NMFS SWFSC to Host Pacific Sardine Stock Structure Workshop November 15-17, 2022

The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) Southwest Fisheries Science Center (SWFSC) will be hosting the Pacific Sardine Stock Structure workshop from Tuesday, November 15 to Thursday, November 17, 2022 from 9:30 am- 4 pm PST at their La Jolla facility (Pacific Room 8901 La Jolla Shores Drive San Diego, CA 92037). This workshop will be offered in a hybrid format.   This workshop will discuss Pacific sardine stock structure and its delineation in the stock assessment and hence how survey and catch data are assembled for assessment purposes. 

Purpose of the workshop

In 2021, SWFSC scientists conducted a catch-only assessment update of the northern subpopulation of Pacific sardine. That assessment showed that catches from the Mexico (Baja CA) fleet that were attributed to the northern subpopulation were on the same order as the entire estimated biomass of the northern subpopulation, which led to unrealistic changes to the estimates of recruitment and consequently that update was not accepted for use in management. This renewed discussions about Pacific sardine stock structure and its delineation in the stock assessment and hence how survey and catch data are assembled for assessment purposes. Consequently, the SWFSC agreed to revisit this topic in a workshop prior to the next benchmark assessment which is now scheduled for early 2024.

To attend the workshop

Interested participants should register by October 31st (WebEx information will be emailed to workshop registrants.)

For further information

If there are any questions about the workshop, please contact Annie Yau (annie.yau@noaa.gov) at the NMFS SWFSC.  For other coastal pelagic species related matters, contact Jessi Doerpinghaus, Council staff (jessi.doerpinghaus@noaa.gov).

This information posted as a courtesy to SWFSC.