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Last updated on 28 July 2016

SUMMARY

SUMMARY

IDENTIFICATION

SCIENTIFIC NAME(s)

Atheresthes stomias

SPECIES NAME(s)

Arrow-tooth flounder

This fishery was certified by the Marine Stewardship Council system in June 2010. Click here to link to the MSC fishery page and to learn more about the MSC fishery certification unit.

Arrowtooth flounder are managed as a single stock in BSAI despite little being known about their stock structure {Spies et al. 2014}.

RELATED LINKS:

ANALYSIS

Strengths

Stock is in very good condition
Managers set highly precautionary quotas
Management system in place encourages research and welcomes sustainable changes.

Weaknesses

Stock is under utilized with high level of recorded discards
Discards in the main targeted fleet are well documented, but discards in other fisheries are less known
Trawl survey catchablity is still problematic for the assessment.

Options

More information needed on discards particularly with regards to other fisheries discarding Arrowtooth.
Model could benefit from additional analysis on the trade-off between selectivity and sex ratio.
Explore reasons for lower male abundance other than natural mortality at older ages.
Continue precautionary management approach in quota setting
Continue high level of observer coverage.

FISHSOURCE SCORES

Management Quality:

Management Strategy:

8.3

Managers Compliance:

10

Fishers Compliance:

10

Stock Health:

Current
Health:

10

Future Health:

10

RECOMMENDATIONS

RETAILERS & SUPPLY CHAIN
  • Monitor the performance of the fishery and its management to ensure the fishery continues to be eligible for condition-free MSC re-certification.

FIPS

No related FIPs

CERTIFICATIONS

  • Alaska Flatfish - Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands:

    MSC Recertified

Fisheries

Within FishSource, the term "fishery" is used to indicate each unique combination of a flag country with a fishing gear, operating within a particular management unit, upon a resource. That resource may have a known biological stock structure and/or may be assessed at another level for practical or jurisdictional reasons. A fishery is the finest scale of resolution captured in FishSource profiles, as it is generally the scale at which sustainability can most fairly and practically be evaluated.

Fisheries
ASSESSMENT UNIT MANAGEMENT UNIT FLAG COUNTRY FISHING GEAR
Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands US Alaska United States Single boat bottom otter trawls

Analysis

OVERVIEW

Last updated on 16 August 2013

Strengths

Stock is in very good condition
Managers set highly precautionary quotas
Management system in place encourages research and welcomes sustainable changes.

Weaknesses

Stock is under utilized with high level of recorded discards
Discards in the main targeted fleet are well documented, but discards in other fisheries are less known
Trawl survey catchablity is still problematic for the assessment.

Options

More information needed on discards particularly with regards to other fisheries discarding Arrowtooth.
Model could benefit from additional analysis on the trade-off between selectivity and sex ratio.
Explore reasons for lower male abundance other than natural mortality at older ages.
Continue precautionary management approach in quota setting
Continue high level of observer coverage.

RECOMMENDATIONS

Last updated on 1 November 2018

Recommendations to Retailers & Supply Chain
  • Monitor the performance of the fishery and its management to ensure the fishery continues to be eligible for condition-free MSC re-certification.

1.STOCK STATUS

STOCK ASSESSMENT

Last updated on 16 August 2013

Model is an age/length structured forward projection type model that uses length to inform growth and during times when age structure is not available.Model doesn’t have a retrospective pattern and captures some of the process error well (Spies et al, 2012)

SCIENTIFIC ADVICE

Last updated on 16 August 2013

Recommended ABC and quotas are appropriate given the biomass.Uncertainty is incorporated and a buffer between the recommended quotas and the Over Fishing limit is conservative (Spies et al, 2012)

Reference Points

Last updated on 16 Aug 2013

MSY based biomass and fishing mortality reference points are used for this stock.These are then translated into an Over Fishing Limit (OFL) and the scientists then make recommendations on the Allowable catch that incorporate uncertainty, which managers must follow by law.

CURRENT STATUS

Last updated on 16 August 2013

Stock is at a very high biomass.Exploitation is very low.Recruitment has been less then average over the past few years, but is not expected to affect the biomass given the low exploitation rates set (Spies et al, 2012).

Trends

Last updated on 16 Aug 2013

Stock is expected to stay robust in the near future (Spies et al, 2012).

2.MANAGEMENT QUALITY

MANAGEMENT

Last updated on 16 August 2013

Managers have set highly precautionary quotas given the biomass of the stock. (Spies et al, 2012)

Recovery Plans

Last updated on 16 Aug 2013

A recovery plan is in place should the biomass decline or exploitation increase to unsustainable levels. Rebuilding in US federal fisheries is mandatory should the stock become overfished or should overfishing occur.

COMPLIANCE

Last updated on 16 August 2013

Harvesters follow regulation. Incidence of unobserved discards are fairly rare given the level of at sea observer coverage. UUI fishing is not thought to be a problem.

3.ENVIRONMENT AND BIODIVERSITY

FishSource Scores

MANAGEMENT QUALITY

As calculated for 2012 data.

The score is 8.3.

This measures the F at low biomass as a percentage of the F management target.

The F at low biomass is 0.100 (from management plan). The F management target is 0.230 .

The underlying F at low biomass/F management target for this index is 43.5%.

As calculated for 2012 data.

The score is 10.0.

This measures the Set TAC as a percentage of the ABC.

The Set TAC is 75.0 ('000 t). The ABC is 150 ('000 t) .

The underlying Set TAC/ABC for this index is 50.0%.

As calculated for 2012 data.

The score is 10.0.

This measures the Catch as a percentage of the Set TAC.

The Catch is 14.8 ('000 t). The Set TAC is 75.0 ('000 t) .

The underlying Catch/Set TAC for this index is 19.8%.

STOCK HEALTH:

As calculated for 2012 data.

The score is 10.0.

This measures the SSB as a percentage of the SSB35%.

The SSB is 652 ('000 t). The SSB35% is 245 ('000 t) .

The underlying SSB/SSB35% for this index is 267%.

As calculated for 2012 data.

The score is 10.0.

This measures the F as a percentage of the F management target.

The F is 0.0220 (age-averaged). The F management target is 0.230 .

The underlying F/F management target for this index is 9.57%.

To see data for biomass, please view this site on a desktop.
To see data for catch and tac, please view this site on a desktop.
To see data for fishing mortality, please view this site on a desktop.
No data available for recruitment
No data available for recruitment
To see data for management quality, please view this site on a desktop.
To see data for stock status, please view this site on a desktop.

Download Source Data

Registered users can download the original data file for calculating the scores after logging in. If you wish, you can Register now.

Fishery Improvement Projects (FIPs)

No related FIPs

Certifications

Marine Stewardship Council (MSC)

SELECT MSC

NAME

Alaska Flatfish - Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands

STATUS

MSC Recertified on 1 June 2010

SCORES

Principle Level Scores:

Principle Score
Principle 1 – Target Species – Arrowtooth flounder 98.8
Principle 1 – Target Species – Kamchatka flounder 96.3
Principle 1 – Target Species – Alaska plaice 98.8
Principle 1 – Target Species – Northern rock sole 98.8
Principle 1 – Target Species – Yellowfin sole 98.8
Principle 1 – Target Species – Flathead sole 98.8
Principle 2 - Ecosystem 87.7
Principle 3 – Management System 99.0

Certification Type: Gold

Sources

Credits

Spies, I., Wilderbuer, T.K., Nichol, D.G. and Aydin, K. 2014. Assessment of the arrowtooth flounder stocks in the Eastern Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands. Alaska Fisheries Science Center. http://www.afsc.noaa.gov/REFM/Docs/2014/BSAIatf.pdf

  1. NMFS, 2007a. BSAI Introduction, Appendix A to 2007 Stock Assessment and Fishery Evaluation report, 40 p. Available from: http://www.afsc.noaa.gov/REFM/stocks/assessments.htm
  2. NMFS, 2007. Arrowtooth flounder - NPFMC Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands Stock Assessment and Fishery Evaluation report, 64 p. Available from: http://www.afsc.noaa.gov/REFM/docs/2007/BSAIatf.pdf.
  3. NPFMC, 2008. Appendix A: Stock Assessment and Fishery Evaluation ReportFor The Groundfish Resources of the Bering Sea/Aleutian Islands Regions. North Pacific Fishery Management Council. http://www.afsc.noaa.gov/refm/docs/2008/BSAIintro.pdf
  4. Powers J., G. Tingley, S. Hanna & P. Knapman, 2010. Public Certification Report for the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands Arrowtooth Flounder Trawl Fishery. Moody Marine Ltd.http://www.msc.org/track-a-fishery/certified/pacific/bering-sea-and-aleutian-islands-flatfish/assessment-downloads-1/20.05.2010-bsai-flatfish-arrowtooth-flounder-pcr.pdf
  5. Rice, J., Bowen, D., Hanna, S., Blyth-Skyrme, R. 2013. Third Annual Surveillance Report Bering Sea / Aleutian Islands Flatfish Fisheries. Intertek Moody Marine, July 2013, 27pphttp://www.fishsource.com/site/control_panel_for_uuid/c84e14f0-4eb1-11dd-a89d-daf105bfb8c2
  6. Rice, J., Bowen, D., Trumble, R. J., 2014.Fourth Annual Surveillance Report - Bering Sea / Aleutian Islands (BSAI) Flatfish Fishery. MRAG Americas, Inc., July 2014. 14pphttp://www.msc.org/track-a-fishery/fisheries-in-the-program/certified/pacific/bering-sea-and-aleutian-islands-flatfish/assessment-downloads-1/20140724_SR_FLA13.pdf
  7. Spies, I. Wilderbuer, T. Nichol, DG. Aydin, K. 2012. BSAI Arrowtooth Flounder SAFE 2012. NMFS Alaska Fisheries Science Centerhttp://www.afsc.noaa.gov/REFM/Docs/2012/BSAIatf.pdf
  8. Stram, D. & C. Oliver, Fishery management responses to climate change in the North Pacific, presentation at the International Symposium on the Effects of Climate Change on the World’s Oceans (ICES, PICES, IOC), Gijon Spain, May 2008. (Source for data underlying map of arrowtooth range in eastern Bering Sea, based on arrowtooth consumption by cod).Online at: http://www.pices.int/publications/presentations/Climate_Change_2008/Climate_Change_2008_S5_2/S5_2_Stram.pdf
  9. Wilderbuer T.K., D.G. Nichol & K. Aydin, 2010. In: Appendix A: Stock Assessment and Fishery Evaluation Report for the Groundfish Resources of the Bering Sea/Aleutian Islands Regions compiled by The Plan Team for the Groundfish Fisheries of the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands. North Pacific Fishery Management Council. Chapter 6: Arrowtooth flounder.http://www.afsc.noaa.gov/REFM/docs/2010/BSAIatf.pdf
  10. Wilderbuer TK, Nichol DG & Aydin K, 2008. Chapter 6: Arrowtooth flounder; in Stock Assessment and Fishery Evaluation Report for the Groundfish Resources of the Bering Sea/Aleutian Islands Regions. North Pacific Fishery Management Council.http://www.afsc.noaa.gov/refm/docs/2008/BSAIatf.pdf
References

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