Harvest control rules in the context of fishery-independent management of fish stocks

¹ CEFAS Lowestoft Lab, Pakefield Road, Suffolk, NR33 0HT, UK
² Division of Biology, Imperial College, London SW7 2AZ, UK

Corresponding author: panayiota.apostolaki@cefas.co.uk

Received: 5 August 2008
Accepted: 9 April 2009

Abstract

Consideration of control rules as part of fisheries management plans is becoming a common practice. Control rules may be simple or complex and utilise model- or observation-based indicators of the status of the stock to control exploitation through limitation of effort or catches. Rules that control harvest (HCR) often utilize commercial fishery data in the calculation of future catches. However, commercial fishery data may be inaccurate and that can compromise the effectiveness of the HCR in maintaining the stock for secure future harvesting. The idea of fishery-independent HCR has arisen because of these problems. Indicators of the status of a stock are derived from standardised fish surveys, commonly trawl surveys repeated annually. A management strategy that relies on such information also requires adoption of appropriate and effective control rules that utilise such information. Here, we draw attention to diverse HCR, including fishery-dependent examples that have been considered, tested or already adopted for fisheries management. Our intention is to stimulate ideas for HCR that are usable with, or adaptable to fishery-independent indicators.