Age and Growth of Quillback Rockfish (<i>Sebastes maliger</i>) at High Latitude

Abstract

Data on age and growth of fishes is critical for effective management; however, growth rates documented in one location may not be representative of other locations, especially for species that occur across wide geographic ranges. Sebastes maliger, quillback rockfish, occur across a broad latitudinal range, but their growth patterns have been quantified only in the southern part of their range. To provide information for S. maliger in the more northern part of its range, we report age and growth patterns derived from otolith analysis from a population collected in southeast Alaskan waters. In southeast Alaska mean annual growth increments for years 1 and 2 range from 60–80 mm, and for ages 6–9 annual growth increments average about 20 mm. From age 10 on average the annual growth increment is about 5 mm. These data can be used in conjunction with harvest data to manage stocks of S. maliger in Alaskan waters.

Keywords

• sagittal otolith
• somatic growth
• long-lived fishes