Forage Reserve

A forage reserve is a deliberate set-aside of forage-fish biomass, left unfished so it stays available as prey for predatory fish, seabirds, and marine mammals. It applies the ecosystem principle that small pelagics such as anchovy, sardine, capelin, and krill underpin the food web, so harvest control rules cap removals well below single-species maximum sustainable yield. The Lenfest Forage Fish Task Force recommended holding biomass at roughly twice the conventional B_MSY target and cutting fishing as stocks decline. CCAMLR applies the same logic to Antarctic krill, capping catch far below the estimated yield to leave a predator allowance for penguins, seals, and whales.