Simplifying Fisheries Management

OVERVIEW

Selina Heppell and Michael Harte (Oregon State University, OR, USA)

GRANT AWARDED: September 2008. The current method for calculating how many fish can be sustainably removed from the ocean by fishermen requires costly trawl surveys, complicated mathematical models, and large amounts of data for each species. Despite the intensive effort and scientific expertise associated with current fisheries rebuilding, numerous populations remain designated as overfished. This project develops a test of the utility of age structure metrics in fisheries management, providing critical information for state management agencies and fishery management councils that are seeking more cost-effective ways to assess stocks.