Chantel R. Wetzel , Christine C. Stawitz , Bai Li , Kelli F. Johnson , Giselle M. Schmitz
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引用次数: 0
Abstract
Quantitative methods for assessing the status of marine fish populations began in the 19th century with simple catch-curve analysis and have evolved through the decades to use more advanced integrated statistical modeling. The corresponding assessment documents that communicate model estimates to other scientists and fisheries managers, generally, have grown in length and complexity, often describing hundreds of parameter estimates and population dynamics. These documents use a wide range of synonyms or similar terms that can vary either within a single assessment document or among other documents within or across fisheries management regions. The lack of standardization of terms used in assessment documents can lead to challenges in scientific reviews, communicating scientific results to fisheries managers, and for understanding assessments from other management regions. We analyzed the text of 134 assessment documents used to communicate the results of assessment software to managers from the varying management regions in the United States, Australia, and European International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES) to quantify the presence of synonyms or similar terms that are often used interchangeably and highlight ways in which the output language could be harmonized without modifying meaning. Next, we developed an open source web-based dictionary and schema for fisheries science where the community can propose and adopt terms to create an agreed upon terminology. Finally, looking forward to future development, we propose approaches to leverage pre-existing frameworks such as Google coding standards to guide the development of tools to merge long-term ecological data sets, name objects in code bases, and report output. While this guidance is tailored to fisheries practitioners working within the U.S. management system, we aim to align with international standards to increase consistency across the international fisheries science community.
期刊介绍:
This journal provides an international forum for the publication of papers in the areas of fisheries science, fishing technology, fisheries management and relevant socio-economics. The scope covers fisheries in salt, brackish and freshwater systems, and all aspects of associated ecology, environmental aspects of fisheries, and economics. Both theoretical and practical papers are acceptable, including laboratory and field experimental studies relevant to fisheries. Papers on the conservation of exploitable living resources are welcome. Review and Viewpoint articles are also published. As the specified areas inevitably impinge on and interrelate with each other, the approach of the journal is multidisciplinary, and authors are encouraged to emphasise the relevance of their own work to that of other disciplines. The journal is intended for fisheries scientists, biological oceanographers, gear technologists, economists, managers, administrators, policy makers and legislators.