Determination of the vulnerability of Korean fish stocks using productivity and susceptibility indices

Stock assessments and management of individual fish species are common tools employed for the continuous use of fish stocks; however, these tools are limited when considering the interactions between species, changes in ecosystem structure, and the influence of fisheries on overall habitats. Moreover, inaccurate stock management measures may severely impact the ecosystems. In South Korea, the marine fishery production has been decreasing since 1986. Moreover, fisheries are complex and diverse within relatively small fishing ground, and available data for ecosystem-based fisheries management (EBFM) are limited. In these situations, risk assessment is possible to identify stock status and propose effective management strategies. Productivity and susceptibility analysis (PSA), a semiquantitative risk assessment analysis, is widely used to evaluate the impact of fisheries on fish stocks. In this study, based on 8 productivity and 5 susceptibility attributes, the vulnerability score of 30 species caught by 35 fisheries were evaluated to identify and prioritize the most vulnerable fish species. Based on the results, the 30 species were classified into low (18 species), medium (10 species), and high (2 species) vulnerability groups. Therefore, management of fish species with high vulnerability should be strengthened using various management measures, including total allowable catch (TAC). In addition, quantitative stock assessment should be promoted for more effective management of these species. Moreover, PSA was found to be a useful tool for identifying and prioritizing the relatively vulnerable fish species with regard to the multispecies and multifisheries relationship in Korea.