Rl. Stephenson et al., An in-season approach to management under uncertainty: the case of the SW Nova Scotia herring fishery, ICES J MAR, 56(6), 1999, pp. 1005-1013
Several innovative management initiatives have been implemented recently in
the Canadian 4WX herring fishery. An "in-season management approach" allow
s a number of decisions regarding the appropriate distribution and rate of
fishing by a team consisting of participants in the fishery and members of
government on the basis of the best available information during the season
, Observations from the fishery are discussed routinely (often weekly), so
that management can be modified quickly according to negative or positive s
ignals. Surveys have been implemented, sampling has increased, and data-han
dling procedures have been changed to allow more rapid summary of results.
In recognition that the management area contains several spawning component
s, and that they are subject to erosion through disproportionate fishing ef
fort, there has been separate consideration of individual spawning grounds,
with the explicit objective of maintaining the spatial and temporal divers
ity of spawning. A "survey, assess, then fish" protocol, in which acoustic
surveys are undertaken of each spawning area, and only a portion (<20%) of
what has been documented is allocated ro the fishery, has been implemented
ro spread the total catch appropriately among spawning components in relati
on to their size and state, These initiatives have necessitated an increase
in the quantity, quality, and availability of information from the fishery
. They have demanded a very high level of commitment, involvement, and coop
eration from all participants in the fishery-management process. Together,
the procedures have emulated a co-management system, with a substantial deg
ree of participation by industry, better articulation of objectives, and de
velopment of decision rules. They have led to improved effectiveness of man
agement and care for the resource. (C) 1999 International Council for the E
xploration of the Sea.