Oreo stock assessment

Project: Oreo stock assessment
Project Code: OEO2004/02
Start Date: 1 October 2004
Completion Date: 30 September 2005
Vessel Use: None

Overall Objectives:

1. To carry out a stock assessment of black oreo (Allocyttus niger) and smooth oreo (Psuedocyttus maculatus), including estimating biomass and sustainable yields.

Specific Objectives:

1. To update the descriptive analysis of the commercial catch and effort data for black oreo and smooth oreo from selected fisheries with the inclusion of data up to the end of the 2003/04 fishing year. These fisheries include OEO 1, OEO 3A, OEO 4 and OEO 6.
2. To analyse length frequency, sex ratio, and reproductive condition data for black oreo and smooth oreo collected by the Observer Programme and other sources during the 2003/04 fishing year for input into stock assessment models. The target number of samples that will be provided by the Observer Programme for each fishery in 2003/04 is specified in the Rationale below.
3. To review and summarise the historical biological data (including length frequency, sex ratio, otoliths, and reproductive condition data) for black oreo and smooth oreo collected by the MFish Observer Programme and other sources since the start of these programmes and the use of these data as inputs into stock assessments.

Rationale:

General

For all the main oreo fisheries (OEO 1, 3A, 4, and 6) there is a need to carry out regular monitoring programs and stock assessments to determine stock status and estimate sustainable yields. The fisheries included in this project were selected on the basis of having new information upon which to update the stock assessment. The results of this project will provide information that supports that objective.

Objective 1

In order to update the stock assessment for each fishery, commercial catch and effort data should be monitored and the descriptive analysis of the commercial catch and effort data should be updated on an annual basis. The descriptive analysis for OEO 1, 3A, 4, and 6 will be updated with the inclusion of data from the 2003/04 fishing year.

The current stock assessments incorporate information on fish length, sex ratios, lengthweight data, and reproductive information for black oreo and smooth oreo from both commercial at-sea sampling and research surveys.

It is proposed to estimate biological parameters for input into the stock assessments by analysing length frequency, sex ratio, and reproductive condition data collected by the Observer Programme and from other sources during the 2003/04 fishing year. A total of about 350 samples are expected from these fisheries:

Objective 3

Biological data (including length frequency, sex ratio, otoliths, and reproductive condition data) have been collected for black oreo and smooth oreo by the MFish Observer Programme since its beginnings in the 1980s and more recently from other sources, i.e. the ORMC observer programme. Some of these data have been used as inputs into stock assessments for these species, while much of it has not been incorporated into quantitative stock assessments Thus far there has been no overall compilation and summary of the data collected or its use in stock assessments across all the oreo Fishstocks.

The purpose of this objective is to review and summarise the historical biological data (including length frequency, sex ratio, otoliths, and reproductive condition data) for black oreo and smooth oreo collected by the MFish Observer Programme and other sources since the start of these programmes and the use of these data as inputs into stock assessments. The outcome of the review and summary will be evaluated by the Deepwater Working Group and used to make recommendations concerning future observer data collection programmes and protocols.

Strategic Relevance

All the objectives in this project are consistent with Strategic Objective v of the Fisheries Resources goal in the Ministry of Fisheries Strategic Research Directions document.

Cost Recovery Information:

The percentage allocation for this project will be attributed to the following Fishstocks according to rule 9.2 of the Fisheries (Cost Recovery) Rules 2001:

• OEO 1
• OEO 3A
• OEO 4
• OEO 6

The project is estimated to cost between $100,000 - $150,000.