Another New Zealand centenarian: age validation of black cardinalfish (Epigonus telescopus) using lead–radium and bomb radiocarbon dating

Black cardinalfish (Epigonus telescopus, Apogonidae) is an important component of deepsea commercial fishing activity in the New Zealand region. It is estimated to live longer than 100 years on the basis of counts of unvalidated annual growth zones in otoliths. Age-validation procedures for long-lived fishes are often one of the following two techniques: (1) lead–radium disequilibria, which uses the natural decay of radium-226 into lead-210 as a natural clock; or (2) bomb radiocarbon (Δ14C) dating, which relies on the marine signal created by nuclear testing. The high estimated lifespan, as well as the large size of the otolith core region, make E. telescopus an excellent candidate for a combined application of these two independent age-validation techniques. The lead–radium dating using otolith cores indicated that growth-zone counts less than ~60 years were consistent with radiometric ages, whereas higher counts appeared to be under-estimates. There was 95% confidence that maximum age was at least 95 years. The validation indicated that fish aged over 60 years tended to be under-aged by up to 30%. The bomb radiocarbon levels in otolith cores supported age estimates up to ~40 years made from zone counts, and by inference from the zone counts validated with lead–radium dating, longevity exceeds 100 years.

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Age validation of walleye pollock (Theragra chalcogramma) from the Gulf of Alaska using the disequilibrium of Pb-210 and Ra-226

ICES Journal of Marine Science ◽

10.1016/j.icesjms.2006.06.002 ◽

2006 ◽

Vol 63 (8) ◽

pp. 1520-1529 ◽

Cited By ~ 11

Author(s):

Craig R. Kastelle ◽

Daniel K. Kimura

Keyword(s):

Accurate Determination ◽

Gulf Of Alaska ◽

Growth Zone ◽

Walleye Pollock ◽

Theragra Chalcogramma ◽

Age Validation ◽

Important Species ◽

The North ◽

Walleye Pollock Theragra Chalcogramma ◽

Radiometric Ages

Abstract The walleye pollock (Theragra chalcogramma) is a commercially important species in the North Pacific, and harvest quotas are dependent upon accurate determination of ages. The two techniques (called methods A and B) currently used to interpret the growth zone patterns in walleye pollock otoliths were compared. The age distributions from these two techniques differed; method B produced ages twice that of method A. Validation of ages from walleye pollock has not been done previously. Radiometric ageing based on the ratio of Pb-210/Ra-226 was used to evaluate the accuracy of otolith growth zone counts, and it demonstrated that method A, which produced younger ages between 3 and 8 years, was correct. Walleye pollock grow older than the 3–8 year (method A) age range validated in this study. The experimental design was limited to a maximum method A age of 8 years, because available samples did not provide the minimum of 40 fish required for estimating a radiometric age. Our radiometric ageing study on walleye pollock appears to be the first to use the Pb-210/Ra-226 radiometric age-validation method in a boreal fish species where all samples were potentially young, 8 years or less. In previous studies, radiometric ages often approached 100 years. Also, only one presumed year class was used, which was sampled in successive years. Therefore, Ra-226 sample measurements were averaged to provide lower error.

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Age validation of yellowfin (Thunnus albacares) and bigeye (Thunnus obesus) tuna of the northwestern Atlantic Ocean

Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences ◽

10.1139/cjfas-2019-0328 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 77 (4) ◽

pp. 637-643 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Allen H. Andrews ◽

Ashley Pacicco ◽

Robert Allman ◽

Brett J. Falterman ◽

Erik T. Lang ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Growth Zone ◽

Yellowfin Tuna ◽

Age And Growth ◽

Thunnus Albacares ◽

Bigeye Tuna ◽

Age Validation ◽

Thunnus Obesus ◽

Bomb Radiocarbon ◽

Age Estimates ◽

Age Reading

Estimates of age and growth of yellowfin (Thunnus albacares) and bigeye (Thunnus obesus) tuna remain problematic because validation of growth zone deposition (opaque and translucent) has not been properly evaluated. Otolith growth structure (zone clarity) can be poorly defined for tropical tunas, but the use of bomb radiocarbon dating has validated age estimates to 16–18 years for yellowfin and bigeye tuna. Use of the radiocarbon decline period — defined by regional coral and otoliths — provided valid ages through ontogeny. Yellowfin tuna aged 2–18 years (n = 34, 1029–1810 mm FL) and bigeye tuna aged 3–17 years (n = 12, 1280–1750 mm FL) led to birth years that were coincident with the bomb radiocarbon decline. The results indicate there was no age reading bias for yellowfin tuna and that age estimates of previous studies were likely underestimated for both species.

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Lead–radium dating of orange roughy (Hoplostethus atlanticus): validation of a centenarian life span

Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences ◽

10.1139/f09-059 ◽

2009 ◽

Vol 66 (7) ◽

pp. 1130-1140 ◽

Cited By ~ 21

Author(s):

Allen H. Andrews ◽

Dianne M. Tracey ◽

Matthew R. Dunn

Keyword(s):

Life Span ◽

Age Groups ◽

Growth Zone ◽

Age Validation ◽

Orange Roughy ◽

Thin Sections ◽

Lead 210 ◽

High Degree ◽

Hoplostethus Atlanticus ◽

Age Estimates

Life-span estimates for orange roughy ( Hoplostethus atlanticus ) range from ~20 years to well over 100 years. In this study, an improved lead–radium dating technique provided independent age estimates from sagittal otoliths. This technique used the known properties of radioactivity for lead-210 and radium-226 to determine the validity of fish age estimates. An improvement to lead–radium dating using mass spectrometry allowed the use of smaller samples than previously possible; therefore, an application was made to otolith cores, the first few years of otolith growth. This approach circumvented the use of whole otoliths and alleviated many of the assumptions that were necessary in previous lead–radium dating applications. Hence, it was possible to critically evaluate lead–radium dating as a tool in fish age validation. The measurement of lead–radium ratios for a series of age groups that consisted of otolith cores, grouped based on growth-zone counts from thin sections, showed a high degree of correlation to the expected lead–radium ingrowth curve. This finding provided support for age estimation procedures using thin otolith sectioning. As independent estimates of age, the results indicated that fish in the oldest age group were at least 93 years old, providing robust support for a centenarian life span.

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Using Conditional Lorenz Curves to Examine Consolidation in New Zealand Commercial Fishing

Marine Resource Economics ◽

10.5950/0738-1360-27.4.303 ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 27 (4) ◽

pp. 303-321 ◽

Cited By ~ 14

Author(s):

Kobi Abayomi ◽

Tracy Yandle

Keyword(s):

New Zealand ◽

Commercial Fishing ◽

Lorenz Curves

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Bomb dating, age validation and quality control of age determinations of monodontids and other marine mammals

NAMMCO Scientific Publications ◽

10.7557/3.2987 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 8 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Steven E Campana ◽

Robert EA Stewart

Keyword(s):

Quality Control ◽

Marine Mammals ◽

Age Determination ◽

Age Validation ◽

Age Bias ◽

Bomb Radiocarbon ◽

Control Protocols ◽

The 1960S ◽

Age Determinations

Methods for confirming the accuracy of age determination methods are reasonably well established in fishes, but the millions of routine age determinations which take place every year require their own quality control protocols. In contrast, methods for ensuring accuracy in age determination of monodontids and other marine mammals are still being developed. Here we review the basis and application of bomb radiocarbon to marine mammal age validation, highlighting its value for providing unambiguous estimates of age for belugas and other long-lived animals which form growth bands. Bomb radiocarbon is particularly useful for marine mammals, given that the age of an individual animal can be determined to within ±1-3 years, as long as it was alive during the 1960s. However, ongoing age determinations require careful monitoring to ensure that age interpretations remain consistent across ages and through time. Quality control protocols using reference collections of ageing material, in conjunction with age bias plots and measures of precision, are capable of detecting virtually all of the systematic ageing errors that often occur once age determinations of an animal become routine.

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Kahawai Phylogeny and Phylogenetics: A Genetic Investigation into Commercial and Recreational Fisheries Management and Practice

10.26686/wgtn.16985434 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

◽

Brenton Hodgson

Keyword(s):

New Zealand ◽

Common Ancestor ◽

Coastal Communities ◽

Commercial Fishing ◽

Recreational Fisheries ◽

Monophyletic Clade ◽

Genetic Investigation ◽

Fish Stocks ◽

Modern Times ◽

The Family

<p>Globally, commercially exploited fish species are coming under more and more pressure as the population of humans grow. Protein from the sea has traditionally been available to coastal communities throughout history. In modern times however, traditional artisanal fisheries have been replaced by commercial fishing industries. It is estimated by some authorities that these modern fisheries have led to decreases in pre-exploitation biomass of desirable species of up to 90%. As desirable species decline, secondary species become more valuable and subject to exploitation. An issue with this exploitation is that management decisions of fish stocks are often based on political or commercial concerns rather than sound science focussed on preserving stocks, and ultimately, fishing industries. To investigate phylogenetic and phylogeographic relationships of fish, kahawai (Arripis trutta) was used as a proxy species. A. trutta is one of only four members of the genus Arripis, which in turn is the sole member of the family Arripidae. It was found that a single, highly connected population of A. trutta inhabit New Zealand waters, and approximately 15 migrants per generation make the journey between New Zealand and Australia, genetically linking these populations. A phylogeny of A. trutta was resolved using mitochondrial DNA, and while COX1 data supported the hypothesis that A. trutta forms a monophyletic clade within the Stromateoids (medusa fish, squaretails and drift fish) and the Scombrids (tuna, mackerel and their allies) suggesting a common ancestor, other data collected during the investigation does not support this hypothesis.</p>

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The Potential for Historical Studies of Fisheries in Australia and New Zealand

The Exploited Seas ◽

10.5949/liverpool/9780973007312.003.0009 ◽

2001 ◽

pp. 181-206 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Malcolm Tull ◽

Tom Polacheck

Keyword(s):

New Zealand ◽

Primary Sources ◽

Commercial Fishing ◽

Secondary Literature ◽

Trawl Fishery ◽

Small Family ◽

The Impact

Malcolm Tull, Tom Polacheck, and Neil Klaer examine the primary sources - particularly printed statistical sources - and secondary literature in order to understand the impact of commercial fishing and harvesting of fish across Australia and New Zealand - including a case study of the multi-species Southeast Australain Trawl Fishery. The authors note that fisheries in Australia and New Zealand have historically been managed by small, family operations, so the records pertining to them are sparse. As a result, most of the records in this chapter come from governmental sources - such as reports and inquiries into Australasian fisheries.

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