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Spatial surplus production modeling of Atlantic tunas and billfish
Author(s) -
Carruthers Thomas R.,
McAllister Murdoch K.,
Taylor Nathan G.
Publication year - 2011
Publication title -
ecological applications
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.864
H-Index - 213
eISSN - 1939-5582
pISSN - 1051-0761
DOI - 10.1890/10-2026.1
Subject(s) - stock assessment , stock (firearms) , fishing , tuna , fishery , spatial distribution , spatial analysis , population , ecology , geography , biology , fish <actinopterygii> , remote sensing , demography , archaeology , sociology
We formulate and simulation‐test a spatial surplus production model that provides a basis with which to undertake multispecies, multi‐area, stock assessment. Movement between areas is parameterized using a simple gravity model that includes a “residency” parameter that determines the degree of stock mixing among areas. The model is deliberately simple in order to (1) accommodate nontarget species that typically have fewer available data and (2) minimize computational demand to enable simulation evaluation of spatial management strategies. Using this model, we demonstrate that careful consideration of spatial catch and effort data can provide the basis for simple yet reliable spatial stock assessments. If simple spatial dynamics can be assumed, tagging data are not required to reliably estimate spatial distribution and movement. When applied to eight stocks of Atlantic tuna and billfish, the model tracks regional catch data relatively well by approximating local depletions and exchange among high‐abundance areas. We use these results to investigate and discuss the implications of using spatially aggregated stock assessment for fisheries in which the distribution of both the population and fishing vary over time.