Faculty

 
Yan Jiao

Yan Jiao
Assistant Professor

B.S., Ocean University of China (1993)
M.S., Ocean University of China (1997)
Ph.D., Memorial University of Newfoundland (2004)

Academic Interests:

Population dynamics and stock assessment; Risk analysis; Fisheries management (decision analysis, adaptive management); Fishery ecology; Statistical computing

Courses Taught:

Advanced Quantitative Methods in Fisheries and Conservation Biology (FiW 6004)
Fish Population Dynamics and Modeling (FiW 5514)
Marine Ecology (FiW 4624)
Catch Rate Standardization in Fisheries (FiW 5984)
Special Topics on Fishery Resources and Fishery Management

 

 

 

 

Current Research Projects

  1. 2009-2011: Investigating ecosystem level effects of gillnet and trap net bycatch: implications for management of Lake Erie’s commercial fisheries. Ontario Commercial Fisheries Association (PI)
  2. 2008-2010: Model complexity and stock assessment quality: an investigation of the performance of models of different complexities and implications for model selection in fisheries. MARFIN, NOAA. (PI with Dr. Don Orth and Dr. Eric Smith)
  3. 2008-2010: Improving stock assessment of weakfish (Cynoscion regalis). Virginia Marine Resources Commission. (PI with Dr. Don Orth)
  4. 2008-2009: Population growth rate estimation of endangered freshwater mussel species in the Clinch and Powel Rivers based on Bayesian model averaging approach. USGS.  (PI with Dr. Richard Neves and Jess Jones)
  5. 2008-2010: Bio-economic evaluation of Lake Erie percid fisheries. Ontario Commercial Fisheries Association (PI)
  6. 2009-2010: Modeling seabird bycatch, pink shrimp catch and effort, and pink shrimp recruitment with environmental considerations. NOAA (PI with postdoc Dr. Andreas Winter)
  7. 2008-2009: Stock assessment of San Miguel Island red abalone (Haliotis rufescens). Concur. (PI, student Robert Leaf participated in this project)
  8. 2006–2010: Decision analysis and adaptive management (DAAM) for Lake Erie Percid fisheries.  Ontario Commercial Fisheries Association. (PI)
  9. 2006–2009: Incorporating protogyny into stock assessment models.  NOAA. (CO-PI with Dr. Brian Murphy and Michelle Davis)
  10. 2006-2009: Evolutionary effects of selective fishing and implications for fisheries management and rebuilding. NMFS-Sea Grant Graduate Student Fellowship in Population Dynamics. (PI of record and supervisor to the student awardee, Robert Leaf, with NMFS mentor Dr. Michael Prager)
  11. 2005-2008: Life history and stock assessment of hammerhead complex along Atlantic coast. NMFS-RTR (Dr. Enric Cortes and Dr. Jim Berkson are the NMFS collaborators)
  12. 2006-2007: Movement, habitat use, nesting, and feeding of northern snakehead (Channa argus) in the Potomac River catchment. USGS (CO-PI with Dr. Paul Angermeier, Dr. Brian Murphy and student Nick Lapointe)

Selected 20 Recent Peer Reviewed Publications (total 33, * students and postdocs under my supervision):

Papers on Bayesian risk assessment, hierarchical model, measurement error model, model averaging (including time series models of random walk and autoregression) and their applications in assessing multi-species complexes, and data poor species (including invasive and endangered species)

  1. Jiao, Y., *Hayes, C., and Cortés, E. 2009. Bayesian hierarchical models for fish-complex stock assessment without species-specific data. ICES Journal of Marine Science. 66:367-377
  2. Jiao, Y., Reid, K. and Smith, E. 2008. Model selection uncertainty and Bayesian model averaging in fisheries recruitment modeling. In The Future of Fisheries Science in North America. Fish and Fisheries book series, 31: 505-524.  Springer.
  3. Jiao, Y., Neves, R. and Jones, J. 2008. Models and model selection uncertainty in estimating growth rates of endangered freshwater mussel populations. Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences. 65:2389-2398
  4. Jiao, Y., Reid, K. and Nudds, T. 2006. Variation in the catchability of yellow perch (Perca flavescens) in the fisheries of Lake Erie using a Bayesian error-in-variable approach.  ICES Journal of Marine Science. 63:1695-1704
  5. Chen, Y., Jiao, Y., and Chen, L. 2003. Developing robust frequentist and Bayesian fish stock assessment methods. Fish and Fisheries. 4:105-120.

Papers on likelihood inference and frequentist risk assessment approaches for fisheries management decision making

  1. Jiao, Y, Reid, K., and Nudds, T. 2009. Consideration of uncertainty in the design and use of harvest control rules. Scientia Marina. (accepted)
  2. Jiao, Y., Lapointe N., Angermeier, P.L., and Murphy, B. 2009. Hierarchical demographic approaches for assessing invasion dynamics of non-indigenous species: an example using northern snakehead (Channa argus). Ecological Modelling. 220: 1681-1689
  3. Jiao, Y., Reid, K., Nudds, T., and Smith, E. 2009. Graphical evaluation of fishery status with a likelihood inference approach.  North American Journal of Fisheries Management.  29:1106-1118
  4. Jiao, Y., Chen, Y., and Wroblewski, J. 2005. An application of the composite risk assessment method in assessing fisheries status. Fisheries Research. 72:173-183.

Other papers on uncertainty, population dynamics and stock assessment

  1. *Hayes, C., Jiao, Y., and Cortes, C., 2009. Stock assessment of scalloped hammerhead sharks in the western North Atlantic Ocean and Gulf of Mexico. North American Journal of Fisheries Management.  29:1406–1417
  2. *Ruan, N., Gao, D., and Jiao, Y. 2009. Canonical dual least square method for solving general nonlinear systems of equations. Computational Optimization with Application. (in press)
  3. Chen, Y., Jiao, Y., Sun, C.L., and Chen, X. 2008. Calibrating virtual population analysis for fisheries stock assessment. Aquatic Living Resources. 21:89-97
  4. *Leaf, R., Rogers-Bennett, L. and Jiao, Y. 2008. Exploring the Use of a Size-Based Egg-per-Recruit Model for the Red Abalone Fishery in California. North American Journal of Fisheries Management. 28:1638-1647
  5. Jiao, Y., and Chen, Y. 2004. An application of generalized linear model in production model and sequential population analysis. Fisheries Research. 70:367-376
  6. Jiao, Y., Chen, Y., Schneider, D., and Wroblewski, J. 2004. A simulation study of impacts of error structure on modeling stock-recruitment data using generalized linear models. Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Science. 61:122-133.
  7. Jiao, Y., Schneider, D., Chen, Y., and Wroblewski, J. 2004. An analysis of error structure in modeling the stock-recruitment data of gadoid stocks using generalized linear models. Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Science. 61:134-146

Papers on fisheries biology and management policy

  1. Jiao, Y. 2009. Regime shift in marine ecosystems and implications for fisheries management, a review. Reviews in Fish Biology and Fisheries. 19:177–191
  2. Jiao, Y., Chen, D., Liu, Q., Zhong, C., Zeng, X., and Ren, Y. 2001. Biological Characteristics of some small species in Engraulidae and Clupeidae. Journal of Fisheries of China. 25:323-329
  3. Chen, D., Jiao, Y., Liu, Q., Zeng, X., and Ren, Y. 2000. Fish species diversity in the Yellow River estuary. Acta Oceanologica Sinica. 19:125-135.
  4. Chen, D., and Jiao, Y. 1999. Tightening the management of fisheries in Yellow and Bohai Sea is the requirement of persistent fisheries. Fishery Policy. 2:11-12.

Recent selected oral conference presentations:

  1. Jiao, Y. 2009. Bayesian time-varying population growth models in assessing fish complexes: a simulation study. Annual Meeting of the American Fisheries Society. Tennessee, USA
  2. Jiao, Y. 2008. Model selection uncertainty with measurement error models: a simulation study. Annual Meeting of the American Fisheries Society. Ottawa, Canada
  3. Jiao, Y. and Reid, K. 2008. Model selection uncertainty: a comparison among age-structured models in assessing walleye (Sander vitreus) fishery in Lake Erie. Annual Meeting of the American Fisheries Society. Ottawa, Canada
  4. Jiao, Y., Cortes, E., and Andrews, K. 2008. Multi-model inference and hierarchical Bayesian models in data-poor and poor-data species assessment. National Stock Assessment Workshop, Port Townsend, Washington.
  5. Jiao, Y, Neves, R. and Jones, J. 2007. Estimation of population growth rate of endangered freshwater mussels using Bayesian model averaging. American Fisheries Society Annual Meeting. San Francisco, California
  6. Jiao, Y. 2007. Estimating uncertainty in the fisheries harvest control rules using frequentist and Bayesian approaches.  American Fisheries Society Annual Meeting. San Francisco, California
  7. Jiao, Y. 2007.  Bayesian model averaging in recruitment modeling. American Institute of Fisheries Research Biologist. Seattle, WA.
  8. Jiao, Y., Reid, K. and Nudds, T. 2005. Developing a framework of searching for robust management references for fisheries management. American Fisheries Society Annual Meeting, Anchorage, AK.
  9. Jiao, Y., Reid, K. and Nudds, T. 2005. Spatial and temporal variation in catchability of yellow perch in Lake Erie. International Association for Great Lakes Research. Ann Arbor, Michigan.
  10. Jiao, Y., Reid, K. and Nudds, T. 2005. Do walleye affect yellow perch population dynamics in Lake Erie. International Association for Great Lakes Research. Ann Arbor, Michigan.
  11. Jiao, Y., Reid, K. and Nudds, T.2005. Searching for certainty. Canadian Conference for Fisheries Research. Windsor, Ontario, Canada
  12. Jiao, Y., Reid, K. and Nudds, T. 2005. A graphical method for improving communication of complex analytical techniques and results among fisheries scientists, stakeholders and management agencies. Canadian Conference for Fisheries Research. Windsor, Ontario, Canada
  13. Nudds, T., Jiao, Y., and Reid, K. 2004. Research and development of Decision Analysis (DA) and Adaptive Management (AM) to Lake Erie Percid Fisheries. International Association for Great Lakes Research. University of Waterloo, Ontario. Canada
  14. Jiao, Y., Chen, Y. and Wroblewski, J. 2004. An application of generalized linear model in production model and sequential population analysis. Canadian Conference for Fisheries Research. St. John’s, Newfoundland, Canada
  15. Jiao, Y., Chen, Y. and Wroblewski, J. 2003. Evaluating the northern cod (Gadus morhua) fishery status using a composite risk assessment method. American Fisheries Society Annual Meeting, Quebec city, Canada.
  16. Jiao, Y., Chen, Y. and Wroblewski, J. 2002. Uncertainty associated with biological reference point for the Atlantic Cod (Gadus morhua) Fisheries in Division 2J3KL.  Oceans Management Research Network. Ottawa, Canada.

Recent Selected Invited Talks/Seminars

  • Jiao, Y. 2009. Data-poor species stock assessment using multi-model inference approach and Bayesian hierarchical models. National Academies, Committee on the Review of Sea Turtle Population Assessment Methods. Washington, D.C.

  • Jiao, Y. 2008. Possible strategies for data-poor species stock assessment: multi-model inference approach and Bayesian hierarchical models. Miami Center, Southeast Fisheries Science Center, Miami, Florida.

  • Jiao, Y. 2007. Improving stock assessment of Lake Erie walleye fisheries. Gulf of Maine Research Institute, Maine. 

  • Jiao, Y. 2006. Some examples of Bayesian method in fisheries population dynamics and stock assessment. Statistics Department, Virginia Tech University. Blacksburg, VA.

  • Jiao, Y. 2004. Lake Erie walleye stock assessment and fisheries management. Lake Erie Committee. London, Ontario, Canada.

  • Jiao, Y. 2004. Modeling uncertainty in fish population dynamics. University of British Columbia. Vancouver, BC, Canada 

Recent Honors and Awards

  1. Scholar of the week (2009). Virginia Tech
  2. Invitee to the 2004 DIALOG VI Symposium of the American Society of Limnology and Oceanography (ASLO). Only 40 recent PhDs are invited to attend each biannual DIALOG Symposium.
  3. Fellow of the School of Graduate Studies in recognition of excellence during graduate studies (2004). Memorial University of Newfoundland
  4. Royal Bank Fellowship in Marine Studies for the academic year 2001/2002 (one student per year in Canada, $5,000).
  5. Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council -Department of Fisheries and Ocean, Canada, Ocean Management Research Network Sustainability Group Graduate Student Research Grants 2001-2002 (one of five winners across Canada)
  6. Honor scholar for 2000-2001--- Recognition of excellence: in recognition of outstanding achievement and pursuit of excellence by a Memorial University student at the graduate level. Canadian International Development Agency/MUN Scholarship.

Professional Society Membership

American Institute of Fisheries Research Biologists;
American Fisheries Society;
Ecological Society of America;
Society of Conservation Biology
Sigma Xi;
International Association of Great Lakes Research;
American Elasmobranch Society;
Oceans Management Research Network;

Journal Reviewer

Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences;
Conservation Biology;
ICES Journal of Marine Science;
North American Journal of Fisheries Management;
Ecological Modeling;
Quaternary International;
Fisheries Research;
Environmental Biology of Fishes;
Fishery Bulletin;
Marine and Freshwater Research;
Journal of Environmental Informatics;

Other Professional Services

Member of the Science and Statistical Committee, South Atlantic Fisheries Management Council, NOAA (2008-).
Member of the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission, weakfish stock assessment subcommittee (2008-).
Member of the Science and Statistical Committee, Mid-Atlantic Fisheries Management Council, NOAA (2009-).
Member of the red abalone Technical Panel, California Department of Fish and Game (2007-2009)

Previous and Current students (click there names to see details of their research):

Hayes, Chris (2005-2007): Investigating single and multiple species fisheries management: stock status evaluation of hammerhead (Sphyrna spp.) sharks in the western North Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico using production models (current position: data coordinator, Atlantic Coastal Cooperative Statistics Program)

Leaf, Robert (2005-): Evolutionary effects of selective fishing and implications for fisheries management and rebuilding  (PhD candidate, NMFS-SeaGrant PhD fellowship on population dynamics)

Yu, Hao (2006-): Population dynamics of Lake Erie yellow perch with specific focus on spatial and temporal dynamics  (PhD candidate)

Hua, Dan (2007-): Population dynamics of endangered freshwater mussel in Clinch River, Virginia, with specific focus on efficiency of propagation-release and relocation approaches  (part time PhD student)

Li, Yan (2008-): Bycatch composition analysis and its implications for fisheries management(Msc)

Qing, He (2008-): Comparison of models with and without process error in modeling fisheries population dynamics, a simulation study(MSc)

Hatch, Joshua (2009-): The influence of ageing error and age-length key in fisheries stock assessment (Msc)

Awards to students under my supervision

2006-2009 Leaf, Robert: awarded the NOAA NMFS / Sea Grant Fellowship in Population Dynamics

2007 Yu, Hao: awarded the Sussman Summer Fellowship

2008 Hayes, Chris: awarded the Knauss Marine Policy Fellowship

2009 Yu, Hao: awarded the International Student Award

2009 He, Qing: awarded the AFS Equal Opportunities Section (EOS) Travel Award

Postdoc Fellows

Winter, Andreas (2007-2009): Spatial data analysis and incorporating spatial uncertainty into fisheries stock assessment. Current position: Stock Assessment Scientist, Department of Fisheries, Falkland Island

Ruan, Ning (2008-2009): nonlinear convex optimization in solving fisheries stock assessment models. Assistant Professor, School of Management, University of Shanghai for Science and Technology, Shanghai, China

Errigo, Michael (2009-); the value of process errors in the age-structured models

 

Student presentations: (* students and postdocs under my supervision)

  1. *Yu, H., Jiao, Y., Su, Z., and Reid‡, K. 2010. Performance comparison of traditional sampling designs and adaptive sampling designs for fishery-independent surveys. Canadian Conference for Fisheries Research, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada.
  2. *Tsiplova, K., Jiao Y., Reid, K., and Nudd, T. 2010. Bioeconomic Evaluation of Harvest Control Rules for Lake Erie Walleye Fishery. Canadian Conference for Fisheries Research, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada.
  3. *Li, Y., Jiao, Y., and Reid, K. 2009. Gillnet saturation in Lake Erie: effects of soak time and fish accumulation on catch-per-unit-effort of walleye and yellow perch. AFS Virginia Chapter annual meeting. Blacksburg, VA.
  4. *Yu, H., and Jiao, Y. 2009. Comparison of three sampling designs for yellow perch fishery-independent survey in Lake Erie. Annual Meeting of the American Fisheries Society. Tennessee, USA
  5. *Leaf, R., Jiao, Y., Prager, M., Berkson, J. 2009. Exploring an individual-based simulation model to investigate the changes in life-history characteristics of a fished population under size-selective fishing. Annual Meeting of the American Fisheries Society. Tennessee, USA
  6. *He, Q., and Jiao, Y. 2009. The application of AdaBoost for analyzing catch and effort data. Annual Meeting of the American Fisheries Society. Tennessee, USA
  7. *Hua, D., Jiao, Y., Neves, R.J. and King, N. 2009. Propragation and grow-out of large-sized juveniles for release and assessment of restoration in their natal rivers. International Congress for Conservation Biology. Beijing China
  8. *Yu, H., and Jiao, Y. 2009. Catch rate standardization of yellow perch (Perca flavescens) in Lake Erie: a comparison between Generalized Linear Model and Generalized Additive Model. AFS Virginia Chapter annual meeting
  9. *Leaf R. and Jiao, Y. 2009. Exploring an individual-based simulation model to investigate changes in yield and egg production characteristic of a fished population under size-selective fishing. AFS Virginia Chapter annual meeting.
  10. **Tobin, E., *Leaf, R., Lapointe, R. and Jiao, Y. 2009. Population abundance of Northern snakehead (Channa argus) in a Potomac river tributary. AFS Virginia Chapter annual meeting
  11. *Leaf, R., Jiao, Y., Prager, M., Berkson, J., and Hallerman, E. 2008. Exploring an individual-based simulation model to investigate the changes in life-history characteristics of a fished population under size-selective fishing.  National Stock Assessment Workshop, Port Townsend, Washington.
  12. *Hayes, C., Jiao, Y., and Cortes E. 2008. Comparing a multi-species to species-specific assessments of hammerhead sharks (Sphyrna spp.) using production models. Annual Meeting of the American Fisheries Society. Ottawa, Canada
  13. *Winter, A. and Jiao, Y. 2008. Spatial analyses of Lake Erie walleye distributions, 1989 - 2003. Annual Meeting of the American Fisheries Society. Ottawa, Canada
  14. *Yu, H., Jiao, Y., and Reid, K. 2008. Comparing two methods for estimating relative abundance index of yellow perch (Perca flavescens) by standardization and interpolation from fishery-independent survey data in Lake Erie. International Association for Great Lakes Research, Peterborough, Ontario.
  15. *Hayes, C.G. and Jiao, Y.  2007.  Stock assessment and management of scalloped hammerheads (Sphyrna lewini) in the northwestern Atlantic Ocean. Joint Meeting of the America Society of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists, St. Louis, Missouri.
  16. *Leaf, R., Roger-Bennet, L. and Jiao, Y.  2007.  A size-based egg-per-recruit model and parameter sensitivity analysis of red abalone, Haliotis rufescens, in northern California. Benthic Ecology Meeting, Atlanta, Georgia.
  17. *Leaf, R., Roger-Bennet, L. and Jiao, Y.  2007.  A size-based egg-per-recruit model and parameter sensitivity analysis of red abalone, Haliotis rufescens, in northern California. Benthic Ecology Meeting, Atlanta, Georgia.
  18. *Hayes, C.G. and Jiao, Y. 2007. An evaluation of three production models applied to hammerhead shark stocks in the northwestern Atlantic Ocean. Annual Meeting of the American Fisheries Society, San Francisco, California.

Dr. Yan Jiao’s Lab

For more information about current projects, course information and others, please visit Dr. Jiao’s Lab website

Last updated December 2009