Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-t7czq Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-22T18:09:34.670Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Age estimation of billfishes (Kajikia spp.) using fin spine cross-sections: the need for an international code of practice

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  20 October 2009

R. Keller Kopf ,
Katherine Drew  and
Robert L. Humphreys Jr.
R. Keller Kopf
Affiliation:
Charles Sturt University, School of Environmental Sciences, PO Box 789, Albury NSW 2640, Australia
Katherine Drew
Affiliation:
University of Miami RSMAS, Division of Marine Biology and Fisheries, 4600 Rickenbacker Causeway Miami, FL 33149, USA
Robert L. Humphreys Jr.
Affiliation:
NOAA Fisheries Service, Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center, Aiea Heights Research Facility, 99-193 Aiea Heights Drive, Suite 417, Aiea, Hawaii 96701, USA
Get access

Abstract

Fin spine ageing is the most common technique used to estimate age and growth parameters of large pelagic billfishes from the families Istiophoridae and Xiphiidae. The most suitable methods for processing and interpreting these calcified structures for age estimation have not been clearly defined. Methodological differences between unvalidated ageing studies are of particular concern for highly migratory species because multiple researchers in different regions of the world may conduct age estimates on the same species or stock. This review provides a critical overview of the methods used in previous fin spine ageing studies on billfishes and provides recommendations towards the development of a standardized protocol for estimating the age of striped marlin, Kajikia audax and white marlin, Kajikia albida. Three on-going fin spine ageing studies from Australia, Hawaii, and Florida are used to illustrate some of the considerations and difficulties encountered when developing an ageing protocol for highly migratory fish species. Particular areas of concern that may influence age and growth estimates included differences in fin spine selection, sectioning methods, criteria for identifying and measuring annuli, distinguishing false annuli, validation procedures, identification of the first annulus, and methods used to replace annuli lost due to vascularization of the fin spine core.

Keywords

Age determinationSclerochronologyGrowthPopulation dynamicsMarlinTuna longline fisheries
Type
Research Article
Information
Aquatic Living Resources , Volume 23 , Issue 1 , January 2010 , pp. 13 - 23
Copyright
© EDP Sciences, IFREMER, IRD, 2009

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Alvarado-Castillo, R., Felix-Uraga, R., 1998, Growth of Istiophorus platypterus (pisces: Istiophoridae) from the mouth of the Gulf of California. Rev. Biol. Trop. 46, 115–118.
Andrews, A.H., Burton, E.J., Coale, K.H., Cailliet, G.M., Crabtree, R.E., 2001, Radiometric age validation of Atlantic tarpon, Megalops atlanticus. Fish. Bull. 99, 389–398.
Anon. 2003, Report of the 2002 ICCAT white marlin stock assessment meeting (Madrid, 14-17 may 2002). Collect. Vol. Sci. Pap. ICCAT. 55, 350–452.
Beamish R.J. 1981, Use of fin-ray sections to age walleye pollock, pacific cod, and albacore, and the importance of this method. Trans. Am. Fish. Soc. 110, 287–299.
Berkeley, S.A., Houde, E.D., 1983, Age determination of broadbill swordfish, Xiphias gladius, from the straits of Florida, using anal fin spine sections. NOAA Tech. Rep. NMFS. 8, 137–143.
Bromhead D., Pepperell J., Wise B., Findlay J., 2004, Striped marlin: biology and fisheries. Final Report to the Australian Fisheries Management Authority and the Fisheries Research Fund. Bureau of Rural Sciences, Canberra, Australia.
Burton E.J., Andrews A.H., Coale K.H., Cailliet G.M. 1999, Application of Radiometric Age Determination to Three Long-Lived Fishes Using super(210)Pb: super(226)Ra Disequilibria in Calcified Structures: A Review. Life in the Slow Lane: Ecology and Conservation of Long-Lived Marine Animals, Am. Fish. Soc. Symp. Bethesda Maryland. 23, 77–87.
Cailliet, G.M., Smith, W.D., Mollet, H.F., Goldman, K.J., 2006, Age and growth studies of chondrichthyan fishes: The need for consistency in terminology, verification, validation, and growth function fitting. Environ. Biol. Fish. 77, 211–228. CrossRef
Campana S.E., Jones C, MacFarlane G.A., Myklevoll S. 2006, Bomb dating and age validation using the spines of spiny dogfish (Squalus acanthias). Environ. Biol. Fish. 77, 327–336.
Campana, S.E., 2001, Accuracy, precision and quality control in age determination, including a review of the use and abuse of age validation methods. J. Fish Biol. 59, 197–242. CrossRef
Cayre', P.M., Diouf, T., 1983, Estimating age and growth of little tunny, Euthynnus alletteratus, off the coast of Senegal, using dorsal fin spines. NOAA Tech. Rep. NMFS. 8, 105–110.
Chiang, W., Sun, C., Yeh, S., Su, W., 2004, Age and growth of sailfish (Istiophorus platypterus) in waters off eastern Taiwan. Fish. Bull. 102, 251-263.
Clarke M.W., Irvine SB, 2006, Terminology for the ageing of chondrichthyan fish using dorsal-fin spines. Environ. Biol. Fish. 77, 273–277.
Collette, B.B., McDowell, J.R., Graves, J.E., 2006, Phylogeny of recent billfishes (Xiphioidei). Bull. Mar. Sci. 79, 455–468.
Davie P.S., 1990, Pacific marlins: Anatomy and physiology. Massey University Press, Palmerston North, New Zealand.
Davie P.S., Hall I., 1990, Potential of dorsal and anal spines and otoliths for assessing the age structure of the recreational catch of striped marlin. In Planning the future of billfishes: Proceedings of the second international billfish symposium, Kailua-Kona, Hawaii. Edited by R.H. Stroud. pp. 287–294.
DeMartini, E.E., Uchiyama, J.H., Humphreys, R.L.,Jr, Sampaga J.D., Williams H.A., 2007, Age and growth of swordfish (Xiphias gladius) caught by the Hawaii-based pelagic longline fishery. Fish. Bull. 105, 356–367.
Drew, K., Die, D.J., Arocha, F., 2006, Understanding vascularization in fin spines of white marlin (Tetrapturus albidus). Bull. Mar. Sci. 79, 847–852.
Ehrhardt, N.M., 1992, Age and growth of swordfish, Xiphias gladius, in the northwestern Atlantic. Bull. Mar. Sci. 50, 292–301.
Fablet, R., 2006, Semi-local extraction of ring structures in images of biological hard tissues: Application to the Bayesian interpretation of fish otoliths for age and growth estimation. Can. J. Fish. Aquat. Sci. 63, 1414–1428. CrossRef
Graves, J.E., McDowell, J.R., 2003, Stock structure of the world's istiophorid billfishes: A genetic perspective. Mar. Freshw. Res. 54, 287–298. CrossRef
Hedgepeth, M.Y., Jolle, J.W. Jr., 1983, Age and growth of sailfish, Istiophorus platypterus, using cross sections from the fourth dorsal spine. NOAA Tech. Rep. NMFS. 8, 131-135.
Hill, K.T., Cailliet, G.M., Radtke, R.L., 1989, A comparative analysis of growth zones in four calcified structures of Pacific blue marlin, Makaira nigricans. Fish. Bull. 87, 829–843.
Hinton M.G., Maunder M.N., 2004, Status of striped marlin in the eastern pacific ocean in 2002 and outlook for 2003-2004.Inter-American Tropical Tuna Commission Background Papers on the Status of the Tuna and Billfish Stocks in the Eastern Pacific Ocean in 2002, Presented at the 70th Meeting of the IATTC, Held in Antigua, Guatemala, on June 24-27, 2003; 70. Meeting of the IATTC, Antigua (Guatemala), 24-27 Jun 2003.
Holland, K.N., 2003, A perspective on billfish biological research and recommendations for the future. Mar. Freshw. Res. 54, 343–347. CrossRef
Hoolihan J.P., 2006., Age and growth of indo-pacific sailfish, Istiophorus platypterus, from the Arabian gulf. Fish. Res. 78, 218–226.
Kimura D.K., Anderl D.M., Goetz B.J., 2007 Seasonal marginal growth on otoliths of seven Alaska groundfish species support the existence of annual patterns. Alaska Fish. Res. Bull. 12, 243–251.
Kopf, R.K., Davie, P.S., Holdsworth, J.C., 2005, Size trends and population characteristics of striped marlin, Tetrapturus audax caught in the New Zealand recreational fishery. N. Z. J. Mar. Freshw. Res. 39, 1145–1156. CrossRef
Langley A., Molony B., Bromhead D., Yokawa K., Wise B., 2006, Stock assessment of striped marlin (Tetrapturus audax) in the southwest pacific ocean. working paper WCPFC-SC2-2006/SA WP-6.Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission Scientific Committee Second Regular Session, Manila, Philippines.
MacQueen J., 1967, K-means: Some methods for classification and analysis of multivariate observations. The 5th Berkeley Symposium on Mathematical Statistics and Probability: 56–58.
Melo-Barrera, F.N., Felix Uraga, R., Quinonez Velazquez, C., 2003, Growth and length-weight relationship of the striped marlin, Tetrapturus audax (pisces: Istiophoridae), in Cabo san Lucas, Baja California Sur, Mexico. Cienc. Mar. 29, 305–313. CrossRef
Metcalf, S.J., Swearer, S.E., 2005, Non-destructive ageing in Notolabrus tetricus using dorsal spines with an emphasis on the benefits for protected, endangered and fished species. J. Fish Biol. 66, 1740–1747. CrossRef
Nakamura I., 1985, FAO species catalogue, vol. 5. billfishes of the world. an annotated and illustrated catalogue of marlins, sailfishes, spearfishes and swordfishes known to date. FAO/UNDP Rome, Italy.
Ortiz, M., Prince, E.D., Serafy, J.E., Holts, D.B., Davy, K.B., Pepperell, J.G., Lowry, M.B., Holdsworth, J.C., 2003, Global overview of the major constituent-based billfish tagging programs and their results since 1954. Mar. Freshw. Res. 54, 489–507. CrossRef
Panfili J., de Pontual J., Troadec J., Wright P.J., 2002, Manual of Fish Sclerochronology. Ifremer-IRD coedition, Brest, France.
Pearson, D.E., 1996, Timing of hyaline-zone formation as related to sex, location, and year of capture in otoliths of the widow rockfish, Sebastes entomelas. Fish. Bull. 94, 190–197.
Penha, J.M., Mateus, L.A., Petrere, M.P., 2004, Management and ecological note: A procedure to improve confidence in identification of the first annulus in fin-spines of fishes. Fish. Manage. Ecol. 11, 135–137. CrossRef
Prince, E.D., Lee, D.W., Zweifel, J.R., Brothers, E.B., 1991, Estimating age and growth of young Atlantic blue marlin Makaira nigricans from otolith microstructure. Fish. Bull. 89, 441–459.
Prince, E.D., Lee, D.W., Wilson, C.A., Dean, J.M., 1986, Longevity and age validation of a tag-recaptured Atlantic sailfish, Istiophorus platypterus, using dorsal spines and otoliths. Fish. Bull. 84, 493–502.
Prince, E.D., Lee, D.W., Wilson, C.A., Dean, J.M., 1984, Progress in estimating age of blue marlin, Makaira nigricans, and white marlin, Tetrapturus albidus, from the western Atlantic ocean, Caribbean Sea, and Gulf of Mexico. ICCAT Collect. Vol. Sci. Pap. 20, 435–447.
Prince E., Pulos, L.M., 1983, Proceedings of the international workshop on age determination of oceanic pelagic fishes: tunas, billfishes, and sharks. NOAA Tech. Rep. NMFS 8.
Radtke, R.L., 1983, Istiophorid otoliths: Extraction, morphology, and possible use as ageing structures. NOAA Tech. Rep. NMFS. 8, 123–129.
Radtke, R.L., Shepherd, B.S., 1991, Current methodological refinements for the acquisition of life history information in fishes: Paradigms from pan-oceanic billfishes. Comp. Biochem. Physiol. A. 100A, 323–333. CrossRef
Rasband W.S., 1997-2008, ImageJ. Ver 1.32. U. S. National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland.
Santamaria, N., Bello, G., Corriero, A., Deflorio, M., Vassallo-Agius, R., Boek, T., De Metrio, G., 2009, Age and growth of Atlantic bluefin tuna, Thunnus thynnus (Osteichthyes: Thunnidae), in the Mediterranean Sea. J. Appl. Ichthyol. 25, 38–45. CrossRef
Santiago, J., Arrizabalaga, H., 2005, An integrated growth study for North Atlantic albacore (Thunnus alalunga Bonn. 1788). ICES J. Mar. Sci. 62, 740–749. CrossRef
Skillman, R.A., Yong, M.Y.Y., 1976, Von Bertalanffy growth curves for striped marlin Tetrapturus audax and blue marlin Makaira nigricans in the north central pacific. Fish. Bull. 74, 553-566.
Speare, P., 2003, Age and growth of black marlin, Makaira indica, in east coast Australian waters. Mar. Freshw. Res. 54, 307–314. CrossRef
Sun, C.L., Wang, S.P., Yeh, S.Z., 2002, Age and growth of the swordfish (Xiphias gladius L.) in the waters around Taiwan determined from anal-fin rays. Fish. Bull. 100, 822–835.
Tovar-Avila, J, Izzo, C., Walker, T.I., Braccini, J.M., Day, R.W., 2008, Dorsal-fin spine growth of Heterodontus portusjacksoni: A general model that applies to dorsal-fin spines of chondrichthyans? Can. J. Fish. Aquat. Sci. 65, 74–82. CrossRef
Tserpes, G., Tsimenides, N., 1995, Determination of age and growth of swordfish, Xiphias gladius L., 1758, in the eastern Mediterranean using anal-fin spines. Fish. Bull. 93, 594–602.
Uchiyama, J.H., Skillman, R.A., Sampaga, J.D., DeMartini, E.E., 1998, A preliminary assessment of the use of hard parts to age central pacific swordfish, Xiphias gladius. NOAA Tech. Rep. NMFS. 142, 261–273.
Wilson, C.A., Dean, J.M., Prince, E.D., Lee, D.W., 1991, An examination of sexual dimorphism in Atlantic and Pacific blue marlin using body weight, sagittae weight, and age estimates. J. Exp. Mar. Biol. Ecol. 151, 209–225. CrossRef
Yatomi H., 1990, A potential problem in estimating the ages of the striped marlin using fin spines. In: R.H. Stroud (Ed.), Planning the future of billfishes: Proceedings of the second international billfish symposium, Kailua-Kona, Hawaii, pp 317–321.
Young J.W., Drake A.D., 2004, Age and growth of broadbill swordfish (Xiphias gladius) from Australian waters. CSIRO Marine Research, Hobart.