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Flatfish in Hecate

Fargo and Tyler 1991

Sustainability of flatfish dominated fish assemblages in Hecate Strait

 

 

 

 

Authors looked at commercial trawl catch data and found reoccurring patterns.

 

Each “bottom type” had it own characteristics suite of flatfishes. Presumably reflecting similar currents and sediment types;

Note how simplified this generalization is from the different “grounds” given on DFO map of Hecate

 

How different flatfish rank in catch for Hecate areas

 

Reef

Butterworth

Bonilla

Moresby Gully

Pacific sanddab

0

0

4

0

Arrowtooth flounder

0

1

 4

2

Petrale sole*

0

0

0

0

Rex sole

0

6

6

4

Pacific halibut

3

7

7

0

Rock sole

2

0

8

0

Dover sole*

0

2

8

0

English sole

4

5

2

0

Pacific cod

5

7

1

0

Pacific Ocean perch*

0

7

0

1

Redbanded rockfish

0

0

0

3

Spiny dogfish*

1

 4

3

6

Big skate

3

0

0

0

Ratfish

5

3

8

7

 

 

Effort changes over time

If the different grounds were being over fished one would expect “junk” fish to dominate after a few years of overfishing.

The authors did not find this happening over period they looked at.

Assemblages remained fairly constant

 

 

The Bar shows amount of effort – White Rocks was the most utilized and “Bonilla” the least.