1. A multispecies catch-ratio estimator of relative stock depletion
- Author
-
Tom Carruthers
- Subjects
0106 biological sciences ,Data limited ,010604 marine biology & hydrobiology ,Ratio estimator ,Estimator ,Aquatic Science ,010603 evolutionary biology ,01 natural sciences ,Catch reporting ,Econometrics ,Multi species ,Fisheries management ,Life history ,Stock (geology) ,Mathematics - Abstract
A simple approach is described that uses the ratio of catches among a reference and a target stock to estimate their relative depletion. The catch-ratio estimator was simulation tested to identify conditions under which it can be expected to provide precise and unbiased estimates of relative depletion. The catch-ratio estimator is strongly affected by diverging catch reporting rate and catchability among reference and target stocks. Outside of these issues, the approach is unbiased for a range of life-history characteristics, temporal patterns in exploitation rate and changes in the age vulnerability to fishing. Coupled with the depletion estimates of a data-rich stock, the catch ratio estimator can be used to infer depletion of a data-limited stock without an assessment.
- Published
- 2018
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