Quote:
Originally Posted by MakoMike
They can't do that because that would raise the SSB above what is necessary to achieve MSY, by law they are required to manage the stock to MSY.
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I completely understand the law dictates MSY what I am getting at is if the SSB threshold is the management tool as opposed to what humans can take from the fishery the fishery would be better for all use groups. If we consistently manage based on what we can utilize or take there is real potential for an outside force to create epic collapse. For example in the sixties and seventies managers could not figure on how PCB's would effect spawn cycles. It took a lure make from Attleboro and a handful of biologists and fishermen to bring that to light.
Maybe the law is to manage the fishery to MSY I think we are learning in general we need to start looking at what we have in reserve. As opposed to what we can take and use.
If we continue to manage based on yield and spawning triggers we have the real potential to get to an overfished point with weak year classes pushing us straight back to moratorium.
I realize this is all fantasy land. But maybe the laws should be changed to protect the biomass benchmark as opposed to protecting the yield.
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