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Multiple surveys have taken place on Great Slave Lake with the aim of collecting data on fish populations to achieve sustainable management, however, a lack of consistency and lake coverage from these investigations’ limits data useability. Misinterpretations of data collected in early research likely contributed to the collapse of the Lake Trout, Salvelinus namaycush, stocks shortly after the commercial fishery began. The limited abundance indices available for Lake Trout, further complicated by inconsistent management areas and recording methods, prevents the incorporation of all available data into a conventional stock assessment model. Therefore, CMSY++, the most recent version of the data-limited, surplus production model, CMSY, was applied to assess the status of Great Slave Lake Trout populations. The results generated in this assessment predict that Lake Trout stocks in all current commercially fished regions are overfished, with combined Lake Trout and Lake Whitefish, Coregonus clupeaformis, quotas above estimated Lake Trout maximum sustainable yields. My findings indicate Lake Trout commercial harvest in recent years has surpassed the estimated maximum sustainable yield for the stock in some management areas. Inferences from modeling catch-time series of varied lengths suggest ~50 years of catch data should be sufficient for reference point estimation for these Lake Trout populations, as longer time series did not decrease uncertainty. The management areas with the most commercial harvest (Areas IW & IE) reveal the greatest uncertainty associated with biomass estimates, suggesting more data is required to better understand the current state of the stocks and any increases to quotas should not occur until this is done. Conclusions of my research support those suggested over 50 years ago; Lake Trout and Lake Whitefish, should be managed through separate commercial quotas to achieve sustainable management for these populations.

Multiple surveys have taken place on Great Slave Lake with the aim of collecting data on fish populations to achieve sustainable management, however, a lack of consistency and lake coverage from these investigations’ limits data useability. Misinterpretations of data collected in early research likely contributed to the collapse of the Lake Trout, Salvelinus namaycush, stocks shortly after the commercial fishery began. The limited abundance indices available for Lake Trout, further complicated by inconsistent management areas and recording methods, prevents the incorporation of all available data into a conventional stock assessment model. Therefore, CMSY++, the most recent version of the data-limited, surplus production model, CMSY, was applied to assess the status of Great Slave Lake Trout populations. The results generated in this assessment predict that Lake Trout stocks in all current commercially fished regions are overfished, with combined Lake Trout and Lake Whitefish, Coregonus clupeaformis, quotas above estimated Lake Trout maximum sustainable yields. My findings indicate Lake Trout commercial harvest in recent years has surpassed the estimated maximum sustainable yield for the stock in some management areas. Inferences from modeling catch-time series of varied lengths suggest ~50 years of catch data should be sufficient for reference point estimation for these Lake Trout populations, as longer time series did not decrease uncertainty. The management areas with the most commercial harvest (Areas IW & IE) reveal the greatest uncertainty associated with biomass estimates, suggesting more data is required to better understand the current state of the stocks and any increases to quotas should not occur until this is done. Conclusions of my research support those suggested over 50 years ago; Lake Trout and Lake Whitefish, should be managed through separate commercial quotas to achieve sustainable management for these populations.

Cephalopods are harvested in increasingly large quantities but understanding how to control and manage their stocks, and tracking the routes of the consumption that exploits them, lag behind what has been developed for exploiting finfish. This review attempts to redress the imbalance by considering the status of the major cephalopod stock species and the traceability of cephalopod seafood along the trade value chain. It begins with a general overview of the most important exploited cephalopods, their stock status and their market. Four major cephalopod resources are identified: the three squid species Todarodes pacificus, Dosidicus gigas and Illex argentinus; and one species of octopus, Octopus vulgaris. The techniques and problems of stock assessment (to assess sustainability) are reviewed briefly and the problems and possible solutions for assessing benthic stock such as those of octopuses are considered. An example of a stock well managed in the long term is presented to illustrate the value of careful monitoring and management: the squid Doryteuthis gahi available in Falkland Islands waters. Issues surrounding identification, mislabelling and illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing are then reviewed, followed by a discussion of approaches and techniques of traceability as applied to cephalopods. Finally, some of the mobile apps currently available and in development for tracking seafood are compared. This review concludes with observations on the necessity for the strengthening and international coordination of legislation, and more rigorous standards for seafood labelling and for taxonomic curation of DNA sequences available in public databases for use in seafood identification

Multispecies models have existed in a fisheries context since at least the 1970s, but despite much exploration, advancement, and consideration of multispecies models, there remain limited examples of their operational use in fishery management. Given that species and fleet interactions are inherently multispecies problems and the push towards ecosystem-based fisheries management, the lack of more regular operational use is both surprising and compelling. We identify impediments hampering the regular operational use of multispecies models and provide recommendations to address those impediments. These recommendations are: (1) engage stakeholders and managers early and often; (2) improve messaging and communication about the various uses of multispecies models; (3) move forward with multispecies management under current authorities while exploring more inclusive governance structures and flexible decision-making frameworks for handling tradeoffs; (4) evaluate when a multispecies modelling approach may be more appropriate; (5) tailor the multispecies model to a clearly defined purpose; (6) develop interdisciplinary solutions to promoting multispecies model applications; (7) make guidelines available for multispecies model review and application; and (8) ensure code and models are well documented and reproducible. These recommendations draw from a global assemblage of subject matter experts who participated in a workshop entitled “Multispecies Modeling Applications in Fisheries Management”.

The bay of Seine King scallop (Pecten maximus) stock assessment survey (COMOR2023) took place on the R/V Thalia in July 2023, in a normal configuration. The usual sampling plan was applied, with 156 points to be sampled. At the end of the survey, 160 dredge tows were made, 101 valid tows in the Bay of Seine (French territorial waters) and 53 valid tows in the area "Extérieur Bay of Seine" (between the 12 miles limit on the South and the 49°48 parallel on the North). The analysis of these data leads to confirm a really high level of the exploitable biomass in the whole Bay of Seine, even if it is slightly lower than that observed in 2022. Outside the Bay of Seine, biomass was estimated at 15418 tonnes, lower than the previous years but above the average for the last decade. In the Bay of Seine, the estimated biomass is once again very high, although down slightly compared to the previous year (72614 tonnes, compared with 85581 tonnes in 2022, -15%). This is the second highest value ever estimated, less than 2022 but exceeding the previous historical record set in 2021. This biomass is made up of a large cohort of 2-year-old King scallop arriving in the fishery for the first time and a particularly abundant adults scallops remaining in the fishery after the last fishing season (54% and 46% of the biomass respectively). For the second time in a row there is a balanced population of recruits and adults. It is evenly distributed in the different areas of the Bay of Seine. However, the highest densities are found in the western part of the bay., La campagne d’évaluation du stock de coquilles Saint-Jacques Pecten maximus de la baie de Seine (COMOR2023) s’est déroulée sur le N/O Thalia en juillet 2023, dans une configuration normale. Le plan d’échantillonnage habituel a été reconduit avec 156 points à réaliser. A l’issue de la campagne, 160 points ont été effectués, dont 101 valides en baie de Seine et 53 valides dans la zone « Extérieur baie de Seine ». L’analyse de ces données permet de confirmer un niveau très élevé de la biomasse exploitable sur l’ensemble de la baie de Seine, bien qu’en légère diminution par rapport au niveau record observé en 2022. A l’Extérieur de la baie de Seine, la biomasse a été estimée à 15418 tonnes, en baisse par rapport à l’année précédente, mais qui demeure supérieure à la moyenne de la dernière décennie. En baie de Seine, la biomasse estimée est à nouveau très élevée, bien qu’en légère baisse par rapport à l’année précédente (72614 tonnes, contre 85581 tonnes en 2021, -15%) : c’est la deuxième plus forte valeur jamais estimée, sous le record historique de 2022, mais supérieur au précédent de 2021. Cette biomasse est constituée d’une forte cohorte de coquilles de 2 ans arrivant pour la première fois dans la pêcherie et d’un reliquat de pêche abondant (respectivement 54 et 46% de la biomasse). C’est la seconde fois consécutive qu’une population équilibrée entre recrues et adultes est observée. Elle est équitablement répartie dans les différentes zones de la baie de Seine. Les densités les plus élevées se trouvent cependant dans la partie Ouest de la baie.

Recently, various state-space implementations of surplus production models (SPMs) have been developed for data-limited stocks. Often, catches and fishing effort are underestimated and discards are ignored. This results in biased estimates of stock status and reference points. Therefore, we conduct a sensitivity analysis for different under-reporting scenarios (due to non-declared landings, by-catch, and discards) on model estimates and thus advice for the black hake species in northwest Africa. Two modelling frameworks were used, namely a stochastic SPM in continuous time (SPiCT) and Just Another Bayesian Biomass Assessment (JABBA). A common set of diagnostics was developed to allow comparison across modelling frameworks. Scenarios correspond to hypotheses about misreporting and assumptions and priors that were kept consistent. The ratio of current fishing mortality over the fishing pressure that gives the maximum sustainable yield, F/FMSY, is most affected by under-reporting. Results are sensitive to the prior assumed for the initial depletion level, B0/K, and research is needed. If the misreporting is changing over time, relative quantities (e.g. F/FMSY) and trends are biased, while if misreporting (or at least a part of misreporting) is constant, relative quantities are unbiased. Therefore, the nature of any trend in misreporting should be investigated.

The California Current ecosystem is highly dynamic at interannual to interdecadal time scales. Variability has been documented in pelagic and other fish species, but climate change may be altering the historical models of variation. This study investigates changes in productivity of 31 fish stocks in the California Current ecosystem. Productivity was measured from recent stock assessments, as the per-capita recruitment rate, estimated with a dynamic stock-recruitment model. Contrary to expectations, the dynamic stock-recruitment model fit better than the corresponding stationary model for only seven of the 31 stocks. There was little evidence of linear drift in productivity that might be expected to result from climate change. Climate variables improved forecast accuracy for a few stocks, but there was no common climate signal in productivity. One explanation of these results is that most of the west coast stocks are above their biomass levels for maximum sustainable yield, making them less susceptible to environmental variation. On the other hand, the dynamic recruitment models improved short-term forecasts for all stocks, which may be useful for quota setting. Finally, results for the subset of stocks with dynamic recruitment models could be used to establish dynamic biological reference points.

Contemporary data concerning lake trout (Salvelinus namaycush) populations have been lacking in the province of Manitoba for several decades. I compared life history characteristics (age, condition, growth, maturity, and survival) of lake trout from seven lakes in order to assess their present state. Furthermore, lake trout have been observed to have different ecotypes that exhibit different life-history traits and behaviours, therefore lake trout otolith morphology was compared to potentially identify suspected sympatric ecotypes in Clearwater Lake, Manitoba. Summer profundal index netting (SPIN) gillnets were set at varying depths during summer months in 2021 and 2022 to complete this project. Otolith morphology was compared using elliptic Fourier analyses. Length-at-age was back-calculated for lake trout individuals, and growth data was fitted by von Bertalanffy growth curves. Growth curves differed significantly across lakes based on several parameters (L8, K, t0, and w). Northern lakes had the propensity to hold trophy-sized lake trout, while southern lakes did not. Significant otolith morphological differences between suspected lake trout ecotypes within Clearwater Lake. However, it is not possible to ascertain that otolith morphological differences are a result of different ecotypes or differing growth rates. There was a notable scarcity of lake trout in most southern lakes, while northern lake trout populations appear to be healthy. Historical high fishing pressure might be a culprit associated with the poor status of several southern lake trout populations. Fisheries Manitoba should consider using the SPIN program to further evaluate lake trout fisheries in Manitoba.

The bay of Seine King scallop (Pecten maximus) stock assessment survey (COMOR2023) took place on the R/V Thalia in July 2023, in a normal configuration. The usual sampling plan was applied, with 156 points to be sampled. At the end of the survey, 160 dredge tows were made, 101 valid tows in the Bay of Seine (French territorial waters) and 53 valid tows in the area "Extérieur Bay of Seine" (between the 12 miles limit on the South and the 49°48 parallel on the North). The analysis of these data leads to confirm a really high level of the exploitable biomass in the whole Bay of Seine, even if it is slightly lower than that observed in 2022. Outside the Bay of Seine, biomass was estimated at 15418 tonnes, lower than the previous years but above the average for the last decade. In the Bay of Seine, the estimated biomass is once again very high, although down slightly compared to the previous year (72614 tonnes, compared with 85581 tonnes in 2022, -15%). This is the second highest value ever estimated, less than 2022 but exceeding the previous historical record set in 2021. This biomass is made up of a large cohort of 2-year-old King scallop arriving in the fishery for the first time and a particularly abundant adults scallops remaining in the fishery after the last fishing season (54% and 46% of the biomass respectively). For the second time in a row there is a balanced population of recruits and adults. It is evenly distributed in the different areas of the Bay of Seine. However, the highest densities are found in the western part of the bay., La campagne d’évaluation du stock de coquilles Saint-Jacques Pecten maximus de la baie de Seine (COMOR2023) s’est déroulée sur le N/O Thalia en juillet 2023, dans une configuration normale. Le plan d’échantillonnage habituel a été reconduit avec 156 points à réaliser. A l’issue de la campagne, 160 points ont été effectués, dont 101 valides en baie de Seine et 53 valides dans la zone « Extérieur baie de Seine ». L’analyse de ces données permet de confirmer un niveau très élevé de la biomasse exploitable sur l’ensemble de la baie de Seine, bien qu’en légère diminution par rapport au niveau record observé en 2022. A l’Extérieur de la baie de Seine, la biomasse a été estimée à 15418 tonnes, en baisse par rapport à l’année précédente, mais qui demeure supérieure à la moyenne de la dernière décennie. En baie de Seine, la biomasse estimée est à nouveau très élevée, bien qu’en légère baisse par rapport à l’année précédente (72614 tonnes, contre 85581 tonnes en 2021, -15%) : c’est la deuxième plus forte valeur jamais estimée, sous le record historique de 2022, mais supérieur au précédent de 2021. Cette biomasse est constituée d’une forte cohorte de coquilles de 2 ans arrivant pour la première fois dans la pêcherie et d’un reliquat de pêche abondant (respectivement 54 et 46% de la biomasse). C’est la seconde fois consécutive qu’une population équilibrée entre recrues et adultes est observée. Elle est équitablement répartie dans les différentes zones de la baie de Seine. Les densités les plus élevées se trouvent cependant dans la partie Ouest de la baie.

Incorporation of ecosystem information into fish stock assessments and management advice, a cornerstone of delivering ecosystem-based fisheries management (EBFM), occurs often implicitly, faces multiple challenges, and remains often unquantified in terms of scope and scale. This paper provides a comprehensive overview of the inclusion of ecosystem trends and variability in ICES fishing opportunities advice in the Northeast Atlantic, by covering 87% of stocks corresponding to 99% of landings. Just under 50% of all stock assessments considered ecosystem information and the majority of management strategy evaluations did so in at least one way. Almost 73% of the data-rich stocks incorporated ecosystem trends and variability in at least one way, and almost 55% of short-term forecasts did so. Stock (individual growth rate) and fisheries (landings) characteristics largely explained the observed patterns of incorporation of ecosystem information into advice, with pelagic species and stocks with higher landings having higher instances of incorporation. Early stages of the advice process (closer to data analysis and methods development) had greater inclusion of ecosystem information, though this inclusion was generally implicit and not explicit, e.g. based on a hypothesis of environmental influence on stock dynamics. Moving towards explicit instructions and routine documentation of the inclusion of ecosystem information in fishing opportunities advice will accelerate the path to the EBFM in a consistent and transparent manner.

The assessment of the status of fisheries resources is pivotal due to the importance of marine resources in global food security and to halt the ongoing decline in marine biodiversity. Norway lobster (Nephrops norvegicus) is one of the most valuable resources in the Northeast Atlantic. However, overfishing has caused the decline of several Nephrops stocks over the last decades, particularly in the Nephrops Functional Units (FUs) 25 (NW Spain), 26-27 (NW Spain and North Portugal) and 31 (Cantabrian Sea, North Spain). Since 2003, the information provided by the very low level of landings and fishing effort of these three stocks was insufficient to carry out an adequate analytical assessment, so the base of the assessment has been the trends from commercial catch per unit effort (CPUE). The objective of this study was to carry out the first assessment of these three stocks with an analytical MSY-based model. A review of the available data was made and the stochastic Surplus Production Model in Continuous Time (SPiCT) was fitted for each FU. The results indicate an extremely low biomass for FUs 25 and 26-27 since the mid-nineties well below the reference points. For FU 31, on the other hand, estimated biomass is larger. Our findings also identified long-term temporal and spatial changes in the population dynamic of Nephrops in the Northwest Iberian coast. The results were compare with those obtained in the same stocks with other data-limited methods. Also the role of abiotic factors on the observed dynamic of the stocks was explored. The results of this study are not only relevant for the sustainable exploitation of Norway lobster stocks off the Northwest Iberian coast but provide valuable insights into the suitability and limitations of production models for the assessment of crustacean stocks in general.

N. norvegicus supports one of the most commercially-important fisheries in the Mediterranean, and there is considerable interest in developing non-invasive sampling stock assessment methods. Currently, stock assessments are conducted via trawling or by UnderWater TeleVision (UWTV) surveys with limited capacity to provide direct population data due to the burrowing behavior of the species. Here, we used acoustic telemetry to characterize the burrow emergence and movement patterns of N. norvegicus in relation to internal tides and inertial currents in deep-sea habitats of the northwestern Mediterranean. We deployed acoustic tags on 25 adults between May and June 2019, and collected up to 4 months of detection data from each tag. Tagged lobsters spent approximately 12% of their time in door-keeping (i.e., detections at burrow entrance with no displacements) but differences existed among the different behavioral rhythms identified. We observed that mixed day-night, tidal and inertial rhythms in field settings were similar to those observed in laboratory tests. The presence of mixed day-night and tidal periodicity poses the question of why N. norvegicus exhibits flexible responses to environmental cues other than photoperiod. It is possible that tidal regulation of locomotor activity could reduce energy expenditure in relation to hydrodynamic drag. Inertial periodicity occurs in animals with no clear burrowing-oriented activity (always present on the seabed). Possibly, inertial-related movements are the result of a disruption of the biological clock. Our results are discussed in the context of how burrow emergence rhythms may bias UWTV surveys and how novel in situ monitoring approaches address these biases

Traditionally, the von Bertalanffy model has been used as the only standard in the study of fish growth, considering it a priori as the only model that fits the length-age data of the species; a consideration that generates uncertainties in the values of the growth parameters that are estimated, since it is known that other growth models could also fit the length-age data. In this sense, in the Middle Orinoco region, a study of Brachyplatystoma rousseauxii growth was previously done using the traditional von Bertalanffy model, and the results were subsequently used to evaluate the population; hence the objective of the present work was to validate the results of the previous work, fitting the same length-age data to the growth models of the U Richards family, and selecting the best fit using the Akaike Information Criterion (AIC). As demonstrated in the first paper, the traditional von Bertalanffy model fitted the back-calculated length-age data, but only 35;4 %; while the majority (64,6 %) fitted the U von Bertalanffy, U Logistic, and U Gompertz models, with no superiority of any of them in the fit. The growth parameters estimated from na average model were somewhat from those obtained in the previous work, and therefore necessary to re-evaluate the resource to know its level of exploitation in the Middle Orinoco., Tradicionalmente se ha utilizado el modelo de von Bertalanffy como patrón único en el estudio del crecimiento de los peces, considerándolo a priori como el único modelo que se ajusta a los datos de longitud-edad de las especies; una consideración que genera incertidumbres en los valores de los parámetros de crecimientos que son estimados, por cuanto se sabe que existen otros modelos de crecimiento que podrían ajustarse igualmente a los datos de longitud-edad. En este sentido, en la región del Orinoco Medio se hizo anteriormente un estudio del crecimiento de Brachyplatystoma rousseauxii utilizando el modelo tradicional de von Bertalanffy, y los resultados fueron usados posteriormente para evaluar la población; de ahí que el objetivo del presente trabajo fue validar los resultados del trabajo anterior, ajustando los mismos datos de longitud-edad a los modelos de crecimiento de la familia U Richards, y seleccionando el de mejor ajuste usando el Criterio de la Información de Akaike (AIC). Tal como se demostró en el primer trabajo, el modelo tradicional de von Bertalanffy se ajustó a los datos longitud-edad retro calculados, pero solo en un 35,4 %; mientras que la mayoría (64,6 %) se adaptó a los modelos U von Bertalanffy, U Logístico y U Gompertz, sin superioridad alguna de ninguno de ellos en el ajuste. Los parámetros de crecimiento estimados a partir de un modelo promedio fueron algo diferente a los obtenidos en el trabajo anterior, y por lo tanto se hace necesario reevaluar el recurso, para conocer realmente su nivel de explotación en el Orinoco Medio.

The burrowing crustacean decapod Nephrops norvegicus is a significant species in European Atlantic and Mediterranean fisheries. Research over the decades has mainly focused on behavioral and physiological aspects related to the burrowing lifestyle, since animals can only be captured by trawls when engaged in emergence on the seabed. Here, we performed a global bibliographic survey of all the scientific literature retrieved in SCOPUS since 1965, and terminology maps were produced with the VOSviewer software to reveal established and emerging research areas. We produced three term-map plots: term clustering, term citation, and term year. The term clustering network showed three clusters: fishery performance, assessment, and management; biological cycles in growth, reproduction, and behavior; and finally, physiology and ecotoxicology, including food products. The term citation map showed that intense research is developed on ecotoxicology and fishery management. Finally, the term year map showed that the species was first studied in its morphological and physiological aspects and more recently in relation to fishery and as a food resource. Taken together, the results indicate scarce knowledge on how burrowing behavior and its environmental control can alter stock assessment, because of the poor use of current and advanced monitoring technologies

With the aim of maintaining or obtaining good environmental status in the Northeast Atlantic and northern Mediterranean Sea, the European Marine Strategy Framework Directive (EU-MSFD) came into force in 2008. All EU Member States (MS) have the task of assessing the current state of their adjacent waters to guarantee sustainable use of marine resources and healthy ecosystems for the current and future generations. Although the MSFD has been implemented for over a decade, there are still gaps in the assessment of various ecologically and commercially important marine species, such as cephalopods. Here we describe the status of cephalopods, a key component of marine ecosystems and a valuable fishing resource, within the MSFD. To do so, we review how MS deal with this group in their reporting and identify and explain the gaps in the cephalopod assessment. We describe the main challenges including the limited data and the rarity of dedicated surveys on cephalopods. However, we argue that cephalopods can be partially integrated into the EU-MSFD assessment, illustrating the current opportunities and future possibilities of their integration into the MSFD, mainly using Descriptors 1–4

There is growing attention on reconstructing recreational catch to quantify the impacts of recreational fishing [Reference Cooke, Venturelli, Twardek, Lennox, Brownscombe, Skov, Hyder, Suski, Diggles, Arlinghaus and Danylchuk1, Reference Radford, Hyder, Zarauz, Mugerza, Ferter, Prellezo, Strehlow, Townhill, Lewin and Weltersbach6]. In the absence of quantitative catch and effort data, a time series of reconstructed catch and effort is determined from sporadic data sources [Reference Freire, Belhabib, Espedido, Hood, Kleisner, Lam, Machado, Mendonça, Meeuwig, Moro, Motta, Palomares, Smith, Teh, Zeller, Zylich and Pauly2, Reference Pauly and Zeller5]. The aim of this study was to reconstruct a time series of recreational catches for key species from a boat-based recreational fishery in the West Coast Bioregion of Western Australia from 1993/94 to 2017/18, based on data collected by various survey approaches [Reference Lai, Mueller, Hyndes and Ryan3, Reference Ryan, Hall, Lai, Smallwood, Tate, Taylor and Wise7]. Prior to the reconstruction, there was a need to develop a thorough understanding of the survey methods and the data collected to ensure scientific credibility and stakeholder acceptance of reconstruction results [...].

Healthy soil is vital for our wellbeing and wealth. However, increasing demand for food and biomass may lead to unsustainable soil and land management practices that threaten soils. Other degradation processes such as soil sealing also endanger soil resources. Identifying and accessing the best available knowledge is crucial to address related sustainability issues and promote the needed transition towards sustainable soil and land management practices. Such knowledge has to cover all knowledge domains, system knowledge, target knowledge, and transformation knowledge. However, a comprehensive overview of existing research addressing societal needs related to soil is still missing, which hinders the identification of knowledge gaps. This study provides a detailed analysis of scientific literature to identify ongoing research activities and trends. A quantitative and qualitative analysis of scientific literature related to sustainable soil and land management was conducted. A systems-oriented analytical framework was used that combines soil and land related societal challenges with related knowledge domains. Our analysis revealed a significant increase in scientific publications and related interest in soil and land use-related research, above the average increase of publications within all scientific fields. Different forms of reduction and remediation of soil degradation processes (e.g. erosion, contamination) have been studied most extensively. Other topic areas like land take mitigation, soil biodiversity increase, increase of ecosystem services provision and climate change mitigation and adaption seem to be rather recent concerns, less investigated. We could highlight the importance of context-specific research, as different regions require different practices. For instance, boreal, tropical, karst and peatland regions were less studied. Furthermore, we found that diversifying soil management practices such as agroforestry or including livestock into arable syste

The assessment of the status of fisheries resources is pivotal due to the importance of marine resources in global food security and to halt the ongoing decline in marine biodiversity. Norway lobster (Nephrops norvegicus) is one of the most valuable resources in the Northeast Atlantic. However, overfishing has caused the decline of several Nephrops stocks over the last decades, particularly in the Nephrops Functional Units (FUs) 25 (NW Spain), 26-27 (NW Spain and North Portugal) and 31 (Cantabrian Sea, North Spain). Since 2003, the information provided by the very low level of landings and fishing effort of these three stocks was insufficient to carry out an adequate analytical assessment, so the base of the assessment has been the trends from commercial catch per unit effort (CPUE). The objective of this study was to carry out the first assessment of these three stocks with an analytical MSY-based model. A review of the available data was made and the stochastic Surplus Production Model in Continuous Time (SPiCT) was fitted for each FU. The results indicate an extremely low biomass for FUs 25 and 26-27 since the mid-nineties well below the reference points. For FU 31, on the other hand, estimated biomass is larger. Our findings also identified long-term temporal and spatial changes in the population dynamic of Nephrops in the Northwest Iberian coast. The results were compare with those obtained in the same stocks with other data-limited methods. Also the role of abiotic factors on the observed dynamic of the stocks was explored. The results of this study are not only relevant for the sustainable exploitation of Norway lobster stocks off the Northwest Iberian coast but provide valuable insights into the suitability and limitations of production models for the assessment of crustacean stocks in general.

Yellowfin tuna (Thunnus albacares) are highly valued pelagic fisheries target species. Regional fisheries management organizations (RFMOs) are the principal mechanism that manage yellowfin tuna fisheries. Determining changes in population abundances is crucial for effective conservation and management. We use multiple methods for monitoring biomass trends and evaluating the status of yellowfin tuna in each ocean basin and show how additional, multiple lines of evidence can enhance our understanding of the conservation and exploitation status of this species. Our analysis of regional biomass trajectories and Catch-MSY assessments corroborate the findings of the most recent RFMO stock assessments suggesting yellowfin tuna in the Indian Ocean are in critical condition, while the Eastern Pacific yellowfin tuna population shows the lowest levels of exploitation. These results are supported by fisheries-independent data from baited remote underwater video systems (BRUVS), showing that the Indian Ocean yellowfin tuna population is the least common, least abundant, and smallest across all oceans. Our findings support previous claims of systematic and widespread overfishing of yellowfin tuna in the Indian Ocean and thus confirm calls to reduce current fishing levels to ensure the long-term viability of the species.

Healthy soil is vital for our wellbeing and wealth. However, increasing demand for food and biomass may lead to unsustainable soil and land management practices that threaten soils. Other degradation processes such as soil sealing also endanger soil resources. Identifying and accessing the best available knowledge is crucial to address related sustainability issues and promote the needed transition towards sustainable soil and land management practices. Such knowledge has to cover all knowledge domains, system knowledge, target knowledge, and transformation knowledge. However, a comprehensive overview of existing research addressing societal needs related to soil is still missing, which hinders the identification of knowledge gaps. This study provides a detailed analysis of scientific literature to identify ongoing research activities and trends. A quantitative and qualitative analysis of scientific literature related to sustainable soil and land management was conducted. A systems-oriented analytical framework was used that combines soil and land related societal challenges with related knowledge domains. Our analysis revealed a significant increase in scientific publications and related interest in soil and land use-related research, above the average increase of publications within all scientific fields. Different forms of reduction and remediation of soil degradation processes (e.g. erosion, contamination) have been studied most extensively. Other topic areas like land take mitigation, soil biodiversity increase, increase of ecosystem services provision and climate change mitigation and adaption seem to be rather recent concerns, less investigated. We could highlight the importance of context-specific research, as different regions require different practices. For instance, boreal, tropical, karst and peatland regions were less studied. Furthermore, we found that diversifying soil management practices such as agroforestry or including livestock into arable syste

Many tropical reef fisheries are underperforming relative to maximum sustained yields despite their importance for the economies and food security of natural resource dependent people. Assessments of fisheries in tropical reefs have been hampered by the logistic difficulty and costs of making empirical estimates of sustainable yields in multi-species fisheries. To overcome this limitation, we used empirical fish biomass recovery data in high-compliance closures to create a production curve estimate that established biomass and yields at maximum sustained yield (Bmsy). A multivariate machine learning model using environmental and human influence proxies made biomass and yield estimates in 10,815 ∼6.25 km2 Indian Ocean cells. Subsequent analyses determined the national over- and under-fishing status. Identified proxies of travel time from markets, depth, and fisheries management were the main drivers of biomass and subsequent status. The East African countries of Kenya, Tanzania, and Mozambique had 18,500 km2 of reef and the lowest regional estimated biomass - losing 17,600 tons of commercial target fish per year. Therefore, the estimated loss is between US$ 50–150 million per year depending on the worth in the fisheries trade’s value chain The more populated islands of Reunion, Mauritius, Mayotte, and Comoros have smaller areas (5000 km2) and losing 3000 tons/year, and >US$ 9 million per year. Madagascar has many reefs (13,700 km2) and larger variation in yields with an estimated loss of ∼6000 tons/y. Increased restrictions could greatly increase the value of Indian Ocean fisheries by promoting the recovery of target biomass and recovering lost income.

Whitespotted bambooshark, Chiloscyllium plagiosum (Anonymous [Bennett], 1830), is a major shark species caught in waters off Sabah, Malaysia. Despite the massive landing amount, its biological and stock status information is limited. In 2015–2016, the elasmobranch data collection was conducted in Southeast Asia, including Sabah. A yield-per-recruit (YPR) and spawning-per-recruit (SPR) analyses were performed to assess this data-deficient species’ stock status. The growth parameter, average maximum length, L∞, and growth rate, K, for males and females were 81.13 cm and 0.21 year-1, and 84.30 cm and 0.18 year-1, respectively. Limit and target biological reference points, maximum fishing mortality and fishing mortality corresponding to 10 % of YPR slope (Fmax and F0.1, respectively) for YPR, and fishing mortality corresponding to 20 % and 30 % of spawning stock remained (F20% and F30%, respectively) for SPR, were calculated. The results suggest neither growth nor recruit overfishing was occurring. Monitoring and surveillance of existing management measures are necessary to ensure sustainable utilisation of the stock.

The ongoing declines in Atlantic salmon populations across its range underscore the need for co-ordinated scientific-based knowledge to support management and decisions for their conservation. Current salmon management actions remain largely focused on addressing bottlenecks to production in the freshwater phase of the life-cycle, whereas the continued declines observed in the recent decades are thought to be driven primarily by constraints on the marine phase. The challenges brought by global warming and other emerging stressors require immediate actions, requiring us to re-think the methods behind stock assessment and forge stronger linkages between data, models and policies to promote more effective management actions. We outline a scientific framework that takes a wider ecosystem view, designed to evaluate holistically a suite of indicators and potential drivers of salmon mortality at key phases of the life cycle. The aims of the proposed “Likely Suspects Framework” are to enhance cross-fertilisation of ideas between assessment processes at the stock-complex scale and stock-specific focused management activities, and to develop new decision support tools to improve management efficiencies and scenario testing. Adopting such an approach provides a new way to catalyse the acquisition and deployment of both existing and new data and models that are urgently needed for assisting the conservation and future stewardship of salmon stocks on both sides of the Atlantic.

This document presents the data and initial model set-up for the 2022 Stock Assessment for the Eastern Atlantic and Mediterranean bluefin tuna stock. During the 2017 Data Preparatory meetings, several changes in the data used for previous assessments have been presented, among which the revision of the Task 1 and Task 2 statistics and the selection of the indices of abundance. This led to completely revisiting the catch at age matrix and the model specifications for the 2017 assessment. For the present document, the data over the historical period (1968-2015) were nearly identical, whereas the data for the years 2016-2020 and abundance indices were updated. As agreed in previous meetings, the initial model specifications were kept identical to the 2017 assessment as no change has been agreed on since then., Ce document présente les données et la configuration initiale du modèle pour l'évaluation du stock de thon rouge de l'Atlantique Est et de la Méditerranée de 2022. Lors des réunions de préparation des données de 2017, plusieurs modifications des données utilisées dans les évaluations précédentes ont été présentées, parmi lesquelles la révision des statistiques de la tâche 1 et de la tâche 2 et la sélection des indices d'abondance. Cela a entraîné la révision complète de la matrice de prise par âge et des spécifications du modèle pour l'évaluation de 2017. Dans le présent document, les données de la période historique (1968-2015) étaient presque identiques, tandis que les données des années 2016-2020 et les indices d'abondance ont été mis à jour. Comme convenu lors des réunions précédentes, les spécifications initiales du modèle étaient identiques à celles de l'évaluation de 2017., En este documento se presentan los datos y la configuración del modelo para la actualización de la evaluación de 2022 del stock de atún rojo del Atlántico este y Mediterráneo. Durante la reunión de preparación de datos de 2017 se presentaron varios cambios en los datos utilizados para las evaluaciones anteriores, entre ellos la revisión de las estadísticas de Tareas 1 y 2, así como la selección de los índices de abundancia. Esto llevó a revisar completamente la matriz de captura por edad y las especificaciones del modelo para la evaluación de 2017. Para el presente documento, los datos del período histórico (1968-2015) fueron casi idénticos, mientras que se actualizaron los datos de los años 2016-2020 y los índices de abundancia. Como se acordó en reuniones anteriores, las especificaciones iniciales del modelo se mantuvieron idénticas a las de la evaluación de 2017, ya que no se ha acordado ningún cambio desde entonces.

After two years impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic (2020 survey, carried out with a reduced sampling plan in September 2020 on a fishing vessel and only in the Bay of Seine sensu stricto, and 2021 survey with a reduced scientific team), the COMOR2022 survey took place again on the N/O Thalia, in a normal configuration. The usual sampling plan was applied, with 156 points to be sampled. At the end of the survey, 97 valid points were made in the Bay of Seine (French territorial waters), and 54 in the area "Extérieur Bay of Seine" (between the 12 miles limit on the South and the 49°48 parallel on the North). The analysis of these data leads to the conclusion that there has been an overall increase in the exploitable biomass in the whole of the Bay of Seine. Outside the Bay of Seine, biomass was estimated at 20044 tonnes, up on previous years and above the average for the last decade. In the Bay of Seine, the estimated biomass is once again up sharply on the previous year (85581 tonnes, compared with 67049 tonnes in 2021, +28%): this is the highest value ever estimated, exceeding the historical record already set in 2021. This biomass is made up of a large cohort of 2-year-old King scallop arriving in the fishery for the first time and a particularly abundant adults scallops remaining in the fishery after the last fishing season (53% and 47% of the biomass respectively). This is the first time that a balanced population of recruits and adults has been observed. It is evenly distributed in the different areas of the Bay of Seine. However, the highest densities are found in the eastern part of the bay., Après deux années impactées par la pandémie COVID-19 (campagne 2020, avec un plan d’échantillonnage allégé, réalisée en septembre 2020 sur un navire de pêche professionnelle et uniquement sur la baie de Seine sensu stricto et campagne 2021 avec une équipe scientifique réduite), la campagne COMOR2022 s’est déroulée à nouveau sur le N/O Thalia, dans une configuration normale. Le plan d’échantillonnage habituel a été reconduit avec 156 points à réaliser. A l’issue de la campagne, 97 points valides ont été effectués en baie de Seine, et 54 dans la zone « Extérieur baie de Seine ». L’analyse de ces données permet de conclure à une augmentation forte de la biomasse exploitable sur l’ensemble de la baie de Seine. A l’Extérieur de la baie de Seine, la biomasse a été estimée à 20044 tonnes, en hausse par rapport aux années précédentes et supérieure à la moyenne de la dernière décennie. En baie de Seine, la biomasse estimée est à nouveau en forte augmentation par rapport à l’année précédente (85581 tonnes, contre 67049 tonnes en 2021, +28%) : c’est la plus forte valeur jamais estimée, dépassant le record historique déjà établi en 2021. Cette biomasse est constituée d’une forte cohorte de coquilles de 2 ans arrivant pour la première fois dans la pêcherie et d’un reliquat de pêche particulièrement abondant (respectivement 53 et 47% de la biomasse). C’est la première fois qu’une population équilibrée entre recrues et adultes est observée. Elle est équitablement répartie dans les différentes zones de la baie de Seine. Les densités les plus élevées se trouvent cependant dans la partie Est de la baie.

Whitespotted bambooshark, Chiloscyllium plagiosum (Anonymous [Bennett], 1830), is a major shark species caught in waters off Sabah, Malaysia. Despite the massive landing amount, its biological and stock status information is limited. In 2015–2016, the elasmobranch data collection was conducted in Southeast Asia, including Sabah. A yield-per-recruit (YPR) and spawning-per-recruit (SPR) analyses were performed to assess this data-deficient species’ stock status. The growth parameter, average maximum length, L∞, and growth rate, K, for males and females were 81.13 cm and 0.21 year-1, and 84.30 cm and 0.18 year-1, respectively. Limit and target biological reference points, maximum fishing mortality and fishing mortality corresponding to 10 % of YPR slope (Fmax and F0.1, respectively) for YPR, and fishing mortality corresponding to 20 % and 30 % of spawning stock remained (F20% and F30%, respectively) for SPR, were calculated. The results suggest neither growth nor recruit overfishing was occurring. Monitoring and surveillance of existing management measures are necessary to ensure sustainable utilisation of the stock.

The Age Structured Assessment Program (ASAP) was applied to Eastern Atlantic and Mediterranean Atlantic Bluefin tuna for the 2022 stock assessment. Previous single-fleet applications of ASAP for the 2017 and 2020 Atlantic Bluefin tuna assessments were updated and revised, and alternative models with fleet structure were explored. The single-fleet ASAP runs generally fit the data well, and were retrospectively consistent, but residual patterns in age composition and uncertainty in selectivity parameters could not be resolved. Model estimates suggest a substantial change in selectivity in the late 1990s. Multi-fleet ASAP models were developed to fit catch data and estimate selectivity for each index fleet and the Mediterranean purse seine fleet. Multi-fleet-based runs were also retrospectively consistent and fit the available data well, with some residual patterns, but catch data by fleet need revision. Status determination from single-fleet and provisional multi-fleet runs was similar: The stock recovered over the last decade from strong recruitment and low fishing mortality, the estimate of 2020 fishing mortality was much less than F0.1, and the estimate of 2020 spawning biomass was much greater than SSBF0.1., Le programme d’évaluation structuré par âge (ASAP) a été appliqué au thon rouge de l’Atlantique Est et de la Méditerranée pour l’évaluation du stock de 2022. Les applications précédentes d’ASAP à flottille unique pour les évaluations du thon rouge de l’Atlantique de 2017 et 2020 ont été mises à jour et révisées et des modèles alternatifs avec une structure de la flottille ont été étudiés. Les scénarios de ASAP à flottille unique s'ajustent généralement bien aux données et sont rétrospectivement cohérents, mais les schémas résiduels de la composition par âge et l'incertitude des paramètres de sélectivité n'ont pas pu être résolus. Les estimations du modèle suggèrent un changement substantiel de la sélectivité à la fin des années 1990. Des modèles ASAP pluri-flottilles ont été développés pour ajuster les données de captures et estimer la sélectivité de chaque flottille des indices et pour la flottille des senneurs de la Méditerranée. Les scénarios pluri-flottilles étaient également rétrospectivement cohérents et s’ajustaient bien aux données disponibles avec certains schémas résiduels, mais les données de capture par flottille ont dû être révisées. La détermination de l'état à partir des scénarios à flottille unique et à flottilles multiples provisoires était similaire, à savoir : le stock s'est rétabli au cours de la dernière décennie grâce à un fort recrutement et à une faible mortalité par pêche, l'estimation de la mortalité par pêche en 2020 était bien inférieure à F0,1 et l'estimation de la biomasse reproductrice en 2020 était bien supérieure à SSBF0,1., Se aplicó el Programa de evaluación estructurada por edad (ASAP) al atún rojo del Atlántico este y Mediterráneo para la evaluación de stock de 2022. Se actualizaron y revisaron las aplicaciones previas de ASAP de una sola flota para las evaluaciones de atún rojo del Atlántico de 2017 y 2020, y se exploraron modelos alternativos con una estructura de la flota. En general, los ensayos de ASAP de una sola flota se ajustaron bien a los datos y fueron coherentes desde el punto de vista retrospectivo, pero no se pudieron resolver los patrones residuales en la composición por edad y la incertidumbre en los parámetros de selectividad. Las estimaciones del modelo sugieren un cambio importante en la selectividad a finales de la década de 1990. Se desarrollaron modelos ASAP multiflota para ajustar los datos de captura y estimar la selectividad para cada flota del índice y la flota de cerco del Mediterráneo. Los ensayos basados en múltiples flotas también fueron coherentes desde el punto de vista retrospectivo y se ajustaron bien a los datos disponibles, con algunos patrones residuales, pero los datos de captura por flota necesitan ser revisados. La determinación del estado a partir de ensayos de una sola flota y de múltiples flotas provisiones fueron similares: El stock se recuperó durante la última década gracias a un fuerte reclutamiento y a una baja mortalidad por pesca, la estimación de la mortalidad por pesca de 2020 fue mucho inferior a F0.1 y la estimación de la biomasa reproductora de 2020 fue mucho superior a SSBF0.1.

This document describes the data used for Stock Synthesis assessment for the Eastern Atlantic and Mediterranean bluefin tuna. The initial model configuration, fleet definitions, selectivity modeling and main parameterization are also outlined. The model runs from 1950 to 2020 and is fit to length composition data and pair age-length data treated as conditional age-at-length., Ce document décrit les données utilisées dans l'évaluation du thon rouge de l'Atlantique Est et de la Méditerranée au moyen de de Stock Synthesis. La configuration initiale du modèle, les définitions des flottilles, la modélisation de la sélectivité et la paramétrisation principale sont également décrites. Le modèle est exécuté de 1950 à 2020 et est ajusté aux données de composition de tailles et aux données de paires âge-taille traitées comme âge par taille conditionnel., Este documento describe los datos utilizados para la evaluación Stock Synthesis del atún rojo del Atlántico este y del Mediterráneo. También se describen la configuración inicial del modelo, las definiciones de la flota, la modelación de la selectividad y la parametrización principal. Los ensayos del modelo van de 1950 a 2020 y se ajustan a los datos de composición por tallas y a los datos de pares de edad-talla tratados como edad condicional por talla.

This document presents the proposed base case for the assessment of eastern Atlantic and Mediterranean population of bluefin tuna using Stock Synthesis in 2022. The model runs from 1950 to 2020 and was fitted to length composition data, conditional age-at-length (otolith and spines–length-age pairs), 16 fishing fleets and 11 indices of abundance. Growth is modeled by a Richards function with Linf fixed at 271 cm, K fixed at 0.23387, and the Richards shape parameter is estimated by the model. A Beverton-Holt stock recruitment relationship was estimated in the model with the steepness and sigmaR fixed at 0.9 and 0.6, respectively. R0 is freely estimated. Although the diagnostics indicate an acceptable stability of the model, there are important conflicts between the catch information, length composition and index data. The model fits to length compositions were not good, but the model followed most of the indices fairly well. The model results showed that the SSB decreased from 1950 until the 1970s, remaining relatively stable at low values during the 1980-2009 period, and showing a sharp and steady increase since 2010., Este documento presenta el caso base propuesto para la evaluación de stock de atún rojo del Atlántico este y del Mediterráneo utilizando Stock Synthesis en 2022. El modelo abarca desde 1950 hasta 2020 y se ha ajustado a los datos de composición por tallas, a la edad por talla condicional (pares de otolitos y espinas edad por talla), 16 flotas pesqueras y 11 índices de abundancia. El crecimiento se modela mediante una función de Richards con Linf fijado en 271 cm, K fijado en 0,23387, y el parámetro de forma de Richards es estimado por el modelo. Se estimó en el modelo una relación stock reclutamiento de Beverton y Holt con la inclinación, y SigmaR fijos en 0,9 y 0,6, respectivamente. R0 se estimó libremente. Aunque los diagnósticos indican una estabilidad aceptable del modelo, existen importantes conflictos entre la información de las capturas, la composición por tallas y los datos de los índices. Los ajustes del modelo a las composiciones por tallas no fueron buenos, pero el modelo siguió bastante bien la mayoría de los índices. Los resultados del modelo mostraron que la SSB disminuyó desde 1950 hasta la década de 1970, permaneciendo relativamente estable en valores bajos durante el período 1980-2009, y mostrando un aumento brusco y constante desde 2010., En este documento se presentan los datos y la configuración del modelo para la actualización de la evaluación de 2022 del stock de atún rojo del Atlántico este y Mediterráneo. Durante la reunión de preparación de datos de 2017 se presentaron varios cambios en los datos utilizados para las evaluaciones anteriores, entre ellos la revisión de las estadísticas de Tareas 1 y 2, así como la selección de los índices de abundancia. Esto llevó a revisar completamente la matriz de captura por edad y las especificaciones del modelo para la evaluación de 2017. Para el presente documento, los datos del período histórico (1968-2015) fueron casi idénticos, mientras que se actualizaron los datos de los años 2016-2020 y los índices de abundancia. Como se acordó en reuniones anteriores, las especificaciones iniciales del modelo se mantuvieron idénticas a las de la evaluación de 2017, ya que no se ha acordado ningún cambio desde entonces.

This document presents the modeling work done for the 2022 stock assessment for the Eastern and Mediterranean Bluefin tuna stock, during informal modeling subgroup meetings in June 2022. This document presents various runs built upon the base case for the 2017 stock assessment. These runs aim at addressing issues identified in the 2020 update assessment and aspects discussed during the informal meetings held in June 2022, regarding the inclusion of updated catch at age data, improvement of model stability in relation to FRATIO estimates, the selection of the age for the plus group, inclusion of the WMED_GBYP_AER index. Following several explorations, the present work contains two runs that displayed improved diagnostics compared to previous runs. These models have improved retrospective patterns and no problematic issue was found through jittering the random number generator, jittering the starting values for the terminal F estimate, bootstrapping or through jackknife analysis., Este documento presenta el trabajo de modelación realizado para la evaluación de stock de 2022 para el stock de atún rojo del Atlántico este y Mediterráneo durante las reuniones informarles de junio de 2022 del Subgrupo de modelación. Este documento presenta varios ensayos elaborados a partir del caso base para la evaluación de stock de 2017. Estos ensayos tienen como objetivo abordar cuestiones identificadas en la evaluación actualizada de 2020 y los aspectos debatidos durante las reuniones informales de junio de 2022 acerca de la inclusión de datos actualizados de captura por edad, la mejora de la estabilidad del modelo en relación con las estimaciones de FRATIO, la selección de la edad para el grupo plus y la inclusión del índice WMED_GBYP_AER. Tras varias exploraciones, el trabajo presente contiene dos ensayos que mostraron un diagnóstico mejorado en comparación con los ensayos previos. Estos modelos han mejorado los patrones retrospectivos y no se encontró ningún problema mediante la ligera variación del generador de números aleatorios, la ligera variación de los valores iniciales para la estimación de F terminal, el bootstrap o mediante el análisis jackknife., La prospección aérea francesa en el golfo de León proporciona un importante índice independiente de la pesquería para la evaluación del stock de atún rojo del Atlántico este (EABFT, Thunnus thynnus). El presente documento recuerda la metodología empleada para la prospección y proporciona la actualización del índice para el año 2021, que muestra un ligero descenso respecto a 2020, que fue el año con el valor más elevado hasta la fecha, pero ocupa el tercer puesto en cuanto al valor más alto. Lo que confirma la tendencia al alza de los últimos años.

After two years impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic (2020 survey, carried out with a reduced sampling plan in September 2020 on a fishing vessel and only in the Bay of Seine sensu stricto, and 2021 survey with a reduced scientific team), the COMOR2022 survey took place again on the N/O Thalia, in a normal configuration. The usual sampling plan was applied, with 156 points to be sampled. At the end of the survey, 97 valid points were made in the Bay of Seine (French territorial waters), and 54 in the area "Extérieur Bay of Seine" (between the 12 miles limit on the South and the 49°48 parallel on the North). The analysis of these data leads to the conclusion that there has been an overall increase in the exploitable biomass in the whole of the Bay of Seine. Outside the Bay of Seine, biomass was estimated at 20044 tonnes, up on previous years and above the average for the last decade. In the Bay of Seine, the estimated biomass is once again up sharply on the previous year (85581 tonnes, compared with 67049 tonnes in 2021, +28%): this is the highest value ever estimated, exceeding the historical record already set in 2021. This biomass is made up of a large cohort of 2-year-old King scallop arriving in the fishery for the first time and a particularly abundant adults scallops remaining in the fishery after the last fishing season (53% and 47% of the biomass respectively). This is the first time that a balanced population of recruits and adults has been observed. It is evenly distributed in the different areas of the Bay of Seine. However, the highest densities are found in the eastern part of the bay., Après deux années impactées par la pandémie COVID-19 (campagne 2020, avec un plan d’échantillonnage allégé, réalisée en septembre 2020 sur un navire de pêche professionnelle et uniquement sur la baie de Seine sensu stricto et campagne 2021 avec une équipe scientifique réduite), la campagne COMOR2022 s’est déroulée à nouveau sur le N/O Thalia, dans une configuration normale. Le plan d’échantillonnage habituel a été reconduit avec 156 points à réaliser. A l’issue de la campagne, 97 points valides ont été effectués en baie de Seine, et 54 dans la zone « Extérieur baie de Seine ». L’analyse de ces données permet de conclure à une augmentation forte de la biomasse exploitable sur l’ensemble de la baie de Seine. A l’Extérieur de la baie de Seine, la biomasse a été estimée à 20044 tonnes, en hausse par rapport aux années précédentes et supérieure à la moyenne de la dernière décennie. En baie de Seine, la biomasse estimée est à nouveau en forte augmentation par rapport à l’année précédente (85581 tonnes, contre 67049 tonnes en 2021, +28%) : c’est la plus forte valeur jamais estimée, dépassant le record historique déjà établi en 2021. Cette biomasse est constituée d’une forte cohorte de coquilles de 2 ans arrivant pour la première fois dans la pêcherie et d’un reliquat de pêche particulièrement abondant (respectivement 53 et 47% de la biomasse). C’est la première fois qu’une population équilibrée entre recrues et adultes est observée. Elle est équitablement répartie dans les différentes zones de la baie de Seine. Les densités les plus élevées se trouvent cependant dans la partie Est de la baie.

The Age Structured Assessment Program (ASAP) was applied to Eastern Atlantic and Mediterranean Atlantic Bluefin tuna for the 2022 stock assessment. Previous single-fleet applications of ASAP for the 2017 and 2020 Atlantic Bluefin tuna assessments were updated and revised, and alternative models with fleet structure were explored. The single-fleet ASAP runs generally fit the data well, and were retrospectively consistent, but residual patterns in age composition and uncertainty in selectivity parameters could not be resolved. Model estimates suggest a substantial change in selectivity in the late 1990s. Multi-fleet ASAP models were developed to fit catch data and estimate selectivity for each index fleet and the Mediterranean purse seine fleet. Multi-fleet-based runs were also retrospectively consistent and fit the available data well, with some residual patterns, but catch data by fleet need revision. Status determination from single-fleet and provisional multi-fleet runs was similar: The stock recovered over the last decade from strong recruitment and low fishing mortality, the estimate of 2020 fishing mortality was much less than F0.1, and the estimate of 2020 spawning biomass was much greater than SSBF0.1., Le programme d’évaluation structuré par âge (ASAP) a été appliqué au thon rouge de l’Atlantique Est et de la Méditerranée pour l’évaluation du stock de 2022. Les applications précédentes d’ASAP à flottille unique pour les évaluations du thon rouge de l’Atlantique de 2017 et 2020 ont été mises à jour et révisées et des modèles alternatifs avec une structure de la flottille ont été étudiés. Les scénarios de ASAP à flottille unique s'ajustent généralement bien aux données et sont rétrospectivement cohérents, mais les schémas résiduels de la composition par âge et l'incertitude des paramètres de sélectivité n'ont pas pu être résolus. Les estimations du modèle suggèrent un changement substantiel de la sélectivité à la fin des années 1990. Des modèles ASAP pluri-flottilles ont été développés pour ajuster les données de captures et estimer la sélectivité de chaque flottille des indices et pour la flottille des senneurs de la Méditerranée. Les scénarios pluri-flottilles étaient également rétrospectivement cohérents et s’ajustaient bien aux données disponibles avec certains schémas résiduels, mais les données de capture par flottille ont dû être révisées. La détermination de l'état à partir des scénarios à flottille unique et à flottilles multiples provisoires était similaire, à savoir : le stock s'est rétabli au cours de la dernière décennie grâce à un fort recrutement et à une faible mortalité par pêche, l'estimation de la mortalité par pêche en 2020 était bien inférieure à F0,1 et l'estimation de la biomasse reproductrice en 2020 était bien supérieure à SSBF0,1., Se aplicó el Programa de evaluación estructurada por edad (ASAP) al atún rojo del Atlántico este y Mediterráneo para la evaluación de stock de 2022. Se actualizaron y revisaron las aplicaciones previas de ASAP de una sola flota para las evaluaciones de atún rojo del Atlántico de 2017 y 2020, y se exploraron modelos alternativos con una estructura de la flota. En general, los ensayos de ASAP de una sola flota se ajustaron bien a los datos y fueron coherentes desde el punto de vista retrospectivo, pero no se pudieron resolver los patrones residuales en la composición por edad y la incertidumbre en los parámetros de selectividad. Las estimaciones del modelo sugieren un cambio importante en la selectividad a finales de la década de 1990. Se desarrollaron modelos ASAP multiflota para ajustar los datos de captura y estimar la selectividad para cada flota del índice y la flota de cerco del Mediterráneo. Los ensayos basados en múltiples flotas también fueron coherentes desde el punto de vista retrospectivo y se ajustaron bien a los datos disponibles, con algunos patrones residuales, pero los datos de captura por flota necesitan ser revisados. La determinación del estado a partir de ensayos de una sola flota y de múltiples flotas provisiones fueron similares: El stock se recuperó durante la última década gracias a un fuerte reclutamiento y a una baja mortalidad por pesca, la estimación de la mortalidad por pesca de 2020 fue mucho inferior a F0.1 y la estimación de la biomasa reproductora de 2020 fue mucho superior a SSBF0.1.

Knowledge of the status of the black-lipped pearl oyster Pinctada margaritifera populations is critical for the sustainability of the French Polynesia black pearl farming industry. Indeed, this activity relies on collection of spat settling out of the water column, which is inherently related to the abundance of in situ benthic stocks and their reproductive capacities. From surveys performed between 2016 and 2021, we present new stock assessments of natural wild oyster populations from four contrasted pearl farming lagoons (Gambier, Takapoto, Raroia, Takume). Also using Ahe atoll historical data, we first highlight how results vary with the methods (Direct, Zonal and Cokriging) used to scale in situ density measurements to lagoon-scale stocks. Takapoto and Gambier populations were also previously surveyed at least twice since the 1980s, allowing to demonstrate with field data clear changes in stock distributions and population structures. The consequences of our findings are discussed to provide recommendations for stock monitoring and management in the future.

This document presents the data and initial model set-up for the 2022 Stock Assessment for the Eastern Atlantic and Mediterranean bluefin tuna stock. During the 2017 Data Preparatory meetings, several changes in the data used for previous assessments have been presented, among which the revision of the Task 1 and Task 2 statistics and the selection of the indices of abundance. This led to completely revisiting the catch at age matrix and the model specifications for the 2017 assessment. For the present document, the data over the historical period (1968-2015) were nearly identical, whereas the data for the years 2016-2020 and abundance indices were updated. As agreed in previous meetings, the initial model specifications were kept identical to the 2017 assessment as no change has been agreed on since then., Ce document présente les données et la configuration initiale du modèle pour l'évaluation du stock de thon rouge de l'Atlantique Est et de la Méditerranée de 2022. Lors des réunions de préparation des données de 2017, plusieurs modifications des données utilisées dans les évaluations précédentes ont été présentées, parmi lesquelles la révision des statistiques de la tâche 1 et de la tâche 2 et la sélection des indices d'abondance. Cela a entraîné la révision complète de la matrice de prise par âge et des spécifications du modèle pour l'évaluation de 2017. Dans le présent document, les données de la période historique (1968-2015) étaient presque identiques, tandis que les données des années 2016-2020 et les indices d'abondance ont été mis à jour. Comme convenu lors des réunions précédentes, les spécifications initiales du modèle étaient identiques à celles de l'évaluation de 2017., En este documento se presentan los datos y la configuración del modelo para la actualización de la evaluación de 2022 del stock de atún rojo del Atlántico este y Mediterráneo. Durante la reunión de preparación de datos de 2017 se presentaron varios cambios en los datos utilizados para las evaluaciones anteriores, entre ellos la revisión de las estadísticas de Tareas 1 y 2, así como la selección de los índices de abundancia. Esto llevó a revisar completamente la matriz de captura por edad y las especificaciones del modelo para la evaluación de 2017. Para el presente documento, los datos del período histórico (1968-2015) fueron casi idénticos, mientras que se actualizaron los datos de los años 2016-2020 y los índices de abundancia. Como se acordó en reuniones anteriores, las especificaciones iniciales del modelo se mantuvieron idénticas a las de la evaluación de 2017, ya que no se ha acordado ningún cambio desde entonces.

The ongoing declines in Atlantic salmon populations across its range underscore the need for co-ordinated scientific-based knowledge to support management and decisions for their conservation. Current salmon management actions remain largely focused on addressing bottlenecks to production in the freshwater phase of the life-cycle, whereas the continued declines observed in the recent decades are thought to be driven primarily by constraints on the marine phase. The challenges brought by global warming and other emerging stressors require immediate actions, requiring us to re-think the methods behind stock assessment and forge stronger linkages between data, models and policies to promote more effective management actions. We outline a scientific framework that takes a wider ecosystem view, designed to evaluate holistically a suite of indicators and potential drivers of salmon mortality at key phases of the life cycle. The aims of the proposed “Likely Suspects Framework” are to enhance cross-fertilisation of ideas between assessment processes at the stock-complex scale and stock-specific focused management activities, and to develop new decision support tools to improve management efficiencies and scenario testing. Adopting such an approach provides a new way to catalyse the acquisition and deployment of both existing and new data and models that are urgently needed for assisting the conservation and future stewardship of salmon stocks on both sides of the Atlantic.

Whitespotted bambooshark, Chiloscyllium plagiosum (Anonymous [Bennett], 1830), is a major shark species caught in waters off Sabah, Malaysia. Despite the massive landing amount, its biological and stock status information is limited. In 2015–2016, the elasmobranch data collection was conducted in Southeast Asia, including Sabah. A yield-per-recruit (YPR) and spawning-per-recruit (SPR) analyses were performed to assess this data-deficient species’ stock status. The growth parameter, average maximum length, L∞, and growth rate, K, for males and females were 81.13 cm and 0.21 year-1, and 84.30 cm and 0.18 year-1, respectively. Limit and target biological reference points, maximum fishing mortality and fishing mortality corresponding to 10 % of YPR slope (Fmax and F0.1, respectively) for YPR, and fishing mortality corresponding to 20 % and 30 % of spawning stock remained (F20% and F30%, respectively) for SPR, were calculated. The results suggest neither growth nor recruit overfishing was occurring. Monitoring and surveillance of existing management measures are necessary to ensure sustainable utilisation of the stock.

Over the past two decades, enormous progresses have been made in high-throughput sequencing (HTS) method development. This fact unveiled the potential usefulness of HTS methods in a wide range of fields such as fishery assessment and management, for which their application has been extensively discussed. As a consequence of the rapid development, sequencing costs have continuously declined, leading to a general claim that HTS methods are cost-efficient compared with traditional ones. Within this context, the underlying research objective is to assess the cost-effectiveness of genomic techniques through a review of the state of the art (SoA) on three HTS methods: i) environmental DNA (eDNA); ii) epigenetics method for age determination through DNA methylation (DNAm), and; iii) close-kin mark-recapture (CKMR) applied on marine ecosystems and fisheries and for stock assessment purposes. The SoA review of the literature on HTS methods was performed through the snow-balling systematic reviewing approach. The analysis has considered the set of processes and variables necessary to perform the stock assessment and compared the capacity of current and HTS methods for providing the required data. Research reveals that HTS methods constitute a promising tool for fishery research and, particularly, for improving scientific advice. Nevertheless, up to now, only one research, on a non-commercial species, has been conducted on the application of HTS methods for stock assessment purposes. Although some partial data are present in the literature, no systematic analysis on costs has been found. This paper suggests that the future research agenda should attempt to straddle both the scenarios for the transition process, considering complementary implementation and substitution possibilities and their cost-efficiency. Clarifying these questions is likely to pave the way for the effective and step-wise implementation of these methods in fishery management; thus, further research is recom

Translational ecology defines a collaborative effort among scientists and stakeholders with the goal of rapidly translating environmental problems into action. This approach can be applied in a fisheries management context when information needed to inform regulations is unavailable, yet conservation concerns exist. My dissertation research uses a translational ecology framework to assess the stock status and develop research priorities for the Crevalle Jack (Caranx hippos), an unregulated and data-poor fish species, by collaborating with recreational fishing guides in the Florida Keys, U.S.A. In chapter II, I used interview data that compiled veteran fishing guide knowledge to develop hypotheses about Crevalle Jack stock status that I then tested using existing fisheries-dependent datasets. The results of this chapter revealed that Crevalle Jack populations in the Florida Keys appear to be in decline since at least the 1990s, that the decline has been gradual, and that Crevalle Jack are seasonal residents, inhabiting the Florida Keys mainly in the winter months. For chapters III and IV I used two complementary techniques to describe the daily, seasonal, and lifetime movement and migration patterns of Crevalle Jack in Florida and the northern Gulf of Mexico. The results of these chapters revealed that Crevalle Jack inhabit inshore, coastal habitats as juveniles before engaging in ontogenetic migrations to cooler, more offshore habitats between ages-1 and -2. Separation in habitat use between Florida Keys and Alabama fish during the juvenile and sub-adult stages was apparent, with some individual variability. However, adult Crevalle Jack appear to make regular long-distance movements to the northern Gulf of Mexico, suggesting that multi-state management efforts may be necessary to restore and conserve the population in the future. Finally, chapter V applies the results of the previous three research chapters to creation of a data-limited stock assessment for Florida

Report of the Scientific Council Meeting held in Halifax from 3 to 16 June 2022

Length-based methods have been widely applied to estimate biological parameters and understand the dynamics of marine resource populations within data-limited stocks. However, to date few studies have tested the sensitivity of parameters in length-based methods examining stocks with different traits and fishery contexts. In the Bay of Biscay and the Iberian Coast ecoregion, SE Europe (International Council for the Exploration of the Sea - ICES, Divisions 8 and 9a), many commercial resources are considered data-limited, and either little is known about their fisheries stock statuses or gaps remain in currently available assessments. Therefore, this study focuses on two of the most used length-based methods, which ICES considers to be the most appropriate to evaluate data-limited stocks, namely length-based indicators (LBI) and the length-based spawning potential ratio (LBSPR). Both methods have been applied to assess the stock statuses of various relevant species in the study area, such as: the small-spotted catshark (Scyliorhinus canicula), European anchovy (Engraulis encrasicolus), blackspot seabream (Pagellus bogaraveo), pouting (Trisopterus luscus), pollack (Pollachius pollachius), and Norway lobster (Nephrops norvegicus). For each stock, model results were compared with available knowledge on their current status. Furthermore, this paper discusses whether unexpected results are related to violations of the main model assumptions (constant total mortality and recruitment, and logistic selectivity) or to a lack of representativeness of stock length composition. A sensitivity analysis was conducted on the two most important input parameters: L∞ (von Bertalanffy asymptotic average maximum body size) and M/k (ratio of natural mortality to von Bertalanffy growth rate). This analysis concluded that the variation/misspecification of both parameters (M/k and L∞) had a considerable impact on the results given by both methods, and that this effect is more significant in th

In the Iberian Coast region, the common sole (Solea solea) is considered a very relevant species due to its high commercial value. Despite its importance, the current status of this stock is still poorly known due to the scarcity of available data to apply formal assessment methods. In data-poor situations length-based methods have been widely applied to estimate biological parameters and to understand the dynamics of marine stocks. In this study we evaluate the status of common sole in the Iberian Coast region using the following three different length-based methods: (1) the length-based indicators, (2) the length-based spawning potential ratio and (3) the mean length-based mortality estimators. Overall, the three methods agree that this stock appears to be exploited at the maximum sustainable yield level, the immatures are well preserved whereas the proportion of large mature individuals is relatively low, although it has been increased in the last years. Assessing the status of this valuable stock through data-limited methods is the first step towards designing and implementing effective management measures.

In waters off The Canary Islands, small pelagic fish are targeted by an artisanal purse seine fleet. This fishery has been monitored within the EU Data Collection Framework since 2013. The status assessment of the most important commercial species (i.e. Scomber colias, Trachurus spp, Sardinella spp and Sardina pilchardus) are included in the Fishery Committee for the Eastern Central Atlantic (CECAF). However, the short time series and the limited knowledge of the life history traits of these species in the Archipelago had been considered too limited to perform any assessment exercise. In this context, a multi-model approach was attempted to assess the status of these species for the first time in the area, using the methods recommended by CECAF and the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES). Time series of landings and fishing effort includes data since 2009 to 2020, being less reliable at the beginning of the series. In addition, the biological and population information needed as input data in those models, are available depending on the species, this increasing the uncertainty of these analyses. A total of six data-limited (length- and catch-based) methods was applied. Results show that a quantitative assessment of the Canaries small pelagic stocks, with the final aim of providing scientific advice for management purposes, is not yet feasible. Therefore, it is necessary and urgent to address the current uncertainties around these species and fisheries, both by improving the knowledge of their life histories and by solving the shortfalls related to the data of this artisanal and multispecific fishery.

The aim of this WD was to explore surplus production models to assess the western component of the anchovy 27.9a stock. Models were fitted to catch per quarter or semester (1991 – 2021) and to one biomass index, the spring acoustic survey (1999 – 2021), or two biomass indices, the acoustic survey and the autumn groundfish survey (1991 – 2018) using SPiCT. Various assumptions regarding the shape of the production curve, the initial biomass depletion and the intrinsic growth rate of the population were combined such that models varied from nearly unconstrained (more complex) to increasingly constrained (less complex). Bi-annual catch data and two survey indices lead to a higher number of convergent models. Several models passed all ICES criteria to accept a SPiCT assessment, except for a higher level of uncertainty in F/FMSY than the agreed one for long-lived stocks. A model assuming a Schaefer production curve, a prior on r from a meta-analysis and, an initial depletion rate of 80%, showed better retrospective analysis, survey hindcast cross-validation and convergence performance than other candidate models. The results indicated that F/FMSY was below 1 across most of the period, B/BMSY fluctuated well below 1 until 2010 and above 1 since 2016. The present results may be considered for further work in a benchmark workshop.