Year: 2023
Type: book-chapter
Abstract: Quantitative fish stock assessment has been a subject crossing a century if one strictly goes by the tools \nand techniques and gets yonder by another 75 years when it comes to its praxis. With assessment and \nmanagement being viewed as two sides of the same coin, the practice of setting task forces to review the \nexploitation and related developments dates back to the 19th century. Closely following these developments \nare the governance interventions like regulations and penalties. Thus, this domain of scientific knowledge \nwith immediate practical relevance is almost as old as any other branch of similar stature. But to anyone \nhaving a serious look at this field, it always gives a feel of a subject still nebulous in concept and context. \nThis can be attributed to the type of resource this domain touches, fish. Fishery resources, both marine, \nbrackish water or freshwater, are a bunch of natural resources that have more hidden than what is revealed. \nWhen the focus is on marine fisheries, this enigma entangled with surprises is a common sight. Under a \nthick sheet of water which is contained in a nearly bottomless and brimless container of sorts, identifying, \nstudying, assessing and managing these resources themselves are quite a handful. Be it a researcher or a \nmanager these resources throw up the dichotomy of being too simple to interpret, yet too difficult to \nmanage. Thus logically speaking fish stock assessment is a dynamic admixture of science and art, whose \nproportions change as per ground reality. If the resources could be successfully brought under the realms \nof numbers then the science proportion gets to its peak, whilst the existing fishery throws up more \ndiversity in terms of modes, means and status of those earning a livelihood out of this, the dosage of \nscience gives way to what falls under the realms of the art of stakeholder management.
Authors: Varghese, Eldho, Jayasankar, J
Institution: Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute
Language: English
Subfield: Aquatic Science
Domain: Life Sciences
SDG: Life below water
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W7038004661