Fish should not be in isolation: Calculating maximum sustainable yield using an ensemble model

Abstract: Many jurisdictions have a legal requirement to manage fish stocks to maximum sustainable yield (MSY). Generally, MSY is calculated on a single-species basis, however in reality, the yield of one species depends, not only on its own fishing level, but that of other species. We show that bold assumptions about the effect of interacting species on MSY are made when managing on a single-species basis, often leading to inconsistent and conflicting advice, demonstrating the requirement of a multispecies MSY (MMSY). Although there are several definitions of MMSY, there is no consensus. Furthermore, calculating a MMSY can be difficult as there are many models, of varying complexity, each with their own strengths and weaknesses, and the value if MMSY can be sensitive to the model used. Here, we use an ensemble model to combine different multispecies models, exploiting their individual strengths and quantifying their uncertainties and discrepancies, to calculate a more robust MMSY. We demonstrate this by calculating a MMSY for nine species in the North Sea. We found that it would be impossible to fish at single-species MSY and that MMSY led to higher yields and revenues than current levels.