A Monte Carlo Computer Simulation Study for Blue Crab Capture Efficiency Experiment

A Monte Carlo computer simulation study was conducted to determine the most efficient sampling design for the blue crab dredge capture efficiency experiment performed in Chesapeake Bay, Maryland, U. S. A. The input values were the number of dredge tracks in each experimental area, the number of tows per experiment, the number of experiments, the mean density of crabs per unit area, the negative binomial coefficient, the gear capture efficiency, and the tow error. As a result of the study, a four-track experiment with twenty to twenty-eight tows was estimated to be the best in terms of precision and accuracy of the gear capture efficiency.