Validating age-determination of anglerfish and hake

Reliable measures of fish length-at-age are needed to estimate the biological reference points used in fish stock assessment.

These data are usually obtained by counting and measuring seasonal growth marks in otoliths or other calcified structures for a representative sample of the population.

For anglerfish (Lophius spp.) and hake (Merluccius merluccius) in the Northeast Atlantic, traditional age-estimation methods are unreliable. The assessments for these stocks are based on survey indices or are length-based and require accurate information on length-at-age. Without this information, accurate assessments and the estimation of MSY reference points are problematic.