Summary of a reference set of conditioned operating models for Atlantic Bluefin tuna

A total of 36 reference case operating models for Atlantic bluefin tuna are described that span a range of scenarios for future recruitment dynamics, current abundance levels, natural mortality rate and age at maturity. Of these operating models 12 required fitting to historical data. The fits of these models to data are presented in this paper. The various operating models fitted similarly well to the indices and none appeared to warrant rejection from the reference set. The fitted reference operating models span a reasonably wide range of estimates for stock status and productivity. A number of fishery-independent and assessment CPUE indices had acceptable fitting diagnostics. These indices span younger and older life stages in both eastern and western areas and could index-based MPs of varying complexity.