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vessel numbers. Approximately 256 standardized vessels would be

required to attain maximum economic yield when average fishing power was

increased by 10 percent over 1975 levels. Similarly, a 25 percent

increase in fishing power resulted in approximately 287 standardized

vessels as the estimated optimum level of fishing effort in the reef

fishery.

 The results of this study appear to be contrary to those obtained

by the Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council. The preliminary GMFMC

management plan has estimated that the maximum sustainable yield for the

combined commercial and recreational reef fisheries is about 38.6

million pounds. Further, based on 1974 data, the conclusion was reached

that the reef fishery was operating very near maximum sustainable yield.

The management plan also concluded that the estimated domestic harvest

of about 16.0 million pounds represented the optimum yield for the

commercial fishery.

 Based on the findings of this study, any level of catch in the

commercial fishery greater than 13.7 million pounds is not sustainable.

Maximum economic yield was estimated to be 11.5 million pounds given

1975 levels of average fishing power. This estimate is considerably

lower than optimum yield reported in the preliminary GMFMC management

plan. Optimum yield in the fishing management plans considers social

and biological factors as well as economic criteria.

 The empirical model of the Gulf of Mexico reef fish fishery

developed in this study represents a beginning rather than an end. The

limited amount of data and its highly aggregate nature has forced con-

siderable simplification in the empirical modeling of the GMRFF. A plea

for more and better data is registered. The model developed is also