Manual of mathematical techniques for linefish assessment

Abstract

This manual contains an expanded version of material presented at a Linefish Population Dynamics Workshop held in Cape Town in February 1987. First the statistical procedures for fitting curves to data are discussed. The standard single-species approaches to analysis of fisheries catch and effort data, and or length (or age) composition data, are then developed. Tag-recapture methods, hook selectivity, and multi-species aspects are discussed briefly. The topics are presented in the context of making scientifically based recommendations for management given limited data, as Is usually the case for recreational line fishery. A checklist of standard analysis is suggested, many of which may be implemented using the microcomputer package PC-YIELD. A number of the analysis techniques are illustrated by application to data fro the Natal elf resource.