LAUSR

The paucity of information on the status of inland fisheries limits their consideration in major policy processes such as the Sustainable Development Goals (Cooke et al., 2016; UN General Assembly, 2015). Consequently, these fisheries do not benefit from associated management targets, leading to increased threats (Cooke et al., 2016; Youn et al., 2014). Improving available information is vital for sustainable inland fisheries (FAO, & MSU, 2015). Fish stocks assessments support more effective fisheries management. These assessments are urgent in Sub-Saharan Africa where inland fisheries contribute significantly to livelihoods but are poorly managed. Inland fisheries in the region support livelihoods for over 4.9 million people (De Graaf & Garibaldi, 2014), but are threatened by stock depletion (Marshall, 2015). Management is scarce and where it occurs, it proceeds with unreliable guidance (Cooke et al., 2016). Stock assessments provide fisheries reference points (FRP), the benchmarks on which the status of fish stocks is measured (ICES, 2017). Common FRP include: maximum sustainable yield (MSY), the target for sustainable exploitation of fish stocks; fishing mortality rate at MSY (Fmsy), a limit beyond which exploitation becomes unsustainable; fishing mortality rate relative to Fmsy (F/Fmsy); biomass that supports MSY (Bmsy); and current biomass relative to Bmsy (B/Bmsy). Caddy and Mahon (1995), Hilborn and Stokes (2010), ICES (2017) and Pew Charitable Trusts (2016) provided detailed accounts of the common FRP. However, FRP are rarely used to guide management of inland fish stocks due to data deficiency and the lack of appropriate stock assessments (Cooke et al., 2016; Lorenzen et al., 2016). Stock assessment methods have developed simultaneously for data rich and data-limited fish stocks (Hilborn, 1992). The data rich methods, which utilize more data about the stock, are preferred, and Received: 31 August 2020 | Revised: 26 November 2020 | Accepted: 28 November 2020 DOI: 10.1111/jai.14161