How do we determine acceptable biological catch in data-limited situations?

The reauthorized Fishery Conservation and Management Act requires that fisheries be limited to ‘acceptable biological catch’ to avoid overfishing.  Informative stock assessments can provide catch advice based on a low probability of overfishing, but data-limited assessments cannot support such an approach.  The information necessary to determine acceptable biological catch includes: 1) maximum sustainable yield (MSY) reference points, 2) projected stock size, and 3) an evaluation of scientific uncertainty in the overfishing limit. Each of these three components is a challenge in data-limited situations, but 1) proxies for MSY reference points can be based on historical periods of apparent sustainability and high productivity, 2) the most recent stock size estimate may be the best approximation of near-future stock size, and 3) uncertainty ‘buffers’ may be qualitatively determined.  Even though these proxies may provide the best scientific information available for fishery management, the increased risk of overfishing associated with these approximations must be fully considered.  Although specific approaches to determining catch limits vary according to the information available, the underlying standard of preventing overfishing while achieving optimum yield should be maintained.