Age-at-maturity estimates for Atlantic coast female striped bass
Transactions of the American Fisheries Society
By: David L. Berlinsky, Mary C. Fabrizio, John F. O'Brien, and Jennifer L. Specker
Links
- More information: Publisher Index Page (via DOI)
- Download citation as: RIS | Dublin Core
Abstract
This study was undertaken to estimate the percentage of mature female striped bass Morone saxatilis present in each age-class during annual coastal feeding migration. Migratory striped bass (N = 302) were sampled in coastal Rhode Island waters during spring (May-June) and fall (September-November) from 1985 to 1987. Stocks were identified by analysis of morphometric characters and isoelectric focusing of eye-lens proteins. Histological sections of ovarian tissue were used to categorize maturity state. Fish were considered mature if a class of oocytes measuring at least 150 μm and containing cytoplasmic inclusions was found in the ovarian sections. All females whose age at next potential spawning was 7 and older were mature. Our empirical observations indicated that 12% of fish in age-class 4, 34% of fish in age-class 5, and 77% of fish in age-class 6 were mature. The estimate of the proportion of mature fish in age-class 5 differs significantly from that of Merriman (1941), who also examined coastal migrants. No significant differences were found in maturity estimates of fish from stocks of different origin.
| Publication type | Article |
|---|---|
| Publication Subtype | Journal Article |
| Title | Age-at-maturity estimates for Atlantic coast female striped bass |
| Series title | Transactions of the American Fisheries Society |
| DOI | 10.1577/1548-8659(1995)124<0207:AAMEFA>2.3.CO;2 |
| Volume | 124 |
| Issue | 2 |
| Year Published | 1995 |
| Language | English |
| Publisher | Taylor & Francis |
| Publisher location | London, UK |
| Contributing office(s) | Great Lakes Science Center |
| Description | 8 p. |
| Larger Work Type | Article |
| Larger Work Subtype | Journal Article |
| Larger Work Title | Transactions of the American Fisheries Society |
| First page | 207 |
| Last page | 215 |
| Google Analytic Metrics | Metrics page |