2023 journal article
A step towards the integration of spatial dynamics in population dynamics models: Eastern Bering Sea snow crab as a case study
ECOLOGICAL MODELLING, 485.
author keywords: Chionoecetes opilio; Size-structured spatiotemporal model; Spatial management; State-space model
UN Sustainable Development Goal Categories
14. Life Below Water
(Web of Science; OpenAlex)
15. Life on Land
(Web of Science)
Source: Web Of Science
Added: October 16, 2023
Considering spatial processes in population dynamics models can be difficult because of data limitations and computational costs. We adapted a high-resolution spatiotemporal assessment framework to better address fine-scale spatial heterogeneities based on theories of fish population dynamics and spatiotemporal statistics. Specifically, we developed a size-based state-space model for the snow crab (Chionoecetes opilio) population in the Eastern Bering Sea (EBS) to refine the representation of spatial processes in integrated population models, facilitate understanding of the drivers of spatiotemporal population dynamics, and provide new insights for management advice. The model fits to spatial survey and fishery-dependent catch data. It implicitly accounts for seasonal movement between the time of the survey and that of fishery to estimate fine-scale spatial population dynamic and fishing impacts, including potential environmental drivers. We quantify, for the first time, spatiotemporal variation in exploitable abundance, fishing mortality, recruitment, and mature and immature abundance. The model estimated declines in exploitable abundance and in fishing mortality with variable spatial distributions, and sporadic recruitment, spatially concentrated in the northeast EBS. Few spatial assessments have been used as the basis for management advice and we consider this study as a step towards the integration of spatial dynamics in stock assessment.