Under what conditions will multispecies models lead to better fisheries management?
The development of multispecies models of exploited fish populations is an important scientific challenge which will lead to better insight into the dynamics of fisheries resources. However, there is a great deal more required for management than scientific results. Resource managers will use multispecies models only when certain criteria are met. The models must be transparent to non-specialists for the results to be acceptable to managers and industry. Model results must be uncontroversial in the sense that they cannot easily be disputed, and the uncertainty must be quantified and explored as far as possible. Policies implied by multispecies models cannot be biased in favor of one interest group at the expense of another, and the benefits of a change in policy direction must be quantified. These criteria are true for the acceptability of most scientific advice, but arc particularly important for incorporating multispecies analyses into management. This is because these analyses often imply a major change in direction from past policy and from the conventional wisdom. Such a departure can erode the credibility of scientific advice if managers and industry are not kept informed about research progress, and without strenuous efforts to explain new results clearly. Several examples are given of the interaction between scientific advice and management policy to illustrate these points.
Article from Marine Science Symposia Vol. 193 " Multispecies models relevant to management of living resources". Symposium held in The Hague, 2-4 October 1989. To access the remaining articles please click on the keyword "MSS Volume 193".