Fishery Data Series No. 95-37 CPUE Estimates and Catch-age Analysis of Burbot in the Tanana River Drainage, 1994 by Matthew J. Evenson and Margaret F. Merritt November 1995 Alaska Department of Fish and Game Division of Sport Fish FISHERY DATA SERIES NO. 95-37 CPUE ESTIMATES AND CATCH-AGE ANALYSIS OF BURBOT IN THE TANANA RIVER DRAINAGE, 1994 by Matthew J. Evenson and Margaret F. Merritt Division of Sport Fish, Fairbanks Alaska Department of Fish and Game Division of Sport Fish, Research and Technical Services 333 Raspberry Road, Anchorage, Alaska, 99518-1599 November 1995 Development and publication of this manuscript were partially financed by the Federal Aid in Sport Fish Restoration Act (16 U.S.C. 777-777K) under Project F-10-10, Job No. R-3-4(b). The Fishery Data Series was established in 1987 for the publication of technically oriented results for a single project or a group of closely related projects. Fishery Data Series reports are intended for fishery and other technical professionals. Distribution is to state and local publication distribution centers, libraries and individuals and, on request, to other libraries, agencies, and individuals. This publication has undergone editorial and peer review. Matthew J. Evenson and Margaret F. Merritt Alaska Department of Fish and Game, Division of Sport Fish, Region III, 1300 College Road, Fairbanks, AK 99701-1599, USA This document should be cited as: Evenson, M. J. and M. F. Merritt. 1995. CPUE estimates and catch-age analysis of burbot in the Tanana River drainage, 1994. Alaska Department of Fish and Game, Fishery Data Series No. 95-37, Anchorage. The Alaska Department of Fish and Game administers all programs and activities free from discrimination on the basis of sex, color, race, religion, national origin, age, marital status, pregnancy, parenthood, or disability. For information on alternative formats available for this and other department publications, contact the department ADA Coordinator at (voice) 907-465-4120, or (TDD) 907-465-3646. Any person who believes s/he has been discriminated against should write to: ADF&G, PO Box 25526, Juneau, AK 99802-5526; or O.E.O., U.S. Department of the Interior, Washington, DC 20240. i TABLE OF CONTENTS Page LIST OF TABLES.................................................................................................................................................................. ii LIST OF FIGURES ................................................................................................................................................................ ii LIST OF APPENDICES........................................................................................................................................................ iii ABSTRACT............................................................................................................................................................................1 CHAPTER 1. CPUE ESTIMATES OF BURBOT IN THE CHENA AND TANANA RIVERS, 1994..................................1 Introduction.............................................................................................................................................................................1 Study Area...............................................................................................................................................................................2 Methods...................................................................................................................................................................................2 Gear Description ................................................................................................................................................................2 Study Design ......................................................................................................................................................................2 Data Analysis .....................................................................................................................................................................5 Catch per Unit Effort .........................................................................................................................................................................5 Length Composition...........................................................................................................................................................................5 Results.....................................................................................................................................................................................6 Discussion ...............................................................................................................................................................................9 CHAPTER 2. CATCH-AGE ANALYSIS OF BURBOT IN THE TANANA RIVER DRAINAGE....................................13 Introduction...........................................................................................................................................................................13 Methods.................................................................................................................................................................................13 Notation............................................................................................................................................................................13 Harvest at Age..................................................................................................................................................................14 Age Determination ...........................................................................................................................................................14 Gear Description and Vulnerability..................................................................................................................................19 Catchability ......................................................................................................................................................................19 Instantaneous Natural Mortality.......................................................................................................................................19 Fishing Effort Source File, Effort Lambda.......................................................................................................................21 Error Structure..................................................................................................................................................................21 Population Dynamic Models............................................................................................................................................21 Statistical Models.............................................................................................................................................................23 Objective Function ...........................................................................................................................................................23 Results...................................................................................................................................................................................23 Estimated Abundance.......................................................................................................................................................23 Estimated Fishing Mortality.............................................................................................................................................23 Residual and Bias Analysis ..............................................................................................................................................30 Discussion .............................................................................................................................................................................30 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS .....................................................................................................................................................33 LITERATURE CITED..........................................................................................................................................................33 APPENDIX A .......................................................................................................................................................................37 APPENDIX B .......................................................................................................................................................................39 APPENDIX C .......................................................................................................................................................................51 i LIST OF TABLES Table Page 1. Catch per unit effort (CPUE) estimates of burbot sampled in sections of the Tanana and Chena rivers, 1986- 1994..........................................................................................................................................................................7 2. Mean length estimates of burbot sampled in sections of the Tanana and Chena rivers, 1986-1994 ........................8 3. Estimates of proportions of small, medium, and large