Monitoring health of West Coast snapper
Wednesday 2 May 2007, 8:11PM
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Oliver Hannaford, a student at The University of Auckland, has become the first recipient of a new scholarship designed to promote research related to fisheries science.
Oliver, a Master of Science student in the Department of Statistics, is developing a mathematical method for managing snapper populations on the West Coast of New Zealand.
The statistical model will allow the Ministry of Fisheries and NIWA, the providers of the scholarship, to assess snapper stock levels and appropriately manage commercial and recreational fishing quotas to avoid overfishing of the West Coast. It will also provide biologists with a tool to study factors influencing snapper populations.
"The modelling of fish populations can be quite complicated," says Oliver. "The size of a fish population can be controlled not only by the amount of fishing but also by a number of other factors, such as the temperature of the water. There may or may not be a relationship between the number of fish and the number of larvae produced. By using Bayesian methods, we can compare different models that take these factors into account, while accurately quantifying the level of uncertainty that exists in these biological systems.
"I’m grateful to Ministry of Fisheries for creating this scholarship, and NIWA for assisting my project. This scholarship will allow me concentrate on my research over the next few years."
Oliver was presented with a cheque, and a cake to celebrate his 25th birthday, by Minister of Fisheries Jim Anderton at a ceremony at the Tongan Methodist Church in Onehunga.
Oliver, a Master of Science student in the Department of Statistics, is developing a mathematical method for managing snapper populations on the West Coast of New Zealand.
The statistical model will allow the Ministry of Fisheries and NIWA, the providers of the scholarship, to assess snapper stock levels and appropriately manage commercial and recreational fishing quotas to avoid overfishing of the West Coast. It will also provide biologists with a tool to study factors influencing snapper populations.
"The modelling of fish populations can be quite complicated," says Oliver. "The size of a fish population can be controlled not only by the amount of fishing but also by a number of other factors, such as the temperature of the water. There may or may not be a relationship between the number of fish and the number of larvae produced. By using Bayesian methods, we can compare different models that take these factors into account, while accurately quantifying the level of uncertainty that exists in these biological systems.
"I’m grateful to Ministry of Fisheries for creating this scholarship, and NIWA for assisting my project. This scholarship will allow me concentrate on my research over the next few years."
Oliver was presented with a cheque, and a cake to celebrate his 25th birthday, by Minister of Fisheries Jim Anderton at a ceremony at the Tongan Methodist Church in Onehunga.