Table 2. Parameter estimates from a length-based, age structured population model.

(Top) Model parameter estimates (von Bertalanffy growth parameters, estimated date of birth and variation in size-at-age) for lionfish from northeast Florida estimated from four candidate models (see Table 1). (Bottom) Results of sensitivity runs using the best fit model (Model 1); parameter values were fixed at −10%/+10% of best fit estimates to examine the effect on remaining model parameters. As in the best fit model base run, L_∞ was also fixed in most sensitivity runs to ensure biologically realistic parameter values.

Candidate models		VBGF parameters				DOB	σ (size at age)
Seasonal	σ2 at age	L∞	K	C	ts	tb	Age 0	Age 1	Age 2	Age 3
Yes	Variable	448*	0.47	0.61	0.21	0.42	26.29	27.48	24.13	40.30
Yes	Fixed	448*	0.46	0.63	0.24	0.40	26.47	26.47	26.47	26.47
No	Variable	448*	0.47	n/a	n/a	0.36	28.41	27.24	25.21	37.21
No	Fixed	448*	0.46	n/a	n/a	0.34	26.87	26.87	26.87	26.87

Notes.

^*Parameter value was fixed to ensure biologically realistic values (see text for details).