You may have read that NMFS is developing new protocols for assessing fish stocks.

The Government Accounting Office analysis found that there are wide variations in how often fish stock assessments are conducted. Assessments are conducted most frequently in Alaska, the report says. Government Accounting Office photoNot a moment too soon (which should not be taken as an endorsement for whatever the agency comes up with)!

An analysis by the Government Accountability Office released last week reported what most of us figured we knew, which is that not all stock assessments are created equal.

This alone is not the stuff of conspiracy. Not all stocks require the same degree of surveillance. But among the findings of researchers was that Alaska stocks are more likely to be assessed than stocks elsewhere.

Is there a correlation between the relative health of stocks there and their more frequent assessments? Hard to say.

But what we can say is that NMFS is obliged to get a handle on stocks that are regarded as stressed, particularly if landings seem to be at odds with the data, as has been the case this year with Gulf of Maine cod.

We’ve also seen real divergence of opinion with respect to federal science on red snapper stocks and the observations of fishermen.  And last summer a new wrinkle was added to the business of counting red snapper when federal scientists reported landings nearly two and a half times what the state of Alabama reported.

If the federales were wrong in their estimates, as both the state and fishermen believe is the case, Alabama fishermen paid a substantial price: the season was shut down after nine days.

For its part, Alabama planned to conduct further stock assessments, which could conceivably back up its landings data.

It’s one thing when stock assessments inaccurately model the number of fish in the ocean. It’s thoroughly discouraging that we can’t account for the fish we have caught.

We understand that scientists cannot count every fish and must rely on models to assess stocks. Unfortunately, fishermen and communities that depend on fish cannot use models to pay bills and conduct commerce.

Comprehensive and reliable stock assessments ought to be job one for NMFS.