Evaluate creel survey design and estimation methods in Michigan by simulation

Total catch and effort data obtained from on-site angler surveys are essential for the management of recreational fisheries. A stratified multi-stage sampling design is often used to obtain catch and effort information for the fisheries. Quality of angler survey estimates can be greatly affected by survey design and estimation approaches used. Using simulation techniques, we found that sub-sampling work days caused large bias in the estimates of total catch obtained from daily estimate; whereas a multiple-day estimation method is more robust than the daily-estimation method in that case.