2015 El Nino Factor

    I think many were using the "El Nino" description for last summer's warm water cycle for lack of any other descriptive term, even though it didn't fit the definition of a true El Nino.

     It's like calling a yellowtail a tuna: Looks kind of like a tuna and you can catch them on offshore tuna trips and many outside of the fishing community call them tuna, even though we know they are not.

     A "true" El Nino is defined by warm Sea Surface Temperature (SST) anomalies near the Equator, specifically in the Nino 3.4 zone:

     Southern California/Baja California do not really enter into the equation when it comes to the true definition of El Nino! Yes, we often see the side effects of El Nino in our waters, but not always...and vice versa.

"Was 2014's exceptional season that seemed like a full bore El Niño just a freak set of conditions that only brought sub-tropical species, but wasn't a larger cyclical event?"

     I think you hit the nail on the head.  While the Equatorial Nino zones were showing minimal positive anomalies, our local waters were MUCH warmer than normal. In fact, that warm anomaly extended all the way down to the Sea of Cortez. Certainly, last year (and carrying over into the winter) was truly a warm water cycle like none of us had ever seen before. The closest "match" to we experienced would be previous warm water cycles relating to El Ninos of the past: 1997-98 or 1982-83, for example.

"Now we have tuna crab on the coast and I'm wondering if this is the tail end of last season still or an early start to another summer of Central Baja in Southern California."

      I remember tuna crabs (pelagic red crabs) being a harbinger of the 1982-83 El Nino. It could very well be that the current weak El Nino actually gives us a little push and keeps the water warm again this spring and summer.
     While we're currently only seeing minor SST anomalies along the Equator, most models still predict SST anomalies that would support the classification of El Nino. Those conditions are predicted by the climate models to persist through spring 2015 and they support warmer than normal water along the California coast this summer:

     The above chart shows water along the west coast some 1°-2°C warmer than normal.  That's approximately 2°-5°F and if that forecast verifies (and we don't see a significant series of storms with the resultant upwelling along the coast) we very well could be in for another warm water year in Southern California. 

     Could it be two years in a row that wahoo are caught on overnight trips out of San Diego?  The trend over the next 5-6 months will be telling.

Taming the wild Tuna Fram raised BlueFin Tuna - Wall Street Journal

Taming-the-wild-tuna - WSJ

Taming the Wild Tuna

11/14/2014 11:30AM     

In 1970, scientists at Kinki University in Japan embarked on a quest to breed and grow Pacific Bluefin Tuna in captivity. Nearly a half-century later, they are on the verge of success. Photo: Luis Patron for The Wall Street Journal

Thought for the Day

Confucius Say:

Viagra is like Disneyland ... a one hour wait for a 2-minute ride.

Save Pacific Bluefin Fishing - West Coast USA.

Please help save the the Pacific Bluefin Tuna - Fishing. The Extreme Activist are trying to stop the fishing of Pacific Bluefin Tuna in US waters. Based on Bad Data and the mix East coast and West Coast as well as the over reaction of Mexico to shutdown the Fishing this year for  Commercial as well as Sportfishing.

Pleas go to this link and post your comments to save the spotfishing of Bluefin Tuna in the US Pacific waters.

http://www.regulations.gov/#!docketDetail;D=NOAA-NMFS-2014-0076

Let All ages enjoy the fishing of Bluefin Tuna

Tuna are on the Bite in San Diego - 4th of July

 There have been yellowfin tuna reported as close as 25 miles from Point Loma.  Scores are up and down, but with a northern push in the current and plenty of hurricane action down south, watch for improving conditions.  Yellowtail have been on the kelp paddies, the grade is mixed- 5 to 25 pounds.  Plenty of bluefin tuna around, but not many that want to bite.  The sandbass and calico fishing has been good from San Diego to LA County.  Get out this weekend and get the freezer filled up.

 Fireworks on the SD Bay..

 Wish the Albbies would show up..

El Nino 2014 West Coast

 

El Niño Watch: Sea Level Pattern Similar to Record-Breaking 1997 Event | Video

In the winter of 1997-1998, severe weather events were recorded across the continental U.S.. For month leading in the winter, warm (El Niño) conditions persisted in the Pacific Ocean. NASA's Jason-2 satellite is monitoring in 2014. Super…Read More »
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Video on ElNino - NOAA - NASA

Sportsmen’s Bills Reemerge in the Senate

Sportsmen’s Bills Reemerge in the Senate Sportfishing industry urges Congress to advance bipartisan legislation to benefit fisheries conservation and access Alexandria, VA – November 7, 2013 - Two bills have been introduced in the U.S. Senate that includes numerous legislative measures beneficial to anglers and hunters across the nation. In large part they pick up the measures contained in the Sportsmen’s Act that failed to pass at the end of the 112th Congress. Sens. Murkowski (R-Alaska) and Thune (R-S.D.) introduced the first bill, S 1335, on July 18, 2013. Sen. Hagan (D-N.C.) introduced the Sportsmen’s and Public Outdoor Recreation Traditions Act or SPORT Act on November 6, 2013. Collectively the two bills contain 18 measures that will benefit our nation’s sportsmen and women by providing increased access to our public lands and waters, habitat conservation, improving fish and wildlife management and protecting the use of traditional fishing tackle. It is anticipated that additional sought-after provisions will be added to the SPORT bill. If passed it would be the most significant angler and hunter legislation in decades.  “We thank Sens. Murkowski and Hagan for taking the initiative to introduce their bills,” said Gordon Robertson, vice president of the American Sportfishing Association (ASA). “These two bills contain provisions that the sportsmen’s community has sought for several years and their passage would be momentous for the resources and to sportsmen and women. Fortunately, when you look at the bills together, each package contains an almost equal number of Democratic and Republican sponsors. This is extraordinary in today's hyper-partisan climate and is a testament to how non-partisan, sportsmen-oriented conservation measures can be achieved.” Robertson further said, “We encourage Sens. Murkowski and Hagan to reach across the aisle and join forces to pass these measures. It is our hope, and expectation, that this important legislation will not be dragged down in partisan Senate bickering as was last year’s bill.” “Bipartisan action would greatly enhance the opportunity for passage,” noted Robertson. “Cooperation would also demonstrate to sportsmen and women that fish and wildlife and fishing and hunting issues are bipartisan issues. Bipartisan bills would reenergize support from last year’s large and diverse coalition of national conservation, fishing, hunting and public land advocacy groups.” In response to the bill’s introduction, the American Sportfishing Association, the Boone and Crockett Club, the Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation, Ducks Unlimited, the Mule Deer Foundation, the National Shooting Sports Foundation, Pheasants Forever, Quail Forever and the Teddy Roosevelt Conservation Partnership released a statement citing the importance of the bills and urging bipartisan action by the Senate. “Recreational fishing supports 828,000 jobs and contributes $115 billion to the economy annually, both are critical economic areas these monumental bill packages will enhance,” said Robertson. “We encourage anglers and hunters to reach out to their Senators and ask them to become co-sponsors as well as urge the sponsors of these two important bills to join forces.” Robertson stated, “Anglers and hunters can take action by going to www.KeepAmericaFishing.org and send a message to their Senators urging them to do the right thing on behalf of our nation’s natural resources and the men and women who enjoy fishing and hunting. There is also a description of the bills’ components.” ### The American Sportfishing Association (ASA) is the sportfishing industry’s trade association committed to representing the interests of the entire sportfishing community. We give the industry a unified voice, speaking out on behalf of sportfishing and boating industries, state and federal natural resource agencies, conservation organizations, angler advocacy groups and outdoor journalists when emerging laws and policies could significantly affect sportfishing business or sportfishing itself. ASA invests in long-term ventures to ensure the industry will remain strong and prosperous, as well as safeguard and promote the enduring social, economic and conservation values of sportfishing in America. ASA also gives America's 60 million anglers a voice in policy decisions that affect their ability to sustainably fish on our nation's waterways through KeepAmericaFishing™, our angler advocacy campaign. America’s anglers generate over $48 billion in retail sales with a $115 billion impact on the nation’s economy creating employment for more than 828,000 people.