An In Situ Experimental Evaluation of the Elliott and Persson and the Eggers Models for Estimating Fish Daily Ration

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Abstract
We compared estimates of daily ration developed using the theoretically rigorous and logistically demanding Elliott and Persson model and the more easily applied Eggers model which is infrequently used because of its assumptions about rigid fish feeding periodicity. Comparisons were based on ten 24-h samplings of six different yellow perch (Perca flavescens) populations. Daily ration estimates from the two models did not differ significantly. This consistency occurred in spite of the fact that in some cases the observed feeding periodicity violated the assumptions of the Eggers model. A simulation model demonstrated that 95% confidence intervals were smallest for the Eggers estimates and that the Eggers model was more robust than the Elliott and Persson model to changes in both sampling frequency and number of fish sacrificed at each sampling event. The latter proved particularly sensitive to changes in sampling frequency. We concluded that the two models provide estimates of daily ration comparable in magnitude and accuracy and consequently that the restriction of the Eggers model to fish with rigid feeding periodicity is not justified. Furthermore, the Eggers model, because of its robustness, reduces the sampling requirements to determine daily ration, and hence, permits its estimation on a more frequent basis.