The divergent effect of capture depth and associated barotrauma on post-recompression survival of canary (Sebastes pinniger) and yelloweye rockfish (S. ruberrimus)

Published source details Hannah R.W., Rankin P.S. & Blume M.T.O. (2014) The divergent effect of capture depth and associated barotrauma on post-recompression survival of canary (Sebastes pinniger) and yelloweye rockfish (S. ruberrimus). Fisheries Research, 157, 106-112.
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This study is summarised as evidence for the following.

	Action	Category
	Release protected or species of concern alive after capture Action Link

Release protected or species of concern alive after capture

A replicated study in 2012–2013 in two areas of pelagic water in the Pacific Ocean, off Oregon, USA (Hannah et al. 2014) found that almost all protected yelloweye rockfish Sebastes ruberrimus survived for four days after capture and release, but post-release survival of protected canary rockfish Sebastes pinniger decreased with capture depth. Overall post-release survival of yelloweye rockfish Sebastes ruberrimus was 95% (77 of 81 fish survived), while survival of canary rockfish Sebastes pinniger was 78% (42 of 54 fish survived). Estimates (to compensate for small sample sizes) of the proportion of yelloweye rockfish surviving with capture depth were similar (83–93%) across all five depth ranges sampled. For canary rockfish, estimated survival decreased with increasing depth of capture; >75% at depths of 46–84 m, decreasing to 25% at depths below 135 m. In coastal waters of the USA, non-retention rules for several species of Pacific rockfishes formed part of the Pacific Coast Fishery Management Plan of 2012. Sampling was done between September 2012 and October 2013 at two areas near Stonewall Bank, off Newport. A total of 81 yelloweye and 54 canary rockfish were caught with rod and reel from five depth zones across a total depth range of 46–175 m. After capture, each fish was placed in a specifically designed cage that was then deployed in the sea at a depth similar to the depth at fish capture. Cages were retrieved after 44–96 h and survival recorded.

(Summarised by: Natasha Taylor)