Approach and process for stock assessment in the South East Fishery, Australia: a perspective

The stock assessment process in the South East Fishery involves scientists, industry, fishery managers, economists and non-government organizations. A comparison with such processes in other countries, where stakeholder invol vement ranges from government scientists only to involvement of scientists, industry and conservation non-government organizations, suggests that Aust ralia is the only country in which fishery managers are active and integral stock-assessment participants. In Australia, as in several other countries , the form of advice is comparative (consequences of alternative decisions) rather than prescriptive. Although all approaches have advantages and disa dvantages, the South East Fishery process has advantages that appear to cle arly outweigh the disadvantages. The advantages include better communicatio n among interest groups, improved ownership of and hence support for outcom es and better interactions among groups. The disadvantages include the cost of the process, lack of consistency among assessments, vulnerability of sc ientists and the frustrations of industry.