MadSci Network: General Biology |
Hunting limits are calculated by knowing the biology of the animal being hunted. Every species is different in terms of how many offspring they produce at a time, their lifespan, what they eat, what eats them and lots more. By knowing all this and the current population size, an estimate can be made as to how many can be killed before the population as a whole is in danger.
These are just estimates, and how good they are depends on how well the animal is known. Deep-sea fish quotas, especially, are as much a guess as anything else, since there's so much we don't know about them. If one year's limit is off, then the next year's limit will change to reflect that. Natural populations also vary quite a lot from year to year due natural causes, so if there was a lot of food or a lot of predators one year the limit will change the next.
If you'd like more information on exactly how your local government determines these limits, contact their fish and game department.
Try the links in the MadSci Library for more information on General Biology.