Optimal Effort Allocation Among Competing Mixed-Species Fisheries, Subject to Fishing Mortality Constraints

1986 ◽  
Vol 43 (1) ◽  
pp. 90-100 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. A. Murawski ◽  
J. T. Finn

A linear programming (LP) approach to effort allocation among two or more fisheries (fleets) exploiting several common species/stocks is described and applied to otter trawl fisheries exploiting demersal fish stocks on Georges Bank (northeastern United States). Total instantaneous fishing mortality on a particular species (i) is computed as the linear summation of fishing mortalities generated by each fishery (j):[Formula: see text]where fj is the amount of standardized fishing effort exerted in fishery j and qij is the catchability coefficient for species i taken in fishery j. Mortality on species i due to both directed fishing and by-catch can thus be accounted for in the qij's. Optimal allocation of effort among the j fisheries may be considered a minimization problem (minimize Σfj), subject to the constraints that fishing mortality rates on particular species are maintained at, above, or below certain predefined levels. Fishing mortality goals for individual species can be based on various biological and/or economic criteria: fishing mortality rates that prevent growth or recruitment overfishing, or that optimize productivity from predator–prey systems. Other constraints in the LP model may be included to modify optimal solutions based on various economic and social considerations (e.g. protection of certain fisheries). Sensitivity analyses indicate the general infeasibility of maintaining relatively high or low fishing mortality rates on ubiquitously distributed species, while moderately fishing species with more discrete distributions, due to by-catch considerations.

2020 ◽  
Vol 48 (4) ◽  
pp. 613-625
Author(s):  
Felipe Lopez ◽  
Jorge Jimenez ◽  
Cristian Canales

Since 1979, southern hake (Merluccius australis) has been exploited in Chile from the Bio Bio to the Magallanes regions, between the parallels 41°28.6'S and 57°S. There is evidence of a constant fishing effort and a sustained reduction of the fish population, consistent with a progressive decrease in total annual catches. Management strategies based on the maximum sustainable yield (MSY) and quota assignment/ distribution criteria have not been able to sustain acceptable biomass levels. A non-linear optimization model with two objective functions was proposed to determine an optimal total catch quota for more sustainable exploitation of this fishery. The first function maximizes the total catch over time in response to an optimal assignment of fishing mortality rates per fleet; the second function maximizes the total economic benefit associated with the total catch. The dynamics of the fish population were represented with the equations of a predictive age-structured model. Decision variables were fishing mortality rates and annual catch quotas per fleet, subject to constraints that guarantee a minimum level of biomass escape over a long-term period. The input parameters were obtained from the last stock evaluation report carried out by the Instituto de Fomento Pesquero (IFOP) of Chile. The historical background data of the fishery and the regulatory framework were relevant aspects of the methodology. Five scenarios were evaluated with the two objective functions, including a base scenario, which considered the referential mortality rate as input data as the average mortality rate per fleet from 2007 to 2012. Total economic benefits fluctuate between 102 and USD 442 million for total catches in the range of 108 to 421 thousand tons, which were obtained from maximizing the economic and biological objective functions. Economic benefit/catch ratios were reduced for scenarios with higher constraints on catch limits, and they were more efficient from a biological point of view. Situations with lighter constraints showed in general higher economic benefits and better performance ratios than those with stronger restrictions. The use of optimization models may provide a useful tool to evaluate the effect of regulations for adequate conservation and economical utilization of a limited resource.


2006 ◽  
Vol 63 (6) ◽  
pp. 961-968 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joe Horwood ◽  
Carl O'Brien ◽  
Chris Darby

AbstractRecovery of depleted marine, demersal, commercial fish stocks has proved elusive worldwide. As yet, just a few shared or highly migratory stocks have been restored. Here we review the current status of the depleted North Sea cod (Gadus morhua), the scientific advice to managers, and the recovery measures in place. Monitoring the progress of North Sea cod recovery is now hampered by considerable uncertainties in stock assessments associated with low stock size, variable survey indices, and inaccurate catch data. In addition, questions arise as to whether recovery targets are achievable in a changing natural environment. We show that current targets are achievable with fishing mortality rates that are compatible with international agreements even if recruitment levels remain at the current low levels. Furthermore, recent collations of data on international fishing effort have allowed estimation of the cuts in fishing mortality achieved by restrictions on North Sea effort. By the beginning of 2005, these restrictions are estimated to have reduced fishing mortality rates by about 37%. This is insufficient to ensure recovery of North Sea cod within the next decade.


2006 ◽  
Vol 63 (2) ◽  
pp. 321-334 ◽  
Author(s):  
Catherine G.J Michielsens ◽  
Murdoch K McAllister ◽  
Sakari Kuikka ◽  
Tapani Pakarinen ◽  
Lars Karlsson ◽  
...  

A Bayesian state–space mark–recapture model is developed to estimate the exploitation rates of fish stocks caught in mixed-stock fisheries. Expert knowledge and published results on biological parameters, reporting rates of tags and other key parameters, are incorporated into the mark–recapture analysis through elaborations in model structure and the use of informative prior probability distributions for model parameters. Information on related stocks is incorporated through the use of hierarchical structures and parameters that represent differences between the stock in question and related stocks. Fishing mortality rates are modelled using fishing effort data as covariates. A state–space formulation is adopted to account for uncertainties in system dynamics and the observation process. The methodology is applied to wild Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) stocks from rivers located in the northeastern Baltic Sea that are exploited by a sequence of mixed- and single-stock fisheries. Estimated fishing mortality rates for wild salmon are influenced by prior knowledge about tag reporting rates and salmon biology and, to a limited extent, by prior assumptions about exploitation rates.


2001 ◽  
Vol 58 (12) ◽  
pp. 2490-2501 ◽  
Author(s):  
S D Frusher ◽  
J M Hoenig

Fishing and natural mortality rates and tag reporting rate for rock lobsters (Jasus edwardsii) in northwest Tasmania, Australia, were estimated using multiyear tagging models. These estimates are necessary for assessment of the resource. Several models were examined that had either two or three tagging events each year, and either combined sexes or kept sexes separate. The model that best described the dynamics of the fishery utilized three tagging events within a year. The year was divided into discrete periods and, within each year, fishing effort and duration of period were used to apportion fishing and natural mortalities, respectively, to the periods. The separation of fishing mortalities by sex was not found to improve the models. Although high (1.0–1.2·year–1), the instantaneous fishing mortality estimates were comparable to estimates obtained from other methods and the relative standard errors were low. Reporting rate estimates were also precise and indicated a lack of participation by the fishing industry. Estimates of natural mortality were low (0.00–0.02·year–1) but imprecise.


2014 ◽  
Vol 72 (5) ◽  
pp. 1278-1284 ◽  
Author(s):  
Na Wang ◽  
You-Gan Wang ◽  
Anthony J. Courtney ◽  
Michael F. O'Neill

Abstract Deriving an estimate of optimal fishing effort or even an approximate estimate is very valuable for managing fisheries with multiple target species. The most challenging task associated with this is allocating effort to individual species when only the total effort is recorded. Spatial information on the distribution of each species within a fishery can be used to justify the allocations, but often such information is not available. To determine the long-term overall effort required to achieve maximum sustainable yield (MSY) and maximum economic yield (MEY), we consider three methods for allocating effort: (i) optimal allocation, which optimally allocates effort among target species; (ii) fixed proportions, which chooses proportions based on past catch data; and (iii) economic allocation, which splits effort based on the expected catch value of each species. Determining the overall fishing effort required to achieve these management objectives is a maximizing problem subject to constraints due to economic and social considerations. We illustrated the approaches using a case study of the Moreton Bay Prawn Trawl Fishery in Queensland (Australia). The results were consistent across the three methods. Importantly, our analysis demonstrated the optimal total effort was very sensitive to daily fishing costs—the effort ranged from 9500–11 500 to 6000–7000, 4000 and 2500 boat-days, using daily cost estimates of $0, $500, $750, and $950, respectively. The zero daily cost corresponds to the MSY, while a daily cost of $750 most closely represents the actual present fishing cost. Given the recent debate on which costs should be factored into the analyses for deriving MEY, our findings highlight the importance of including an appropriate cost function for practical management advice. The approaches developed here could be applied to other multispecies fisheries where only aggregated fishing effort data are recorded, as the literature on this type of modelling is sparse.


1963 ◽  
Vol 20 (1) ◽  
pp. 195-227 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. J. Garrod

In the commercial fisheries of the great lakes of Central Africa the nylon gill net is the most widespread type of gear in use at present. Recent increases in fishing effort are believed to have had a marked effect upon the abundance of some species and this paper describes a method of estimating the fishing mortality from a fishery of this type. The method is demonstrated in its application to a population of Tilapia esculenta in Lake Victoria. In particular the data from the gill net fishery are combined with the known selectivity of the gear to distinguish between fishing mortality and trends in natural loss from the population with increasing age of the fish. The study also shows that the population dynamics of a tropical fish species are amenable to conventional techniques of analysis.


2001 ◽  
Vol 58 (8) ◽  
pp. 1683-1691 ◽  
Author(s):  
JAE van Oostenbrugge ◽  
WLT van Densen ◽  
M A.M Machiels

The Ambonese small-scale purse-seine fishery for small pelagic fish, such as scads and mackerels, is characterised by highly variable daily catches. Fishermen involved in this fishery are therefore seriously constrained in optimising the outcome of their fishery through spatial allocation of effort. Spatial patterns in effort allocation were compared with those in catch per unit effort (CPUE), indexed by both catch weight and profit. Average CPUE indexed by catch weight differed between fishing locations by up to 14 times. However, individual fishermen could only detect such large differences after 14 days of exploratory fishing because of the high variability in daily catches. Daily decisions on effort allocation are therefore not based on maximising CPUE but on minimising operational costs and risk. A very high proportion (88%) of the fishing trips were made within 8 km of the home port, although the capacity of the purse seiners allowed for fishing in more productive areas much farther away. A 10- to 20-fold increase in operation costs (travelling and local use rights) when fishing in other areas reinforced this behaviour.


2006 ◽  
Vol 63 (3) ◽  
pp. 556-566 ◽  
Author(s):  
Adriaan D. Rijnsdorp ◽  
Niels Daan ◽  
Willem Dekker

Abstract Effort management has been proposed as an alternative for quota management in mixed demersal fisheries. It requires a metric to estimate the fishing mortality imposed by a given quantity of nominal fishing effort. Here, we estimate the partial fishing mortality rate imposed by one unit of fishing effort (Fpue) during individual fishing trips and explore the usefulness of this indicator for managing North Sea beam trawlers >300 hp targeting sole (Solea solea) and plaice (Pleuronectes platessa). Fpue is positively related to vessel engine power, and increased annually by 2.8% (sole) and 1.6% (plaice). The positive trend was due to an increase in skipper skills and investment in auxiliary equipment, the replacement of old vessels by new ones and, to a lesser extent, to upgrade engines. The average Fpue imposed per day at sea by a 2000 hp beam trawler was estimated to be 1.0 × 10−5 (sole) and 0.6 × 10−5 (plaice), and it showed substantial seasonal and spatial variations. The Fpue of sole and plaice were negatively related in summer and showed no relationship in winter. The existence of predictive seasonal and spatial patterns in Fpue opens up the possibility of fine-tuning management by directed effort restrictions and uncoupling management of plaice and sole.


2017 ◽  
Vol 74 (7) ◽  
pp. 1061-1076 ◽  
Author(s):  
Julianne E. Harris ◽  
Joseph E. Hightower

We developed an integrated tagging model to estimate mortality rates and run sizes of Albemarle Sound – Roanoke River striped bass (Morone saxatilis), including (i) a multistate component for telemetered fish with a high reward external tag; (ii) tag return components for fish with a low reward external or PIT tag; and (iii) catch-at-age data. Total annual instantaneous mortality was 1.08 for resident (458–899 mm total length, TL) and 0.45 for anadromous (≥900 mm TL) individuals. Annual instantaneous natural mortality was higher for resident (0.70) than for anadromous (0.21) fish due to high summer mortality in Albemarle Sound. Natural mortality for residents was substantially higher than currently assumed for stock assessment. Monthly fishing mortality from multiple sectors (including catch-and-release) corresponded to seasonal periods of legal harvest. Run size estimates were 499 000–715 000. Results and simulation suggest increasing sample size for the multistate component increases accuracy and precision of annual estimates and low reward tags are valuable for estimating monthly fishing mortality rates among sectors. Our results suggest that integrated tagging models can produce seasonal and annual mortality estimates needed for stock assessment and management.


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