The effects of a number of harvesting strategies on the mackerel icefish (Champsocephalus gunnari) have been simulated for a period of 30 years. These were:

• different levels of constant fishing mortality (F_0.1, F_max, 2xF_max);
• harvesting constantly at 50% F_0.1 with F increasing three or five years after a good recruitment;
• pulse fishing at an interval of three years with no fishing in between; and
• changes in net selectivity resulting in a shift in partial recruitment.

For the projections, recruitment was assumed to follow the historical pattern.

Pulse fishing proved to be the least preferable harvesting alternative. In the absence of regular recruit surveys constant fishing at F_0.1 is most likely to be the most profitable and least risky harvesting strategy at present. The establishment of a regular recruit survey would offer the possibility of adjusting constant levels of fishing mortality to the strength of the incoming year class. An increase of F, however, should not occur earlier than four years after a good recruitment. A forward shift in partial recruitment values would not alter yield significantly when fishing at F_0.1 and F_max but would lead to a higher spawning stock biomass.