CPUE estimates and catch-age analysis of burbot in the Tanana River drainage, 1994
By: by Matthew J. Evenson and Margaret F. Merritt.
Contributors: Merritt, Margaret F.; Alaska. Division of Sport Fish. Statewide Research and Technical Services Unit.
Series: Fishery data series -- no. 95-37.
Publisher: Alaska Dept. of Fish and Game, Division of Sport Fish, Research and Technical Services
Published: 1995
Place of publication: Anchorage
Language: eng
Number of pages: 52
Subjects: Burbot -- Alaska -- Tanana River -- Statistics.; Fishes -- Alaska -- Tanana River -- Statistics.; Fish populations -- Alaska -- Tanana River -- Measurement.
Genres: Statistics.
Other titles: Catch per unit estimates and catch age analysis of burbot in the Tanana River drainage, 1994.
Description: As part of an ongoing stock assessment program, burbot were sampled in two river sections (approximately 25 km), one each in the Tanana and Chena rivers, representing the area where most fishing harvest occurs. These sections have been sampled annually since 1986 and 1988, respectively. A systematic sampling design was used, whereby hoop traps were set and moved daily. Estimates of mean catch per unit effort, mean length, length distributions, and proportions of catch for three size categories were calculated. Estimates for each were within the range of observed values from previous sampling years. Seasonal variations in catch rate and composition was cited as a problem in interpreting these annual estimates. Due to the difficulty in interpreting estimates of mean catch per unit effort, an alternative stock assessment method was investigated. Catch-age analysis was used to combine harvest estimates from the statewide harvest survey and age composition from catch sampling with auxiliary information in the form of angler effort to estimate exploitable abundance of burbot in the Tanana River drainage. The CAGEAN model results showed a decreasing trend in exploitable abundance from 1987 to 1993. Catch-age analysis appears to be a promising method for estimating abundance of burbot in the Tanana River drainage.
Notes: "November 1995"

Includes bibliographical references (p. 33-35).

Also issued online.