Species prioritisation for the development of multiannual management plans for the Basque demersal fishery

Abstract

Multiannual management plans are increasingly used to manage fishery systems in Europe. Initially, they were focused on single species, however in the last decade mixed-fishery management plans have emerged to ensure sustainable exploitation of stocks and ecosystems. However, quantitative evaluations of the management plans are generally focused on data-rich and/or target stocks and most of the data-limited and/or bycatch species are not included. Even if they are not included in the evaluation, they could be at high risk of overexploitation or constrain the economic performance of the fishery. Thus, it is crucial to identify the species that should be included in the evaluation of multiannual management plans. The objectives of this study are to assess the potential risk of the species caught by the Basque demersal fishery following the productivity-susceptibility analysis approach, and to identify the most exploited, vulnerable, and/or economically important species for the Basque demersal fishery modifying an existing prioritisation approach. The prioritisation facilitates the selection of the species that should be considered in an integral evaluation of the Basque demersal fishery management plan. According to the results, including the top-ten ranked species in the evaluation of the Basque demersal fishery management plans would ensure an adequate evaluation of the management measures effects.