Inside the 2015 Groundfish Operational Assessments
Purpose
- Provides information needed to set annual catch limits
What's in it?
- Updated stock status through 2014
- Updated fishing rates through 2014
- Comparison with prior assessment
- Estimates of future stock status under various fishing rates
Data Sources
- Same as prior assessment, adding data collected since then
- Exception: Exploration of new information on survival of some fish released by recreational fishermen
Models
- Use current peer-reviewed model--few modifications allowed
- Account for observed recent trends in fish growth and maturity
- Look for inconsistent results in estimates of stock size or related variables