Western Pacific Stock Assessment Review of the 2017 Benchmark Stock Assessment for Guam Reef Fish

The Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center conducts stock assessments on exploited Pacific Islands coral reef fish included in the Western Pacific Fishery Management Council's fishery ecosystem plans. These stocks are generally classified as data-poor because they lack reliable, long-term, catch and fishing effort data. Historically, the Council has recommended, and NOAA Fisheries has approved, setting annual catch limits (ACLs) using a percentile of median historical catch levels and, more recently, a biomass-augmented catch-MSY (maximum sustainable yield) method has been applied.

In an effort to use additional available data sources for these stocks, PIFSC scientists have conducted new coral reef fish assessments using length composition data, abundance data from diver surveys, and certain key population demographic parameters related to growth, maturity, and longevity. PIFSC scientists implemented an approach that uses size structure data to obtain an estimate of total and fishing mortality rates for coral reef fish stocks. These rates, combined with population demographic parameters, are used in a numerical population model to obtain stock sustainability metrics.

NOAA Fisheries and the Western Pacific Fishery Management Council announced the review of the draft 2017 benchmark stock assessment for Guam reef fish in the Federal Register for February 6–9, 2018.

Learn more about the WPSAR process