Fish Population Dynamic and Stock Assessment

1.7.3. Uses of indicators

The main purpose in developing a set of sustainability indicators is to assist in assessing the performance of fisheries policy and management and to stimulate action to better pursue to sustainability objectives. This can occur in a number of areas. For example, indicators can be used for ex-post evaluations of the impacts of management initiatives; assessment of progress towards medium and/or long-term objectives; and assessment of the impacts of fisheries.

They can also enhance communication, transparency, effectiveness and accountability in fisheries management. In this regard, indicators can be developed and reported at various levels of aggregation- international, national, regional and local levels. Many of the environmental indicators for fisheries referred to above are focused on the fishery level. Other aggregates that are regularly reported, such as the contribution of fisheries to exports, are reported at a national level. Yet others relate to fisheries that are managed regionally as straddling and/or highly migratory stocks.