Client: Lenfest Ocean Program
In the summer of 2007, MRAG Americas coordinated working groups aimed at identifying best practices in fisheries management, developing a standardized process for setting annual catch limits (ACLs) that can apply to all US federally managed fisheries as mandated by the Magnuson-Stevens Reauthorization Act. The Expert Working Group developed a straightforward process for establishing catch limits and accountability measures, which included setting a sufficiently precautionary measure to ensure that overfishing does not occur. The report from the first working group, “Setting annual catch limits for US fisheries,” determined that scientists need to assess each population’s vulnerability to overfishing in order to set sustainable and effective catch limits.
Following the report’s recommendations, methods were developed for conducting vulnerability assessments, which included calculations of productivity and susceptibility scores for fish stocks and over 150 federally managed species scores were produced. In January 2009, MRAG Americas convened a second working group of domestic and international fisheries experts and managers to refine the methodology and incorporate recommendations from the National Marine Fisheries Service. The results of these efforts are being considered by Regional Fishery Management Councils Science and Statistical Committees as they develop Allowable Biological Catch (ABC) control rules for setting ACLs.
The reports from this work are availble on our publications page.
