ICES advice puts scientific findings and information in the
hands of decision-makers. The majority of the world's fish stocks lack adequate
data for conventional stock assessment methods. These stocks are known as
"data-limited" and more than 60% of ICES stocks are data-limited.
Until recently, fisheries science was unable to inform
decision-makers on the status and potential of data-limited fish stocks because
we lacked suitable assessment methods. Since 2010, ICES has turned this picture
around. We have become a world leader in developing and applying methods that
help decision-makers meet fisheries management and biodiversity policy
objectives. There is an ever-growing suite of methods and tools available for
assessing data-limited stocks and much of this work has been developed through
our WKLIFE workshop series.
WKLIFE is set to hold its tenth edition in October. From
5–9, chairs Manuela Azevedo, Portuguese Institute for the Sea and the Atmosphere, and Carl O’Brien, Cefas, will lead participants at WKLIFEX, the
Tenth Workshop on the Development of Quantitative Assessment Methodologies
based on LIFE-history traits, exploitation characteristics, and other relevant
parameters for data-limited stocks.
This session of WKLIFE will see participants explore the
operating model set-up for data-limited simulations. This will include
sensitivity analyses based on elasticity analysis, on how the different
life-history and fishery parameters affect the simulated stock behaviour under
exploitation, an analysis of the nature of time series and trends of observable
stock characteristics (such as fishery dependent and independent metrics), and
how the knowledge gained can be used to further improve the performance of
catch rules.
An important focus will be on the transition of the group’s
work to embrace multi-species challenges rather than the current single species
approaches. There will be exploration and development of methods appropriate
for data-limited, data-moderate and data-rich fisheries such as MERA, DLMtool
and MSEtool libraries - together with emerging multispecies approaches both within
and outside the ICES community.
Azevedo and O’Brien invite anyone with an interest in
continuing ICES development of appropriate methods for the assessment and
provision of fishing opportunities for data-limited species and stocks to participate in WKLIFEX. An
important asset, the note, is open-mindedness and a willingness to debate and
challenge the status quo. Through joining, participants will be rewarded with sharing
ideas and experiences with an established ICES community that has been
undertaking data-limited studies for more than a decade.
Does this sound like you? Register your
interest or your place by contacting Helle Gjeding Jørgensen.