Michael D. Staggs
Michael H. Hoff
Michael J. Hansen
1991
<p><span>Past population estimates of adult walleyes </span><i>Stizostedion vitreum</i><span> can be used to set harvest quotas, provided that temporal variability in abundance of adult walleyes is accounted for. We used a long-term data set from Escanaba Lake, Wisconsin, to evaluate the accuracy of past population estimates for setting current-year quotas for adult walleyes. The results from Escanaba Lake were corroborated by comparison with other lakes where adult walleye abundance was estimated in more than 1 year. The accuracy of estimates of adult walleye abundance declined over time from the year the estimate was obtained to the year it was used to set a harvest quota. We derived safety factors for application to past estimates of population size; these factors limit the occurrence of an exploitation rate exceeding the maximum sustainable rate (35%) to approximately 1 in 40. These safety factors declined from 35% for 1-year-old estimates to less than 20% for 10-year-old estimates.</span></p>
application/pdf
10.1577/1548-8659(1991)120<0620:DOSFFS>2.3.CO;2
en
Taylor & Francis
Derivation of safety factors for setting harvest quotas on adult walleyes from past estimates of abundance
article