Model comparisons for estimating the relationship between catch and soak time for the American lobster trap fishery

摘要

The relationship between catch and soak time in the fishery for American lobster Homarus americanus in the northwest Atlantic region was examined by comparing two three-parameter models. The fit of the two models to nine data sets was fairly similar, but a clearer interpretation of model parameters related to rates of entry and escape and an opportunity to test for the appropriateness of asymptotic responses favored a time-dependent variant of the Munro model over one first described by Zhou and Shirley, A simple example of profit maximization is provided to show that maximum profit may no coincide with maximum catch under the assumption of a dome-shaped model.