Sablefish Abundance Index Modeling
National Marine Fisheries Service, Alaska Fisheries Science Center
Sablefish stock assessment is fortunate to have a dedicated longline survey and several other fishery independent abundance indices. The stock assessment is also one of the few fisheries in the North Pacific that uses fishery catch rates as an additional index of abundance. Some modeling using generalized additive models has been conducted to standardize this catch rate index. In addition, similar techniques may be useful to increase the accuracy of the longline survey index. Refining these standardization techniques and converting them to useful abundance indices for the stock assessment will require high-dimensional modeling. The project will require extensive data exploration skills to consider sablefish behavior, interactions with other species, and environmental data to determine what factors have the greatest effect on sablefish abundance indices. In addition, this project will also require interacting with representatives from different fishing fleets and gear groups and presenting at public meetings.
$2,000 Location Supplement
Experience Supplement: Postdoctoral and Senior Associates will receive an appropriately higher stipend based on the number of years of experience past their PhD.