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FAS - 6337C Fish Population Dynamics - Spring Odd Years

Credits: 4 hours
Prerequisites: STA 6166

Course Description:

Course will demonstrate the analysis of fish populations for management purposes. Methods for estimating fish population parameters (e.g.,growth, recruitment, and mortality) will be conducted. We will use a variety of computer models and SAS (Statistical Analysis Systems) to assess fish populations. You will predict yield and catch composition for recreational fisheries, and assess effects of harvest restrictions for fisheries management problems. This course is intended for graduate students in FAS or other natural-resource departments.

Objective:

Provide you with the necessary tools to assess recreational or commercial fish populations. Lectures will demonstrate the methods used, and laboratories will provide experience in using the various assessment tools. Importance of assigning probabilistic statements to fishery assessments will be emphasized.

Instructor:

Dr. Mike S. Allen
Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
7922 NW 71st Street (392-9617 ext. 252)
email: msal@gnv.ifas.ufl.edu
Web Page: http://grove.ufl.edu/~msal/

Lecture Times*:        Mondays - 8:30-9:50, 5 min break
                                   Wednesdays - 8:30-9:50, 5 min break

Laboratory Times:   Wednesdays: 1:15-5:00 PM

Textbook:    Haddon, M. 2000. Modelling and Quantitative Methods in Fisheries. Chapman
                            and Hall, London. ISBN 1-58488-177-1

Optional guides for help with using SAS

Schlotzhauer, S. D., and R. C. Littell. 1987. SAS System for elementary statistical analysis. SAS Institute, Cary, NC.

Delwiche, L. D., and S. J. Slaughter. 1995. The little SAS book. SAS Institute, Cary, NC.

*You will need a hand-held calculator that does simple statistics including linear regression, means, standard deviations, log functions (loge and base 10), square roots, inverse functions, X2, and XY.

Grading System:

Two exams at 20% each                        40%
Laboratory exercises   8 @ 5% each       40%
Comprehensive final exam                        20%
Total                                                      100%

Grading Scale:           90-100            A
                                    88-89              B+
                                    80-87           B
                                    70-79           C
                                    60-69           D
                                    < 60           F

Exams will consist of short-answer questions, and statistical and mathematical problems.

All students are required to abide by the Academic Honesty Guidelines which have been accepted by the University of Florida (http://www.aa.ufl.edu/aa/Rules/4017.htm).   Failure to comply strictly to these guidelines can result in failure of the course.

FAS -6337C Fish Population Dynamics

Lecture Syllabus

I. Introductory Material
        -course goals
        -what is a fishery?
        -history of fisheries management
        -what is a model?

II. Population Growth
        -rates of increase (finite versus instantaneous)
        -derivation
        -models

III. Somatic growth
        -age-and-growth estimation techniques
        -reporting fish growth
        -models of fish length and weight
        -condition indices
        -comparison of growth rates using linear and nonlinear methods

IV.   Mortality
        -finite and instantaneous rates
        -fishing and natural mortality
        -compensatory versus additive mortality
        -estimation techniques and confidence intervals

V. Recruitment
        -definitions
        -estimation
        -stock-recruitment relationships
        -environmental factors
        -stochastic methods

VI. Population Models

        A. graphical
                -surplus production of a fishery
                -Graham-Schaefer surplus production curve

        B. deterministic
                -Ricker tabular model
                -Beverton and Holt equilibrium yield model

        C. stochastic
                -use and misuse of stochastic models
                -population cycles in fishes?
                -IFREGS
                -MOCPOP
                -FAST Program

VII. Fish Population Trends
        -cycles in fish populations
        -effects of density
        -abiotic versus biotic influences on abundance
        -effects

VIII. Models based on Catch-at-Age
        -Virtual Population Analysis
        -Statistical Catch-at-Age models
        -Spawning Potential Ratios (SPR)

IX. Review and Concluding Topics

FAS -6337C Fish Population Dynamics
Laboratory Syllabus

Data for all labs can be obtained from the web page or from a disk given out in class. Each laboratory will include two portions of equal (50% value): 1) a section of data analysis, your SAS program, and short answers to questions, and 2) a lab report that summarizes the most pertinent results and is written in the format of a scientific article.

Schedule

Week       Activity

1               Review programming and data management with SAS (assignment #1)

2               Continue programming and assignment #1

3               Estimates of fish growth, growth models in SAS, goodness of fit, testing   for differences in growth rates (assignment 2, part 1)

4               Continue growth analysis (assignment 2, part 2)

5               Mortality estimation and comparison (assignment #3)

6               No Lab, AFS meeting in Wilmington, NC

7               Techniques for fitting stock-recruitment curves (assignment #4)

8               No Lab, FL Chapter AFS Meeting

9               Ricker tabular model, Beverton and Holt equilibrium yield model (assignment #5)

10              Continue Beverton and Holt assignment

11              FAST Program (assignment #7)

12              Continue FAST model assignment

13              VPA analysis (assignment #8)

14              Continue VPA assignment

15              Review and summary