{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,7,1]],"date-time":"2026-07-01T06:32:18Z","timestamp":1782887538130,"version":"3.54.5"},"reference-count":78,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"12","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,6,22]],"date-time":"2026-06-22T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1782086400000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"name":"College of Marine Living Resource Sciences and Management (FSA laboratory) of Shanghai Ocean University"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Biology"],"abstract":"<jats:p>This study presents a comprehensive data-limited stock assessment of bonga shad (Ethmalosa fimbriata) and lesser African threadfin (Galeoides decadactylus) in the Central Gulf of Guinea using complementary catch- and abundance-based approaches, including Abundance-based Maximum Sustainable Yield (AMSY), Catch-based Maximum Sustainable Yield ++ (CMSY++), and the Bayesian State-space Schaefer Model (BSM). These models were applied because they are suitable for evaluating stock status in data-limited fisheries using catch and abundance information. While AMSY primarily uses abundance information, CMSY++ integrates catch and productivity priors, whereas BSM incorporates state-space error structures to account for observation uncertainty. Catch time series (1990\u20132021) were extracted from Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) FishstatJ accessed in 2023, with catch values for 2022\u20132023 cautiously extrapolated from recent trends due to the temporary absence of updated official statistics. Standardized and scaled relative abundance indices from Cameroonian and Nigerian EEZ were used to support model estimation and assess the stock status. For Ethmalosa fimbriata, the results from CMSY++ and BSM yielded an MSY estimate of 126 \u00d7 103 t and 95.5 \u00d7 103 t, respectively, while for G. decadactylus, MSY from CMSY++ and BSM were 9.1 \u00d7 103 and 13.4 \u00d7 103, respectively. Stock status indicators suggested the stock was fully exploited based on both AMSY (F\/FMSY = 0.83) and CMSY++ (F\/FMSY = 1.03) and overfished based on BSM (F\/FMSY = 1.77). For G. decadactylus, the analysis based on AMSY suggested an overfished stock state (F\/FMSY = 1.2), while under CMSY++ and BSM, the stock is fully exploited. The log scale CPUE was symmetrical within the expected bounds, and the posterior parameter distributions were constrained, indicating that the model passed the convergence test and had robust parameter estimates. The study recommends maintaining catches within MSY-based reference points as the total allowable catch (TAC) and emphasizes the need for improved data continuity, regional collaboration, and precautionary management for long-term sustainability of fisheries resources in the Central Gulf of Guinea.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/biology15120978","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,7,1]],"date-time":"2026-07-01T03:06:34Z","timestamp":1782875194000},"page":"978","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["Data-Limited Stock Status Assessment of Bonga Shad, Ethmalosa fimbriata (Bowdich, 1825) and Lesser African Threadfin, Galeoides decadactylus (Bloch, 1795) in the Central Gulf of Guinea"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"15","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0009-0008-2312-7000","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Edwin Egbe","family":"Atem","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"College of Marine Living Resource Sciences and Management, Shanghai Ocean University, No. 999, Hucheng Ring Road, Pudong New Area, Shanghai 201306, China"},{"name":"Specialty of Fisheries and Aquaculture, Limbe Nautical Arts and Fisheries Institute (LINAFI), Limbe BP 485, Cameroon"},{"name":"Ministry of Livestock Fisheries and Animal Industries, Yaounde BP 441, Cameroon"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Richard","family":"Kindong","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"College of Marine Living Resource Sciences and Management, Shanghai Ocean University, No. 999, Hucheng Ring Road, Pudong New Area, Shanghai 201306, China"},{"name":"National Engineering Research Center for Oceanic Fisheries, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai 201306, China"},{"name":"Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Sustainable Exploitation of Oceanic Fisheries Resources, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai 201306, China"},{"name":"Collaborative Innovation Center for Distant Water Fisheries, Shanghai 201306, China"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Collins Etah","family":"Ayuk","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Specialty of Fisheries and Aquaculture, Limbe Nautical Arts and Fisheries Institute (LINAFI), Limbe BP 485, Cameroon"},{"name":"Ministry of Livestock Fisheries and Animal Industries, Yaounde BP 441, Cameroon"},{"name":"Department of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Management, University of Buea, Buea BP 63, Cameroon"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0009-0001-3908-3048","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Mustapha Sly","family":"Bayon","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"College of Marine Living Resource Sciences and Management, Shanghai Ocean University, No. 999, Hucheng Ring Road, Pudong New Area, Shanghai 201306, China"},{"name":"Freetown Fisheries Research Centre, Sierra Leone Agricultural Research Institute, Freetown P.M.B. 1313, Sierra Leone"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"David","family":"Mboglen","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"College of Marine Living Resource Sciences and Management, Shanghai Ocean University, No. 999, Hucheng Ring Road, Pudong New Area, Shanghai 201306, China"},{"name":"Specialized Research Station on Marine Ecosystems, Institute of Agricultural Research for Development (IRAD), Kribi BP 219, Cameroon"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Siquan","family":"Tian","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"College of Marine Living Resource Sciences and Management, Shanghai Ocean University, No. 999, Hucheng Ring Road, Pudong New Area, Shanghai 201306, China"},{"name":"National Engineering Research Center for Oceanic Fisheries, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai 201306, China"},{"name":"Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Sustainable Exploitation of Oceanic Fisheries Resources, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai 201306, China"},{"name":"Collaborative Innovation Center for Distant Water Fisheries, Shanghai 201306, China"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,6,22]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1678","DOI":"10.1126\/science.1159478","article-title":"Can catch shares prevent fisheries collapse?","volume":"321","author":"Costello","year":"2008","journal-title":"Science"},{"key":"ref_2","unstructured":"FAO (2020). The State of World Fisheries and Aquaculture, FAO."},{"key":"ref_3","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"616","DOI":"10.1111\/faf.12637","article-title":"A history and evaluation of catch-only stock assessment models","volume":"23","author":"Ovando","year":"2022","journal-title":"Fish Fish."},{"key":"ref_4","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"760","DOI":"10.1016\/j.marpol.2011.10.024","article-title":"The FAO global capture production database: A six-decade effort to catch the trend","volume":"36","author":"Garibaldi","year":"2012","journal-title":"Mar. Policy"},{"key":"ref_5","unstructured":"FAO (2018). The State of the World Fisheries and Aquaculture, Food and Agriculture Organisation."},{"key":"ref_6","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"519","DOI":"10.1111\/j.1095-8649.1972.tb05699.x","article-title":"The biology of the West African shad Ethmalosa fimbriata (Bowdich, 1825) in the Lagos Lagoon, Nigeria","volume":"4","author":"Fagade","year":"1972","journal-title":"J. Fish Biol."},{"key":"ref_7","first-page":"27","article-title":"African Shads, with emphasis on the West African Shad Ethmalosa fimbriata","volume":"Volume 35","author":"Limburg","year":"2003","journal-title":"Biodiversity, Status, and Conservation of the World\u2019s Shads"},{"key":"ref_8","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"380","DOI":"10.1111\/j.1467-2979.2011.00435.x","article-title":"Examining the knowledge base and status of commercially exploited marine species with the RAM Legacy Stock Assessment Database","volume":"13","author":"Ricard","year":"2012","journal-title":"Fish Fish."},{"key":"ref_9","unstructured":"Scheffers, W.J., Conand, F., and Reizer, C.M. (1972). Etude de Ethmalosa Fimbriata (Bowdich) Dans la R\u00e9gion S\u00e9n\u00e9gambienne: 1ere Note, Centre de Recherche Oc\u00e9anographique Dakar Thiaroye. Reproduction et lieux de ponte dans le fleuve S\u00e9n\u00e9gal et la r\u00e9gion de Saint-Louis, (No. 44)."},{"key":"ref_10","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"177","DOI":"10.1016\/j.worlddev.2015.11.007","article-title":"Contribution of fisheries and aquaculture to food security and poverty reduction: Assessing the current evidence","volume":"79","author":"Arthur","year":"2016","journal-title":"World Dev."},{"key":"ref_11","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"241","DOI":"10.3354\/meps270241","article-title":"Influence of salinity on life history traits of the bonga shad Ethmalosa fimbriata (Pisces, Clupeida): Comparison between the Gambia and Saloum estuaries","volume":"270","author":"Panfili","year":"2004","journal-title":"Mar. Ecol. Prog. Ser."},{"key":"ref_12","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"177","DOI":"10.1146\/annurev-environ-101718-033310","article-title":"Status, institutions, and prospects for global capture fisheries","volume":"44","author":"Costello","year":"2019","journal-title":"Annu. Rev. Environ. Resour."},{"key":"ref_13","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"303","DOI":"10.1111\/faf.12104","article-title":"Management strategy evaluation: Best practices","volume":"17","author":"Punt","year":"2016","journal-title":"Fish Fish."},{"key":"ref_14","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1897","DOI":"10.1139\/cjfas-2014-0543","article-title":"Spatial delay-difference models for estimating spatiotemporal variation in juvenile production and population abundance","volume":"72","author":"Thorson","year":"2015","journal-title":"Can. J. Fish. Aquat. Sci."},{"key":"ref_15","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"208","DOI":"10.1051\/alr\/2016022","article-title":"Reconciling complex system models and fisheries advice: Practical examples and leads","volume":"29","author":"Lehuta","year":"2016","journal-title":"Aquat. Living Resour."},{"key":"ref_16","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"106903","DOI":"10.1016\/j.fishres.2023.106903","article-title":"Bridging proxy reference points to sustainable yields to support data-limited fisheries","volume":"271","author":"Liu","year":"2024","journal-title":"Fish. Res."},{"key":"ref_17","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Kindong, R., Wu, F., Tian, S., and Sarr, O. (2022). How well do \u2018catch-only\u2019 assessment models capture catch time series start years and default life history prior values? A preliminary stock assessment of the south Atlantic Ocean blue shark using a catch-based model. Animals, 12.","DOI":"10.3390\/ani12111386"},{"key":"ref_18","unstructured":"Froese, R., Demirel, N., Coro, G., and Winker, H. (2021). User Guide for CMSY++, GEOMAR. Available online: http:\/\/oceanrep.geomar.de\/52147\/."},{"key":"ref_19","unstructured":"Barrett, T.J., Marentette, J.R., Forrest, R.E., Anderson, S.C., Holt, C.A., Ings, D.W., and Thiess, M.E. (2024). Technical Considerations for Stock Status and Limit Reference Points under the Fish Stocks Provisions, Canadian Science Advisory Secretariat (CSAS)."},{"key":"ref_20","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"157","DOI":"10.1016\/j.envdev.2015.08.004","article-title":"Fisheries catch under-reporting in The Gambia, Liberia and Namibia and the three large marine ecosystems which they represent","volume":"17","author":"Belhabib","year":"2016","journal-title":"Environ. Dev."},{"key":"ref_21","first-page":"620","article-title":"The fisheries of Africa: Exploitation, policy, and the need for reform","volume":"17","author":"Belhabib","year":"2016","journal-title":"Fish Fish."},{"key":"ref_22","first-page":"100460","article-title":"Towards sustainable exploitation of European pilchard (Sardina pilchardus) stocks off West African waters","volume":"23","author":"Kindong","year":"2024","journal-title":"Environ. Sustain. Indic."},{"key":"ref_23","first-page":"103052","article-title":"Estimation of Atlantic bonito (Sarda sarda) stock status in the Senegalese Exclusive Economic Zone (SEEZ) from the catch-based model (CMSY) and length-based bayesian estimation (LBB) method","volume":"65","author":"Sarr","year":"2023","journal-title":"Reg. Stud. Mar. Sci."},{"key":"ref_24","first-page":"1630","article-title":"Exploring the vulnerability of a commonly exploited fish stock, Galeoides decadactylus in the artisanal mixed capture fisheries of Sierra Leone","volume":"20","author":"Konoyima","year":"2022","journal-title":"J. Biol. Res. Biotechnol."},{"key":"ref_25","unstructured":"(2023, May 10). FAO\/CECAF Working Group on the Assessment of Small Pelagic Fish\u2014Subgroup South Was Held in Pointe Noire, Congo, 2014. Available online: https:\/\/openknowledge.fao.org\/handle\/20.500.14283\/i5040b."},{"key":"ref_26","first-page":"315","article-title":"Computer and interpretation of biological statistics of fish population","volume":"41","author":"Ricker","year":"1975","journal-title":"Bull. Fish. Res. Board Can."},{"key":"ref_27","unstructured":"(2023, May 10). FAO\/CECAF Report of the FAO\/CECAF Working Group on the Assessment of Demersal Resources\u2014Subgroup South, Libreville, Gabon, 6\u201315 September 2017. Available online: https:\/\/openknowledge.fao.org\/handle\/20.500.14283\/ca2739b."},{"key":"ref_28","unstructured":"FAO Fisheries and Aquaculture Statistics (2024, June 05). Capture Production 1970\u20132023 (FishStatJ), Available online: https:\/\/www.fao.org\/fishery\/en\/statistics\/software\/fishstatj."},{"key":"ref_29","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"102676","DOI":"10.1016\/j.seares.2026.102676","article-title":"CPUE standardization for Ethmalosa fimbriata (Bowdich, 1825) and Galeoides decadactylus (Bloch, 1795) using species distribution model Template Model Builder (sdmTMB) off the Central Gulf of Guinea","volume":"210","author":"Atem","year":"2026","journal-title":"J. Sea Res."},{"key":"ref_30","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"527","DOI":"10.1093\/icesjms\/fsz230","article-title":"Estimating stock status from relative abundance and resilience","volume":"77","author":"Froese","year":"2020","journal-title":"ICES J. Mar. Sci."},{"key":"ref_31","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"80","DOI":"10.1577\/1548-8659(1970)99<80:AESMFO>2.0.CO;2","article-title":"An Exponential Surplus-Yield Model for Optimizing Exploited Fish Populations","volume":"99","author":"Fox","year":"1970","journal-title":"Trans. Am. Fish. Soc."},{"key":"ref_32","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"253","DOI":"10.1016\/S0092-8240(05)80049-7","article-title":"Some aspects of the dynamics of populations important to the management of the commercial marine fisheries","volume":"53","author":"Schaefer","year":"1991","journal-title":"Bull. Math. Biol."},{"key":"ref_33","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1078","DOI":"10.1139\/f99-043","article-title":"BUGS in Bayesian stock assessments","volume":"56","author":"Meyer","year":"1999","journal-title":"Can. J. Fish. Aquat. Sci."},{"key":"ref_34","first-page":"113","article-title":"Notice Sur LA Loi Que LA Population Suit Dans Son Accroissement","volume":"10","author":"Verhulst","year":"1838","journal-title":"Corresp. Math. Phys."},{"key":"ref_35","unstructured":"Froese, R., and Pauly, D. (2025, May 17). Fishbase, 2017. Available online: https:\/\/fishbase.mnhn.fr\/search.php."},{"key":"ref_36","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"461","DOI":"10.1093\/icesjms\/fsy199","article-title":"On the pile-up effect and priors for Linf and M\/K: Response to a comment by Hordyk et al. on \u201cA new approach for estimating stock status from length frequency data\u201d","volume":"76","author":"Froese","year":"2019","journal-title":"ICES J. Mar. Sci."},{"key":"ref_37","first-page":"26","article-title":"Some aspects of the dynamics of populations important to the management of the commercial marine fisheries","volume":"1","author":"Schaefer","year":"1954","journal-title":"Bull. Inter-Am. Trop. Tuna Comm."},{"key":"ref_38","unstructured":"Tuck, G.N. (2012). Stock Assessment for the Southern and Eastern Scale Fish and Shark Fishery 2011, Australian Fisheries Management Authority (AFMA) and CSIRO Marine and Atmospheric Research. Project No.2009\/0841."},{"key":"ref_39","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"48","DOI":"10.1016\/j.fishres.2013.12.014","article-title":"Evaluating methods for setting catch limits in data-limited fisheries","volume":"153","author":"Carruthers","year":"2014","journal-title":"Fish. Res."},{"key":"ref_40","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"159","DOI":"10.1016\/j.marpol.2018.04.018","article-title":"Status and rebuilding of European fisheries","volume":"93","author":"Froese","year":"2018","journal-title":"Mar. Policy"},{"key":"ref_41","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Haddon, M. (2011). Modelling and Quantitative Methods in Fisheries, Chapman and Hall\/CRC. [2nd ed.].","DOI":"10.1201\/9781439894170"},{"key":"ref_42","first-page":"1","article-title":"JAGS: A program for analysis of Bayesian graphical models using Gibbs sampling","volume":"Volume 124","author":"Plummer","year":"2003","journal-title":"Proceedings of the 3rd International Workshop on Distributed Statistical Computing"},{"key":"ref_43","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"506","DOI":"10.1111\/faf.12190","article-title":"Estimating fisheries reference points from catch and resilience","volume":"18","author":"Froese","year":"2017","journal-title":"Fish Fish."},{"key":"ref_44","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"395","DOI":"10.4172\/2473-3350.1000395","article-title":"A Review of Fisheries-Related Human Migration in the Gulf of Guinea","volume":"18","author":"Abobi","year":"2015","journal-title":"J. Coast. Zone Manag."},{"key":"ref_45","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"689","DOI":"10.1038\/nature01017","article-title":"Towards sustainability in world fisheries","volume":"418","author":"Pauly","year":"2002","journal-title":"Nature"},{"key":"ref_46","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"303","DOI":"10.1038\/494303a","article-title":"Fisheries: Does catch reflect abundance?","volume":"494","author":"Pauly","year":"2013","journal-title":"Nature"},{"key":"ref_47","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"72","DOI":"10.1016\/j.ocecoaman.2015.04.010","article-title":"Feeding the poor: Contribution of West African fisheries to employment and food security","volume":"111","author":"Belhabib","year":"2015","journal-title":"Ocean. Coast. Manag."},{"key":"ref_48","first-page":"25","article-title":"Review of progress in the introduction of management strategy evaluation (MSE) for tuna fisheries","volume":"112","author":"Punt","year":"2011","journal-title":"Fish. Res."},{"key":"ref_49","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Bald\u00e9, B.S., Brehmer, P., and Diaw, P.D. (2022). Length-based assessment of five small pelagic fishes in the Senegalese artisanal fisheries. PLoS ONE, 17.","DOI":"10.1371\/journal.pone.0279768"},{"key":"ref_50","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"517","DOI":"10.1126\/science.1223389","article-title":"Status and Solutions for the World\u2019s Unassessed Fisheries","volume":"338","author":"Costello","year":"2012","journal-title":"Science"},{"key":"ref_51","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Sultana, R., Liu, Q., Al-Mamun, M.A., Barman, P.P., Shamsuzzaman, M.M., and Barua, S. (2023). Estimating Stock Status and Biological Reference Points of the Sardine Fishery Using the Surplus Production Model from the Bay of Bengal, Bangladesh. J. Mar. Sci. Eng., 11.","DOI":"10.3390\/jmse11050944"},{"key":"ref_52","unstructured":"Newman, D., Carruthers, T., MacCall, A., Porch, C., and Suatoni, L. (2014). Improving the Science and Management of Data-Limited Fisheries: An Evaluation of Current Methods and Recommended Approaches, Natural Resources Defense Council. Natural Resources Defense Council Report."},{"key":"ref_53","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Barman, P.P., Liu, Q., Al-Mamun, M.A., Schneider, P., and Mozumder, M.M.H. (2021). Stock Assessment of Exploited Sardine Populations from Northeastern Bay of Bengal Water, Bangladesh Using the Length-Based Bayesian Biomass (LBB) Method. J. Mar. Sci. Eng., 9.","DOI":"10.3390\/jmse9101137"},{"key":"ref_54","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Al-Mamun, M.A., Shamsuzzaman, M.M., Schneider, P., Mozumder, M.M.H., and Liu, Q. (2022). Estimation of Stock Status Using the LBB and CMSY Methods for the Indian Salmon Leptomelanosoma indicum (Shaw, 1804) in the Bay of Bengal, Bangladesh. J. Mar. Sci. Eng., 10.","DOI":"10.3390\/jmse10030366"},{"key":"ref_55","first-page":"18","article-title":"Preliminary CMSY stock assessment of bonga shad (Ethmalosa fimbriata) in The Gambia","volume":"28","author":"Sidibeh","year":"2020","journal-title":"Fish. Cent. Res. Rep."},{"key":"ref_56","unstructured":"Sarr, B., Mbengue, M., and Djigal, A. (2020). COVID-19 et Risques Li\u00e9s \u00e0 L\u2019octroi Des Licences Dans Le Secteur de la P\u00eache\/COVID-19 and Risks of Fisheries Sector Licensing (Technical Report), CNCR\/IPAR."},{"key":"ref_57","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"138959","DOI":"10.1016\/j.scitotenv.2020.138959","article-title":"Prediction of the COVID-19 spread in African countries and implications for prevention and controls: A case study in South Africa, Egypt, Algeria, Nigeria, Senegal and Kenya","volume":"729","author":"Zhao","year":"2020","journal-title":"Sci. Total Environ."},{"key":"ref_58","unstructured":"Palomares, M.L.D., Khalfallah, M., Woroniak, J., and Pauly, D. (2020). Assessments of Marine Fisheries Resources in West Africa with Emphasis on Small Pelagics, UBC. Fisheries Centre Research Reports."},{"key":"ref_59","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Zhai, L., Liang, C., and Pauly, D. (2020). Assessments of 16 Exploited Fish Stocks in Chinese Waters Using the CMSY and BSM Methods. Front. Mar. Sci., 7.","DOI":"10.3389\/fmars.2020.483993"},{"key":"ref_60","unstructured":"Rosenberg, A.A., Fogarty, M.J., Cooper, A.B., Dickey-Collas, M., Fulton, E.A., Guti\u00e9rrez, N.L., Hyde, K.J.W., Kleisner, K.M., Kristiansen, T., and Longo, C. (2014). Developing New Approaches to Global Stock Status and Fishery Production Potential of the Seas, FAO. Available online: https:\/\/www.fao.org\/4\/i3491e\/i3491e00.htm."},{"key":"ref_61","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"264","DOI":"10.1093\/icesjms\/fsaa220","article-title":"Comparative performance of data-poor CMSY and data-moderate SPiCT stock assessment methods when applied to data-rich, real-world stocks","volume":"78","author":"Bouch","year":"2021","journal-title":"ICES J. Mar. Sci."},{"key":"ref_62","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"173","DOI":"10.3897\/aiep.53.e105910","article-title":"New developments in the analysis of catch time-series as the basis for fish stock assessments: The CMSY++ method","volume":"53","author":"Froese","year":"2023","journal-title":"Acta Ichthyol. Piscat."},{"key":"ref_63","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"473","DOI":"10.1006\/jmsc.1999.0481","article-title":"The retrospective problem in sequential population analysis: An investigation using cod fishery and simulated data","volume":"56","author":"Mohn","year":"1999","journal-title":"ICES J. Mar. Sci."},{"key":"ref_64","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"596","DOI":"10.1093\/icesjms\/fsx159","article-title":"Reducing retrospective patterns in stock assessment and impacts on management performance","volume":"75","author":"Szuwalski","year":"2018","journal-title":"ICES J. Mar. Sci."},{"key":"ref_65","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"2244","DOI":"10.1093\/icesjms\/fsab104","article-title":"Validation of stock assessment methods: Is it me or my model talking?","volume":"78","author":"Kell","year":"2021","journal-title":"ICES J. Mar. Sci."},{"key":"ref_66","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"129","DOI":"10.1016\/j.fishres.2018.09.018","article-title":"Evaluating the performance of data-limited methods for setting catch targets through application to data-rich stocks: A case study using Northeast, U.S. fish stocks","volume":"209","author":"Wiedenmann","year":"2019","journal-title":"Fish. Res."},{"key":"ref_67","unstructured":"FAO (2023). Small-Scale Fisheries in West Africa: Status, Challenges and Policy Opportunities, FAO. FAO Fisheries and Aquaculture Technical Paper No. 710."},{"key":"ref_68","unstructured":"(2023, May 13). FAO Report of the Working Group on the Assessment of Small Pelagic Fish off Northwest Africa. Available online: https:\/\/openknowledge.fao.org\/handle\/20.500.14283\/cc3337b."},{"key":"ref_69","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Walters, C.J., and Martell, S.J.D. (2004). Fisheries Ecology and Management, Princeton University Press.","DOI":"10.1515\/9780691214634"},{"key":"ref_70","unstructured":"FAO (2022). The State of World Fisheries and Aquaculture 2022, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations."},{"key":"ref_71","unstructured":"(2023, July 12). Fishery Committee for The Eastern Central Atlantic\u2014Summary Report of the FAO Working Group on the Assessment of Small Pelagic Fish off Northwest Africa 2025. Available online: https:\/\/openknowledge.fao.org\/handle\/20.500.14283\/cd5851en."},{"key":"ref_72","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"173","DOI":"10.1016\/j.fishres.2012.02.022","article-title":"Model performance analysis for Bayesian biomass dynamics models using bias, precision and reliability metrics","volume":"125","author":"Ono","year":"2012","journal-title":"Fish. Res."},{"key":"ref_73","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1","DOI":"10.1146\/annurev-animal-021122-102933","article-title":"How fish population genomics can promote sustainable fisheries: A road map","volume":"12","author":"Andersson","year":"2024","journal-title":"Annu. Rev. Anim. Biosci."},{"key":"ref_74","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Kindong, R., Gao, C., Pandong, N., Ma, Q., Tian, S., Wu, F., and Sarr, O. (2020). Stocks tatus assessments of five small pelagic species in the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans using the length-based bayesian estimation (LBB) method. Front. Mar. Sci., 7.","DOI":"10.3389\/fmars.2020.592082"},{"key":"ref_75","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"da Fonseca, R.R., Campos, P.F., Rey-Iglesia, A., Barroso, G.V., Bergeron, L.A., Nande, M., Tuya, F., Abidli, S., P\u00e9rez, M., and Riveiro, I. (2024). Population Genomics Reveals the Underlying Structure of the Small Pelagic European Sardine and Suggests Low Connectivity within Macaronesia. Genes, 15.","DOI":"10.3390\/genes15020170"},{"key":"ref_76","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"E70027","DOI":"10.1111\/mec.70027","article-title":"Inversions Dominate Evolution in the European Sardine (Sardina pilchardus) Amid Strong Gene Flow","volume":"34","author":"Sabatino","year":"2025","journal-title":"Mol. Ecol."},{"key":"ref_77","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Hilborn, R., and Walters, C.J. (1992). Stock and recruitment. Quantitative Fisheries Stock Assessment: Choice, Dynamics and Uncertainty, Springer.","DOI":"10.1007\/978-1-4615-3598-0"},{"key":"ref_78","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Zheng, L., Wang, Y., Liu, S., Liang, C., and Xian, W. (2022). Using data-limited methods to assess the status of Bartail fathead Platycephalus indicus Stocks in the Bohai and Yellow seas. Front. Mar. Sci., 8.","DOI":"10.3389\/fmars.2021.759465"}],"container-title":["Biology"],"original-title":[],"language":"en","link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/www.mdpi.com\/2079-7737\/15\/12\/978\/pdf","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2026,7,1]],"date-time":"2026-07-01T05:08:16Z","timestamp":1782882496000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/www.mdpi.com\/2079-7737\/15\/12\/978"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2026,6,22]]},"references-count":78,"journal-issue":{"issue":"12","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,6]]}},"alternative-id":["biology15120978"],"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/biology15120978","relation":{},"ISSN":["2079-7737"],"issn-type":[{"value":"2079-7737","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2026,6,22]]}}}