RAM II Stock-Recruit Database (srDB): Introduction and Fair Use Policy

The RAM II Stock-Recruit Database (srdb for short) is a newly developing database of marine fish assessments inspired by the original Myers Stock-Recruit database built by Ransom Myers, Nick Barrowman, and Jessica Bridson in the mid-1990s. We are currently still in development phase, actively adding new assessments, quality-controlling the data, and writing sql scripts for using the database. We envision the srdb as a user-built database, in that scientists interested in using it while it is still developing will first make a significant investment in contributing new assessments or ancillary data. We view this as an important component of completing this first version of the database and keeping it up-to-date as new assessments become available, but also as an important step for users to become familiar with assessments and the database.

For each stock, the database contains data from the most recent stock assessment (except in cases where a full assessment was not done in the most recent assessment, or there were problems with the most recent assessment, in which case the next most recent assessment is used). Assessments from NMFS, DFO, NAFO, ICES, Australia, New Zealand, Argentina, South Africa, and RFMOs are currently being input, and we welcome assessments from other regions. We are also in the process of inputting all of the data from the original Myers Stock-Recruit Database, so that comparisons can be made between the two.

Fair Use Policy We welcome collaborators who are interested in using the database in their research, and request that you contact Daniel Ricard and Julia Baum if you would like to do so. Use of the database is subject to a 'Fair Use' policy, which includes the following criteria:

-We are currently actively working on several different analyses of the database, and request that you coordinate with us so that we can ensure your research is complementary, either by:

(i) joining us on existing papers when our efforts overlap, or

(ii) offering the database developers the opportunity to become involved in your research as co-authors when your research is separate from our existing efforts.

-We request that while we are still actively developing the database, if you would like to conduct analyses using these data, that you also make a significant contribution of new assessments or ancillary data to the database. We will work with you to help facilitate these contributions.

-Analyses to be submitted for publication must be based on the quality-controlled (QAQC'd) stocks. Note that we are currently going through the QAQC process, and many stocks have not been quality-controlled yet.

-Primary publications based on analyses of the database must cite the primary paper describing the database, which is currently in preparation, and will be submitted in early summer 2009: Ricard et al. In prep. 'Evaluating the State of Knowledge for Marine Fisheries Using a New Global Database'. In prep. for Fish and Fisheries. They should also acknowledge the main funding sources for the development of the database (listed below).

Database Implementation  We use the open source RDBMS postgreSQL to implement the stock-recruitment database. The database can be queried to extract the appropriate data subset required for analysis. We are also creating 'views' in postgreSQL, which are essentially tables of particular parts of the database, that can be viewed in postgreSQL or read into a program (e.g R) for analysis.

Acknowledgments: We are grateful to the many stock assessment scientists whose work this database is based upon. We are also grateful to Canadian Foundation for Innovation, NCEAS, NSERC, and the Smith Conservation Research Fellowship for funding development of the database to date.