Optimum sample length for estimating anchovy size distribution and the proportion of juveniles per fishing set for the Peruvian purse-seine fleet

Abstract

The length distribution of catches represents a fundamental source of information for estimating growth and spatio-temporal dynamics of cohorts. The length distribution of caught is estimated based on samples of catched individuals. This work studies the optimum sample size of individuals at each fishing set in order to obtain a representative sample of the length and the proportion of juveniles in the fishing set. For that matter, we use anchovy (Engraulis ringens) length data from different fishing sets recorded by observers at-sea from the On-board Observers Program from the Peruvian Marine Research Institute. Finally, we propose an optimum sample size for obtaining robust size and juvenile estimations. Though the application of this work corresponds to the anchovy fishery, the procedure can be applied to any fishery, either for on board or inland biometric measurements.

Keywords

• distribución de tallas
• proporción de juveniles
• tamaño de muestra
• observadores a bordo
• pesquería de anchoveta
• Engraulis ringens.