An evaluation of different structures to age freshwater fish from a northeastern US river

Abstract

Largemouth bass, Micropterus salmoides (Lacepe`de), smallmouth bass, Micropterus dolomieu Lacepe`de, and yellow perch, Perca flavescens (Mitchill), were collected from the Hudson River, New York, USA, to compare the precision of age estimates derived from scales and otoliths. Similar procedures were used to compare otolith and spine ages from brown bullhead, Ameiurus nebulosus (Lesueur). Overall percent agreement between readers ranged from 91% to 98% for otoliths compared with 38% to 67% for scales and spines. Disagreement rates associated with scales and spines increased as fish grew older. Average percent error between readers was about an order of magnitude higher for scales and spines than for otoliths. Ages estimated from scales and spines progressively decreased as age increased based on otolith examination. The use of scales and spines to age largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, yellow perch and brown bullheads from the northeastern US was less precise and will likely lead to underestimation of age of larger and older fish.

Polychlorinated biphenyl exposure and fish recruitment from 1988 to 2002 in the upper Hudson River, New York, USA

“…Thus, longevity of largemouth bass and yellow perch in the upper Hudson River was similar to longevity of these species in other water bodies of the same latitude. As far as we know, published otoliths ages for brown bullheads have only been reported from the upper Hudson River (Maceina and Sammons, 2006). However, Rypel (2011) examined age data, presumably from sectioned spines, from 35 North American brown bullhead populations and reported maximum ages of 10 to 16 years old, similar to our observations from the Hudson River.…”

“…From 2003 to 2005, all sizes (>age 1) of yellow perch and largemouth bass were collected with DC electrofishing along pre-established transects in each pool as described by Maceina and Sammons (2013). Table A1), a subsample of all fish collected were aged with otoliths using the procedures described by Buckmeier et al (2002) and Maceina and Sammons (2006). Fish collection and processing followed applicable USEPAapproved standard operating procedures.…”

Comparison of age estimates from scale, opercular bone, otolith, vertebrae and dorsal fin ray in Labeo rohita (Hamilton), Catla catla (Hamilton) and Channa marulius (Hamilton)

“…Comparison of age estimates from various ageing structures have been reported to be undertaken in a number of fishes with a view to identify the most suitable structure for a fish population (Reid, 2007;Phelps et al, 2007;Maceina and Sammons, 2006).…”

Population characteristics of historically unexploited largemouth bass in southern New England water supply reservoirs

“…Alternatively, it is possible that ages estimated from scales inaccurately measured actual fish age, particularly of older individuals. Maceina and Sammons (2006) reported that age estimates derived from largemouth bass scales from the Hudson River, NY, typically overestimated fish ages relative to otoliths for ages 1À9, and then underestimated ages relative to otoliths for age-10þ individuals. We observed relatively few individuals age-10 and older (3, 1, and 3 for Hemlock Reservoir, Easton Reservoir, and Mansfield Hollow Reservoir, respectively); however, the extent to which underestimation of fish ages may have affected our results is unknown.…”