Finite-state continuous-time models to infer rehional and ontogenic changes in mortality and migration rates from tag-recovery data for migratory species

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Finite-state continuous-time models provide a framework for simultaneous inference of various population dynamics parameters such as mortality and migration rates. These models are particularly useful for analysing data arising from tagging studies such as tag-recovery experiments because of the ability to simultaneous account for nuisance parameters associated with these data. These nuisance parameters account for aspects such as tag-reporting behaviour, tag shedding, and temporary tag-induced changes in behaviour. It is important to account for these parameters for the scale of estimated fishing and natural mortality to be correct. Migration and mortality rates can also be modelled as functions of environmental covariates. The analytical approach is illustrated with an application to an Atlantic cod tagging experiment in the Northwest Atlantic Ocean. For Atlantic cod we consider models that allow ontogenic changes in migration between three adjacent regions as well as fishing and natural mortality rates that may be regionspecific.