Preliminary stock assessment of blue shark (Prionace glauca) caught in the Indian Ocean using a Bayesian state-space production model

Bayesian state-space models were fitted to four standardized catch rates of blue shark (Prionace glauca) caught in the Indian Ocean. Estimations of catches as reported in the IOTC databases were the base case, though alternative estimation of catches was considered in the sensitivity analyses. Uncertain is high as indicated by the wide posteriors of parameters. The preliminary estimations showed in this paper indicate that biomassa of blue shark population is above the biomass at MSY, but the harvest rate is close or above the harvest hat at MSY.