Comparison of anchovy biomass estimates measured by trawls, egg production methods and hydro-acoustics in the Chesapeake Bay and the Korea Strait

We compared estimates of anchovy biomass derived from trawl surveys, egg production method (EPM) and acoustic surveys, conducted in two remote regions. Biomass density of bay anchovy Anchoa mitchilli was estimated in Chesapeake Bay, USA, by trawls, EPM and acoustics from 1989 to 2000. Biomass density of Pacific anchovy Engraulis japonicus was estimated in the Korea Strait using EPM, simulation-based daily cohort analysis and acoustics from 1984 to 2006. Most of the existing estimates already had considered body-size-dependent gear selectivity, highlyvariable instantaneous natural mortality of anchovy eggs, and avoidance of trawl nets by adult anchovy. Despite great variability in the ratio of trawl to acoustic biomass estimates (0.034-8.35), annually-averaged biomass density of young-ofthe-year individuals derived by the two methods were similar for bay anchovy in Chesapeake Bay and Pacific anchovy in the Korea Strait (0.83 and 0.70 g m(-3), respectively). Results suggested that, despite substantial uncertainty, anchovy biomass estimates are generally compatible between EPM and acoustics. However, reported estimates of biomass density derived from the two acoustic surveys in the Korea Strait differed by a factor of 28, suggesting that further improvements in calibrations are required to reliably estimate anchovy biomass. The comparisons suggested that all biomass estimates could be biased and will require comparison and validation by other, independent sampling methods.