On the use of conditional age at length data as a likelihood component in integrated population dynamics models

•Using unrepresentative CAAL data caused bias in dynamics and management quantities.•Estimating an age-based selectivity for unrepresentative CAAL reduced the bias.•Using representative CAAL data in a misspecified model also caused bias.•Estimating an age-based selectivity in a misspecified model magnified the bias.•Care should be taken to use CAAL due to interactions with model misspecification.