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'Made in Yucatán' Octopus Fishery Science Gains Global Recognition for Sustainable Management

MEXICO
Wednesday, April 16, 2025, 07:00 (GMT + 9)

Innovative Research on Fluctuating Stocks Offers a New Paradigm Beyond Traditional MSY for Responsible Harvesting.

A scientific project focused on the octopus fishery of Yucatán, Mexico, has garnered worldwide recognition for its groundbreaking approach to managing fluctuating fish stocks. The research, titled "Assessment of two octopus stocks with fluctuating dynamics in Yucatán, Mexico," explores alternative methods to traditional fisheries management policies that often rely on the maximum sustainable yield (MSY).

Spatial distribution of fishing effort.

Spatial coverage of octopus fishing events over four periods in the VMS database for octopus fishing in the Yucatan Peninsula. The top left panel shows the coverage in the pre-expansion period while the other three panels show the coverage during the post-expansion period.

The study highlights the limitations of the total latent productivity surplus production model, particularly in multilateral and national fisheries management, when dealing with fished stocks exhibiting unstable equilibrium points. These populations, common in tropical and subtropical regions, experience constant shifts between positive and negative growth rates, rendering the conditions necessary for a stable maximum sustainable yield (MSY) – the theoretical largest sustainable catch – unattainable. MSY, a cornerstone of sustainable harvesting strategies, requires stable zero growth rates, which are absent in these fluctuating populations characterized by persistent cycles of surplus and deficit production.

To address this challenge, the research delves into a more generalized surplus production concept: the total latent productivity (TLP). The study proposes that TLP, averaged over periods of both positive and negative productivity, can serve as a sustainable annual harvest rate for these dynamic stocks. Roa-Ureta et al. previously suggested using TLP, averaged across these varying growth rate periods, as a limit harvest rate. Unlike the static MSY, TLP inherently fluctuates year to year, mirroring the biomass fluctuations of the stock. This dynamic nature positions TLP as a novel solution to the well-known difficulties of assessing the status of fluctuating stocks using MSY-based reference points.

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