Benchmark Stock Assessment Tracker
Stock assessments inform our fisheries management process by estimating fish populations and fishing impacts to ensure sustainability. Our assessment process includes two types of assessments – benchmarks and updates. This page focuses on the former – benchmark assessments – and is intended to be a resource for stakeholders to track benchmark assessment development and where we are in the assessment process.
Benchmark stock assessment development generally includes three types of workshops and a peer review. In some cases, there may be multiple workshops or working meetings within each of the workshop categories or stages. The workshops are open to the public and are guided by defining clear goals, products, and individual responsibilities for the participants involved. Participants include Commission staff, state and federal biologists, and stock assessment scientists that make up the Commissions’ species technical committees and stock assessment subcommittees.
For species that are jointly or cooperatively managed with one of the Regional Fishery Management Councils (i.e., summer flounder, scup, black sea bass, bluefish, winter flounder, Atlantic herring, and Spanish mackerel) or NOAA Fisheries (i.e., coastal sharks), our federal partners take the lead in assessing the status of those stocks. These assessments are conducted either through NOAA Fisheries Northeast Fisheries Science Center (NEFSC) (for northern and Mid-Atlantic species), SouthEast Data Assessment and Review (SEDAR) (for southern species) and NOAA Fisheries Southeast Fisheries Science Center (for coastal sharks). The Commission often works with the NEFSC or SEDAR for the peer review portion of our process.
Benchmark Stock Assessment Process
1
Data Workshop
Participants review all available data sources and identify datasets to be incorporated in the stock assessment. Sometimes this workshop can extend over several meetings.
2
Methods Workshop
After a decision has been made about which datasets will be included, participants conduct a methods assessment workshop to examine all available models and determine which models best suit the assessment. In some cases, the Commission will issue a press release welcoming the submission of alternative models to be conserved for use in the assessment.
3
Assessment Workshop
Following the determination of which models will be used in the assessment, a final assessment workshop focuses on performing the actual assessment. A terms of reference (aka TORs), previously approved by the board, defines the tasks needed to be addressed by the assessment. This workshop usually occurs over several days. The Commission routinely issues press releases well in advance of the assessment workshop and peer review.
4
Peer Review
The assessment, including the data and methods used, is reviewed by an external panel of independent fisheries science experts to provide a judgement on the value and appropriateness of the stock assessment for use in management, as well as recommendations for future research and assessment improvements. The peer review does not provide specific management recommendations.
The panel is also guided by TORs (these may sometimes differ from those of the assessment) to conduct the review of the assessment.
5
Consideration by Management Board
The findings of assessment and peer review are presented to the Management Board. If the peer review panel endorses and the Management Board accepts the stock assessment for management use, the results can then be used to make adjustments to management measures based on the stock status determined by the assessment.
Benchmark Stock Assessment Process
Ongoing Benchmark Stock Assessments
A benchmark stock assessment is a full analysis and review of the stock condition, focusing on the consideration of new data sources and newer or improved assessment models. This type of assessment is generally conducted every three to five years and undergoes a formal peer-review process by a panel of independent, fisheries scientists that have expertise in that specific fish species or in the models that are used in the assessment. These are lengthier assessments that are prompted by potential new fisheries management actions, a major change in the models or datasets, or when a set number of years have passed since the last assessment.
American Lobster
Atlantic Striped Bass
Atlantic Sturgeon
Coastal Sharks
Spot
Tautog
Weakfish
Winter Flounder
Contacts
- Patrick Campfield, Director, Fisheries Science Program (pcampfield@asmfc.org)
- Assessment Science Committee — Joey Ballenger, Chair
- Management & Science Committee — Kathy Knowlton, Chair
Stock Assessment Meeting Announcements
-
Atlantic Croaker Benchmark Stock Assessment Peer Review Scheduled for July 27-31, 2026 in Arlington, VA
Arlington, VA – The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission will hold the Atlantic Croaker Benchmark Stock Assessment Peer Review on July 27-31, 2026 at the Commission’s office, 1050 N. Highland Street, Suite 200 A-N, Arlington, VA. At the workshop, an independent panel of experts in fisheries science will assess the value and appropriateness of the…
-
Ecological Reference Points Benchmark Assessment Peer Review Scheduled for August 12-15, 2025
The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission approved Amendment 4 to the Interstate Fishery Management Plan (FMP) for Northern Shrimp. In response to the continued poor condition of the northern shrimp stock, Amendment 4 modifies the first objective of the FMP to recognize the influence of environmental conditions on stock productivity and lengthens the amount of…
-
Ecological Reference Points Benchmark Stock Assessment Workshop Scheduled for March 3 – 6, 2025
The ERP Work Group will explore various modeling approaches to be used in the assessment, which will be used to evaluate the health of the stock and inform the management of the species in an ecological context.
-
American Lobster Benchmark Stock Assessment Workshop #1 Scheduled for July 22-24 in New Bedford, MA
Arlington, VA – The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission will hold the American Lobster Benchmark Stock Assessment Workshop at the UMass Dartmouth’s School for Marine Science & Technology, East Building, 706 South Rodney French Boulevard, MA. The stock assessment will evaluate the health of American lobster stocks and inform management of this species. The Commission’s…
-
SEDAR Begins Preparations for Benchmark Stock Assessment for the Atlantic Migratory Group Cobia
Data Scoping Webinar Scheduled for March 18th, from 1 – 3 p.m.
-
Red Drum Benchmark Stock Assessment Workshop Scheduled for November 6-9 in Charleston, SC
Arlington, VA – The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission will hold the Red Drum Benchmark Stock Assessment Workshop at the Charleston Marriott, 170 Lockwood Boulevard, Charleston, SC. The stock assessment will evaluate the health of Atlantic red drum stocks and inform management of this species. The Commission’s stock assessment process and meetings are open to…
-
Data & Methods Workshop Scheduled for Atlantic Menhaden Ecological Reference Point Benchmark Stock Assessment
Arlington, VA – The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission has begun work on the Atlantic Menhaden Ecological Reference Point (ERP) Benchmark Stock Assessment. The assessment will be used to evaluate the health of the stock and inform the management of the species in an ecological context. In order to ensure the incorporation of the most…
Get Hooked on ASMFC News
Dive into the latest updates and catch all the important news by joining our newsletter mailing list. Stay in the loop with meeting agendas, fisheries management news, and more.