A STOCK REDUCTION ANALYSIS OF THE MEXICAN ABALONE (HALIOTID) FISHERY

The results of a stock-reduction analysis of two zones within the Mexican abalone fishery are presented. A reconstruction of the stock dynamics in these zones using these results suggests that stock abundance and levels of recruitment declined relatively constantly between the 1960s and mid-1980s. Results of our analysis suggest that the relationship between productivity and biomass in these fisheries has been relatively linear. This could indicate that these stocks are extremely unproductive, producing little surplus yield. An alternative hypothesis is also presented, which is that serial over-exploitation of small units of stock within these fisheries resulted in an apparent lack of productivity which may not be indicative of the true potential productivity of haliotid stocks.