Variations in environmental conditions affect renewable resource growth. Th
e ability to predict such variations is improving, providing scope for impr
oved management. We generalize a common stochastic stock recruitment model
to explore how optimal management changes with environmental prediction. We
obtain three main results. First, while it might seem that a prediction of
adverse future conditions should lead to more conservative management, the
opposite may be true. Second, optimal management requires only a one-perio
d-ahead forecast, suggesting Forecast accuracy is more important than forec
ast lead time. Finally, we derive conditions on environmental fluctuations
guaranteeing positive optimal harvest in every period.