This is the reference case scenario for Blue Sharks for the 2014 Stock Assessment.

Stock assessment of Blue Shark in the North Pacific Ocean using Stock Synthesis, Joel Rice, Shelton Harley, Mikihiko Kai.

This paper presents an updated age based statistical catch at length stock assessment of blue shark in the North Pacific Ocean (NPO). The assessment uses the stock assessment model and computersoftware known as Stock Synthesis (version 3.24F http://nft.nefsc.noaa.gov/Download.html).

This is one of the two stock assessment approaches being applied to blue sharks in the NPO. The ISC Shark Working Group (WG) has agreed to use both a Bayesian Surplus Production (BSP) model and the age?based statistical catch?at?length stock assessment, presented here, to examine the status of this stock. This paper should be read with the full assessment report of the WG which provides greater details of the data sources and how they were derived as well as pertinent summaries of biological knowledge and the papers describing each CPUE series.