# 2009 Quarter 4 Update through December 31, 2009

Overview The FSSI is a performance measure for th e sustainability of 230 U.S. fish stocks 1 

## selected for their importance to commercial and recreational fisheries. The FSSI will increase as overfishing is ended and stocks rebuild to the level that provides maximum sustainable yield.



## FSSI Scoring Method The FSSI is calculated by assigning a score for each fish stock based on the five following criteria:

Criteria Points Awarded

1. “Overfished” status is known 0.5 2. “Overfishing” status is known 0.5 3. Overfishing is not occurring (for st ocks with known “overfishing” status) 1.0
4. Stock biomass is above the “ove rfished” level defined for the stock 1.0
5. Stock biomass is at or above 80% of the biomass that produces maximum sustainable yield (B MSY ) 2 ( this point is in addition to the point aw arded for being above the “overfished” level ) 1.0



## The maximum score each stock may receive is 4. The value of the FSSI is the sum of all 230 individual stock scores. The maxi mum total FSSI score is 920, achiev ed if all 230 stocks were to each receive a score of 4.



## Current FSSI Score 2009 Quarter 4 Score = 573 (October 1, 2009 to December 31, 2009) The following table summarizes the current FSSI score and where additi onal points can be gained to raise the score in the future.

Criteria # Stocks Current Points Total Points Possible Actions that Can Increase the Score Potential Points to

Gain 1. “Overfished” status is known Overfished: 43 Not Overfished: 133 176 88 115 Determine the “overfished” status for the remaining 54 stocks 27

2. “Overfishing” status is known Overfishing: 37 Not subject to overfishing: 153 190 95 115 Determine the “overfi shing” status for the remaining 40 stocks 20

3. Overfishing is not occurring (for stocks with known “o verfishing” status) 153 153 230 End overfishing on th e 37 stocks subject to overfishing. Ensu re the 40 stocks (see #2 above) are not subject to overfishing. 77

4. Stock biomass is above the “overfished” level defined for the stock (for stocks with a known “overfished” status and that are “not overfished”) 133 133 230 Increase the biomass above the overfished level for the 43 overfished stocks. Ensure the biomass for the 54 stocks (see #1 above) is above the overfished level. 97

5. Stock biomass is at or above 80% of B MSY (this point is in addition to the point awarded for being above the “overfished” level, criteria #4) 104 104 230 For the 43 overfished stocks and the 29 stocks that are no t overfished (but biomass is not at or above 80% of 

### B MSY 

### )

, increase biomass to at or above 80% of 

### B MSY . Ensure the biomass for the 54 stocks (see #1 above) is at or above 80% of 

### B MSY
. 126



### TOTAL 573 920 347

1 The majority of species are assessed as a single stock; however, there are a few that are assessed as a stock complex, which co ntain a group of species with similar geographic distribution, co-occ urrence in fisheries, and life history.
2 Stocks rebuilding from a previously overfished conditi on are not awarded the fourth point until they reach B MSY , as mandated by the Magnuson-Stevens Act. After they have been fully rebuilt, they ma y fluctuate within the 80% parameter and retain the score of 4 like the other non-re building stocks.

# Summary of Stock Status De termination Changes from October 1, 2009 thro ugh December 31, 2009

NOTE: The results of the Groundfish Assessm ent Review Meeting III (GARM III, published September 2008) are not included in this qu arterly update. The new reference points must be adopted through an amendment to the Northeast Multispecies FMP before the results can be reported. The unofficial results of the GARM are footnoted, along with the official current status in the stock status table. As soon as the FMP is amended, the results will be incorporated in the quarterly update.



# Overview of overfishing status of FS SI stocks through December 31, 2009

• 190 stocks or stock complexes are known with respect to their overfishing status. Of these:

o 153 stocks or stock complexes are not subject to overfishing.

o 37 stocks or stock complexes have a fishing mortality rate that exceeds the overfishing threshold (i.e., is subject to overfishing).

• 40 stocks or stock complexes have overfish ing thresholds not defined or applicable, or are unknown with respect to their overfishing status.



# Overview of overfished status of F SSI stocks through December 31, 2009

• 176 stocks or stock complexes are known with respect to their overfished status. Of these:

o 133 stocks or stock complexes are not overfished (5 of these stocks are approaching an overfished condition).

o 43 stocks or stock complexes are overfished.

• 54 stocks or stock complexes have overfi shed thresholds not defined or applicable, or are unknown with respect to their overfished status.

Summary of Overfishing and Over fished Changes of FSSI Stocks

Stock Region Previous Status Current Status Previous Total FSSI Score Current Total FSSI Score Petrale sole – Pacific Coast NW Not Overfished B/Bmsy > 80% Overfished B/Bmsy < 80% 4 2

Blue king crab – St. Matthews Island AK Not Overfished – Rebuilding Rebuilt 3 4

Rex sole – Gulf of Alaska AK Overfished – Unknown Not Overfished B/Bmsy > 80% 1.5 4

Golden king crab – Aleutian Islands AK Overfishing – Unknown Not Subject to Overfishing 0 1.5
Red king crab - Western Aleutian Islands AK Overfishing – Unknown Not Subject to Overfishing 0 1.5
Walleye pollock - Western / Central Gulf of Alaska AK B/Bmsy < 80% B/Bmsy > 80% 3 4

Swordfish – North Atlantic HMS Not Overfished – Rebuilding Rebuilt 3 4

Sailfish – Western Atlantic HMS Overfished Not Overfished – Rebuilding 1 2



### TOTAL FSSI SCORE 565.5 573

# Overview of overfishing status of non-FSSI stocks through December 31, 2009

• 60 3 

## stocks or stock complexes are known with respect to their overfishing status. Of these:

o 59 stocks or stock complexes are not subject to overfishing.

o 1 stock has a fishing mortality rate that exceeds the overfishing threshold (i.e., is subject to overfishing).



# • 232 stocks or stock complexes have overfishing thresholds not defined or applicable, or are unknown with respect to their overfishing status.



# Change s in overfishing status of non-FSSI stocks

• There are no changes to any of the Regions.



# Overview of overfished status of no n-FSSI stocks through December 31, 2009

• 27 3 

## stocks or stock complexes are known with respect to their overfished status. Of these:

o 24 stocks or stock complexes are not overfished (1 of these stocks are approaching an overfished condition).

o 3 stocks are overfished.



# • 265 stocks or stock complexes have overfished thresholds not defined or applicable, or are unknown with respect to their overfished status.



# Change s in overfished status of non-FSSI stocks

• There are no changes to any of the Regions.



# FSSI stock status updates are posted quarterly at: http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/sfa/statusoffisheries/SOSmain.htm#07

3 This number includes Pacific halibut, which is ma naged by the International Pacific Halibut Commission.