Why is applying the management model derived for Pacific hake (*Merluccius productus*) to European whiting (*Merlangius merlangus*) considered scientifically unsound?
Their respective dietary profiles and trophic interactions are governed by distinct regional oceanographic patterns.
The core reason for not cross-applying management models lies in their separate ecological contexts. The Pacific stock's dynamics are closely tied to the upwelling patterns defining the western coast of North America and the availability of prey influenced by those currents. Conversely, the European stock, particularly in the North Sea, has its prey availability more closely associated with large-scale climate drivers like the North Atlantic Oscillation. Because the underlying trophic interactions and environmental forcings are specific to each region, applying one stock's data and model structure to the other would lead to flawed scientific conclusions and potential resource mismanagement.
