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Evaluation of Stock Assessment Research for Gulf of Mexico King Mackerel: Benefits and Costs to Management
Author(s) -
Powers Joseph E.,
Restrepo Victor R.
Publication year - 1993
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 - 10.1577/1548-8675(1993)013<0015:eosarf>2.3.co;2
Subject(s) - fishing , stock assessment , stock (firearms) , fishery , yield (engineering) , economics , estimation , econometrics , environmental science , population , geography , biology , demography , materials science , management , archaeology , metallurgy , sociology
The effect of research programs designed to increase precision in estimates of stock assessment parameters were evaluated for Gulf of Mexico king mackerel Scomberomorus cavalla . Monte Carlo simulations of the entire assessment analysis were used, consisting of separable virtual population analysis (VPA), calibrated VPA, estimation of target fishing mortality rate, and projection of catch at that rate, The distribution of estimates of allowable biological catch (ABC) from the simulations indicated that realistic improvements in research could substantially reduce the uncertainty in ABC estimates from a 40% to a 20% coefficient of variation. Expected yield for risk‐averse strategies increased with enhanced research programs. Opportunity losses of forgone yield and lost surplus were diminished as well. Benefits of research combined with risk‐averse management strategies to the fishery and to the economy appear to substantially exceed the costs of the research.