An enhancement in the management practices of geoduck clam Panopea globosa: The estimation of reference points in the short and long term

• Published in: Ocean & coastal management 2023-09, Vol.243, p.106755, Article 106755
• Main Authors: Larios-Castro, Estefani, Morales-Bojórquez, Enrique, González Peláez, Sergio S., Díaz-Uribe, Juan Gabriel, Luquin-Covarrubias, Marlene A., Villalobos, Héctor
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Biomass; Optimal yield; Overharvest; Panopea globosa; Sustainable
• ISSN: 0964-5691
• DOI: 10.1016/j.ocecoaman.2023.106755

For sedentary species under fishing pressure, a precautionary approach is required to avoid collapses. Therefore, the estimation of early warning signals prior to population collapse is a powerful tool for prioritizing the best fishery management practices. In Mexico, the fishery of geoduck clam began in 2000 as a profitable activity given the high demand for the resource in East and Southeast Asia countries. In the short term, Panopea globosa exhibited a rapid depletion, mainly because the legal regulations did not determine reference points (RPs) for harvest. In this study, three approaches were analyzed: i) a biomass model based on spatial distribution, Bt/B0; ii) an age structured yield-per-recruit model, YPRA; and iii) a size structured yield-per-recruit model, YPRL, providing the estimation of reference points in the short and long term for the species. The results indicated that the long-term reference point (Bt/B0) was reached during 2018, suggesting the implementation of recovery actions rather than continuing with fishing pressure on geoduck clam. Comparatively, the short term reference points (YPRA and YPRL) were not sufficiently informative on the annual stock condition; however, they showed negative tendencies on the yield per recruit over time. In this study, the estimation of complementary RPs provides a direct contribution to geoduck clam fishery management, which completes one more step in the process of adaptive management, avoiding losses in short term yield and long term overfishing. However, the active participation of governmental agencies is necessary to incorporate this new knowledge into the legal Mexican fishery guidelines. •This study is reporting changes in the biomass and availability of geoduck clam.•The results indicated that the long-term reference point was reached in 2018.•Yield-per-recruit analysis for geoduck clam showed negative tendencies over time.•The results suggested recovery actions for geoduck clam population.•The goal is to avoid losses short-term yield and long-term overfishing.