Stock Identification Methods

Stock Identification Methods, 2e, continues to provide a comprehensive review of the various disciplines used to study the population structure of fishery resources. It represents the worldwide experience and perspectives of experts on each method, assembled through a working group of the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea. The book is organized to foster interdisciplinary analyses and conclusions about stock structure, a crucial topic for fishery science and management. Technological advances have promoted the development of stock identification methods in many directions, resulting in a confusing variety of approaches. Based on central tenets of population biology and management needs, this valuable resource offers a unified framework for understanding stock structure by promoting an understanding of the relative merits and sensitivities of each approach. Describes 18 distinct approaches to stock identification grouped into sections on life history traits, environmental signals, genetic analyses, and applied marks Features experts' reviews of benchmark case studies, general protocols, and the strengths and weaknesses of each identification method Reviews statistical techniques for exploring stock patterns, testing for differences among putative stocks, stock discrimination, and stock composition analysis Focuses on the challenges of interpreting data and managing mixed-stock fisheries