Kristen M. Green (2010)
Movements of Black Rockfish (Sebastes melanops) in Carmel Bay, California
Movements of 23 sub-adult and 10 juvenile black rockfish (Sebastes melanops) implanted with acoustic transmitters were monitored during 16 months in Carmel Bay, California. Most tagged sub-adult black rockfish (14 fish) were resident to the study area (>75% time). The remaining nine sub-adult black rockfish had low residency (<35% time). All tagged juvenile black rockfish vacated the study area within three months of release. When tagged fish were in the study area, mean activity space was < 0.4 square km. From October to May, sub-adult black rockfish during daytime moved to deeper waters offshore, returning at night. In the summer, diurnal movements of sub-adult black rockfish decreased, perhaps due to locally abundant food resources associated with seasonal upwelling. The black rockfish is currently managed with other nearshore, residential rockfishes, yet the complex movement patterns of black rockfish described in this study should be considered in a species-specific management plan. This work resulted in a publication in the Marine Ecology Progress Series.
After completing her Master’s degree in 2010, Kristen moved to Sitka, Alaska, to work for the Alaska Department of Fish and Game as the Southeast Alaska Groundfish Project Leader, and where she led the management and research activities for the region’s commercial Groundfish fisheries for six years. She was recently admitted to the Emmett Interdisciplinary Program in Environment and Resources at Stanford University, and began a PhD program there in fall 2016.