Rockfish abundance, recruitment, and community structure trends in the western Strait of Juan de Fuca, Washington, 2005-2023
Rockfish, Sebastes spp., are bottomfish that come in a variety of shapes, sizes and colors with 28 species recognized in the Salish Sea. Based on increasing concern over the long-term stability of rockfish populations in Washington by state and federal agencies, the Seattle Aquarium formalized a ben...
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2025-02-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Marine Science |
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| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmars.2025.1452991/full |
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| author | Shawn E. Larson Katie Shelledy Daniela Escontrela Dieguez Jeff Christiansen Amy Y. Olsen Zachary Randell Megan H. Williams Chris VanDamme Dayv Lowry William Jasper |
| author_facet | Shawn E. Larson Katie Shelledy Daniela Escontrela Dieguez Jeff Christiansen Amy Y. Olsen Zachary Randell Megan H. Williams Chris VanDamme Dayv Lowry William Jasper |
| author_sort | Shawn E. Larson |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Rockfish, Sebastes spp., are bottomfish that come in a variety of shapes, sizes and colors with 28 species recognized in the Salish Sea. Based on increasing concern over the long-term stability of rockfish populations in Washington by state and federal agencies, the Seattle Aquarium formalized a benthic monitoring program starting in 2005 on rocky reefs west and east of Neah Bay, Washington. Diver-operated video (DOV) surveys were conducted annually to quantify patterns in bottomfish (rockfish and other species associated with rocky reefs) abundance and stability over time. Divers performed 100-meter video transects devised to be both non-invasive and repeatable, for assessing both relatively sessile bottomfish and for schooling, transitory rockfish species. Strip transects were conducted annually in August from 2005 through 2023 at five permanently marked index sites. Species-specific relative abundance data for bottomfish were later extracted by biologists from archived video. Notably, over the 19-year study period, bottomfish abundance was stable or increased at all sites, driven by significant increases in eight rockfish species: Black/Deacon, Canary, China, Copper, Quillback, Tiger, and Yellowtail. Relatively few Puget Sound, Vermillion, Widow, and Yelloweye Rockfish individuals were documented, and their abundance did not increase throughout the study. Boccaccio where never encountered during the 19 year monitoring period. All sites displayed relative stability in fish community structure over time. We documented low levels of young-of-the-year (YOY) rockfish recruitment over the years with one major recruitment event in 2016. Despite an increase in abundance across eight rockfish species, recruitment events remained infrequent. Furthermore, Boccaccio and Yelloweye rockfish, both protected species, were either never or rarely encountered, respectively, underscoring the need for sustained conservation efforts and expanded long-term monitoring for species with long generation times such as rockfish. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-7bfcd94e2e09483c9402de712452b773 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2296-7745 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-02-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Marine Science |
| spelling | doaj-art-7bfcd94e2e09483c9402de712452b7732025-02-05T05:17:52ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Marine Science2296-77452025-02-011210.3389/fmars.2025.14529911452991Rockfish abundance, recruitment, and community structure trends in the western Strait of Juan de Fuca, Washington, 2005-2023Shawn E. Larson0Katie Shelledy1Daniela Escontrela Dieguez2Jeff Christiansen3Amy Y. Olsen4Zachary Randell5Megan H. Williams6Chris VanDamme7Dayv Lowry8William Jasper9Research Program, Conservation Programs and Partnerships Department, Seattle Aquarium, Seattle, WA, United StatesResearch Program, Conservation Programs and Partnerships Department, Seattle Aquarium, Seattle, WA, United StatesResearch Program, Conservation Programs and Partnerships Department, Seattle Aquarium, Seattle, WA, United StatesResearch Program, Conservation Programs and Partnerships Department, Seattle Aquarium, Seattle, WA, United StatesResearch Program, Conservation Programs and Partnerships Department, Seattle Aquarium, Seattle, WA, United StatesResearch Program, Conservation Programs and Partnerships Department, Seattle Aquarium, Seattle, WA, United StatesResearch Program, Conservation Programs and Partnerships Department, Seattle Aquarium, Seattle, WA, United StatesResearch Program, Conservation Programs and Partnerships Department, Seattle Aquarium, Seattle, WA, United StatesWest Coast Region Office, NOAA| Fisheries, U.S. Department of Commerce, Lacey, WA, United StatesMakah Fisheries Management, Makah Tribe, Neah Bay, WA, United StatesRockfish, Sebastes spp., are bottomfish that come in a variety of shapes, sizes and colors with 28 species recognized in the Salish Sea. Based on increasing concern over the long-term stability of rockfish populations in Washington by state and federal agencies, the Seattle Aquarium formalized a benthic monitoring program starting in 2005 on rocky reefs west and east of Neah Bay, Washington. Diver-operated video (DOV) surveys were conducted annually to quantify patterns in bottomfish (rockfish and other species associated with rocky reefs) abundance and stability over time. Divers performed 100-meter video transects devised to be both non-invasive and repeatable, for assessing both relatively sessile bottomfish and for schooling, transitory rockfish species. Strip transects were conducted annually in August from 2005 through 2023 at five permanently marked index sites. Species-specific relative abundance data for bottomfish were later extracted by biologists from archived video. Notably, over the 19-year study period, bottomfish abundance was stable or increased at all sites, driven by significant increases in eight rockfish species: Black/Deacon, Canary, China, Copper, Quillback, Tiger, and Yellowtail. Relatively few Puget Sound, Vermillion, Widow, and Yelloweye Rockfish individuals were documented, and their abundance did not increase throughout the study. Boccaccio where never encountered during the 19 year monitoring period. All sites displayed relative stability in fish community structure over time. We documented low levels of young-of-the-year (YOY) rockfish recruitment over the years with one major recruitment event in 2016. Despite an increase in abundance across eight rockfish species, recruitment events remained infrequent. Furthermore, Boccaccio and Yelloweye rockfish, both protected species, were either never or rarely encountered, respectively, underscoring the need for sustained conservation efforts and expanded long-term monitoring for species with long generation times such as rockfish.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmars.2025.1452991/fulllong-term monitoringdiver-operated videotransectsSCUBArockfishSebastes spp |
| spellingShingle | Shawn E. Larson Katie Shelledy Daniela Escontrela Dieguez Jeff Christiansen Amy Y. Olsen Zachary Randell Megan H. Williams Chris VanDamme Dayv Lowry William Jasper Rockfish abundance, recruitment, and community structure trends in the western Strait of Juan de Fuca, Washington, 2005-2023 Frontiers in Marine Science long-term monitoring diver-operated video transects SCUBA rockfish Sebastes spp |
| title | Rockfish abundance, recruitment, and community structure trends in the western Strait of Juan de Fuca, Washington, 2005-2023 |
| title_full | Rockfish abundance, recruitment, and community structure trends in the western Strait of Juan de Fuca, Washington, 2005-2023 |
| title_fullStr | Rockfish abundance, recruitment, and community structure trends in the western Strait of Juan de Fuca, Washington, 2005-2023 |
| title_full_unstemmed | Rockfish abundance, recruitment, and community structure trends in the western Strait of Juan de Fuca, Washington, 2005-2023 |
| title_short | Rockfish abundance, recruitment, and community structure trends in the western Strait of Juan de Fuca, Washington, 2005-2023 |
| title_sort | rockfish abundance recruitment and community structure trends in the western strait of juan de fuca washington 2005 2023 |
| topic | long-term monitoring diver-operated video transects SCUBA rockfish Sebastes spp |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmars.2025.1452991/full |
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