Hierarchical Bayesian models for analysing fish biomass data. An application to Parapenaeus longirostris biomass data

The Mediterranean International Trawl Survey (MEDITS) programme provides spatially referenced ecological data. We adopted a hierarchical Bayesian model to analyse Parapenaeus longirostris biomass data. The model comprises three parts, each of which identifies: the variability due to the explanatory variables, the variability due to the spatial domain (seen as a Gaussian Process) and the irregular component modelled as white noise. The estimated parameters show that some seabed characteristics affect biomass quantity and that the estimated behaviour of the Gaussian Process changes over different groups of years.