Read this and answer the following questions. [Note that the readings in the next sections may also be helpful for some of these questions.]

  1. Define A, Ct, Ct+1, and Z.
  2. What is the formula for computing annual mortality from catches that are separated by a single year?
  3. Describe the difference between longitudinal and cross-sectional catch-at-age data.
  4. What must be true for a vector of consecutive catches-at-age to be equal when extracted from longitudinal and cross-sectional data.
  5. What is the equation for the “catch-curve” model (that shows how catch is related to time)? Show how this equation can be linearized.
  6. How is Z estimated from catch-curve data?
  7. How is A estimated from Z?
  8. What is the characteristic shape of catch curve data? Specifically, identify three regions on the curve.
  9. Why does the catch curve have the shape described in the previous question?

Read Miranda and Bettolli (2006) Sections 6.1-6.31 (the complete reading) and answer the following questions.

  1. What is “mortality”?
  2. What is the characteristic shape of catch curve data? Specifically, identify three regions on the curve.
  3. Why does the catch curve have the shape described in the previous question?
  4. What is a weighted catch-curve analysis?

Read Sections 11.1 and 11.2 in Ogle (2016)2 and answer the following questions.

  1. What are the assumptions of a catch curve model for estimating Z?
  2. What R function can be used to efficiently perform a catch curve estimate of Z?
  3. What R function is used to extract the estimates of Z and A from this function?
  4. What R function is used to extract confidence intervals for Z and A from this function?

  1. Skip Section 6.3.2 and 6.3.3. ↩

  2. Skip Sections 11.2.2, 11.2.3.2, and 11.2.4. ↩