Simplifying the assessment and management of fisheries and other natural resources

这个项目旨在发展和评价自然资源管理的替代办法，特别强调欧洲的渔业管理。传统的渔业评估模型是基于试图优化产量，这需要大量的数据。如果数据不可用或不可靠，那么评估结果就不准确，管理就变得困难。这个项目将根据监测主要经验指标的趋势和变化，如平均捕捞重量或一定年龄的鱼的比例，制定一种替代办法，这些指标可作为鱼类种群状况的代表。利用运筹学领域的简单过程控制技术对指示信号进行了分析。将指标信号与规定年度渔获量或渔获量的捕捞控制规则相结合，将大大简化管理框架。该项目的最终目的是证明这一简化的管理框架可用于管理欧洲渔业，只需要最少的数据。因此，可以减少当前系统中数据不可靠或不可用的问题以及（部分）数据收集的巨大费用。研究结果将引起渔业科学界的极大兴趣，并可立即用于支持国际海洋探索理事会（ICES）完成的评估。简化的评估和管理框架是通用的，不必局限于渔业：其结果也将对参与管理其他自然资源，包括陆地系统的人有意义。

This project aims to develop and evaluate an alternative approach to natural resource management, with particular emphasis on fisheries management in Europe. Traditional fisheries assessment models are based on trying to optimise yields, which requires a large amount of data. If data is unavailable or unreliable then assessment results are inaccurate and management becomes difficult. This project will develop an alternative approach based on monitoring trends and changes in key empirical indicators such as mean catch weight or proportion of fish of a certain age, which act as a proxy for the status of the fish stock. The indicator signal is analysed using simple process control techniques borrowed from the field of operational research. Combining the indicator signal with a harvest control rule that specifies the annual catch or effort will then result in a much simplified management framework. The ultimate aim of the project is to demonstrate that this simplified management framework can be used to manage European fisheries with only a minimal amount of data required. Hence, problems in the current system with unreliable or unavailable data and (some of) the vast expense of data collection can be reduced. The results will be of great interest to those in the fisheries science community and can be used immediately to support assessments completed by ICES (International Council for the Exploration of the Sea). The simplified assessment and management framework is generic and need not be restricted to fisheries: results will also be of interest to those involved with management of other natural resources, including terrestrial systems.