A web-based decision support tool for performing management strategy evaluation on the Gulf of Mexico red snapper resource

Sustainable management of marine fish resources requires scientifically informed advice, which is complicated by uncertainty in biological dynamics, difficulty communicating scientific concepts to a myriad of stakeholders, and the challenge of empirically testing management options. Management strategy evaluation (MSE) is a modeling tool that is increasingly applied to simulate and test the robustness and efficacy of long-term management strategies and short-term management regulations. The research team developed a bespoke web-based MSE decision-support tool tailored to the high-profile and highly contentious Gulf of Mexico (GoM) red snapper (Lutjanus campechanus) resource. The MSE tool quantifies the risks and trade-offs among a variety of performance measures when alternative management strategies and regulations, which have been proposed for rebuilding the red snapper resource, are implemented. The operating model mimics the intricate population dynamics, fishery processes, and management procedures of red snapper, and provides users with the ability to manipulate many aspects of the system. Moreover, uncertainty is accounted for through the integration of process, observation, assessment, and implementation error. A user-friendly graphical interface facilitates management scenario input, while sophisticated output visualization tools provide management insights through interactive graphics, allowing users to compare performance across multiple scenarios simultaneously. Many unique facets of the tool, including iterative feedback, beta testing by a variety of stakeholders, as well as technical review by scientists, are essential practices that enhance usability, ensure versatility, and foster user engagement; and we recommend this multifaceted approach for the development of future MSE tools. Ultimately, this free-to-use, convenient, fast-running decision support tool serves as a platform for promoting science-based red snapper fishery management. It paves the way for a complete stakeholder-engaged MSE process, which would enhance and facilitate collaboration among scientists, resource managers, and other stakeholders, thus fostering the sustainable management of the GoM red snapper resource.