Abstract:
This preliminary assessment utilised monthly catch and fishing effort data
available for 1994. Estimates were made for the biomass recruiting to the fishery in
each month. These were in turn used within a Thompson and Bell type fishery model,
to obtain predictions of the catches likely to result from increased fishing effort. The
findings suggest that considerable scope exists to increase the catches of both
yellowfin and skipjak. It was necessary to make assumptions concerning the number
of zero age recruits, and the proportion ofthese subsequently entering the Sri Lankan
fishery. The associated sensitivity analyses showed that the findings are only
marginally affected by deviations from the assumptions.
