C. ASSESSMENT OF ATLANTIC SURFCLAM Report of the Invertebrate Subcommittee (see Appendix C1 for membership) 1.0 TERMS OF REFERENCE (TOR) AND SUMMARY
2. Estimate fishing mortality, spawning stock biomass, and total stock biomass for the current year and characterize the uncertainty of those estimates. If possible, also include estimates for earlier years. Completed, see Section C5. 3. Either update or redefine biological reference points (BRPs; p...
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| Online Access: | http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/summary?doi=10.1.1.175.78 http://www.nefsc.noaa.gov/nefsc/publications/crd/crd0710/pdfs/c.pdf |
| Summary: | 2. Estimate fishing mortality, spawning stock biomass, and total stock biomass for the current year and characterize the uncertainty of those estimates. If possible, also include estimates for earlier years. Completed, see Section C5. 3. Either update or redefine biological reference points (BRPs; proxies for BMSY and FMSY), as appropriate. Comment on the scientific adequacy of existing and redefined BRPs. Completed, see section C6. Biomass reference points were updated based on new estimates of historical biomass levels and criteria in the Surfclam and Ocean Quahog Fisheries Management Plan. Fishing mortality reference points did not require updating. Current reference points were adequate for this assessment because stock biomass is relatively high and fishing mortality rates are low. However, it was noted that implicit assumptions about BMSY and biomass during 1999 may not be valid and should be reevaluated. 4. Evaluate current stock status with respect to the existing BRPs, as well as with respect to updated or redefined BRPs (from TOR 3). Completed, see section C7. The stock is not overfished and overfishing is not occurring. |
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