In line with ecosystem-based fisheries management principles, the Marine Ecosystem Sustainability Scoring Index (MESSI) incorporates fisheries and population size structure, biodiversity, habitat, climate, social, and economic indicators.
Fisheries indicators are derived from stock assessments (F/F MSY and B/B MSY ), biodiversity is based on a biodiversity index (BI), habitats on relative benthic status (RBS), while population size structure is approximated by the mean weighted trophic level (mTLc)
and the average resilience of the catch (MRC).
The mean temperature of the catch (MTC) is included to highlight the impact of climate change on marine communities and ecosystems. Social indicators encompass the percentage of catch destined for human consumption and the ratio of unreported to official catch, while economic indicators refer to fisheries profitability and subsidies.
