Consequences of bias in age estimation on assessment of the northern stock of European hake (Merluccius merluccius) and on management advice

Type Article
Date 2007-07
Language English
Author(s) Bertignac MichelORCID1, de Pontual HeleneORCID2
Affiliation(s) 1 : IFREMER, Ctr Brest, Lab Biol Halieut, STH LBH, F-29280 Plouzane, France.
2 : IFREMER, Lab Sclerochronol Anim Aquat, STH LASAA, F-29280 Plouzane, France.
Source ICES Journal of Marine Science (1054-3139) (Oxford university press), 2007-07 , Vol. 64 , N. 5 , P. 981-988
DOI 10.1093/icesjms/fsm039
WOS© Times Cited 38
Keyword(s) Tagging, Stock assessment, Simulation, Management, Growth, European hake, Age estimation
Abstract The results of a pilot tagging study on hake (Merluccius merluccius), conducted in the northern part of the Bay of Biscay in 2002, indicate that growth rates for this stock may be currently underestimated because of biased estimates of age. The impact that such a bias may have on the stock dynamics and the trends of the key population parameters, recruitment, spawning-stock biomass (SSB), and mortality are investigated. Assuming new growth parameters, a new age-length key is derived and used to produce and catch-at-age data and abundance indices, which are then used to assess the stock. Bias in estimating age affects the absolute levels of fishing mortality and stock biomass estimates, and also impacts the trend in SSB. However, trends in fishing mortality and recruitment are comparable, and the stock status with respect to precautionary reference points is broadly the same. As expected, the simulation also shows that the stock may be more reactive to changes in fishing levels, which affect medium-term forecasts. Longterm sustainable yields may also be impacted.
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