|
Slots, whether they be by weight or length, are set to protect certain year classes of fish that have the most fish. This reduces the overall mortality since larger year populations make it easier to catch those fish. Just straight up probability here. This works to some degree, but they are saying it is likely not enough to achieve the "50%" probability of achieving overall population recovery by the 2029 target date.
The limited closures, whether for targeting or harvest, are much more effective. Essentially a short moratorium each year. If they can't get to this in an effective way soon they will be forced to do something more extreme in the next year or two.
Charter guys will be aligned against no targeting to be sure. Likely C&R as well.
Commercial, while it always seems to look bad is significantly less impactful than recreational. Both should have to give some ground just in the name of shared responsibility and/or feeling the pain for past "sins".
p.s. while larger females have more eggs, there are fewer of these larger fish and their eggs are somewhat less viable (not that I see the viability in the modeling so far).
|