Western Pacific Stock Assessment Review of the 2020 Benchmark Stock Assessment for Main Hawaiian Islands Uku

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WPSAR is a cooperative effort between the Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council, NOAA Fisheries Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center, and Pacific Islands Regional Office to improve the quality, timeliness, objectivity, and integrity of stock assessments and other scientific information used in managing fishery resources in the Pacific Islands region.

The Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center (PIFSC) conducted a single-species benchmark stock assessment of the green jobfish or “uku” (Aprion virescens) for the main Hawaiian Islands. A previous stock assessment for uku was conducted in 2017 using a data-limited length-based approach. The 2020 benchmark assessment diverges significantly from this previous work as it implements the first integrated stock assessment of a domestic stock in the U.S. Pacific region. This integrated assessment uses the Stock Synthesis (v 3.30) framework to integrate CPUE indices, size frequency, diver survey, and catch data into a single age-structured model. This integrated model was used to estimate biomass and stock status through time, and stock status was evaluated against MSY-based reference points described in the Fishery Ecosystem Plan for the Hawaii Archipelago. Projections were provided to inform management in the setting of acceptable biological catch and annual catch limits.

NOAA Fisheries and the Western Pacific Fishery Management Council announced the review of the draft 2020 benchmark stock assessment for main Hawaiian Islands uku in the Federal Register for January 31, 2020.