Tagging experiments with western king prawn, Penaeus latisulcatus Kishinouye. II. Estimation of population parameters

Abstract

The toggle tagging method previously tested for suitability with adult western king prawns has been used in an intensive field trial in a previously unexploited population of prawns confined in Cockburn Sound, Western Australia. Approximately 12000 tagged prawns, in three consecutive experiments, were released over a period of 3 months during which time the population was subjected to controlled fishing by a chartered trawler to simulate a commercial fishery.

Using the catch-effort data and recaptures from the three releases, a number of methods of estimating population size have been evaluated. The Petersen estimates, selected as most appropriate, have been used to calculate instantaneous rates of natural and fishing mortality, and catchability coefficients during the experimental period. An apparent relationship between catchability and temperature has been discussed together with other biological problems encountered in the use of prawn tag recapture data.