Publication abstract

Applying individual-based telemetry data in fisheries management: A biologically-based movement model for plaice in the North Sea

E. Hunter*, Ainsley Buckley*, Audrey Darnaude and Michael Bell

Recent field studies of commercially exploited marine fish stocks have demonstrated compelling evidence of complex population structure and varying rates of exchange of between different management areas. In spite of this, the stock assessment methods currently applied by ICES to advise on total allowable catches (TACs) and technical conservation measures still make only limited concessions to seasonal migrations and movements. As an example, in the North Sea, plaice, Pleuronectes platessa L., is currently managed as a single stock. However the legacy from a century of mark-recapture experiments, and more recently, the release of hundreds of individuals tagged with electronic data storage tags, have allowed the identification of spatial population substructure and the characterisation of annual migration routes and spawning areas. In addition, recent work using otolith microchemistry has been applied to determine the contribution of larvae from different spawning areas to different nursery grounds, and the input from the nursery grounds to the adult population subunits. Here a biologically-based population movement simulation model is presented which utilizes data from these sources. The effects of a range of area and seasonal closures were tested in terms of reduction in overall fishing mortality. Results from this study illustrate the value of high-quality biological data to improve current advice on biologically and technically interacting fish stocks and fisheries.

Reference

E. Hunter*, Ainsley Buckley*, Audrey Darnaude and Michael Bell (not yet published) Applying individual-based telemetry data in fisheries management: A biologically-based movement model for plaice in the North Sea. ICESCM 2009/J:04, 26 pp.