
%0 Journal Article
%A Wang, You-Gan 
%T A maximum-likelihood method for estimating natural mortality and catchability coefficient from catch-and-effort data
%J Marine and Freshwater Research
%D 1999/05/07
%V 50
%N 4
%P 307-311
%K 
%R https://doi.org/10.1071/MF97140
%U https://www.publish.csiro.au/paper/MF97140 
%X A simple stochastic model of a fish population subject to natural and fishing mortalities is described. The fishing effort is assumed to vary over different periods but to be constant within each period. A maximum-likelihood approach is developed for estimating natural mortality (M) and the catchability coefficient (q) simultaneously from catch-and-effort data. If there is not enough contrast in the data to provide reliable estimates of both M and q, as is often the case in practice, the method can be used to obtain the best possible values of q for a range of possible values of M. These techniques are illustrated with tiger prawn (Penaeus semisulcatus) data from the Northern Prawn Fishery of Australia. 
