Check starting model alignment

[SarahJWeisberg]

Plan to work on this during 4/8-4/9 workshop

• Review groups included / excluded in each models

Krill, OffHake, OtherFlatfish separate groups in GB but not GOM or MAB; only Krill has meaningful biomass

• Review, compare PBs
  
• Review, compare QBs

• Discuss starting Biomass values - do we need the 4x multiplier?
• Review, compare Biomass values

[sgaichas]

Review groups separated in GB that aren't in other models

Decisions:

• Krill: which groups have this separated and more than 10% of diet, otherwise pull into micronekton

  • Herring eat 30% krill, well identified in diet at family level
  • Baleen whales eat 19% krill
  • What data do we have on krill
  • What questions do we want to ask with the model
  • Leave in GB try to separate in GOM: exists in diet pull so doable, put off MAB decision

• OffHake: put in with Silver hake for GB, not differentiated in fishery catches

• OtherFlatfish: merge with other demersals for GB

[sgaichas]

Other structural changes

Review small pelagics groups

• Add a Menhaden group to MAB model, currently in other small pelagics?
  • Scale catch of menhaden to reflect that in the MAB, leaving out Chesapeake as possible
  • ACCSP may have public average catch of menhaden, alternatively scale catch from stock assessment
  • NEAMAP data for biomass?
  • NWACS includes Chesapeake Bay so use with that in mind
• Have a RiverHerring group in MAB, is it Shad? no they were put in small pelagics
• Reinstate RiverHerring in MAB and merge Shad into it

[sgaichas]

Biomass scaling

Pelagics still get bottom trawl survey values scaled up by factor of 10 because BTS not capturing pelagics.

In GB_balancing.R, skip line 51 GB.params.adj$model[, Biomass := Biomass * 4]

See if we can do more fine-tuning of out of balance groups.

[sgaichas]

P/B adjustment

Try to downscale GOM P/B towards current GB values

Do the same for the MAB

Some GB may come up

Get them into the same ballpark

Ensure diagnostics for P/Q ratio stay in line when adjusting to ensure Q/B not out of whack

Automatic scaling of Q/B from P/B should not be applied to marine mammals and seabirds

High priority species with big discrepancies (many that are coming from NWACS vs EMAX)

• Lobster
• Cod
• Haddock
• Goosefish

[SarahJWeisberg]

Final punch list - 5.13.24:

• Adjust SeaBirds QB value to be more coherent across models
• Adjust BaleenWhales, Odontocetes QB - should be highest in GOM, lowest in MAB according to EMAX documentation
• Compare SummerFlounder MAB biomass against assessment, adjust if needed
• Bump up HMS biomass in MAB
• Double check WinterSkate biomass calculations
• Double check Mesopelagics calculations

@MaxGrezlik @slucey @sgaichas