Age-Groups from Size-Frequency Data: A Versatile and Efficient Method of Analyzing Distribution Mixtures

For estimating age-group parameters from size-frequency data, conventional efficient statistical methods, such as maximum likelihood, can be more effective than the commonly used graphical methods of dissecting a mixed distribution. Fisheries size-frequency data are usually grouped over size intervals and the efficient methods are easily programmed on a computer for this case. We show that several published alternatives offer no computational …