Abstract:
Data-limitation is a difficult problem in fishery stock assessment and management. Based on length frequency data of
Parargyrops edita collected from otter trawl survey in the Beibu Gulf in 2006–2018, we used length-based Bayesian biomass (LBB) method to estimate population parameters, namely asymptotic length (
L∞), optimal length-at-first-capture (
Lcopt), relative natural mortality (
M/
k), and relative fishing mortality (
F/
k). The
L∞ was estimated to be 21.0 cm,
Lcopt to be 12.6 cm, and
M/
k,
F/
k,
Z/
k and
E to be 1.49, 3.65, 5.15, and 0.67, respectively.
L∞ and
Lcopt showed the similar downward trend, and fish growth tended to be quickening. The
Lcopt and exploitation rate estimated by LBB were close to those estimated by independent full stock assessments. This case study suggested that if the length frequency represents length composition of a stock, the estimation by LBB will perform properly, and the method based on LBB can provide informative reference for fishery stock assessment under the data-limited conditions.