A revised diet matrix to improve the parameterization of a West Florida Shelf Ecopath model for understanding harmful algal bloom impacts

•Uncertain parameters limit the ability of models to reliably inform management.•The diet matrix of a West Florida Shelf Ecopath model was highly uncertain.•A more reliable diet matrix was constructed using a robust statistical model.•The revised diet matrix increased complexity and omnivory in the Ecopath model.•It also resulted in more realistic predation mortality rates for many fish groups.