Publication Abstract

An analysis of covariance in surplus production and biomass in Celtic Sea fish stocks

L.T. Kell, P. Apostolaki, S.H. Lucato-Hadeler, G. Pilling, J. Pinnegar, D. Maxwell and F. Scott

A stated objective of the Common Fisheries Policy is to minimise the impact of fishing activities on marine eco-systems and to progressively implement an eco-system-based approach to fisheries management. However most fisheries management advice is still “single species” based. Therefore a major challenge of ICES is to actually implement the precautionary approach by demonstrating that fishing practices will not damage ecosystem properties and habitats as well as the stock when setting exploitation rates on a stock by stock basis. Before this can be done however it is essential to distinguish between natural or environmental variations and those due to anthropogenic affects in fish populations; since only the latter can be influence by management. Therefore in this paper variation biomass and production is analysed, using research vessel survey data from the Celtic Sea, for over sixty commercial and non-commercial species. Variability is related a variety of factors including life history characteristics, trophic interactions as well as for exploitation rate for commercial species.

Reference

L.T. Kell, P. Apostolaki, S.H. Lucato-Hadeler, G. Pilling, J. Pinnegar, D. Maxwell and F. Scott (2007) An analysis of covariance in surplus production and biomass in Celtic Sea fish stocks. ICES CM 2007/R:19