FishStats uses Template Model Builder and modern statistical techniques to rapidly estimate biological parameters (fixed effects) and spatial correlations (via inclusion of random effects) when analyzing real-world data. The techniques are relatively new, and not well documented in any single textbook or paper. For interested students, I recommend reading class materials from a Spring 2016 UW course “Spatio-temporal mdoels for ecologists”. Materials include:

1. Recorded lectures
2. Example code in TMB and R
3. Homework assignments and solutions

These materials will eventually be distributed as a textbook, so please do not reproduce them without permission from James Thorson