Thatsa funny Seafever...
I had wanted to try using the pilchards for bait while in the Zeballos area, as you can buy them fresh from the Tally Shack 2 dozen on ice for $30 bucks or something like that.
Here is some links that have some info:
The commercial have formed a group Called Canadian Pacific Sardine Association
http://www.google.ca/url?sa=t&rct=j...CPGaTSesC_Ea5rBzmfDyAOg&bvm=bv.49478099,d.cGE
there is a management plan that includes some info
5.
STOCK STATUS
5.1.
Sardine Stocks
The Pacific sardine population undergoes substantial and dramatic fluctuations in
abundance. Sardines were fished extensiv
ely off the Pacific Northwest coast of the
United States and Canada during the 1930s
and 1940s. Subsequently, the population
collapsed and Pacific sardines were complete
ly absent from the area until the early 1990s
when they were again observed in Canadian
waters. The coast-wide Pacific sardine
population was less than 20,000 tonnes in the early 1980s and has recently exceeded one
million metric tonnes declining slightly the la
st few years. Sardine abundance rivals the
levels of the early 1900s and again supports a substantial fishery in United States waters.
The abundance estimate for the entire
population in 2008 was about 700,000 tonnes and
a proportion of these fish are expected to
migrate into Canadian waters each year.
Sardine population levels are heavily influen
ced by oceanic conditions that determine the
survival and recruitment of juveniles into the
adult stock. It is anticipated that Pacific
sardine stock size and production will be suffici
ent to support a moderate fishery in B.C.
over the short and medium term. An apparent increase in the amount of sardine in British
Columbia waters in recent years prompted DFO Science staff to review the estimate of
migration rate of sardine used in setting
the harvest ceiling. The Pacific Science Advice
Review Committee (PSARC) met in early April
to review the migration rate of sardine
based on the trawl surveys conducted on the west coast of Vancouver Island since 1997
and determined that migration has been highe
r than the previously recommended level of 10%. As a result, PSARC has recommended that
the migration rate be amended to 18.3%
in determining a harvest ceiling for 2009. The harvest ceiling for Pacific sardines for
2009 based on the 662,886 mt of biomass and
applying a 15 % harvest rate and the
updated 18.3 % migration rate yields 18,196 metric
tonnes of potential removal. Sardine
weight averaged about 190 grams (g) from
2002-2004 but declined in 2005 to 157 g due
to the presence of the abundant 2003 year class. The 2003 year class (6 year old fish in
2009) remains an important component of the
population and should be similar in weight
to 2008 at about 190 g. For additional information, see the PSARC Pelagics
Subcommittee stock status reports and research documents at:
http://www.pac.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/sci/psarc/SSRs/ssrs_e.htm
.
obviously these fish are becoming an important bait/food for other species and local in the Zeballos area were using them for bait. But the pilchards had not come to spawn yet, so there was none available.
here is another link
http://www.google.ca/url?sa=t&rct=j...3FaT2diIcaCnlAPx8gSOrkQ&bvm=bv.49478099,d.cGE
this one has nutritional values, cooking, baking tips
