The project will investigate methods for improving stability in U.S. Commercial and recreational fisheries and evaluating the frequency of stock assessments to ensure monitoring resources are invested…

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration awarded a $389,994 cooperative agreement to the University of Washington under the Sea Grant Support federal grant program (CFDA 11.417) from August 1, 2022 to July 31, 2025.

The award will support research investigating methods to improve stability in U.S. commercial and recreational fisheries through management strategy evaluation and simulation modeling. Specifically, the University of Washington will explore how management strategies can minimize annual catch variation when new stock assessments result in large catch limit changes. The research will also examine a recently adopted method for setting catch limit buffers for stocks with aging stock assessments used by the Pacific Fishery Management Council.

The data and information generated through this research are intended to advance stock assessment methodology and provide scientific advice to conserve and manage living marine resources sustainably. The project aims to result in identification of best practices for determining stock assessment schedules.

Activities

Specifically, management strategy evaluation will be used to investigate to what extent management strategies can minimize interannual variation in catch when new stock assessments result in a large increase or decrease in catch recommendations. A simulation approach will explore the behavior of a recently implemented method for determining buffers for catch limits for stocks with aging stock assessments adopted by the pacific fishery management council.

Expected outcomes

The data and information obtained through this research will contribute towards advancing stock assessment methodology for producing scientific advice for the conservation and management of living marine resources. The project will also result in the identificat