John M. Hoenig

*Please report any broken links*

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)

Research Interests

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 current 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.

Determining the Natural Mortality Rate The instantaneous natural mortality rate (M) is an important input for most stock assessments. But, measuring or determining this rate directly is a substantial task. Consequently, for most stock assessments a value of M is determined indirectly from the correlation between M and more easily measured life history characteristics such as maximum age or von Bertalanffy growth parameters. The two seminal papers are Pauly (1982, J. du Conseil) and Hoenig (1983). However, these papers are now out of date. My former student, Amy Then, compiled a large database and used it to update the equations of both Pauly and Hoenig. I strongly urge people to stop using outdated equations and consult the following paper: Then, A.Y., J.M. Hoenig, N.G. Hall and D.A. Hewitt. 2015. Evaluating the predictive performance of empirical estimators of natural mortality rate using information on over 200 fish species. ICES J. Mar. Sci. 72:82-92.

Research Highlights

Current Projects

• Estimating the size of the population of Greater Amberjack in the US waters of the Gulf of Mexico and along the East Coast of the US using a variety of survey methods (with Grace Chiu (VIMS) and a coalition of researchers throughout the study region)
• Estimating the size selectivity of traps for European lobster using a V-notching program (with Natalie Hold, Univ. of Bangor)
• Estimating the age selectivity of purse seines and bottom longlines for red drum using a novel approach utilizing fish kill data (with S. Powers, C. Hightower and J. Plumlee, Univ. of S. Alabama)
• Studying the growth of tropical tunas (with Lynn Waterhouse, USGS/Univ. of Minn.)

Advice on Writing Theses, Preparing PowerPoint Presentations and Making Posters

• The easy way to write a prospectus, thesis, dissertation or scientific paper
• How to win a prize for the worst seminar graphics (and, essential principles of graphing data) [I recommend you download this file rather than viewing it online]
• How to prepare a perfectly putrid poster
• How to Write a Scientific Paper. (tongue in cheek expose) Copyright 1996 by Eric Schulman.
  Originally published in the Annals of Improbable Research, Volume II, Number 5, September/October 1996, page 8. Used by permission.

Advice to Prospective Students

• Advice on how to choose an advisor
• How to be a successful graduate student

Advice on Analyzing Data

• Data quality control procedures
• On fisheries notation

Software for Stock Assessment and Statistical Analysis

• Free, downloadable useful functions in R
• Links to other sites with useful, free software

Selected Publications

Click here for a complete list of publications

*publications with students

• *Gross, J.M., P. Sadler, and J.M. Hoenig. 2022. Evaluating a possible new paradigm for recruitment dynamics: predicting poor recruitment for striped bass (Morone saxatilis) from an environmental variable. Fisheries Res. 252, article 106329.  
• de Lestang, S., J.M. Hoenig and J. How. 2022. Development of an individual-based tag recapture model to benchmark biomass and harvest rates in an iconic lobster fishery. Bull. Mar. Sci. 98:27-50.
• Waterhouse, L., L. Ailloud, *R. Austin, W.J. Golet, A. Pacicco, A.H. Andrews, K. Diouf, Y. Ndiour, K. Krusic-Golub, G. da Silva, and J.M. Hoenig. 2022. Updated Growth Model for Bigeye Tuna (Thunnus obesus) in the Atlantic Ocean. Fisheries Res. 253, article 106317. 
• * Omori, K.L., C.A. Tribuzio, E.A. Babcock and J.M. Hoenig. 2021. Methods for Identifying Species Complexes Using a Novel Suite of Mutlivariate Approaches and Multiple Data Sources: a Case Study with Gulf of Alaska Rockfish.  Frontiers in Marine Science 8. 

• *Huynh, Q. C., N. Cummings and J. M. Hoenig. 2020. Comparisons of mean length-based mortality estimators and age-structured models for six southeastern US stocks. ICES Journal of Marine Science 77(1):162-173, doi:10.1093/icesjms/fsz191.
• *Ailloud, L. E. and J. M. Hoenig. 2019. A general theory of age-length keys: combining the forward and inverse keys to estimate age composition from incomplete data. ICES Journal of Marine Science 76:1515-1523.
• *Ailloud, L. E., M. V. Lauretta, J. F. Walter and J. M. Hoenig. 2019. Estimating age composition for multiple years when there are gaps in the ageing data: the case of western Atlantic bluefin tuna. ICES Journal of Marine Science 76:1690-1701.
• *Ailloud, L. E., T. Gedamke, J. M. Hoenig. 2018. Short-term pain and long-term gain: using phased-in minimum size limits to rebuild stocks: the Pacific bluefin tuna (Thunnus orientalis) example.  Trans. Amer. Fish. Soc. 147:1015–1029.
• Groner, M.L., J.D. Shields, D.F. Landers, Jr., J. Swenarton, & J.M. Hoenig. 2018. Temperature increases, phenologic mismatch and epizootic shell disease in the American lobster. American Naturalist E-article Vol. 192, pp. E163–E177.
• M. L. Groner, J. M. Hoenig, R. Pradel, R. Choquet, M. A. M. Friedrichs. 2018. Dermal mycobacteriosis and warming sea surface temperatures are associated with elevated mortality of striped bass in Chesapeake Bay. Ecology and Evolution. 8:9384-9397.
• *Huynh, Q. C, *J. Beckensteiner, *L. M. Carleton, *B. J. Marcek, *V. Nepal KC, *C. D. Peterson, *M. A. Wood, J. M. Hoenig. 2018. Comparative performance of three length-based methods for mortality estimation. Marine and Coastal Fisheries 10:298-313.
• *Then, A.Y-H., J.M. Hoenig and *Q.C. Huynh. 2018. Estimating fishing and natural mortality rates, and catchability coefficient, from a series of observations on mean length and fishing effort. ICES J. Mar. Sci. 75:610-620.
• Hoenig, J.M., M.L. Groner, M.W. *Smith, W.K. Vogelbein, D.M. Taylor, D.F. Landers, Jr., D.T. Gauthier, P.W. Sadler, M. Matsche, A. Haines, H.J. Small, R. Pradel, R. Choquet and J.D. Shields. 2017. Impact of disease on survival of three commercially fished species. Ecological Applications 27:2116-2127.
• Schmalz, P.J., M. Luehring, J.D. Rose, J.M. Hoenig, and M.K. Treml. 2016. Visualizing tradeoffs between yield and spawners per recruit as an aid to decision making. N. Am. J. Fish. Manage. 36:1, 1-10.
• *Then, A. Y., J. M. Hoenig, T. Gedamke and J. Ault. 2015. Comparison of two length-based estimators of total mortality: a simulation approach. Trans. Amer. Fish. Soc. 144:1206-1219.
• *Ailloud, L.E., M.W. *Smith, A.Y. *Then, K.L. *Omori, G.M. *Ralph and J.M. Hoenig. 2015. Properties of age compositions and mortality estimates derived from cohort slicing of length data. ICES J. Mar. Sci. 72:44-53. First published online June 3, 2014
•  *Then, A.Y., J.M. Hoenig, N.G. Hall and D.A. Hewitt. 2015. Evaluating the predictive performance of empirical estimators of natural mortality rate using information on over 200 fish species. ICES J. Mar. Sci. 72:82-92. First published online August 20, 2014.
• *Walter, J. F., J. M. Hoenig, and M. C. Christman. 2014. Reducing bias and filling in spatial gaps in fishery dependent catch per unit effort data by geostatistical prediction I. Methodology and simulation. N. American J. Fish. Manage. 34:1095-1107.
• *Walter, J. F., J. M. Hoenig, and M. C. Christman. 2014. Reducing bias and filling in spatial gaps in fishery dependent catch per unit effort data by geostatistical prediction II: application to a scallop fishery. N. American J. Fish. Manage. 34:1108-1118.
• Myers, R.A., M.W. *Smith, J.M. Hoenig, N. Kmiecik, M. Luehring, M.T. Drake, P.J. Schmalz and G.G. Sass. 2014. Determining Size- and Sex-specific Capture and Harvest Selectivity for Walleye from Tagging Studies. Trans. Amer. Fish. Soc. 143:438-450.
• *Smith, M.W., A. Then, C. Wor, G. Ralph, J.M. Hoenig and K.H. Pollock. 2012. Recommendations for catch curve analysis. North Amer. J. Fish. Manage. 32:956-967.
• *Waterhouse, L. and J.M. Hoenig. 2012. Tagging Models for Estimating Survival Rates when Tag Visibility Changes Over Time: Partial Year Tabulation of Recaptures. North Amer. J. Fish. Manage. 32:147-158.
• *Waterhouse, L. and J.M. Hoenig. 2011. Instantaneous Rates Tagging Models Allowing for Delayed Mixing of Newly Tagged Cohorts: Partial Year Tabulation of Recaptures. North Amer. J. Fish. Manage. 31:995-1004.
• *Gedamke, T., J. M. Hoenig, W. D. DuPaul and J. A. Musick. 2009. Stock-Recruitment Dynamics and the Maximum Population Growth Rate of the Barndoor Skate on Georges Bank. North Amer. J. Fish. Manage. 29:512-526.
• *Ihde, T., J.M. Hoenig and S. D. Frusher. 2008. An index-removal abundance estimator that allows for seasonal change in catchability, with application to southern rock lobster Jasus edwardsii. Trans. Amer. Fish. Soc. 137:720-735.
• Hoenig, J.M., R.L. Latour and J.E. Olney. 2008. Estimating Stock Composition of Anadromous Fishes from Mark-Recovery Data: possible application to American Shad. North Amer. J. Fish. Manage. 28:507-515.
• *Ihde, T., J.M. Hoenig and S. D. Frusher. 2008. Evaluation of a multi-year index-removal abundance estimator, with application to a Tasmanian rock lobster fishery. Fisheries Research 89:26-36.
• *Gedamke, T., J. M. Hoenig, W. DuPaul, J. A. Musick. 2008. Total Mortality Rates of the Barndoor Skate, Dipturus laevis, from the Gulf of Maine and Georges Bank, United States, 1963-2005. Fisheries Research 89:17-25.
• *Walter, J. F. III, J. M. Hoenig and T. Gedamke. 2007. Correcting for effective area fished in fishery-dependent depletion estimates of abundance and capture efficiency. ICES Journal of Marine Science 64:1760-1771.
• Hewitt, D. A., D. M. Lambert, J. M. Hoenig, R. N. Lipcius, D. B. Bunnell, and T. J. Miller. 2007. Direct and Indirect Estimates of Natural Mortality for Chesapeake Bay Blue Crab. Trans. Am. Fish. Soc. 136:1030-1040.
• Gedamke, T., J. M. Hoenig, J. A. Musick, W. D. DuPaul, and Samuel H. Gruber. 2007. Using Demographic Models to Determine Intrinsic Rate of Increase and Sustainable Fishing for Elasmobranchs: Pitfalls, Advances and Applications. N. Am. J. Fish. Manage. 27:605-618.
• Jiang, H., K.H. Pollock, C. Brownie, J.E. Hightower, J.M. Hoenig and W.S. Hearn. 2007. Age dependent tag return models for estimating fishing mortality, natural mortality and selectivity. J. Agric., Biol. and Environ. Statistics 12(2):177-194.
• Jiang, H., K.H. Pollock, C. Brownie, J.M. Hoenig, R.L. Latour, B.K. Wells, and J.E. Hightower. 2007. Tag return models allowing for harvest and catch and release: evidence of environmental and management impacts on striped bass fishing and natural mortality rates. N. Am. J. Fish. Manage. 27:387-396.
• Lambert, D.M., R.N. Lipcius, and J.M. Hoenig. 2006. Assessing effectiveness of the blue crab spawning stock sanctuary in Chesapeake Bay using tag-return methodology. Marine Ecology Progress Series 321:215-225.
• Hueter, R.E., C.A. Manire, J. Tyminski, J.M. Hoenig and D.A. Hepworth. 2006. Assessing Mortality of Released or Discarded Fish Using a Logistic Model of Relative Survival Derived from Tagging Data. Trans. Am. Fish. Soc. 135:500-508.
• Gedamke, T., and J.M. Hoenig. 2006. Estimating Mortality from Mean Length Data in Nonequilibrium Situations, with Application to the Assessment of Goosefish (Lophius americanus). Trans. Amer. Fish. Soc. 135:476-487.
• Gedamke, T., W. DuPaul and J.M. Hoenig. 2005. Index-Removal Estimation of Dredge Efficiency for the Georges Bank Sea Scallop Fishery. N. Am. J. Fish. Manage. 25:1122-1129.
• Gedamke, T., W. DuPaul and J.M. Hoenig. 2004. A spatially explicit open-ocean DeLury analysis to estimate gear efficiency in the dredge fishery for sea scallop Placopecten magellanicus. N. Am. J. Fish. Manage. 24:335-351.
• Frusher, S.D., J.M. Hoenig and C. Gardner. 2003. Have changes in selectivity masked recruitment declines in crustacean trap fisheries? Fish. Res. 65:467-474.
• Hearn, W.S., J.M. Hoenig, K.H. Pollock and D. Hepworth. 2003. Tag Reporting Rate Estimation: 3. Use of Planted Tags in One Component of a Multiple-Component Fishery. N. Am. J. Fish. Manage. 23:66-77.
• Hoenig, J.M., R.C. Hanumara and D.M. Heisey. 2002. Generalizing Double and Triple Sampling for Repeated Surveys and Partial Verification. Biometrical Journal 44:603-618.
• Pollock, K.H., J.M. Hoenig, W.S. Hearn and B. Calingaert. 2002. Tag reporting rate estimation: 2. Use of high-reward tagging and observers in multiple-component fisheries. N. Am. J. Fish. Manage. 22:727-736.
• Gruber, S.H., J.R.C. de Marignac and J.M. Hoenig. 2001. Survival of Juvenile Lemon Sharks at Bimini, Bahamas, Estimated by Mark-Depletion Experiments. Trans. Am. Fish. Soc. 130:376-384.
• Hoenig, J.M. and D.M. Heisey. 2001. The Abuse of Power: the Pervasive Fallacy of Power Calculations for Data Analysis. American Statistician 55(1):19-24.
• Olney, J.E. and J.M. Hoenig. 2001. Managing a Fishery Under Moratorium: Assessment Opportunities for Virginia's Stocks of American Shad. Fisheries 26(2)6-12.
• Pollock, K.H., J.M. Hoenig, W.S. Hearn and B. Calingaert. 2001. Tag Reporting Rate Estimation: 1. An Evaluation of the High-Reward Tagging Method. N. Am. J. Fish. Manage. 21:521-532.
• Latour, R.J., J.M. Hoenig, J.E. Olney and K.H. Pollock. 2001. Diagnostics for Multiyear Tagging Models with Application to Atlantic Striped Bass (Morone saxatilis). Can. J. Fish. Aquat. Sci. 58:1716-1726.
• Frusher, S.D. and J.M. Hoenig. 2001. Estimating Natural And Fishing Mortality And Tag Reporting Rate Of Southern Rock Lobster (Jasus edwardsii) From A Multiyear Tagging Model. Can. J. Fish. Aquat. Sci. 58:2490-2501.
• Chen, C.-L., K.H. Pollock, and J.M. Hoenig. 1998. Combining Change-in-Ratio, Index-Removal and Removal Models for Estimating Population Size. Biometrics 54:815-827.
• Hoenig, J.M., N.J. Barrowman, K.H. Pollock, E.N. Brooks, W.S. Hearn and T. Polacheck. 1998. Models for tagging data that allow for incomplete mixing of newly tagged animals. Can. J. Fish. Aquat. Sci. 55:1477-1483.
• Hoenig, J.M., N.J. Barrowman, W.S. Hearn and K.H. Pollock. 1998. Multiyear tagging studies incorporating fishing effort data. Can. J. Fish. Aquat. Sci. 55:1466-1476.
• Hoenig, J.M., C.M. Jones, K.H. Pollock, D.S. Robson and D.L. Wade. 1997. Calculation of catch rate and total catch in roving surveys of anglers. Biometrics 53:306-317.
• Myers, R.A. and J.M. Hoenig. 1997. Direct Estimates of Gear Selectivity from Multiple Tagging Experiments. Can. J. Fish. Aquat. Sci. 54:1-9.

Current Students

• Julie Gross

Past Students

Liese Carleton. M.A.S. 2022 . (supervised with M. Mitchell)

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Kristen Omori. Ph.D. 2021.

Dissertation: Dealing with many species: improving methodology for forming and assessing species complexes. Awarded the Maury Fellowship, 2017.

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Lisa Ailloud. Ph.D. 2018. 

Dissertation :  Improving stock assessments and management advice for Bluefin tunas and other highly migratory species.

Awarded the John and Marilyn M. Zeigler Award, May 2019. 

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Quang Huynh. Ph.D. 2017. 

Dissertation :  Extensions and applications of mean length mortality estimators for assessment of data-limited fisheries.

Awarded the John M. and Marilyn Zeigler Student Achievement Award, May 2018. 

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Kristen Omori. M.S. 2015.    
Thesis: Developing Methodologies for Studying Elasmobranchs and Other Data-Poor Species. 

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Amy Then. Ph.D. 2014.
Dissertation: Studies of Mortality Estimation.

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Lynn Waterhouse. M.S. 2011. (co-advisor with Mary Fabrizio).
Thesis: Partial Year Tagging Models: accounting for changing tag visibility and delayed mixing.

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Todd Gedamke. Ph.D. 2006. (co-advisor with Bill DuPaul and Jack Musick).

Dissertation: Developing a stock assessment for the barndoor skate (Dipturus laevis) in the Northeast United States. Awarded the John M. and Marilyn Zeigler Student Achievement Award, May 2007. See the write-up in Fisheries magazine about Todd.

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John Walter. Ph.D. 2006. Dissertation: Incorporating aspects of space into stock assessment of several marine species.

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Debra Lambert. M.S. (co-advisor with Romuald Lipcius) 2005.

Thesis: Estimation of annual and semi-annual survival of adult female blue crabs and assessment of the effectiveness of the Virginia blue crab sanctuary using tag-return methodology. Awarded the John M. and Marilyn Zeigler Student Achievement Award, May, 2006.

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Donna Grusha. M.S. 2005.
Thesis: Investigation of the life-history of the cownose ray, Rhinoptera bonasus (Mitchill 1815).

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Stewart Frusher. Ph.D. 2001. Dissertation: Evaluation of techniques for estimating fishery assessment parameters in the Tasmanian rock lobster fishery. (I was co-supervisor of this student at the University of Tasmania). 

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Courses Taught/Teaching

• MS 561 Statistical and Graphical Analysis Using R
• MS 670 Stock Assessment Methods

• MS 697 Stock Assessment Review Internship program with the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea

• MS 698 Advanced Programming in R

Student Awards

• 2019. Lisa Ailloud. John and Marilyn Zeigler Award
• 2018. Quang C. Huynh. John and Marilyn Zeigler Award
• 2017. Lisa Ailloud. Dean’s Fellowship
• 2017. Kristen Omori. Maury Fellowship from VIMS
• 2015. Quang Huynh.  best student paper award + travel support from Alaska Sea Grant
• 2015. Lisa Ailloud. student travel award, tuna camp
• 2015. Lisa Ailloud. student travel award, AFS Marine Fisheries Section
• 2015. Lisa Ailloud. student travel award, ICES
• 2015. Kristen Omori. student travel award, Assoc. Dean for Grad. Studies + AIFRB award
• 2015. Quang Huynh. NMFS/Sea Grant Population Dynamics Fellowship
• 2015. Lisa Ailloud. NMFS/Sea Grant Population Dynamics Fellowship
• 2014. Kristen Omori awarded VIMS Council Fellowship
• 2014. Lisa Ailloud awarded one year of financial support from VIMS
• 2012. Kristen Omori awarded a VIMS Council Fellowship from the VIMS Foundation.
• 2011. Matt Smith awarded a three-year NMFS/Sea Grant graduate fellowship in population dynamics.
• 2011. Amy Then awarded a Ferguson Enterprise Fellowship from the VIMS Foundation.
• 2011. (former student) Lynn Waterhouse awarded a travel grant from the Estuaries Section of the American Fisheries Society to present her research at the annual meeting in Seattle.
• 2010. Amy Then awarded a travel grant from the Estuaries Section of the American Fisheries Society to attend the Society's annual meeting in Pittsburgh.

Recent Awards to Dr. Hoenig

• 2016. Awarded a Plumeri Faculty Excellence Award from the College of William and Mary. 
• 2010-2011. Awarded a Visiting Scholar Fellowship at the University of Tasmania.
• 2010. Awarded a research visiting fellowship by Tokyo University of Fisheries and Marine Technology.

Additional Information

Favorite Seafood Recipes