Fish stock assessment
Catch, effort and survey data are fitted in population models to estimate biomass and fishing mortality against reference points, with data-limited methods where records are short.
The Global Centre for Risk and Innovation (GCRI)
Ocean science provides the physics, chemistry and biology behind marine biodiversity risk: heat, acidity and oxygen in the water, the currents that connect habitats, and the stock assessments that tell fisheries managers how much can be taken. It links offshore change to coastal habitats and livelihoods.
GCRI · Established · service level R0
Ocean science is the study of the physics, chemistry and biology of the sea. For marine biodiversity it measures heat, acidity and oxygen in the water, models the currents that connect habitats, and assesses fish stocks, linking offshore change to coastal habitats and livelihoods.
Ocean science studies the physics, chemistry, biology and geology of the oceans and coasts. It informs sea-level rise, storm surge, marine heatwaves, acidification and fisheries change, all of which affect coastal populations and trade. In biodiversity and nature, climate and hazards and oceans and coasts, ocean projections guide coastal defence, port planning and fisheries management. They link marine hazards to food security, shipping routes and coastal economies. The canonical description is on the STEM Commons.
Catch, effort and survey data are fitted in population models to estimate biomass and fishing mortality against reference points, with data-limited methods where records are short.
Satellite sea surface temperature is compared with the local climatology to compute accumulated heat stress, which is related to observed bleaching and mortality.
Ocean circulation models release virtual larvae to estimate which reefs and nurseries supply others, informing the design of protected area networks.
Each term as this page uses it. Where a standard-setting body defines the term, the wording follows that body.
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| Stock assessment | A scientific estimate of a fish stock's size and the fishing pressure on it, used to set catch limits. |
| Degree heating weeks | A measure of accumulated heat stress on coral reefs used to forecast bleaching. |
| Larval connectivity | The exchange of larvae between habitats by ocean currents, which links populations far apart. |
Seas, straits, reefs and ports, and how much of each division lies near the coast, shown for Mozambique and Malawi as an example geography for this subject.
Data from the source register feeds the methods; calibration and an independent test gate the estimate and its limits; the decision stays with the competent authority.
Fig. 01Nodes carry their type, metrics and state; connectors show what feeds what; the gates are the validation steps; the timeline is one application. Design of the method's use, not a record of a run.
Datasets and records used by ocean and coastal science on this platform, with the role each plays and the label its values carry. Sources are listed in the source register.
| Data | Role | Label |
|---|---|---|
| OBIS marine occurrence records | Species distribution | OBSERVED |
| Copernicus Marine and NOAA Coral Reef Watch | Temperature, heat stress and biogeochemistry | OBSERVED |
| Fisheries catch and survey data | Stock assessment inputs | OFFICIAL |
| Argo floats and moorings | Subsurface temperature and oxygen | OBSERVED |
| Ocean circulation model output | Connectivity and projections | MODELLED |
Models are checked against tide gauge records, altimetry and in situ profiles. Hindcasts of past storms and heatwaves test predictive skill.
| Check | How it is done |
|---|---|
| Retrospective analysis | Stock assessments are rerun with recent years removed to test for systematic revision |
| Satellite against in-situ | Remotely sensed temperature and ocean colour are compared with mooring and ship data |
| Bleaching hindcast | Heat stress metrics are tested against surveyed past bleaching events |
Coastal processes at fine scale and ice sheet contributions to sea level remain uncertain. Observations of the deep ocean and polar seas are sparse.
Oceans and Coasts stewards ocean and coastal science for the Consortium and reviews how it is applied across platforms.
The current service level is R0: information and enquiries. An enquiry receives a reference and names the next step; applications, payments, compute allocations and registrations open only when their team, terms and review capacity exist.