Abstract
Abstract To estimate salmon lice-induced mortality of wild salmon post-smolts, a model system was developed by Johnsen et al. to support management strategies. To ensure realistic model estimates, lice-infestation values from the model were calibrated against empirical observations on wild post-smolts captured by trawling. These fish were genetically assigned to their rivers of origin. A critique by Jansen and Gjerde claims that the model developed by Johnsen et al. systematically overestimates lice induced mortality of post-smolts. Here, we illustrate how the analysis performed by Jansen and Gjerde is based upon two datasets that mismatch temporally and spatially. In addition, their analysis does not take uneven catch between the rivers into account. Due to this, we argue that the analysis in the criticism is not well founded. We also take the opportunity to present in more detail the observational dataset available for the model calibration, its limitations and the potential impacts on the model estimates. Additional validation with new data demonstrates that the model does not provide systematically biased results. Finally, we argue that the discrepancy between the modelled and observed lice levels in our system is not evidence of its shortcomings, but rather, represents an example of how model estimates can provide valuable supplementary information to empirical observations.
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