Resource Ecology & Fisheries Management (REFM) Division

Age & Growth Program

Lowell Wakefield Rockfish Symposium

Due to the abundance of rockfish (Sebastes spp.) in Alaska waters, the Age & Growth Program has always had a special interest in rockfish age determination. Craig Kastelle and Charles Hutchinson presented ageing research at the Lowell Wakefield Rockfish Symposium 12-16 September 2005. Kastelle presented “Age validation of Pacific ocean perch (Sebastes alutus) using bomb produced radiocarbon.” Hutchinson presented results from “Using radiometric ages to develop conventional ageing methods for shortraker rockfish (Sebastes borealis),” a paper that will also be submitted for publication in the symposium proceedings.


Quality Control

Have you ever wondered what the Age & Growth Program goes through to provide quality ages? “Quality control of age data at the Alaska Fisheries Science Center” written by Dan Kimura and Delsa Anderl is available on the AFSC Age & Growth web site at http://www.
afsc.noaa.gov/refm/age/Docs/MF04141.pdf. The paper documents in substantial detail the sometimes difficult steps necessary to obtain age data that are consistent over time.

By Dan Kimura

AFSC Quarterly
Research Reports July-Sept 2005