01-27-2011, 05:15 AM
Actually, if you consider Wednesdays catch, you have a population estimate of 326,995 burbot. Problem is that the most common population estimate formula is full of assumptions. Certainly the distributions of fish are not equally spread out, tags are not spread out evenly, and sample effort is not being spread out evenly across the sample area. This all creates sampling error. Assuming the bash sample satisfys the assumptions (which it does not) you could apply a 95% confidence interval to the derived population estimate numbers. The number of burbot, as of Wednesday night could be anywhere from 125,283 fish to 528,707.
Certainly the Fish and Game guys will use more sophisticated computer analysis tools that also look at some population modeling and other factors. Each day is also a seperate sampling effort, which further complicates things. No easy task, to say the least. I look forward to seeing what the official estimate is including the associated confidence intervals.
Regardless, there are tons of burbot in there! The guy that dumped them in the Green River drainage needs tar and feathered, and lashed to a pole and beaten with sticks and pelted with stones.
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Certainly the Fish and Game guys will use more sophisticated computer analysis tools that also look at some population modeling and other factors. Each day is also a seperate sampling effort, which further complicates things. No easy task, to say the least. I look forward to seeing what the official estimate is including the associated confidence intervals.
Regardless, there are tons of burbot in there! The guy that dumped them in the Green River drainage needs tar and feathered, and lashed to a pole and beaten with sticks and pelted with stones.
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