John M. Hoenig

Education

• B.S., Cornell University
• M.S., University of Rhode Island (biological oceanography)
• M.S., University of Rhode Island (statistics)
• Ph.D., University of Rhode Island (biological oceanography)

About

I'm interested in developing methods for studying population dynamics and assessing fisheries including determining appropriate management options. I use statistical theory, mathematical modeling, and computer simulation to develop methods for interpreting tagging, survey, catch, effort, and age data, and just about any other type of data available. Specific interests include sport fisheries, commercial fisheries for invertebrates, elasmobranch life history and fisheries, tropical fisheries, Indian treaty rights to fish, and conflict resolution through technical analysis. 

My research focuses on  

• Forecasting years in which recruitment will be poor using environmental variables (see Gross et al. 2022)
• Estimating fishing gear selectivity for size (lobster, whelk) and age (red drum) using novel methods 
• Estimating the absolute abundance of Red Snapper and Greater Amberjack from large-scale surveys 

My research has led me to

• Estimate which river stocks of American shad are being caught in pound nets that catch a mixed stock assemblage,
• Determine the survival rate of discarded fish (sharks),
• Estimate the efficiency of a scallop dredge in order to determine the biomass of scallops and set a catch quota,
• Evaluate the effectiveness of a marine sanctuary for blue crabs,
• Estimate actual and potential rates of population growth of barndoor skates and lemon sharks,
• Estimate survival rates and break the total mortality rate into its components (fishing mortality and "other mortality"), with applications to lake trout, red drum, rock lobster, blue crab, and striped bass.