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III. LESSONS FROM THE HADDOCK EXAMPLE 



Assessment methodology had developed during a period of expanding 

 fisheries, single-species harvesting strategies, and still primitive 

 fishing technologies. Initial ICNAF management regulations concerned 

 mesh size only, although new fisheries were usually characterized by no 

 mesh regulations at all. Assessments depended on scattered data for 

 selected species and relatively incremental effects on stocks due to chosen 

 fishing strategies. The science did not develop with a primary emphasis on 

 key indicators required for rapid dectstons, for until the 1960s, problems 

 relating to individual stocks only arose slowly over a period of years. 



In addition, further indicating the lack of crisis orientation of the 

 science, funding remained very low, placing severe limits on scientific 

 projects. 



The Georges Bank haddock example indicates several important lessons 

 with regard to assessments: 



• The science was unprepared to analyze the possible outcomes 

 resulting from the rapid and intense increases in fishing effort 

 on all commercial stocks found on Georges; 



• The time required to gather and analyze relevant data--from sur- 

 vey tows, catch and effort statistics, and environmental studies-- 

 was far greater than the time necessary for factory fleets to 

 destroy stocks; 



• Until recent extension of United State jurisdiction, management 

 decisions were the outcome of international negotiations, which 

 took years to develop and were impossible to enforce; 



Inclusion into assessment models of technological developments was 

 difficult, delayed, and thus not consistent; 



