2014 Assessment of the Rex Sole Stock in the Gulf of Alaska
April 09, 2014
Rex sole (Glyptocephalus zachirus) are assessed on a biennial stock assessment schedule to coincide with the availability of new survey data. Please refer to the 2011 full stock assessment report for further information regarding the assessment model.
GOA rex sole is currently managed as a Tier 5 species because reliable estimates of F35% and F40% (required for Tier 3 management) are not available for this stock. However, rather than using biomass estimates from the National Marine Fisheries Service bottom trawl survey to calculate ABC and OFL in the standard Tier 5 calculations, the assessment uses a Tier 3-type age-structured assessment model and projection model to estimate total adult biomass for use in the Tier 5 calculations. The single species projection model was run using parameter values from the accepted 2011 accepted assessment model (Stockhausen et. al. 2011), together with updated catch information for 2011 - 2014, to predict stock status for rex sole in 2015 and 2016 and to make ABC recommendations for those years. An executive summary was also presented in 2013 due to the government furlough on Oct. 1-17, 2013. A full assessment was conducted in 2015.