Cisco
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Serious Problem in the Ocean: Sardine Crash
Predators, fishermen suffering as a result
Posted Jan 6, 2014 8:18 AM CST | Updated Jan 11, 2014 7:51 AM CST
The West Coast sardine population was down 72% since 2006 per a fall assessment—the worst crash since the mid-20th century, and one with far-reaching
implications, particularly since the steep decline is expected to continue. One of those implications: Ocean predators that depend on sardines may be
starving, the Los Angeles Times reports: Researchers think 1,600 malnourished sea lion pups that washed up onshore in Southern California last year
were born to nursing mothers whose milk quality was compromised after they had to turn from fatty sardines to other fish; brown pelicans—which also
depend on sardines for food—are also suffering. Neither species can turn to anchovies as an alternative food source, as they normally would, because
their numbers are also down.
Fishermen, too, are affected; they're not allowed to catch as many sardines (harvest maximums have been dramatically cut)—and they often can't find
any to catch (the LA Times follows one boat that caught zero fish in a 12-hour outing). So what's going on? Sardine populations often experience wild
swings, booming when conditions are good and then dropping sharply when conditions shift. After the last bad collapse, which happened after a massive
boom in the 1940s, sardine fishing was halted for 18 years beginning in the 1960s, and though the population bounced back in the 1980s, it was never
the same. Scientists now, as then, aren't sure how to divide the blame between ocean conditions (the Pacific Decadal Oscillation, a climate cycle, has
brought cold, sardine-unfriendly water to the area) and overfishing. Last month, Pew Charitable Trusts warned that dozens of species, including
whales, sharks, dolphins, salmon, and tuna, could feel an impact.
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bajaemma
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Cisco-- could you please sight where this came from?
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Cisco
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| Quote: | Originally posted by bajaemma
Cisco-- could you please sight where this came from? |
Had to think about it. It was referenced from another article.
This is the reference article:
http://www.newser.com/story/181041/japan-launches-dolphin-sl...
and towards the bottom refers to:
http://www.newser.com/story/180209/serious-problem-in-the-oc...
Enjoy. (sorry, that was very sick humor, regarding both articles).
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Tomas Tierra
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Ten billion 14 inch sardines in Channel Islands Harbor all "winter". The seals of have had them flying all over the place.caught a few, jugged with
eggs
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LancairDriver
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This article covers it pretty well.
http://articles.latimes.com/2014/jan/05/local/la-me-sardine-...
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Skipjack Joe
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From LA article:
"The reason for the drop is unclear. Sardine populations are famously volatile, but the decline is the steepest since the collapse of the sardine
fishery in the mid-20th century. And their numbers are projected to keep sliding.
"
If they don't know the reason for the drop how can they make a projection?
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Udo
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I do not doubt that there could be a sardine shortage.
HOWEVER...
When I was in BA this past December and January, I saw a couple of very large pangas, which did not have any seating except for the captain. These
pangas were filled to the top with sardines that must have been caught not too far away.
The sardines were being loaded into large square barrels that were on top of a flatbed. The sardines were being readied for shipment somewhere. The
flatbed had about a dozen such square barrels.
There was a large crane unloading the netted sardines. I am guessing that the netted sardines were close to 500 lb. per net, and each barrel held
about three nets, plus several shovel loads of ice.
I took a bunch of photos of the event, and between the three cameras, I can not find a single photo on the sardines!
Udo
Youth is wasted on the young!
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Cisco
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| Quote: | Originally posted by Udo
I took a bunch of photos of the event, and between the three cameras, I can not find a single photo on the sardines! |
They are all gone...
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Timo1
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The sardineros are still filling up in BA
Many VERY happy pelicans out there
[Edited on 1-22-2014 by Timo1]
sold out and got out !!!
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Bajaboy
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| Quote: | Originally posted by Udo
I do not doubt that there could be a sardine shortage.
HOWEVER...
When I was in BA this past December and January, I saw a couple of very large pangas, which did not have any seating except for the captain. These
pangas were filled to the top with sardines that must have been caught not too far away.
The sardines were being loaded into large square barrels that were on top of a flatbed. The sardines were being readied for shipment somewhere. The
flatbed had about a dozen such square barrels.
There was a large crane unloading the netted sardines. I am guessing that the netted sardines were close to 500 lb. per net, and each barrel held
about three nets, plus several shovel loads of ice.
I took a bunch of photos of the event, and between the three cameras, I can not find a single photo on the sardines! |
My understanding is they send them to Ensenada to feed the tuna pens. Not sure if this is true but that was the story relayed my way.
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805gregg
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Less seals is a good thing, sardines recover fast seals slow, Darwinism working
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windgrrl
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The sardine fishery is a big employer. 500,000 tonnes annually are caught and processed primarily as food.
http://fis.com/fis/worldnews/worldnews.asp?l=e&id=55387&...
When the way comes to an end, then change. Having changed, you pass through.
~ I-Ching
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mulegemichael
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yeah...."food"...DOG food!....have you ever seen the mulege sardine fishery?....despicable!!!
dyslexia is never having to say you\'re yrros.
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captkw
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SARDINES DONT ALWAYS COMEBACK !!
In Monterey ca. is a place called cannery row..completly wiped out the sardines here ,,,zip,,zich,,nada..never seen one here in my life !!
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chumlee57
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dines
I have also heard that they are harvesting and bringing the sardines to the tuna pens, makes sense, but this is hearsay. I would like to know if this
is true, but prolly have to follow one of those barrel trucks to find out
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divemulege
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I used to keep my boat in Hotel Coral in Ensenada and regularly get sardines for fishing. Once the tuna pens became big business there was not
anymore sardines to buy. They are killing out the sardines at such a fast rate because it is such a big business. Just google tuna pens in Mexico
and read about it.
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LancairDriver
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Most of the world including the US is busy "eating their seed corn" and Mexico is not going to be left behind in that activity. The sardines will go
the route of the shellfish in Conception bay before long. Money is always the motivation.
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MrBillM
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Since WHATEVER happens is Inevitable ............
Has happened at various times in the past and the cause is mysterious, there's no point in worrying about it.
Accept and Adjust.
[Edited on 1-26-2014 by MrBillM]
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