The use of genetic tagging to assess inshore rockfish populations within a marine conservation area in the Strait of Georgia

Fisheries and Oceans Canada recently implemented a spatial management strategy to address conservation concerns regarding British Columbia's inshore rockfish ~(Sebastes spp.) stocks. Unfortunately, the unique habitat requirements and physiological characteristics of inshore rockfish inhibit the effectiveness of many traditional monitoring methods. I evaluated the use of a novel, in situ genetic tagging technique to examine the abundance, distribution and movement of copper (S. caurinus) and quillback (S. maliger) rockfish within a small marine conservation area. I recorded a 3.1% recapture rate and produced abundance estimates for four of six study sites. The data also suggest evidence of a proportional relationship between catch-per-unit-soak time and rockfish density. Simulation analyses demonstrate that genetic monitoring techniques may be costcomparable to assessments such as submersible surveys. My results identify genetic tagging as a potential alternative to traditional marking techniques for rockfish monitoring.