Application of the Analytic Hierarchy Process to the Development of a Monitoring Program for a Recreational Fishery

Abstract

The Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) is a mathematical (logical) technique to assist decision-makers in analyzing a problem that has been structured in a hierarchy of goals, criteria and alternatives. We have used AHP to structure the problem of choosing one or more recreational survey methodologies to estimate the weekly and seasonal recreational catch of striped bass, given temporal and statistical constraints. Each survey method or combination of methodologies has associated benefits and costs in terms of the defined criteria. Each alternative solution (survey method) is ranked in a pairwise comparison with all other alternatives according to the degree that it meets the requirements of each weighted criterion. It follows that the rankings associated with a criterion of low relative value will have a small effect on the overall conclusion. The conclusion comprises a list of alternatives (survey methods) with an associated value. The alternative with the highest value is the alternative that, relative to other listed alternatives, best satisfies the goal.