Assessing the Fishery Resource Status of China’s Coastal Waters Using Surplus Production Models

Surplus production models(SPMs)are among the simplest and most widely used fishery stock assessment models.The catch-effort data analysis(CEDA)and a surplus production model incorporating covariates(ASPIC)are softwares for analyzing fishery catch and fishing effort data using nonequilibrium SPMs.In China Fishery Statistical Yearbook,annual fishery production and fishing effort data of the Yellow Sea,Bohai Sea,East China Sea,and South China Sea have been published from 1979 till present.Using its catch and fishing effort data from 1980 to 2018,we apply the CEDA and ASPIC to evaluate fishery resources in Chinese coastal waters.The results show that the total maximum sustainable yield(MSY)estimate of the four China seas is 10.05-10.83 million tons,approximately equal to the marine fishery catch(10.44 million tons)reported in 2018.It can be concluded that China’s coastal fishery resources are currently fully exploited and must be protected with a precautionary approach.Both softwares produced similar results;however,the CEDA had a much higher R2 value(above 0.9)than ASPIC(about 0.2),indicating that CEDA can better fit the data and therefore is more suitable for analyzing the fishery resources in the coastal waters of China.

A stock assessment for Illex argentinus in Southwest Atlantic using an environmentally dependent surplus production model

The southern Patagonian stock（SPS） of Argentinian shortfin squid, Illex argentinus, is an economically important squid fishery in the Southwest Atlantic. Environmental conditions in the region play an important role in regulating the population dynamics of the I. argentinus population. This study develops an environmentally dependent surplus production（EDSP） model to evaluate the stock abundance of I. argentines during the period of 2000 to 2010. The environmental factors（favorable spawning habitat areas with sea surface temperature of 16–18°C） were assumed to be closely associated with carrying capacity（K） in the EDSP model. Deviance Information Criterion（DIC） values suggest that the estimated EDSP model with environmental factors fits the data better than a Schaefer surplus model without environmental factors under uniform and normal scenarios.The EDSP model estimated a maximum sustainable yield（MSY） from 351 600 t to 685 100 t and a biomass from 1 322 400 t to1 803 000 t. The fishing mortality coefficient of I. argentinus from 2000 to 2010 was smaller than the values of F（0.1） and F（MSY）. Furthermore, the time series biomass plot of I. argentinus from 2000 to 2010 shows that the biomass of I.argentinus and this fishery were in a good state and not presently experiencing overfishing. This study suggests that the environmental conditions of the habitat should be considered within squid stock assessment and management.

Assessing recent gradual upsurge of marine captured Hilsa stock(Tenualosa ilisha)in Bangladesh

The anadromous Hilsa shad(Tenualosa ilisha)fishery is the prime single species fishery of Bangladesh that driven by open access system which was selected for this study.Key purpose of this study was to assess the MSY(Maximum Sustainable Yield)in order to review the effectivity of the ongoing management policy of this fishery.For this reason,time series maritime or downstream catch-effort data of the Bay of Bengal were assembled from the Department of Fisheries,Bangladesh.MSY,CPUE and other population parameters were estimated through Surplus Production Models(SPMs)using computer software packages of CEDA,ASPIC and TropFishR.Assessed biological reference points of MSY from the best fitted CEDA package was 282,100 t(R^(2)=0.822)for the normal assumptions of the Schaefer and Pella-Tomlinson models.MSY values from the ASPIC packages(324,100 t and 263,500 t;for Fox and Schaefer model)and Schaefer model from TropFishR(345,486t)were larger than the catch in 2017(278,948 t).The values of F ratio(F/FMSY)for all SPMs were found less than 1 and B ratio(B/BMSY)were greater than 1 that clearly indicate the gradual upsurge of the Hilsa stock.Based on the above findings of BRPs,it also proves the effectivity of the current“Hilsa fishery management action plan”by the authorities.

Catch per unit effort,maximum sustainable yield and exploitation of demersal fish of Omani artisanal fishery

Objective:To evaluate exploitation status of the stocks of demersal fishes in Omani artisanal fisheries.Methods:Time-series data between 2005 and 2014 on catches and effort represented by the number of fishing boats were used to estimate catch per unit effort and maximum sustainable yields applying Schaefer surplus production model.Regression analyses were made online using GraphPad software.Results:The study revealed that increasing the number of boats on the fishery caused a decrease of catch per unit effort of some species.Maximum sustainable yields and exploitation status were estimated for these species applying.Conclusions:Some demersal fish species were found to be caught in quantities exceeding maximum sustainable yields during some fishing seasons indicating overexploitation of their stocks.