How Can Information Contribute to Management? Value of Information (VOI) Analysis on Indian Ocean Striped Marlin (Kajikia audax)

Abstract

Fisheries researchers have focused on the value of information (VOI) in fisheries management and trade-offs since scientists and managers realized that information from different resources has different contribution in the management process. We picked seven indicators, which are log-normal annual catch observation error (Cobs), annual catch observation bias (Cbias), log-normal annual index observation error (Iobs), maximum length observation bias (Linfbias), observed natural mortality rate bias (Mbias), observed von Bertalanffy growth parameter K bias (Kbias), and catch-at-age sample size (CAA_nsamp), and built operating models (OMs) to simulate fisheries dynamics, and then applied management strategy evaluation (MSE). Relative yield is chosen as the result to evaluate the contribution of the seven indicators. Within the parameter range, there was not much information value reflected from fisheries-dependent parameters including Cobs, Cbias, and Iobs. On the other hand, for fisheries-independent parameters such as Kbias, Mbias, and Linfbias, similar tendency of the information value was showed in the results, in which the relative yield goes down from the upper bound to the lower bound of the interval. CAA_nsamp had no impact on the yield after over 134 individuals. The VOI analysis contributes to the trade-offs in the decision-making process. Information with more value is more worthy to collect in case of waste of time and money so that we could make the best use of scientific effort. But we still need to improve the simulation process such as enhancing the diversity and predictability in an OM. More parameters are on the way to be tested in order to collect optimum information for management and decision-making.

Evaluation of Yellow Sea anchovy (Engraulis japonicus) fishery for management strategies using a data-limited management toolkit

“…These highly influential parameters are sensitive parameters. Sensitive parameters can be reflected through VOI analysis for attention in subsequent assessment and management to reduce uncertainties [ 5 , 8 ]. In this study, long-term Yield was selected as main MP performance to explore how sensitive the parameters are in the OM.…”

“…However, piecing together different sources of data will produce uncertainties inherent in the fish stock assessment, as well as uncertainties to fisheries management. Understanding these uncertainties and quantitatively evaluating how robust of candidate management strategies against various sources of uncertainties are important [ 4 , 5 ].…”

“…DLMtool is a modern development and has been applied in many fish stocks to carry out MSE (e.g. seven reef fish stock in the Gulf of Mexico [ 9 ]; and uncertainties impact study in the case of Indian Ocean striped marlin ( Kajikia audax ) fishery management [ 5 ]).…”

Editorial: Data-limited research in stock assessment to increase the understanding of fisheries resources and inform and improve management efforts

“…The formal management harvest control rules for data-limited fisheries (e.g., Sanchez-Marono et al, 2021;Xia et al, 2021).…”