About OLRAC

OLRAC was founded in 1989 by Dr Amos Barkai and Dr Mike Bergh specifically to provide support for the international fishing industry. Their specialty is the assessment and management of living marine resources. OLRAC now consults to most of the major fishing groups in South Africa and has in the past consulted extensively in Namibia. At a time that international fisheries management is becoming increasingly dominated by complex numerical arguments and a very conservative tendency, OLRAC provides the fishing industry with the opportunity to communicate with management agencies on an equal technical footing, ensuring that decisions embody the principles of sustainability, scientific objectivity, political impartiality and economic pragmatism.

Although OLRAC’s business is based on state-of-the-art quantitative science, the economic and practical realities of fishing are also integrated into management recommendations. OLRAC is continuously involved in critical management issues across a broad spectrum of fish resources and other marine topics. These include demersal, pelagic and lobster fisheries, small-scale subsistence fisheries, research into near-shore shark dynamics, environmental impact assessments, fisheries policy issues and the development of new fisheries.
Olrac specializes in the implementation of sophisticated quantitative tools in fisheries science and management using a highly critical and pragmatic approach.

In addition, Olrac has rich experience in conducting logistically complex field operations involving large numbers of divers and vessels. Olrac adheres to strict timetables and deadlines in accordance with the needs and realities of the fishing industry.

OLRAC routinely deals with:

All modern quantitative stock assessment tools ( Bayesian assessments, surplus production modeling, size based mathematical models, age structured production models and mark-recapture based assessment procedures).

Exploration of the quantitative implications of management decisions using a set of highly evolved mathematical modeling techniques including development tools for Operational Management Procedures.

Multivariate statistical analyses.

Development of new mathematical and statistical methods and computer software when existing techniques are insufficient or non-existent.

Fishing gear studies and the design, supervision and execution of experimental field studies and stock assessment surveys.

Bio-economic appraisals of fisheries in the context of the scientific paradigms underlying their management.

The development of fisheries databases, which combine commercial and scientific information.

Environmental impact assessment of competing users of the marine environment.

Further Information