Department of Fish and Game
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Groundfish Stock Assessments

The aim of fishery stock assessment is to establish the status of a resource and to determine the level at which it may be sustainably exploited. Stock assessments are a critical management tool for monitoring the abundance of fish populations, as well as for predicting the consequences of policy decisions. Without these assessments and the protective actions that may ensue, fish populations can collapse creating severe economic, social, and ecological problems.