Líffræðifélag Íslands - biologia.is
Líffræðiráðstefnan 2025
Erindi/veggspjald / Talk/poster V66
Höfundar / Authors: Elísabet Guðmundsdóttir(1), Thassya Christina dos Santos Schmidt (2), Guðmundur J. Óskarsson (3), Haseeb Randhawa (4)
Starfsvettvangur / Affiliations: Háskóli Íslands
Kynnir / Presenter: Elísabet
Atlantic herring (Clupea harengus) is a commercially important species with a complex population structure, as multiple stocks often coexist in the same area during certain times of the year. From May to July, stocks of different origins are found to form mixed schools in Icelandic waters. To ensure sustainable harvesting practices, mixed fisheries in Iceland must consider each stock's contribution to the total catch and employ discrimination methods that are considered highly reliable. Traditional management practices often rely on a single-method approach for stock identification, such as assigning individuals to their stock based on maturity stage. However, fisheries managers and scientists have increasingly recognized the value of combining two or more complementary methods to assign individuals to their stock with greater accuracy. Aiming to prove the usefulness of multidisciplinary methods, this project will take an integrated approach to stock assessment by using otolith shape analysis and parasite composition to differentiate Norwegian spring spawning herring (NSSH) from Icelandic summer spawning herring (ISSH). By applying this integrated approach to stock assessment, this study aims to improve the accuracy of stock discrimination for Icelandic mixed fisheries, mitigating the risk of overexploitation and improving sustainable practices.