Submitted Manuscript: "A Synthesis of the Surplus Production and Exploitation Rates of 10 Pacific Coast Groundfish Species.”
Current Status of Accomplishment or Milestone: The paper was presented at the 2000 Harvest Policy Workshop in Seattle where it created considerable controversy due to the very low surplus production rates that were derived from the several stock synthesis models. Subsequent review of the MS by SWFSC resulted in an unfavorable review and the suggestion that the paper be reviewed by other stock assessment people. Due to other pressing work the paper could not be reviewed by additional in-house reviewers in time to be submitted for publication along with the rest of the papers presented at the Harvest Policy Workshop. The MS was therefore withdrawn but will be re-viewed and submitted elsewhere.
Background: The Pacific Coast Groundfish Fishery is currently in a crisis state. Many of the stocks that were harvested under the Council’s F35% harvest strategy have become overfished or depressed due to overexploitation resulting from a too optimistic harvest policy.
Purpose of Activity/Goal of Project: To develop the methodology to determine the productivity of stocks for which state-of-the-art stock assessments are available.
Description of Accomplishment and Significant Results: The work represents a new method to determine the annual productivity of exploited fish stocks. Once described the methodology is obvious, although the work did not survive in in-house review, its brief exposure has already resulted in at least one SWFSC researcher submitting a similar analysis for publication.
Significance of Accomplishment (e.g., to the Center, to Management, and to NMFS Strategic plan Goals): This work, along with papers by several other researchers at the Harvest Policy Workshop, contributed to the mass of knowledge that caused the GMT, the SSC and the Pacific Council to abandon the F35% harvest policy.
Problems: None
Key Contact: Richard Parrish (831-648-9033; rparrish@noaa.gov).