Survey of red sea urchin populations in the Gulf Islands, Strait of Georgia, British Columbia, 1998 and 1999 / by D. Bureau, A. Campbell, W.C. Hajas, and C.A. Ayers.: Fs97-4/2552E-PDF

"Surveys of red sea urchin populations in the Gulf Islands and Sidney area, parts of Pacific Fishery Management (PFM) Areas 17 and 18, were conducted in June 1998 and September 1999. A total of 37 and 36 transects were surveyed by SCUBA divers in 1998 and 1999 respectively. Mean density, per PFM sub-area, ranged from 0.00 to 0.81 urchins per m² in 1998 and from 0.20 to 0.42 urchins per m² in 1999. Overall mean density for the survey, both years combined, was 0.30 urchins per m². Mean biomass, per PFM sub-area, ranged from 0.0 to 482.4g per m² in 1998 and from 109.4 to 282.5g per m² in 1999. Overall mean biomass for the survey, both years combined, was 199.1g per m². Overall, for both years combined, 3.1% of the total urchins measured were ≤50mm test diameter (TD) whereas 87.1% of urchins were of legal size (≥100mm TD) for the commercial fishery. Red sea urchin populations were found deeper in the Gulf Islands than in other areas of the east coast of Vancouver Island"--Abstract, page iii.

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