An assessment of sampling approaches for estimating growth from fishery-dependent biological samples

Abstract Accuracy of fish growth estimates depends greatly on how samples are collected. A total three common sampling strategies random, fixed otolith (FOS), and proportional (POS). Random is inefficient rarely random. While POS has been shown to produce more accurate compared FOS under ideal conditions, it unclear variables such as sample size, fishery selectivity, fishing mortality influence bias. Simulated age-at-length observations from two tropical deepwater species were used evaluate the accuracy von Bertalanffy parameter comparing for a fast-growing, short-lived (Prisitipomoides auricilla) slow-growing, long-lived (Etelis coruscans). 24 scenarios tested examine minimum size selected in fishery, exploitation rates, supplemental estimates. Furthermore, tests applied real age–length P. auricilla. consistently performed better than FOS, especially when catch was representative population. However, not representative. This research demonstrates importance considering effects mortality, strategy provides tool select an appropriate approach.