Evaluation of the Impact of Marine Protected Areas on Stock Assessment-Based Fisheries Management

André Punt and Ray Hilborn, School of Aquatic & Fishery Sciences, University of Washington; and Richard Methot, NOAA Northwest Fisheries Science Center

R/ES-51

Completed

How can the impacts of marine protected areas (MPAs) be included in traditional methods for assessing fisheries stocks? The results of this study will provide guidelines for modifying stock assessment methods in the presence of MPAs — a boon to resource managers nationally and internationally. Researchers will evaluate how well standard methods for assessing stocks perform when the stocks are found within and outside large MPAs. They will also explore how existing MPAs might be combined with catch regulations to achieve management objectives by evaluating alternative decision rules. The decision rules will be based on conventional and modified stock assessment methods.