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Evaluation of Catch Rate Estimators from Michigan Access Point Angler Surveys
Author(s) -
Lockwood Roger N.
Publication year - 1997
Publication title -
north american journal of fisheries management
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.587
H-Index - 72
eISSN - 1548-8675
pISSN - 0275-5947
DOI - 10.1577/1548-8675(1997)017<0611:eocref>2.3.co;2
Subject(s) - statistics , estimator , fishing , geography , fishery , population , percentage point , demography , environmental science , mathematics , biology , sociology
Access point angler surveys are conducted at numerous ports on the Great Lakes and on inland waters each year in Michigan to estimate angling effort and catch. Estimated catch is the product of estimated angler‐hours and catch rate. Catch rate has been determined by averaging angler party catch per hour by species, angling mode, and time period. Effects of bias on accuracy and precision of catch per hour estimates were measured by using Monte Carlo sampling techniques on 132 completed trip interview data sets from Michigan access point angler surveys. Estimated mean catch rate by angler party was significantly greater ( P ∝ ≤ 0.05) than population catch rates in 82 data sets and significantly less in 49 others. Due to biases associated with trip length and angler party size, the sample confidence limits were incorrectly represented in 123 of 132 data sets. I concluded that averaging angler party catch rates of completed‐trip interviews is inappropriate for Michigan access point angler surveys. Calculating catch rate by dividing total catch by total hours from completed‐trip angler interviews eliminates the bias.