Accounting for Risk and Uncertainty in Stock Enhancement Protocols

The stocking, transfer or introduction of fish species is a practice frequently used in the belief they will improve the quantity or quality of catches and have long-term beneficial effects on fish stocks. This paper examines the impact of stock enhancement programmes on wild fisheries and analyses the importance of restocking to freshwater fisheries. Most stock enhancement activities, either deliberate or accidental, have had negative effects on indigenous fish communities and other fauna through predation, competition, loss of genetic integrity, reduction of biodiversity, introduction of pathogens and change in ecosystem dynamics. There is, however, a paucity of information about the efficacy of stock enhancement activities both from the production and economic perspectives and a mechanism to account for the risk of detrimental impact in any programme.  This paper examines the application risk assessment in the decision framework for approval of stock enhancement activities.