Presenting Management Strategy Evaluation results

The modelling process for management strategy evaluation (MSE) requires sophisticated technical expertise but interpreting the results shouldn’t require the same skillset. Carefully designed and annotated data visualizations can give audiences the information they need to select which candidate harvest strategy would best meet their management objectives. Graphical plots, tables, and interactive tools should all be used to suit a diversity of learning styles. Consistency is key, both within and among management bodies, so fisheries managers and stakeholders should become familiar with each presentation style, easing interpretation of MSE results for other stocks. Finally, less can be more. If the entire package of results is available upon request, only the results most relevant to the decision-making process need to be presented.

Data visualization tools

Spider plot

Performance Comparison

Spider plot

Performance Comparison

Zigzag plot

Performance Comparison

Slope plot

Trade-off: catch/biomass

Kobe plot

Trade-off: catch/biomass

Kobe time plot

Trade-off time series: catch/biomass

Rail plot

Performance Comparison

Line plot

Stock size projection

Box plot

Trade-off and performance: catch/biomass

Plots by operating model

Spider plot

Performance Comparison

Line plot

Stock size projection

Box plot

Trade-off and performance: catch/biomass

This package of graphical tools was developed in partnership with an expert scientific communications firm to maximize the data presented while also stressing correct and thorough understanding of the results. Each plot depicts the performance of multiple candidate harvest strategies against pre-agreed management objectives. These plots show results across different dimensions to highlight various elements:

• Timeframe: historical and/or future; time series or a single year in the future
• Number of management objectives: single objectives, or tradeoffs across 2 or more objectives
• Number of operating models: averaged across all operating models or for individual operating models

All plots are open source and can be used for individual MSE processes. The Indian Ocean Tuna Commission has also developed a package of plots and a summary table for use in presenting MSE results.