Study on the approaches to management for data-poor stocks in mixed fisheries: DRuMFISH. Final report

This is the final report of the European Commission funded research project "DRuMFISH" (service contract n° EASME/EMFF/2014/l.3.2.4/ SI2.721116). The main aim of the project was to develop models and strategies for providing advice for mixed fisheries that account for: (i) fishing mortality ranges consistent with MSY, (ii) all fish caught being landed, and (iii) significant components of the marine fish ecosystem lacking key biological information. In order to meet this aim, DRuMFISH delivered a review of assessment approaches for data-poor stocks, extended mixed fisheries simulation frameworks to include data-poor stocks. The assessment approaches and simulation frameworks were implemented in 7 case studies. These case studies were mixed fisheries in the Baltic Sea, the North Sea, the Celtic Sea, the Bay of Biscay, the Western Mediterranean, the Adriatic Sea, and the Aegean Sea. Within the case studies, 35 data-poor stock assessments were done. These assessments provided exploitation status of data-poor stocks. Different harvest control rules were subsequently tested for their expected yields and stock biomasses from the mixed fisheries in the simulation frameworks. Now that data-poor stocks can be incorporated with in the mixed fisheries simulation frameworks, the design of new management plans can account for data-poor stocks in mixed fisheries.