State law requires that the population of Pacificsardines, Sardinops sagax caeruleus, must reach aminimum spawning biomass of 20,000 short tons beforeinitiation of a fishery. Data from ichthyoplanktonsurveys, the anchovy live bait fishery, sea surveycruises, and the jack mackerel purse seine fisheryare analyzed for evidence of an increase inpopulation size. Presently, the spawning biomassof the northern stock of sardines remains far below20,000 tons. (8pp.)