Validation of age determination in Notothenia coriiceps, by means of a tag-recapture experiment at Potter Cove, South Shetland Islands

BARRERA-ORO E.; CASAUX R,

ARCHIVE OF FISHERY AND MARINE RESEARCH

Alfred Wegener Institute

Año: 1996 vol. 43 p. 205 - 216

0944-1921

Of 409 Notothenia corriceps specimens tagged and released at Potter Cove, South Shetland Islands, in successive years from 1989 to 1992, 9 were recaptured at the same site after periods between 11 and 21 months. A comparison was carried out between checks found in scales removed before and after the period of release. In scales of those seciemns recovered after 11 to 13 months, one extra annulus was laid down. The same analysis in one individual recovered after 21 months resulted in 2 extra closely spaced sclerites zones, which corresponded with an elapsed of two winter seasons. The comparative analysis between scales taken at recapture and otolith cross sections of the same individual permited a simultaneous counting of the annuli with good agreement. These results validate the principle of annual deposition of the annulus in scales and otoliths of N. coriiceps. A preliminary analysis of scales regenerated after release indicates that these observations are of value in validation studies.