Trip limits are frequently used as a management measure to control or reduce harvest by restricting harvest to a maximum amount. The goal of trip limits is often to lengthen the fishing season relative to the annual catch limit by slowing the landings rate or incentivizing fishers to target another species. Two recent commercial trip limits implemented in the southeastern USA were examined to determine the accuracy of the predicted changes in harvest. For South Atlantic Snowy Grouper Hyporthodus niveatus, analysts accurately predicted the change in landings (weight) that could be expected per trip in response to a trip limit increase but did not account for an increased number of trips early in the fishing season. An increased number of trips resulted in higher landings causing Snowy Grouper to reach the quota and close earlier than desired. For Gulf of Mexico Gray Triggerfish Balistes capriscus, analysts underestimated the predicted change in landings per trip that could be realized from implementing a trip limit (numbers of fish). The Gray Triggerfish analysis failed to account for fishers retaining larger individual fish on average after the trip limit was implemented, resulting in higher landings than predicted. When examining per‐fish trip limits, it is recommended that other potential changes in fishing behavior, such as changes in the mean weight of fish being retained or increased effort, be considered. The results of this study could be used to improve the effectiveness of trip limits as a management tool.

中文翻译：

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美国东南部商业出行限制功效的回顾性分析

行程限制通常用作通过限制最大收获量来控制或减少收获的管理措施。出行限制的目标通常是通过减慢着陆速度或激励渔民将捕捞目标定为另一种物种，从而相对于年度捕捞限制来延长捕鱼季节。对美国东南部实施的两个最近的商业旅行限制进行了检查，以确定预测的收成变化的准确性。对于南大西洋雪石斑鱼Hyporthodus niveatus，分析师准确地预测了每次行程可预期的着陆变化（重量），以响应行程限制的增加，但并未考虑到捕鱼季节初期的行程次数增加。出行次数增加导致着陆次数增加，导致Snowy Grouper达到配额并提前关闭。对于墨西哥湾灰色引金鱼Balistes capriscus，分析师低估了通过实施旅行限制（鱼的数量）可以实现的每次旅行着陆的预期变化。灰色触发鱼分析未能说明实施行程限制后渔民平均保留的较大单条鱼，导致上岸量高于预期。在检查每条鱼的行进极限时，建议考虑其他潜在的捕捞行为变化，例如保留的平均鱼重变化或增加的工作量。这项研究的结果可用于提高旅行限制作为管理工具的有效性。