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The NWFSC Scientific Publications Database serves as an archival repository of NWFSC-published products including scientific findings, journal articles, technical memorandums, reports, or other information authored or co-authored by NWFSC or funded partners. As a repository, the SPD retains documents in their original published format to ensure public access to scientific information.

NOAA Fisheries Northwest Science Center Publication Details

CitationEric Ward,Melissa Head,Kristin Marshall,Kelli Johnson 2026. Applying Fisher Information to increase the efficiency of life-history sampling in fisheries data. , 293. (https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fishres.2025.107641)
TitleApplying Fisher Information to increase the efficiency of life-history sampling in fisheries data
Publication Year2026
Volume293
Keywordsstock assessment, trawl survey, life history parameters, fisher information
AbstractEffective monitoring of fish populations is critical for understanding life-history traits such as maturation or growth, which directly impact population dynamics and fisheries management. Long-term monitoring efforts around the world are faced with rising survey costs and a more uncertain future, as environmental variability is projected to increase. Together, these pressures necessitate more efficient sampling designs. In this study, we use information theory (Fisher Information) to evaluate and optimize life-history sampling, focusing on how variation in fish growth or maturation can guide more informed sampling decisions. Fisher Information is closely related to variance, in that samples with higher information result in greater precision. Using life-history parameters from eight commercially important groundfish species assessed on the U.S. West Coast, we develop three case studies illustrating how sampling strategies can be improved using Fisher Information. The first example foc
Links (https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fishres.2025.107641)