TAC is Total Allowable Catch. This is the upper limit in the amount of fish, either by weight or number, that a fishery is allocated in a given season or year. TACs can apply to the targeted fish and/or bycatch, where once the limit is reached the fishery is closed for the remainder of the applicable … [Read more…]
Fish population dynamics is the study of change in a fish population over time. Fundamentally, a population size after some time interval equates to the population size before that interval plus births (i.e., recruitment) and immigration and minus mortality and emigration. Many fish populations follow a logistic pattern of density-dependent growth. Beginning with a population … [Read more…]
Maximum sustainable yield (MSY) is a classic concept from fish population dynamics. It operates under the assumption that populations have a carrying capacity, or equilibrium size, where the the resources available match the population requirements and if individuals are removed from the population, they will be replaced (i.e., are renewable). When harvest removes a portion … [Read more…]