GRANT AWARDED: June 2012. A lack of sufficient data prevents researchers from conducting stock assessments on nearly half of Europe’s commercial fish stocks. Dr. Froese and colleagues have developed a new methodology for estimating maximum sustainable yield (MSY) using only catch data and information on the resilience or productivity of the species. This project will test this method by developing fishing control rules and comparing them to fish stocks that already have full stock assessments and MSY. It will also apply control rules to approximately 50 data poor fisheries and examine what would have happened if these rules had been implemented in the year 2000 and compare the status of the fish stocks today.