Report of the FAO Working Group on the Assessment of Small Pelagic Fish off Northwest Africa

The tenth meeting of the FAO Working Group on the Assessment of Small Pelagic Fish off Northwest Africa was held in Banjul, the Gambia, from 18 to 22 May 2010. The Group assessed the status of the small pelagic resources in northwest Africa and made projections on the development of the status of the stocks and on future effort and catch levels. The advice for the stocks is given in relation to the agreed reference points F0.1, FMSY, B0.1 and BMSY and on the basis of the projections for the next five years. The structure of the report is the same as that of the previous Working Group reports. A separate section is devoted to each of the main groups of species (sardine, sardinella, horse mackerel, chub mackerel, bonga and anchovy). For each of these, standardized information is given on stock identity, fisheries, abundance indices, sampling intensity, biological data, assessment, projections, management recommendations and future research. In the absence of reliable age compositions, the Working Group used dynamic production models for all stocks. Most stocks in the area are influenced by abnormal hydrographical conditions in certain years. An index of environmental quality has, therefore, been introduced in the production models since 2005. It should be noted that, for most of the stocks, the time series from the acoustic surveys with the R/V DR. FRIDTJOF NANSEN and national research vessels are used as the index of abundance in the assessments and future assessments would, therefore, depend on the continuation of the time series by the local research vessels. The Norwegian research vessel, DR. FRIDTJOF NANSEN, surveyed the subregion from 1995 to 2006, carrying out acoustic surveys during the months October-December each year. From 2004 to 2006 intercalibrations and parallel surveys were carried out between R/V DR. FRIDTJOF NANSEN and the national research vessels AL AMIR, AL AWAM and ITAF DEME, and in 2007 and 2008 these national research vessels carried out a coordinated regional survey during the months of October-December. It should be noted that during the 2008 survey, the Gambia was not covered. The 2009 survey, hence, only provides a partial coverage of the region and estimates had to be made for Senegal and the Gambia. The Nansen series continues with a converted value from the national research vessels to the "Nansen Value". Although important changes were observed in the abundance and exploitation level for some of the stocks, the overall general

שנה

2011

שפה

English

סדרה

FAO fisheries and aquaculture report -- no. 975 = -- FAO, rapport sur les pêches et l'aquaculture -- no 975

הוצאה

Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations

מהדורות

1

עמודים

263

ISBN

9789250068831

מקור הנתונים: Wikidata