Mid-Atlantic Bight warming accompanied by a decline in recruitment has slowly reduced surfclam abundance.
A management strategy evaluation simulated fishery dynamics during a period of low recruitment followed by stock recovery.
As abundance declined, LPUE declined, captains expanded their geographic range of interest, and net revenue declined.
No captains' behaviors prevented a collapse in vessel economics at low abundance.
Certain captains’ behaviors limited the degree and duration of economic dislocation during abundance decline and recovery.