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Managing the Multispecies Otter Trawl Fisheries of Georges Bank with Catch Optimization Methods
Author(s) -
Overholtz William J.
Publication year - 1985
Publication title -
north american journal of fisheries management
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.587
H-Index - 72
eISSN - 1548-8675
pISSN - 0275-5947
DOI - 10.1577/1548-8659(1985)5<252:mtmotf>2.0.co;2
Subject(s) - groundfish , demersal zone , assemblage (archaeology) , relative species abundance , fishery , species richness , abundance (ecology) , otter , demersal fish , ecology , fishing , bycatch , biology , fisheries management
Linear programming was used to study the potential yield of several demersal fish assemblages on Georges Bank. Two different scenarios were investigated, a directed fishery for all species in the assemblage and directed fisheries for at least two species with associated by‐catch of the other species. Objective functions were based on maximizing the total catch in each assemblage. Results showed that the goal of harvesting each single‐species allocation was highly dependent on species richness, relative abundance, and seasonal distribution. For example, the shallow assemblage with many species and a wide disparity in relative abundance and seasonal shifts in distribution had a low yield potential. Another assemblage, the Northeast Peak, was much less complex and generally had much higher harvest potential. These findings suggest that the maximum harvest of marine groundfish complexes, when based strictly on single‐species criteria, may be unattainable because of technological interactions in the fishery and the additional biological complexity of the exploited assemblage of fishes.