• ES
  • FR
Harvest Strategies logo
 
Menu
  • Home
  • Harvest Strategies
    • What are HS?
    • Management Objectives
    • Reference Points
    • Harvest Control Rules
    • Glossary
    • HS Resources
    • Scientific Publications
  • MSE
    • Management Strategy Evaluation
    • Presenting MSE Results
      • Data Visualization Tools
      • Slide Templates
      • Shiny App
  • HS Around the World
    • Interactive Map of HS
    • RFMO HS Web Page
    • RFMO HS Management Measures
    • RFMO HS Dialogue Groups
    • 2022 RFMO HS Calendar
  • Press
    • Blog
    • News
    • Contact

Management Objectives

What are management objectives?

Management objectives are formally adopted goals for a stock and fishery. Within a harvest strategy, operational objectives must be specific and measurable, with associated timelines and minimum required likelihoods that they can be achieved. Setting management objectives is the critical first step in developing a harvest strategy. They set the vision for the fishery and provide mechanisms for measuring the strategy’s long-term success. Management objectives can be modified, but if the harvest strategy is going to be effective, it’s critical that modifications occur only if the vision for the fishery truly changes, rather than as a means to justify a desired short-term outcome.


Typical Categories of Management Objectives:

  • Status: To maximize the probability of maintaining the stock in the green zone of a fishery’s Kobe plot (i.e., not overfished, no overfishing).
  • Safety: To minimize the probability that the stock will fall below the biomass limit reference point or BLIM (i.e., the danger zone, the point beyond which fishing is no longer considered sustainable).
  • Yield: To maximize catch (or effort) across regions and/or fishing gears.
  • Abundance: To maximize catch rates to enhance fishery profitability.
  • Stability: To maximize stability in catches to reduce commercial uncertainty by minimizing variability in catch from year to year.

A Guide to Setting Objectives:

  1. Set specific and measurable objectives, with associated timelines and acceptable levels of risk. Examples: 5% risk of breaching the limit reference point; 75% chance of rebuilding a stock to the target reference point within 10 years
  2. Avoid terms that are undefined, such as “high probability” or “in as short a time as possible,” as they can be subject to interpretation and lead to a lack of clarity that complicates management negotiations.
  3. Set multiple objectives. A stock could be managed to simultaneously maximize a) catch, b) stability in year-to-year catches, c) profit, d) the speed of rebuilding the stock, and e) the likelihood that the population is around a target abundance level and well above any limit.
  4. Balance tradeoffs when selecting objectives, weighing conflicting objectives like maximizing catch and minimizing the chance of breaching the biomass limit.
  5. Prioritize objectives geared towards achieving the status and safety objectives for a fishery with a very high probability.

Acceptable Levels of Risk

One of the most critical steps in the harvest strategy development process is choosing the levels of risk that will guide future fishery decisions. Often, these levels are codified in the fishery’s management objectives. Risk is defined in terms of the likelihood of a negative outcome, such as stock collapse or breaching the limit reference point. Conversely, it can establish the probability of success, such as the chance of achieving a target reference point or not breaching the limit reference point. Consistent with the precautionary approach, managers should set low levels of risk tolerance in cases of greater uncertainty. Risk-averse management is preferable because it helps ensure a high probability of achieving the status and safety objectives for a fishery. Alternatively, establishing over-conservative risk levels can result in forgone yield, and so a balance must be struck to ensure suitably precautionary risk tolerances without unnecessary sacrifices in catch.

.

Guidelines for Risk

  • United Nations Fish Stocks Agreement: breaching limit reference points should be “very low” and for target reference points to be met “on average.” Often interpreted as 5-10% and 50-75%
  • Australia and the Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources: requires a less than 10% chance of violating the limit reference point
  • Canada’s Fishery Decision-Making Framework Incorporating the Precautionary Approach: defines “very low” as less than 5%

FACTSHEET: Management Objectives; Language Options: Español 🇪🇸 • Français 🇫🇷 • 日本 🇯🇵 • ไทย 🇹🇭 

Content provided by The Pew Charitable Trusts

TweetsOur latest tweets

Harvest StrategiesFollow

Harvest Strategies
Retweet on TwitterHarvest Strategies Retweeted
PewEuropePew Europe@PewEurope·
20 May

Great news! This decision from the Indian Ocean Tuna Commission will help ensure a sustainable future for one of the world’s most valuable fish. https://twitter.com/Hrvststrategies/status/1527703367560179721

Harvest Strategies@Hrvststrategies

BREAKING NEWS: IOTC has officially adopted a management procedure for bigeye tuna, marking the first full MP for any tropical tuna species at a tRFMO. Congratulations IOTC for championing the harvest strategy approach!
https://tinyurl.com/2s35r8u9

Reply on Twitter 1527709540778655746Retweet on Twitter 15277095407786557463Like on Twitter 15277095407786557469Twitter 1527709540778655746
HrvststrategiesHarvest Strategies@Hrvststrategies·
20 May

La CTOI a officiellement adopté une procédure de gestion pour le thon obèse, adoptant ainsi la première procédure de gestion complète pour les thons tropicaux dans une ORGP thonière. Bravo à la CTOI d’avoir soutenu l’approche par stratégie de capture!
https://tinyurl.com/2s35r8u9

Reply on Twitter 1527704223097438208Retweet on Twitter 1527704223097438208Like on Twitter 1527704223097438208Twitter 1527704223097438208
HrvststrategiesHarvest Strategies@Hrvststrategies·
20 May

BREAKING NEWS: IOTC has officially adopted a management procedure for bigeye tuna, marking the first full MP for any tropical tuna species at a tRFMO. Congratulations IOTC for championing the harvest strategy approach!
https://tinyurl.com/2s35r8u9

Reply on Twitter 1527703367560179721Retweet on Twitter 152770336756017972118Like on Twitter 152770336756017972161Twitter 1527703367560179721

Recent News

European Seafood Market Stakeholders Urge Adoption of Science-Based, Sustainable Tuna Management in the Atlantic

May 19, 2022

European Seafood Market Stakeholders Urge Adoption of Science-Based, Sustainable Tuna Management in the Atlantic

Via globaltunaalliance.com
Ensuring blue growth for North Africa’s blue gold

May 19, 2022

Ensuring blue growth for North Africa’s blue gold

Via nawaat.org
La hora de una gestión sostenible de nuestro atún

May 19, 2022

La hora de una gestión sostenible de nuestro atún

Via elpais.com

Resources

Harvest strategies glossary

Harvest strategies glossary

Harvest strategies glossary

resources

About Us

harveststrategies.org serves as a resource for fisheries scientists, managers, and other stakeholders, compiling information about how harvest strategies work and how implementing this pioneering management approach can lead to sustainable, profitable fisheries and successful recovery programs for many species around the world. The site is managed by The Ocean Foundation’s International Fisheries Conservation Project.

Explore

  • The Basics
  • Case Studies
  • MSE
  • Glossary
  • News

Connect

  • Home
  • HS Blog
  • Contact Us
  • Donate
  • The Ocean Foundation

Follow Us

  • © 2021 Harvest Strategies
  • Privacy Policy
  • Web Design by 5W Infographics