June 14, 2019 — The following was released by NOAA Fisheries:
After more than two years of development and planning, a better and more collaborative fishery stock assessment process is debuting in New England and the Mid-Atlantic. The new process puts stock assessments on a regular schedule. It also makes assessments more flexible, with more opportunities for research. It allows more input from industry, and will help continue to provide the best possible scientific advice to managers to ensure the long-term health of fisheries.
As Mike Simpkins, chief of the Northeast Fisheries Science Center’s Resource Evaluation and Assessment Division says, “Longer term assessment planning gives us more opportunities to communicate with our partners, both external researchers and industry.” Simpkins’ division leads fishery stock assessments for NOAA Fisheries in the Northeast.
Whats New?
The improved process has two types of assessments: management and research. The former updates or enhances current assessments, the latter is more comprehensive and can involve new research and extensive changes in the assessment. Both types will be reviewed by an independent panel of experts to ensure that they deliver high-quality science.
By agreeing years, rather than months, ahead on a long-term schedule of assessments, there is now time to develop research specifically for that assessment, and to involve more external researchers and fishermen in that work. There is also more flexibility to include new information during management assessments.