Fish Population Dynamic and Stock Assessment

10.4.1. Introduction

The regulation of fishing is one of the three major activities of fishery management; the others are environmental management and artificial stock enhancement. All the three differ in many respects.

The first and major difference among the activities is that each is regarded by the public in a very different way. A fishing regulation restricts people from their use of a public resource, which many regard as a right. It is a legal action and, if it is to be effective, it must be acceptable to a majority of the people who are being restrained. Proposals for regulation are usually controversial and must be supported by sound information on their need. Proposals must be discussed in detail with people who are affected or with their representatives. After a regulation is promulgated, it must be enforced and monitored.

The purpose of environmental management is partly to improve the aquatic environment. Artificial stock enhancement by aquaculture is other type of management.

The second difference among fishery management activities is in the scope and kind of scientific studies that support the decisions. Fishing is regulated on the basis of recurring assessment of the condition of the stocks and the condition of the fisheries. If the stock is a major oceanic one, the assessment may require a large continuing scientific investigation; if it is a minor domestic stock, it may require only an opinion survey among the people using it. The aquatic environment is managed on the basis of hydrological, limnological or oceanographic studies and detailed studies of the life of the organisms involved, plus studies of the feasibility of alternatives for change. Artificial stock enhancement though public aquaculture requires support from aquacultural sciences.