Consequently, the interviewer then posed more elaborate questions about the subject and had to back-translate the resulting graphical model to ensure that it represents the views of the stakeholder. Successful widespread use of the interview methods probably requires more methodological research and a training programme for the interviewers. Concluding from the feedback questionnaires (extended peer review), the six stakeholders saw several benefits

in the participatory modelling approach, highlighting the potential of the approach to – improve stock assessments and management by enabling to account for factors that have not necessarily been taken into accounted in other assessment methodologies Challenges or pitfalls that the stakeholders saw in the approach relate to – the subjective approach of the Bayesian Lumacaftor method Some of the challenges pinpointed by the stakeholders indicate that properties of the Bayesian reasoning and purpose of the modelling may not have been understood correctly. References to small sample sizes and noise from inclusion of too many factors reveal that the Bayesian

approach was assumed to work in the same way as classical statistics. BYL719 Seeing the subjectivity of the method as a challenge in participatory modelling is surprising, since it is the inherent subjectivity of the knowledge that is the motivation for any participatory modelling. If there existed an objective way to make inductive inference, knowledge of experts of any kind would not be relevant. Future impact of the work achieved depends on whether the ICES working group dealing with Baltic herring stock assessment is willing to take the ideas and results into account. The Mediterranean swordfish stock is considered to be over-exploited; current spawning stock biomass levels are >40% lower than those that would support maximum sustainable yield [69]. The biological and management situation is complex: Mediterranean swordfish is assessed as a single stock but there are indications that it consists

of several independent sub-stocks with unknown rate of mixing. The stock–recruitment relationship is not Bay 11-7085 well defined; catch misreporting of undersized fish is considered to be a problem; and there is a large amount (50–70%) of juveniles in the catches [70]. The exploitation pattern of swordfish fisheries is complex and difficult to manage, with several small- and medium scale fisheries from various EU and Non-EU Mediterranean countries. The International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT, the relevant management authority) asked for an evaluation of the impact of different recovery measures, such as temporary closures, effort control (e.g., capacity reduction) and quota management schemes. ICCAT and various EU groups have discussed the potential application of various management measures.