Organized competitive sportfishing has been a growing use of fishery resources for at least the last 20 years. We conducted a survey of fishery agencies in Canada, the United States, District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and U.S. Virgin Islands to estimate the numbers and types of competitive fishing events in inland and marine waters and to determine fishery agency perceptions of the benefits and problems associated with these events. Based on survey responses, there were 20,697 competitive fishing events annually. Adjusting for agencies that did not provide estimates and incomplete reporting, we estimated that there were at least 31,000 competitive fishing events annually. Most competitive fishing events were for black bass in inland waters and billfish in marine waters, but events targeted many species of fish. In inland waters, events for species other than black bass appear to be increasing. Prevalent problems of competitive fishing perceived by fishery management agencies were stimulation and concentration of fishing effort, conflicts among user groups, and impeded access. Prevalent benefits of competitive fishing were economical acquisition of catch and biological data, promotion of recreational fishing, and communication between agencies and anglers. Our survey indicated the need for accurate (rather than estimated) and current data about competitive fishing and further investigations of sociological aspects, economic values, and biological impacts of competitive fishing events.

Daily rings formed on otoliths of known-age, laboratory-raised pumpkinseed (Lepomis gibbosus), green sunflsh (L. cyanellus), bluegill (L. macrochirus), and mozambique mouthbrooder (Tilapia mossambica) for at least 176, 170, 125, and 60 days, respectively. Subdaily rings found in young laboratory and wild fish were easily distinguished from daily rings. Width of daily rings on otoliths of green sunfish was linearly related to daily increase in length of fish, but the number of rings was a product of age of fish only, not length of fish or otolith radius. Growth and daily ring formation on otoliths in wild bluegill and largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides) appeared to be similar to those in laboratory-raised fish. Otoliths of green sunfish held under simulated winter conditions ceased to produce daily rings, but did form an annulus. Two kinds of otolith tissue were present in most of the larger laboratory fish and wild bluegill but were not observed in wild largemouth bass. The first type, present in all areas of the otolith except the extreme posterior end, was translucent and had well-defined daily rings. The second type, present only in the posterior end, was opaque and had poorly etched daily rings that were difficult to discern. Both tissues were calcium carbonate in the aragonite form. Daily rings were found on otoliths offish held at constant temperature. Results of experiments with young mouthbrooders held under various light–dark and feeding cycles suggested that a 24-h light–dark cycle that entrained an internal, diurnal clock was required for daily ring production.

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Annuli in transverse thin sections of otoliths from largemouth bass Micropterus salmoides were verified by four methods. First, the number of daily rings between successive annuli was similar to the potential number of growing days in each of the first 3 years of life. Second, all of the annuli were formed between the last of April and the first part of July. Third, the lengths of age‐I‐VI largemouth bass back‐calculated from otoliths were very similar to those determined from a mark‐recapture study. Fourth, the number of otolith annuli agreed with the known ages (II+ and V+) of largemouth bass in samples from a hatchery and a lake.

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