Stock Assessment Prioritization

The Council and SSC received reports from the Groundfish and Crab Plan Teams on their recommendations for applying the National Stock Assessment Prioritization Plan (SAPP). The SAPP, initiated by NMFS Headquarters, envisions the use a common approach by all regions to determine how often their stock assessments will be conducted. While some regions are unable to conduct stock assessments on a regular basis, the North Pacific Council has been fortunate to have stock assessments for all of its managed fisheries either fully or partially updated each year.  Given this, application of the SAPP to our region would not increase the frequency of assessments, but instead could be a means to reduce the frequency of some assessments for which there is not a strong need for frequent updating.  These assessments would be for stocks with consistently low catches relative to harvest limits and no ongoing management concerns. None of the high value fisheries (pollock, Pacific cod, sablefish, yellowfin sole, rock sole, etc.) were considered for reduced assessment frequency.

The benefits of reduced stock assessment frequency, as suggested by NMFS HQ, include increased opportunities for assessment analysts to address other analytical priorities. As such, the Council defined success for the amended assessment frequencies as follows [paraphrased]:  “… increased opportunity for stock assessment authors to address analytical priorities […] while avoiding any significant decrease in the precision of assessment based products such as OFL and ABC.”

Of the 53 groundfish stocks for which harvest limits are specified each year (25 BSAI, 28 GOA) 17 stocks were proposed by the Groundfish Plan Teams for reduced assessment frequency.  Similarly, of the 10 crab stocks specified annually, 5 were recommended for reduced frequency by the Crab Plan Team.  These are listed are listed in the tables below. The Plan Teams and SSC/Council were in agreement for most of these assessments; the tables indicate where there was disagreement.

The modifications to assessment schedules are expected to go into effect in 2017. NMFS HQ has repeatedly assured the Council that the SAPP is not linked to regional assessment funding.  The Council, however, requested that NMFS provide information as to how it prioritizes funding for assessments as a condition for continuing with the revised assessment schedule. Additionally, the SSC and Council called for plan team development of a tool for measuring costs and benefits of reduced assessment frequency, as well as a framework for risk analysis. Finally, the Council recommended that a review be conducted after one complete cycle (4 years) of the revised assessment frequencies.

Table 1.  Groundfish Assessment frequency changes – all other stocks (remain at status quo assessment frequency (see agenda item D2).

The Crab Assessment frequency changes – all other stocks remain at status quo assessment frequency (see agenda item C5).

*Pending State cost/benefit analysis