MULTIFAN-CL : a length-based, aged-structured model for
fisheries stock assessment, with application to South Pacific albacore,
Thunnus
Alalunga
David A. Fournier, John Hampton, and John R. Sibert
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| Abstract: We introduce a length-based, age-structured model,
MULTIFAN-CL, that provides an integrated method of estimating catch age composition,
growth parameters, mortality rates, recruitment, and other parameters, from time series of
fishery catch, effort, and length frequency data. The method incorporates Bayesian
parameter estimation, estimation of confidence intervals for model parameters, and
procedures for hypothesis testing to assist model development. We apply the method to
South Pacific albacore (Thunnus alalunga) fishery data, and demonstrate the
incorporation of model structure such as spatial heterogeneity, age-dependent natural
mortality and movement rates, time series trends and seasonal variation in catchability,
and density-dependent growth. Consistency of the results of the albacore analysis with
various exogenous sets of biological and environmental data give credence to the model
results. |
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