Numerical Model of Fish Exploitation – structure and application

Abstract

Fisheries simulation models are tools used for forecasting the effects of exploitation and determining the directions of managing fisheries resources. The Numerical Model of Fish Exploitation (NMFE) and its capabilities were tested on a population of common bream, Abramis brama (L.) in a dam reservoir that is exploited by commercial and recreational fisheries. Based on the designated population parameters of N₀, F_ij, M_i, and e_i and the size and structure of the common bream population in the reservoir, the model was used to examine hypothetical simulation variants of changes in fishing intensity E₁ with nets and rods, changes in fishing intensity based on actual fishing effort with nets, changes in natural mortality, changes in the size of fish caught, and the impact of this on the size of the resources. Initial catches with nets and rods were calculated. Increasing fishing effort did not translate proportionally to increased catches, and the function was curvilinear. The results of simulations that reduced the intensity of fishing with nets and decreased catch sizes concurred with data from actual catches. Simulations of changes in natural mortality had various effects on the size of catches. Reducing parameter M did not impact the level of catches, while increasing parameter M reduced the size of catches significantly.