year
	2000	2001	2002	2003	2004	2005	2006	2007	2008	Combined
Number of Fish	1496	1077	1842	3394	9834	4547	6253	5075	4837	38355
Number of Anglers	1474	1269	2253	3669	8944	6393	7666	7907	7650	47225
Average Fish per Angler	1.01	0.85	0.82	0.93	1.10	0.71	0.82	0.64	0.63	0.81