Abstract for: An Age-Structured Fisheries Dynamic Model: The Importance of Net Selectivity for Long-Term Biomass and Economic Success

Fisheries globally are crucial for sustenance, livelihoods, and cultural heritage, especially in artisanal coastal regions, playing a key role in food security and economic stability. They contribute significantly to global nutrition and employment but face threats from overfishing, habitat destruction, and climate change, impacting marine biodiversity and the economic stability of fishing communities. Advanced modeling has become essential in fisheries science, providing tools to predict fish population dynamics and the effectiveness of different management strategies. Age-structured models offer detailed insights by analyzing how different age groups within a fishery respond to various fishing pressures and environmental changes, incorporating biological and ecological factors to evaluate the potential outcomes of management actions. The concept of net selectivity is crucial in fisheries management, as it significantly affects the demographic structure of fish populations and, consequently, the resilience of fish stocks and ecosystem health. Our ongoing research employs a STELLA Architect-developed model to investigate the impacts of net selectivity changes, aiming to balance ecological sustainability with economic viability, and inform effective fisheries management practices. Despite the insights provided, the findings remain theoretical, emphasizing the need for empirical data to refine the model's accuracy in simulating real-world fisheries dynamics.