Stock assessments provide scientific advice in support of fisheries decision making. They involve fitting population dynamics models to fishery and monitoring data to provide estimates of time-trajectories of biomass and fishing mortality in absolute terms and relative to biological reference points such as BMSY (the biomass corresponding to Maximum Sustainability Yield, MSY) and FMSY (the fishing mortality rate corresponding to MSY), along with measures of uncertainty. Some stock assessments are conducted using software developed for a specific stock or group of stocks. However, increasingly, stock assessments are being conducted using packages developed for application to several taxa and across multiple regions. We reviewed the range of packages used to conduct assessments of fish and invertebrate stocks in the United States because these assessments tend to have common goals, and need to provide similar outputs for decision making. Sixteen packages were considered, five based on surplus production models (“A Stock Production Model Incorporating Covariates”; “Bayesian Surplus Production Model-1”; “Bayesian Surplus Production Model-2”; “Depletion-Based Stock Reduction Analysis”; “Extended Depletion-Based Stock Reduction Analysis”), one based on a delay-difference model (“Collie-Sissenwine Analysis”), and the remainder based on age-structured models (“Assessment Method for Alaska”, “Age Structured Assessment Program”, “Beaufort Assessment Model”, “MULRIFAN-CL”, “Statistical catch-at-length”, “Stock Synthesis”, ”Simple Stock Synthesis”, “Extended Stock Synthesis”, “Virtual Population Analysis”, “VPA-2BOX”, “).

This report highlights the benefits and disadvantages of stock assessment packages in terms of allowing analysts to explore many assessment configurations and facilitating the peer-review of assessments. It also highlights the disadvantages associated with the use of packages for conducting assessments. Packages with the most options and greatest flexibility are the most difficult to use, and see the greatest development of auxiliary tools to facilitate their use.

Stock assessments provide scientific advice in support of fisheries decision making. They involve fitting population dynamics models to fishery and monitoring data to provide estimates of time-trajectories of biomass and fishing mortality in absolute terms and relative to biological reference points such as BMSY (the biomass corresponding to Maximum Sustainability Yield, MSY) and FMSY (the fishing mortality rate corresponding to MSY), along with measures of uncertainty. Some stock assessments are conducted using software developed for a specific stock or group of stocks. However, increasingly, stock assessments are being conducted using packages developed for application to several taxa and across multiple regions. We reviewed the range of packages used to conduct assessments of fish and invertebrate stocks in the United States because these assessments tend to have common goals, and need to provide similar outputs for decision making. Sixteen packages were considered, five based on surplus production models (“A Stock Production Model Incorporating Covariates”; “Bayesian Surplus Production Model-1”; “Bayesian Surplus Production Model-2”; “Depletion-Based Stock Reduction Analysis”; “Extended Depletion-Based Stock Reduction Analysis”), one based on a delay-difference model (“Collie-Sissenwine Analysis”), and the remainder based on age-structured models (“Assessment Method for Alaska”, “Age Structured Assessment Program”, “Beaufort Assessment Model”, “MULRIFAN-CL”, “Statistical catch-at-length”, “Stock Synthesis”, ”Simple Stock Synthesis”, “Extended Stock Synthesis”, “Virtual Population Analysis”, “VPA-2BOX”, “).

This report highlights the benefits and disadvantages of stock assessment packages in terms of allowing analysts to explore many assessment configurations and facilitating the peer-review of assessments. It also highlights the disadvantages associated with the use of packages for conducting assessments. Packages with the most options and greatest flexibility are the most difficult to use, and see the greatest development of auxiliary tools to facilitate their use.

Stock assessments provide scientific advice in support of fisheries decision making. They involve fitting population dynamics models to fishery and monitoring data to provide estimates of time-trajectories of biomass and fishing mortality in absolute terms and relative to biological reference points such as BMSY (the biomass corresponding to Maximum Sustainability Yield, MSY) and FMSY (the fishing mortality rate corresponding to MSY), along with measures of uncertainty. Some stock assessments are conducted using software developed for a specific stock or group of stocks. However, increasingly, stock assessments are being conducted using packages developed for application to several taxa and across multiple regions. We reviewed the range of packages used to conduct assessments of fish and invertebrate stocks in the United States because these assessments tend to have common goals, and need to provide similar outputs for decision making. Sixteen packages were considered, five based on surplus production models (“A Stock Production Model Incorporating Covariates”; “Bayesian Surplus Production Model-1”; “Bayesian Surplus Production Model-2”; “Depletion-Based Stock Reduction Analysis”; “Extended Depletion-Based Stock Reduction Analysis”), one based on a delay-difference model (“Collie-Sissenwine Analysis”), and the remainder based on age-structured models (“Assessment Method for Alaska”, “Age Structured Assessment Program”, “Beaufort Assessment Model”, “MULRIFAN-CL”, “Statistical catch-at-length”, “Stock Synthesis”, ”Simple Stock Synthesis”, “Extended Stock Synthesis”, “Virtual Population Analysis”, “VPA-2BOX”, “).

This report highlights the benefits and disadvantages of stock assessment packages in terms of allowing analysts to explore many assessment configurations and facilitating the peer-review of assessments. It also highlights the disadvantages associated with the use of packages for conducting assessments. Packages with the most options and greatest flexibility are the most difficult to use, and see the greatest development of auxiliary tools to facilitate their use.

Stock assessments provide scientific advice in support of fisheries decision making. They involve fitting population dynamics models to fishery and monitoring data to provide estimates of time-trajectories of biomass and fishing mortality in absolute terms and relative to biological reference points such as BMSY (the biomass corresponding to Maximum Sustainability Yield, MSY) and FMSY (the fishing mortality rate corresponding to MSY), along with measures of uncertainty. Some stock assessments are conducted using software developed for a specific stock or group of stocks. However, increasingly, stock assessments are being conducted using packages developed for application to several taxa and across multiple regions. We reviewed the range of packages used to conduct assessments of fish and invertebrate stocks in the United States because these assessments tend to have common goals, and need to provide similar outputs for decision making. Sixteen packages were considered, five based on surplus production models (“A Stock Production Model Incorporating Covariates”; “Bayesian Surplus Production Model-1”; “Bayesian Surplus Production Model-2”; “Depletion-Based Stock Reduction Analysis”; “Extended Depletion-Based Stock Reduction Analysis”), one based on a delay-difference model (“Collie-Sissenwine Analysis”), and the remainder based on age-structured models (“Assessment Method for Alaska”, “Age Structured Assessment Program”, “Beaufort Assessment Model”, “MULRIFAN-CL”, “Statistical catch-at-length”, “Stock Synthesis”, ”Simple Stock Synthesis”, “Extended Stock Synthesis”, “Virtual Population Analysis”, “VPA-2BOX”, “).

This report highlights the benefits and disadvantages of stock assessment packages in terms of allowing analysts to explore many assessment configurations and facilitating the peer-review of assessments. It also highlights the disadvantages associated with the use of packages for conducting assessments. Packages with the most options and greatest flexibility are the most difficult to use, and see the greatest development of auxiliary tools to facilitate their use.

Stock assessments provide scientific advice in support of fisheries decision making. They involve fitting population dynamics models to fishery and monitoring data to provide estimates of time-trajectories of biomass and fishing mortality in absolute terms and relative to biological reference points such as BMSY (the biomass corresponding to Maximum Sustainability Yield, MSY) and FMSY (the fishing mortality rate corresponding to MSY), along with measures of uncertainty. Some stock assessments are conducted using software developed for a specific stock or group of stocks. However, increasingly, stock assessments are being conducted using packages developed for application to several taxa and across multiple regions. We reviewed the range of packages used to conduct assessments of fish and invertebrate stocks in the United States because these assessments tend to have common goals, and need to provide similar outputs for decision making. Sixteen packages were considered, five based on surplus production models (“A Stock Production Model Incorporating Covariates”; “Bayesian Surplus Production Model-1”; “Bayesian Surplus Production Model-2”; “Depletion-Based Stock Reduction Analysis”; “Extended Depletion-Based Stock Reduction Analysis”), one based on a delay-difference model (“Collie-Sissenwine Analysis”), and the remainder based on age-structured models (“Assessment Method for Alaska”, “Age Structured Assessment Program”, “Beaufort Assessment Model”, “MULRIFAN-CL”, “Statistical catch-at-length”, “Stock Synthesis”, ”Simple Stock Synthesis”, “Extended Stock Synthesis”, “Virtual Population Analysis”, “VPA-2BOX”, “).

This report highlights the benefits and disadvantages of stock assessment packages in terms of allowing analysts to explore many assessment configurations and facilitating the peer-review of assessments. It also highlights the disadvantages associated with the use of packages for conducting assessments. Packages with the most options and greatest flexibility are the most difficult to use, and see the greatest development of auxiliary tools to facilitate their use.

Stock assessments provide scientific advice in support of fisheries decision making. They involve fitting population dynamics models to fishery and monitoring data to provide estimates of time-trajectories of biomass and fishing mortality in absolute terms and relative to biological reference points such as BMSY (the biomass corresponding to Maximum Sustainability Yield, MSY) and FMSY (the fishing mortality rate corresponding to MSY), along with measures of uncertainty. Some stock assessments are conducted using software developed for a specific stock or group of stocks. However, increasingly, stock assessments are being conducted using packages developed for application to several taxa and across multiple regions. We reviewed the range of packages used to conduct assessments of fish and invertebrate stocks in the United States because these assessments tend to have common goals, and need to provide similar outputs for decision making. Sixteen packages were considered, five based on surplus production models (“A Stock Production Model Incorporating Covariates”; “Bayesian Surplus Production Model-1”; “Bayesian Surplus Production Model-2”; “Depletion-Based Stock Reduction Analysis”; “Extended Depletion-Based Stock Reduction Analysis”), one based on a delay-difference model (“Collie-Sissenwine Analysis”), and the remainder based on age-structured models (“Assessment Method for Alaska”, “Age Structured Assessment Program”, “Beaufort Assessment Model”, “MULRIFAN-CL”, “Statistical catch-at-length”, “Stock Synthesis”, ”Simple Stock Synthesis”, “Extended Stock Synthesis”, “Virtual Population Analysis”, “VPA-2BOX”, “).

This report highlights the benefits and disadvantages of stock assessment packages in terms of allowing analysts to explore many assessment configurations and facilitating the peer-review of assessments. It also highlights the disadvantages associated with the use of packages for conducting assessments. Packages with the most options and greatest flexibility are the most difficult to use, and see the greatest development of auxiliary tools to facilitate their use.

Stock assessments provide scientific advice in support of fisheries decision making. They involve fitting population dynamics models to fishery and monitoring data to provide estimates of time-trajectories of biomass and fishing mortality in absolute terms and relative to biological reference points such as BMSY (the biomass corresponding to Maximum Sustainability Yield, MSY) and FMSY (the fishing mortality rate corresponding to MSY), along with measures of uncertainty. Some stock assessments are conducted using software developed for a specific stock or group of stocks. However, increasingly, stock assessments are being conducted using packages developed for application to several taxa and across multiple regions. We reviewed the range of packages used to conduct assessments of fish and invertebrate stocks in the United States because these assessments tend to have common goals, and need to provide similar outputs for decision making. Sixteen packages were considered, five based on surplus production models (“A Stock Production Model Incorporating Covariates”; “Bayesian Surplus Production Model-1”; “Bayesian Surplus Production Model-2”; “Depletion-Based Stock Reduction Analysis”; “Extended Depletion-Based Stock Reduction Analysis”), one based on a delay-difference model (“Collie-Sissenwine Analysis”), and the remainder based on age-structured models (“Assessment Method for Alaska”, “Age Structured Assessment Program”, “Beaufort Assessment Model”, “MULRIFAN-CL”, “Statistical catch-at-length”, “Stock Synthesis”, ”Simple Stock Synthesis”, “Extended Stock Synthesis”, “Virtual Population Analysis”, “VPA-2BOX”, “).

This report highlights the benefits and disadvantages of stock assessment packages in terms of allowing analysts to explore many assessment configurations and facilitating the peer-review of assessments. It also highlights the disadvantages associated with the use of packages for conducting assessments. Packages with the most options and greatest flexibility are the most difficult to use, and see the greatest development of auxiliary tools to facilitate their use.

Stock assessments provide scientific advice in support of fisheries decision making. They involve fitting population dynamics models to fishery and monitoring data to provide estimates of time-trajectories of biomass and fishing mortality in absolute terms and relative to biological reference points such as BMSY (the biomass corresponding to Maximum Sustainability Yield, MSY) and FMSY (the fishing mortality rate corresponding to MSY), along with measures of uncertainty. Some stock assessments are conducted using software developed for a specific stock or group of stocks. However, increasingly, stock assessments are being conducted using packages developed for application to several taxa and across multiple regions. We reviewed the range of packages used to conduct assessments of fish and invertebrate stocks in the United States because these assessments tend to have common goals, and need to provide similar outputs for decision making. Sixteen packages were considered, five based on surplus production models (“A Stock Production Model Incorporating Covariates”; “Bayesian Surplus Production Model-1”; “Bayesian Surplus Production Model-2”; “Depletion-Based Stock Reduction Analysis”; “Extended Depletion-Based Stock Reduction Analysis”), one based on a delay-difference model (“Collie-Sissenwine Analysis”), and the remainder based on age-structured models (“Assessment Method for Alaska”, “Age Structured Assessment Program”, “Beaufort Assessment Model”, “MULRIFAN-CL”, “Statistical catch-at-length”, “Stock Synthesis”, ”Simple Stock Synthesis”, “Extended Stock Synthesis”, “Virtual Population Analysis”, “VPA-2BOX”, “).

This report highlights the benefits and disadvantages of stock assessment packages in terms of allowing analysts to explore many assessment configurations and facilitating the peer-review of assessments. It also highlights the disadvantages associated with the use of packages for conducting assessments. Packages with the most options and greatest flexibility are the most difficult to use, and see the greatest development of auxiliary tools to facilitate their use.

Stock assessments provide scientific advice in support of fisheries decision making. They involve fitting population dynamics models to fishery and monitoring data to provide estimates of time-trajectories of biomass and fishing mortality in absolute terms and relative to biological reference points such as BMSY (the biomass corresponding to Maximum Sustainability Yield, MSY) and FMSY (the fishing mortality rate corresponding to MSY), along with measures of uncertainty. Some stock assessments are conducted using software developed for a specific stock or group of stocks. However, increasingly, stock assessments are being conducted using packages developed for application to several taxa and across multiple regions. We reviewed the range of packages used to conduct assessments of fish and invertebrate stocks in the United States because these assessments tend to have common goals, and need to provide similar outputs for decision making. Sixteen packages were considered, five based on surplus production models (“A Stock Production Model Incorporating Covariates”; “Bayesian Surplus Production Model-1”; “Bayesian Surplus Production Model-2”; “Depletion-Based Stock Reduction Analysis”; “Extended Depletion-Based Stock Reduction Analysis”), one based on a delay-difference model (“Collie-Sissenwine Analysis”), and the remainder based on age-structured models (“Assessment Method for Alaska”, “Age Structured Assessment Program”, “Beaufort Assessment Model”, “MULRIFAN-CL”, “Statistical catch-at-length”, “Stock Synthesis”, ”Simple Stock Synthesis”, “Extended Stock Synthesis”, “Virtual Population Analysis”, “VPA-2BOX”, “).

This report highlights the benefits and disadvantages of stock assessment packages in terms of allowing analysts to explore many assessment configurations and facilitating the peer-review of assessments. It also highlights the disadvantages associated with the use of packages for conducting assessments. Packages with the most options and greatest flexibility are the most difficult to use, and see the greatest development of auxiliary tools to facilitate their use.

Stock assessments provide scientific advice in support of fisheries decision making. They involve fitting population dynamics models to fishery and monitoring data to provide estimates of time-trajectories of biomass and fishing mortality in absolute terms and relative to biological reference points such as BMSY (the biomass corresponding to Maximum Sustainability Yield, MSY) and FMSY (the fishing mortality rate corresponding to MSY), along with measures of uncertainty. Some stock assessments are conducted using software developed for a specific stock or group of stocks. However, increasingly, stock assessments are being conducted using packages developed for application to several taxa and across multiple regions. We reviewed the range of packages used to conduct assessments of fish and invertebrate stocks in the United States because these assessments tend to have common goals, and need to provide similar outputs for decision making. Sixteen packages were considered, five based on surplus production models (“A Stock Production Model Incorporating Covariates”; “Bayesian Surplus Production Model-1”; “Bayesian Surplus Production Model-2”; “Depletion-Based Stock Reduction Analysis”; “Extended Depletion-Based Stock Reduction Analysis”), one based on a delay-difference model (“Collie-Sissenwine Analysis”), and the remainder based on age-structured models (“Assessment Method for Alaska”, “Age Structured Assessment Program”, “Beaufort Assessment Model”, “MULRIFAN-CL”, “Statistical catch-at-length”, “Stock Synthesis”, ”Simple Stock Synthesis”, “Extended Stock Synthesis”, “Virtual Population Analysis”, “VPA-2BOX”, “).

This report highlights the benefits and disadvantages of stock assessment packages in terms of allowing analysts to explore many assessment configurations and facilitating the peer-review of assessments. It also highlights the disadvantages associated with the use of packages for conducting assessments. Packages with the most options and greatest flexibility are the most difficult to use, and see the greatest development of auxiliary tools to facilitate their use.

Stock assessments provide scientific advice in support of fisheries decision making. They involve fitting population dynamics models to fishery and monitoring data to provide estimates of time-trajectories of biomass and fishing mortality in absolute terms and relative to biological reference points such as BMSY (the biomass corresponding to Maximum Sustainability Yield, MSY) and FMSY (the fishing mortality rate corresponding to MSY), along with measures of uncertainty. Some stock assessments are conducted using software developed for a specific stock or group of stocks. However, increasingly, stock assessments are being conducted using packages developed for application to several taxa and across multiple regions. We reviewed the range of packages used to conduct assessments of fish and invertebrate stocks in the United States because these assessments tend to have common goals, and need to provide similar outputs for decision making. Sixteen packages were considered, five based on surplus production models (“A Stock Production Model Incorporating Covariates”; “Bayesian Surplus Production Model-1”; “Bayesian Surplus Production Model-2”; “Depletion-Based Stock Reduction Analysis”; “Extended Depletion-Based Stock Reduction Analysis”), one based on a delay-difference model (“Collie-Sissenwine Analysis”), and the remainder based on age-structured models (“Assessment Method for Alaska”, “Age Structured Assessment Program”, “Beaufort Assessment Model”, “MULRIFAN-CL”, “Statistical catch-at-length”, “Stock Synthesis”, ”Simple Stock Synthesis”, “Extended Stock Synthesis”, “Virtual Population Analysis”, “VPA-2BOX”, “).

This report highlights the benefits and disadvantages of stock assessment packages in terms of allowing analysts to explore many assessment configurations and facilitating the peer-review of assessments. It also highlights the disadvantages associated with the use of packages for conducting assessments. Packages with the most options and greatest flexibility are the most difficult to use, and see the greatest development of auxiliary tools to facilitate their use.

Stock assessments provide scientific advice in support of fisheries decision making. They involve fitting population dynamics models to fishery and monitoring data to provide estimates of time-trajectories of biomass and fishing mortality in absolute terms and relative to biological reference points such as BMSY (the biomass corresponding to Maximum Sustainability Yield, MSY) and FMSY (the fishing mortality rate corresponding to MSY), along with measures of uncertainty. Some stock assessments are conducted using software developed for a specific stock or group of stocks. However, increasingly, stock assessments are being conducted using packages developed for application to several taxa and across multiple regions. We reviewed the range of packages used to conduct assessments of fish and invertebrate stocks in the United States because these assessments tend to have common goals, and need to provide similar outputs for decision making. Sixteen packages were considered, five based on surplus production models (“A Stock Production Model Incorporating Covariates”; “Bayesian Surplus Production Model-1”; “Bayesian Surplus Production Model-2”; “Depletion-Based Stock Reduction Analysis”; “Extended Depletion-Based Stock Reduction Analysis”), one based on a delay-difference model (“Collie-Sissenwine Analysis”), and the remainder based on age-structured models (“Assessment Method for Alaska”, “Age Structured Assessment Program”, “Beaufort Assessment Model”, “MULRIFAN-CL”, “Statistical catch-at-length”, “Stock Synthesis”, ”Simple Stock Synthesis”, “Extended Stock Synthesis”, “Virtual Population Analysis”, “VPA-2BOX”, “).

This report highlights the benefits and disadvantages of stock assessment packages in terms of allowing analysts to explore many assessment configurations and facilitating the peer-review of assessments. It also highlights the disadvantages associated with the use of packages for conducting assessments. Packages with the most options and greatest flexibility are the most difficult to use, and see the greatest development of auxiliary tools to facilitate their use.

Stock assessments provide scientific advice in support of fisheries decision making. They involve fitting population dynamics models to fishery and monitoring data to provide estimates of time-trajectories of biomass and fishing mortality in absolute terms and relative to biological reference points such as BMSY (the biomass corresponding to Maximum Sustainability Yield, MSY) and FMSY (the fishing mortality rate corresponding to MSY), along with measures of uncertainty. Some stock assessments are conducted using software developed for a specific stock or group of stocks. However, increasingly, stock assessments are being conducted using packages developed for application to several taxa and across multiple regions. We reviewed the range of packages used to conduct assessments of fish and invertebrate stocks in the United States because these assessments tend to have common goals, and need to provide similar outputs for decision making. Sixteen packages were considered, five based on surplus production models (“A Stock Production Model Incorporating Covariates”; “Bayesian Surplus Production Model-1”; “Bayesian Surplus Production Model-2”; “Depletion-Based Stock Reduction Analysis”; “Extended Depletion-Based Stock Reduction Analysis”), one based on a delay-difference model (“Collie-Sissenwine Analysis”), and the remainder based on age-structured models (“Assessment Method for Alaska”, “Age Structured Assessment Program”, “Beaufort Assessment Model”, “MULRIFAN-CL”, “Statistical catch-at-length”, “Stock Synthesis”, ”Simple Stock Synthesis”, “Extended Stock Synthesis”, “Virtual Population Analysis”, “VPA-2BOX”, “).

This report highlights the benefits and disadvantages of stock assessment packages in terms of allowing analysts to explore many assessment configurations and facilitating the peer-review of assessments. It also highlights the disadvantages associated with the use of packages for conducting assessments. Packages with the most options and greatest flexibility are the most difficult to use, and see the greatest development of auxiliary tools to facilitate their use.

Stock assessments provide scientific advice in support of fisheries decision making. They involve fitting population dynamics models to fishery and monitoring data to provide estimates of time-trajectories of biomass and fishing mortality in absolute terms and relative to biological reference points such as BMSY (the biomass corresponding to Maximum Sustainability Yield, MSY) and FMSY (the fishing mortality rate corresponding to MSY), along with measures of uncertainty. Some stock assessments are conducted using software developed for a specific stock or group of stocks. However, increasingly, stock assessments are being conducted using packages developed for application to several taxa and across multiple regions. We reviewed the range of packages used to conduct assessments of fish and invertebrate stocks in the United States because these assessments tend to have common goals, and need to provide similar outputs for decision making. Sixteen packages were considered, five based on surplus production models (“A Stock Production Model Incorporating Covariates”; “Bayesian Surplus Production Model-1”; “Bayesian Surplus Production Model-2”; “Depletion-Based Stock Reduction Analysis”; “Extended Depletion-Based Stock Reduction Analysis”), one based on a delay-difference model (“Collie-Sissenwine Analysis”), and the remainder based on age-structured models (“Assessment Method for Alaska”, “Age Structured Assessment Program”, “Beaufort Assessment Model”, “MULRIFAN-CL”, “Statistical catch-at-length”, “Stock Synthesis”, ”Simple Stock Synthesis”, “Extended Stock Synthesis”, “Virtual Population Analysis”, “VPA-2BOX”, “).

This report highlights the benefits and disadvantages of stock assessment packages in terms of allowing analysts to explore many assessment configurations and facilitating the peer-review of assessments. It also highlights the disadvantages associated with the use of packages for conducting assessments. Packages with the most options and greatest flexibility are the most difficult to use, and see the greatest development of auxiliary tools to facilitate their use.

Stock assessments provide scientific advice in support of fisheries decision making. They involve fitting population dynamics models to fishery and monitoring data to provide estimates of time-trajectories of biomass and fishing mortality in absolute terms and relative to biological reference points such as BMSY (the biomass corresponding to Maximum Sustainability Yield, MSY) and FMSY (the fishing mortality rate corresponding to MSY), along with measures of uncertainty. Some stock assessments are conducted using software developed for a specific stock or group of stocks. However, increasingly, stock assessments are being conducted using packages developed for application to several taxa and across multiple regions. We reviewed the range of packages used to conduct assessments of fish and invertebrate stocks in the United States because these assessments tend to have common goals, and need to provide similar outputs for decision making. Sixteen packages were considered, five based on surplus production models (“A Stock Production Model Incorporating Covariates”; “Bayesian Surplus Production Model-1”; “Bayesian Surplus Production Model-2”; “Depletion-Based Stock Reduction Analysis”; “Extended Depletion-Based Stock Reduction Analysis”), one based on a delay-difference model (“Collie-Sissenwine Analysis”), and the remainder based on age-structured models (“Assessment Method for Alaska”, “Age Structured Assessment Program”, “Beaufort Assessment Model”, “MULRIFAN-CL”, “Statistical catch-at-length”, “Stock Synthesis”, ”Simple Stock Synthesis”, “Extended Stock Synthesis”, “Virtual Population Analysis”, “VPA-2BOX”, “).

This report highlights the benefits and disadvantages of stock assessment packages in terms of allowing analysts to explore many assessment configurations and facilitating the peer-review of assessments. It also highlights the disadvantages associated with the use of packages for conducting assessments. Packages with the most options and greatest flexibility are the most difficult to use, and see the greatest development of auxiliary tools to facilitate their use.

Stock assessments provide scientific advice in support of fisheries decision making. They involve fitting population dynamics models to fishery and monitoring data to provide estimates of time-trajectories of biomass and fishing mortality in absolute terms and relative to biological reference points such as BMSY (the biomass corresponding to Maximum Sustainability Yield, MSY) and FMSY (the fishing mortality rate corresponding to MSY), along with measures of uncertainty. Some stock assessments are conducted using software developed for a specific stock or group of stocks. However, increasingly, stock assessments are being conducted using packages developed for application to several taxa and across multiple regions. We reviewed the range of packages used to conduct assessments of fish and invertebrate stocks in the United States because these assessments tend to have common goals, and need to provide similar outputs for decision making. Sixteen packages were considered, five based on surplus production models (“A Stock Production Model Incorporating Covariates”; “Bayesian Surplus Production Model-1”; “Bayesian Surplus Production Model-2”; “Depletion-Based Stock Reduction Analysis”; “Extended Depletion-Based Stock Reduction Analysis”), one based on a delay-difference model (“Collie-Sissenwine Analysis”), and the remainder based on age-structured models (“Assessment Method for Alaska”, “Age Structured Assessment Program”, “Beaufort Assessment Model”, “MULRIFAN-CL”, “Statistical catch-at-length”, “Stock Synthesis”, ”Simple Stock Synthesis”, “Extended Stock Synthesis”, “Virtual Population Analysis”, “VPA-2BOX”, “).

This report highlights the benefits and disadvantages of stock assessment packages in terms of allowing analysts to explore many assessment configurations and facilitating the peer-review of assessments. It also highlights the disadvantages associated with the use of packages for conducting assessments. Packages with the most options and greatest flexibility are the most difficult to use, and see the greatest development of auxiliary tools to facilitate their use.

Total mercury, alkyl mercury and selenium concentrations in the muscle tissue of several species of pelagic sharks from northern Australian waters are reported. Mean mercury concentrations ranged between O .13 mg /kg for Carcharhinus brevipinna and 1. 94 mg/kg for C. amblyrhyn choides. Maximum values exceeded 1.5 mg/kg in nine of the species studied and the highest recorded concentration was 3.7 mg/kg for Sphyrna mokarran.

Mercury concentrations were highly dependent on the size of shark, a relationship that was adequately represented by the power function. Males of most of the species studied had significantly higher levels of mercury than females of similar size.

Total mercury, alkyl mercury and selenium concentrations in the muscle tissue of several species of pelagic sharks from northern Australian waters are reported. Mean mercury concentrations ranged between O .13 mg /kg for Carcharhinus brevipinna and 1. 94 mg/kg for C. amblyrhyn choides. Maximum values exceeded 1.5 mg/kg in nine of the species studied and the highest recorded concentration was 3.7 mg/kg for Sphyrna mokarran.

Mercury concentrations were highly dependent on the size of shark, a relationship that was adequately represented by the power function. Males of most of the species studied had significantly higher levels of mercury than females of similar size.

Total mercury, alkyl mercury and selenium concentrations in the muscle tissue of several species of pelagic sharks from northern Australian waters are reported. Mean mercury concentrations ranged between O .13 mg /kg for Carcharhinus brevipinna and 1. 94 mg/kg for C. amblyrhyn choides. Maximum values exceeded 1.5 mg/kg in nine of the species studied and the highest recorded concentration was 3.7 mg/kg for Sphyrna mokarran.

Mercury concentrations were highly dependent on the size of shark, a relationship that was adequately represented by the power function. Males of most of the species studied had significantly higher levels of mercury than females of similar size.

Total mercury, alkyl mercury and selenium concentrations in the muscle tissue of several species of pelagic sharks from northern Australian waters are reported. Mean mercury concentrations ranged between O .13 mg /kg for Carcharhinus brevipinna and 1. 94 mg/kg for C. amblyrhyn choides. Maximum values exceeded 1.5 mg/kg in nine of the species studied and the highest recorded concentration was 3.7 mg/kg for Sphyrna mokarran.

Mercury concentrations were highly dependent on the size of shark, a relationship that was adequately represented by the power function. Males of most of the species studied had significantly higher levels of mercury than females of similar size.

Total mercury, alkyl mercury and selenium concentrations in the muscle tissue of several species of pelagic sharks from northern Australian waters are reported. Mean mercury concentrations ranged between O .13 mg /kg for Carcharhinus brevipinna and 1. 94 mg/kg for C. amblyrhyn choides. Maximum values exceeded 1.5 mg/kg in nine of the species studied and the highest recorded concentration was 3.7 mg/kg for Sphyrna mokarran.

Mercury concentrations were highly dependent on the size of shark, a relationship that was adequately represented by the power function. Males of most of the species studied had significantly higher levels of mercury than females of similar size.

Total mercury, alkyl mercury and selenium concentrations in the muscle tissue of several species of pelagic sharks from northern Australian waters are reported. Mean mercury concentrations ranged between O .13 mg /kg for Carcharhinus brevipinna and 1. 94 mg/kg for C. amblyrhyn choides. Maximum values exceeded 1.5 mg/kg in nine of the species studied and the highest recorded concentration was 3.7 mg/kg for Sphyrna mokarran.

Mercury concentrations were highly dependent on the size of shark, a relationship that was adequately represented by the power function. Males of most of the species studied had significantly higher levels of mercury than females of similar size.

Total mercury, alkyl mercury and selenium concentrations in the muscle tissue of several species of pelagic sharks from northern Australian waters are reported. Mean mercury concentrations ranged between O .13 mg /kg for Carcharhinus brevipinna and 1. 94 mg/kg for C. amblyrhyn choides. Maximum values exceeded 1.5 mg/kg in nine of the species studied and the highest recorded concentration was 3.7 mg/kg for Sphyrna mokarran.

Mercury concentrations were highly dependent on the size of shark, a relationship that was adequately represented by the power function. Males of most of the species studied had significantly higher levels of mercury than females of similar size.

Total mercury, alkyl mercury and selenium concentrations in the muscle tissue of several species of pelagic sharks from northern Australian waters are reported. Mean mercury concentrations ranged between O .13 mg /kg for Carcharhinus brevipinna and 1. 94 mg/kg for C. amblyrhyn choides. Maximum values exceeded 1.5 mg/kg in nine of the species studied and the highest recorded concentration was 3.7 mg/kg for Sphyrna mokarran.

Mercury concentrations were highly dependent on the size of shark, a relationship that was adequately represented by the power function. Males of most of the species studied had significantly higher levels of mercury than females of similar size.

Total mercury, alkyl mercury and selenium concentrations in the muscle tissue of several species of pelagic sharks from northern Australian waters are reported. Mean mercury concentrations ranged between O .13 mg /kg for Carcharhinus brevipinna and 1. 94 mg/kg for C. amblyrhyn choides. Maximum values exceeded 1.5 mg/kg in nine of the species studied and the highest recorded concentration was 3.7 mg/kg for Sphyrna mokarran.

Mercury concentrations were highly dependent on the size of shark, a relationship that was adequately represented by the power function. Males of most of the species studied had significantly higher levels of mercury than females of similar size.

Total mercury, alkyl mercury and selenium concentrations in the muscle tissue of several species of pelagic sharks from northern Australian waters are reported. Mean mercury concentrations ranged between O .13 mg /kg for Carcharhinus brevipinna and 1. 94 mg/kg for C. amblyrhyn choides. Maximum values exceeded 1.5 mg/kg in nine of the species studied and the highest recorded concentration was 3.7 mg/kg for Sphyrna mokarran.

Mercury concentrations were highly dependent on the size of shark, a relationship that was adequately represented by the power function. Males of most of the species studied had significantly higher levels of mercury than females of similar size.

Total mercury, alkyl mercury and selenium concentrations in the muscle tissue of several species of pelagic sharks from northern Australian waters are reported. Mean mercury concentrations ranged between O .13 mg /kg for Carcharhinus brevipinna and 1. 94 mg/kg for C. amblyrhyn choides. Maximum values exceeded 1.5 mg/kg in nine of the species studied and the highest recorded concentration was 3.7 mg/kg for Sphyrna mokarran.

Mercury concentrations were highly dependent on the size of shark, a relationship that was adequately represented by the power function. Males of most of the species studied had significantly higher levels of mercury than females of similar size.

Total mercury, alkyl mercury and selenium concentrations in the muscle tissue of several species of pelagic sharks from northern Australian waters are reported. Mean mercury concentrations ranged between O .13 mg /kg for Carcharhinus brevipinna and 1. 94 mg/kg for C. amblyrhyn choides. Maximum values exceeded 1.5 mg/kg in nine of the species studied and the highest recorded concentration was 3.7 mg/kg for Sphyrna mokarran.

Mercury concentrations were highly dependent on the size of shark, a relationship that was adequately represented by the power function. Males of most of the species studied had significantly higher levels of mercury than females of similar size.

Total mercury, alkyl mercury and selenium concentrations in the muscle tissue of several species of pelagic sharks from northern Australian waters are reported. Mean mercury concentrations ranged between O .13 mg /kg for Carcharhinus brevipinna and 1. 94 mg/kg for C. amblyrhyn choides. Maximum values exceeded 1.5 mg/kg in nine of the species studied and the highest recorded concentration was 3.7 mg/kg for Sphyrna mokarran.

Mercury concentrations were highly dependent on the size of shark, a relationship that was adequately represented by the power function. Males of most of the species studied had significantly higher levels of mercury than females of similar size.

Total mercury, alkyl mercury and selenium concentrations in the muscle tissue of several species of pelagic sharks from northern Australian waters are reported. Mean mercury concentrations ranged between O .13 mg /kg for Carcharhinus brevipinna and 1. 94 mg/kg for C. amblyrhyn choides. Maximum values exceeded 1.5 mg/kg in nine of the species studied and the highest recorded concentration was 3.7 mg/kg for Sphyrna mokarran.

Mercury concentrations were highly dependent on the size of shark, a relationship that was adequately represented by the power function. Males of most of the species studied had significantly higher levels of mercury than females of similar size.

Total mercury, alkyl mercury and selenium concentrations in the muscle tissue of several species of pelagic sharks from northern Australian waters are reported. Mean mercury concentrations ranged between O .13 mg /kg for Carcharhinus brevipinna and 1. 94 mg/kg for C. amblyrhyn choides. Maximum values exceeded 1.5 mg/kg in nine of the species studied and the highest recorded concentration was 3.7 mg/kg for Sphyrna mokarran.

Mercury concentrations were highly dependent on the size of shark, a relationship that was adequately represented by the power function. Males of most of the species studied had significantly higher levels of mercury than females of similar size.

Total mercury, alkyl mercury and selenium concentrations in the muscle tissue of several species of pelagic sharks from northern Australian waters are reported. Mean mercury concentrations ranged between O .13 mg /kg for Carcharhinus brevipinna and 1. 94 mg/kg for C. amblyrhyn choides. Maximum values exceeded 1.5 mg/kg in nine of the species studied and the highest recorded concentration was 3.7 mg/kg for Sphyrna mokarran.

Mercury concentrations were highly dependent on the size of shark, a relationship that was adequately represented by the power function. Males of most of the species studied had significantly higher levels of mercury than females of similar size.