State Aims to Bring Back White Sea Bass

Between 1950 and 1980, the white sea bass fishery was pushed to the brink of destruction by gill nets, over fishing and habitat destruction. Over a span of 30 years, the annual sport catch of white sea bass declined dramatically from 55,000 to 3,500. 

The future of the white sea bass, however, could be improving.

The California Department of Fish and Game has instituted the Ocean Resources Enhancement & Hatchery Program (OREHP). The funding to support the majority of OREHP‘s stock enhancement research comes from the sale of recreational and commercial fishing licenses. As part of the state‘s new initiative, the Hubbs-Sea World Research Institute built an experimental marine fish hatchery in Carlsbad, Calif. 

The white sea bass was selected as the primary target species for this program due to both its popularity on the dinner table and its depleted status.

DFG only permits 350,000 fish to be released annually. The facility could breed more than that, but the DFG permit doesn't allow for more than that to be bred out. To maintain genetic diversity, no more than 15,000 fish are pulled from each generation. Females, which are broadcast breeders, do two to three egg releases per season. Males follow the females when they release the eggs and in turn, release their sperm.  Research has shown that the fry come from a number of the participating males.  There is no selective breeding. 

There are 18 grow-out pens operated by private groups, mostly fishing clubs, from San Diego to Santa Barbara. The club volunteers obtain fish food for the fingerlings and do the pen maintenance. The fish are put into the grow-out pens at 4 to 5 inches and grow until they reach 9 to 11 inches in length. At this size, they have at least a 50 percent chance of survival. 

All fish raised and released are tagged in the cheek with coded metal wires. These tags can provide biologists with valuable information such as growth rates, migration routes, predation, mating and more.

Nevertheless, the data from the tags can only be retrieved if fishermen turn in legally caught white sea bass heads. There are white sea bass drop-off locations up and down the Southern California coast.  

Anglers see great twilight fishing

Some excellent twilight fishing for private boaters has anglers scheduled for evening fishing outings this weekend feeling optimistic.

On Tuesday evening, Ricky Perez and Todd Lee saw excellent calico bass fishing just outside of Long Beach Harbor. “We had 18 calico bass [weighing up] to 6.5-pounds along with some sculpin, cabezon and one big mystery fish that was lost,” they said.

The Native Sun from Long Beach Sportfishing has scheduled twilight trips for Friday and Saturday evenings from 6:30 p.m. until 11:30 p.m. Captain Gabriel Ceballos confirmed that the boat will have live squid for bait.

“Live squid is a huge plus,” said Captain Larry Moore, who will be a passenger on board for this weekend’s trips. “With squid, we’ll have a chance for sand and calico bass, sculpin, cabezon and maybe a big halibut or two.”

Some anglers may be scratching their heads because twilight trips are usually reserved for the summer months.

“That may be true, but there is no doubt that nighttime is the right time for winter time bass, sculpin and even some white sea bass and sculpin,” said Moore. “People will be surprised about just how good it can be.”

Anglers wishing to fish the twilight trips should bring 20- to 25-pound test line along with some 1-ounce leadheads. That setup has been effective for bass, sculpin and lots of big halibut this year. For reservations on the Native Sun, call 562-432-8993.

Quick bites

• has seen its share of good winter fishing. The Slammer was out this week with only four anglers, yet they caught 70 sand bass, 30 of which were released.

• Marina del Rey Sportfishing has been catching a mix of sand and calico bass, as well as a few sculpin.

• The Pot of Gold Halibut Derby has Dave Akamine from Torrance in first place with a monster 39.2-pound halibut.

• Surf fishing has been good along Southern California beaches recently with a smattering of barred perch, corbina, a few halibut and some bat rays and guitarfish. There has been good fishing around Carlsbad with several corbina taken this week, as well as around Corona del Mar, Seal Beach, and the Santa Monica Bay.

• Bob Osborne caught a 23-inch corbina on a sand crab fishing off Seal Beach this week and reports good action on most days.

• Halibut fishing out of Dana Wharf and Long Beach remained excellent this week as more big fish than ever continue to be recorded. Dana Wharf anglers have caught 68 halibut in 2012. A giant 39-pound flatfish caught by Danny Stevenson is leading the Dana Wharf Halibut Derby.