Guiding Principles for Design of Fishery Monitoring Programs

Title: Guiding Principles for Design of Fishery Monitoring Programs

Format: Oral

Authors:

Erika Zollett, MRAG Americas 978-768-3880 (erika.zollett@mragamericas.com)

Robert J. Trumble, MRAG Americas 727-563-9070 (bob.trumble@mragamericas.com)

Jill Swasey, MRAG Americas 978-768-3880 (jill.swasey@mragamericas.com)

Presenter: Robert J. Trumble

Abstract: Fisheries comprise a key aspect of changes in marine biodiversity. Successful fishery management requires reliable monitoring and reporting components, yet many fisheries have struggled to achieve effective monitoring programs. Many monitoring programs in place today have evolved haphazardly over time. High costs of monitoring programs have presented challenges to implementing comprehensive monitoring programs. MRAG Americas convened two panels of international monitoring experts to provide recommendations for the development of comprehensive fisheries monitoring programs. These recommendations form eight categories of ‘guiding principles,’ which offer specificity but remain general enough to allow monitoring program development on a fishery-by-fishery basis. The interrelated guiding principles will help managers in a diversity of fisheries weigh the costs and benefits of various monitoring strategies. The guiding principles lead to policy decisions and to implementation of policy into design.  Monitoring programs are not static and may evolve or adapt as needs or circumstances change. Application of the guiding principles can help assure that monitoring programs evolve in an effective and efficient manner yet maintain a level of stability and confidence to allow for business plans to be developed, and can lead to more effective monitoring programs that support resource sustainability and other biological goals of management.

Student presenter: No