The average length and weight of the fish community can be used as an indicator for the impact of fisheries on the fish community, as larger species of fish, and larger and older individuals, are generally more caught by fisheries than smaller individuals. As a result of fishing, the relative abundance of small and early maturing fish species increases. This can be presented by the average weight and average length of fish in the catch per year, using selected fish species. This weight and length have shown a decline over the last decades. The objective would be to halt decline in mean weight and proportion of large fish.
Management measures could include the regulation of the intensity of the fishing effort, and the establishment of protected areas.
In order to reach the objective, the impact of fisheries to the ecosystem should be reduced to an acceptable level.