The role of data quality in reconciling fisheries with conservation.

PARMA, A.M.

American Fisheries Society Symposium

American Fisheries Society

Año: 2007 vol. 49 p. 587 - 589

Fisheries around the world face very contrasting situations in terms of the quality of data available to inform management decisions. On one extreme are data-poor fisheries, where lack of data tends to be accompanied by a number of structural attributes, such as small scale, spatial heterogeneity, and poor enforceability of regulations, all of which collectively pose management challenges well beyond those resulting from data limitations. Most coastal fisheries fit in this category. Here, the mismatch between the reality of the fishery (in terms of data availability as well as biological and social attributes) and the conceptual models underlying conventional stock assessments and management are most evident. On the other extreme are some data-rich industrial fisheries, regularly assessed by highly complex statistical models that integrate different sources of fishery-dependent and independent data. Even in these situations, the demand for good quality data does not seem to be satisfied, as we become more aware of the limitations of stock assessment methods and as concerns about fishing impacts extend beyond the target species to include broader ecosystem issues.