Getting back in the black: an interactive decision-support tool to aid timely management decisions associated with Alaska black cod (sablefish) discarding

Fisheries management decisions often depend on complex modeling, but conveying results in non-technical terms can be challenging for scientists lacking formal communication training. As co-management gains traction, it is imperative that scientists develop less esoteric methods to convey results in broadly accessible formats. Online tools are appealing because interactive applications align with many stakeholders' digital comfort zone and programming in R is a common skillset among fisheries scientists. We developed an online decision support tool to address a time-sensitive management issue (allowing discards of small, low-value fish) within the Alaska sablefish fixed-gear fishery. Based on catch projection models, discarding due to the proposed de facto minimum size limit (22 in.) was shown to have minimal impacts on the resource or revenue. Pairing a technical document with an interactive application helped convey results and may have improved understanding and transparency of a complex analysis. The sablefish example underscores the need for a paradigm shift from technocratic approaches to more interactive and accessible methods for conveying scientific results at the science-policy interface.