Estimating population parameters in an ‘open’ fish population

Abstract

A model for an ‘open’ fish population is described. Basically an expansion of the classical catch equation, it includes a ‘population change’ coefficient to allow for changes in population size induced by causes other than fishing. The model relates this coefficient to catch, fishing effort, initial population size, and catchability coefficient. With observed catch and fishing effort data incorporated, the remaining parameters are estimated by minimising sums of squares. This estimation process is applied to data from both real and simulated fisheries, and is shown to be effective if the basic assumptions of the model are met. If this is not so considerable errors occur, and these are investigated with respect to the examples.