A fishery that harvests wild, migrating salmon has a carefully calculated MSY and annually takes a catch that is below this limit. The fishery maintains a consistent catch for many years and monitors conditions in the catch area which they use to adjust their MSY accordingly. However, despite no changes in the catch area, there is a sudden and sharp decline in fish stocks. What could explain this observation?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

A prolonged, extreme weather event in the high latitude rivers where the salmon spawn could cause a sharp drop in recruitment, leading to a sudden decline in fish stocks despite consistent catches and monitoring.

A Fishery That Harvests Wild, Migrating Salmon Has a Carefully