Spatially varying catchability for integrating research survey data with other data sources: case studies involving observer samples, industry-cooperative surveys, and predators-as-samplers

Spatio-temporal models are widely applied to standardise research survey data and are increasingly used to generate density maps and indices from other data sources. We developed a spatio-temporal modelling framework that integrates research survey data (treated as a “reference dataset”) and other data sources (“non-reference datasets”) while estimating spatially varying catchability for the non-reference datasets. We demonstrated it using two case studies. The first involved bottom trawl survey and observer data for spiny dogfish (Squalus acanthias) on the Chatham Rise, New Zealand. The second involved cod predators as samplers of juvenile snow crab (Chionoecetes opilio) abundance, integrated with industry-cooperative surveys and a bottom trawl research survey in the eastern Bering Sea. Our integrated models leveraged the strengths of individual data sources (the quality of the reference dataset and the quantity of non-reference data), while downweighting the influence of the non-reference datasets via the estimated spatially varying catchabilities. They allowed for the generation of annual density maps for a longer time-period, and for the provision of one single index rather than multiple indices each covering a shorter time-period.