1 Introduction: Redfish Rocks Marine Reserve Hook and Line Surveys
Hook and line (HnL) sampling targets demersal fishes living on rocky reef habitats using catch and release methods. All fish caught are identified to species level and measured for length. Fish are caught using standardized gear for a fixed amount of time, providing data on effort.
Our HnL sampling began at the Redfish Rocks Site in 2011, one year before harvest restrictions began. Sampling is conducted in the marine reserve and two comparison areas, Humbug and McKenzie Reef (see methods Appendix for additional information about comparison area selection). We sampled at the Redfish Rocks site in 2011 - 2017 and in 2019, providing eight years of data for our analysis and inclusion in the synthesis report.
Data from hook and line monitoring efforts can be used to explore questions about fish abundance and size from a method that is similar to local commercial nearshore hook and line fishing efforts. We can also explore these data with questions about diversity and community composition to compare across monitoring tools to understand tool bias or to validate trends seen across tools. This can further help us understand how the fish communities at these sites are similar or different. Data on abundance and size enable us to explore how fish catch, biomass, and size have changed over time; and whether these changes are similar both inside the reserve and outside in comparison areas. For all data our main focus is exploring trends by site and year.