Age and growth of sea perch (Helicolenus percoides) from two adjacent areas off the east coast of South Island, New Zealand

A validated ageing methodology using otolith thin sections is presented for sea perch (Helicolenus percoides) in two adjacent areas off the east coast of South Island, New Zealand. Oxytetracycline marking of two adult fish held in captivity for 1 year suggested that a single dark growth increment formed during winter, commencing May or June. The annual formation of growth increments was confirmed by the observed progression of year classes in comparable samples from three different years, and the progression of length modes in several consecutive years that matched the estimated growth curves. Otolith interpretation was difficult because of a central dense region and the presence of many fine bands within each growth increment, but the latter could be counted, and it is considered that a validated ageing procedure is presented. Von Bertalanffy growth parameters were calculated for east coast South Island (ECSI) and Chatham Rise males and females. In both areas the growth rate of males is slightly but significantly faster than for females. Growth is relatively slow throughout life. From the maximum observed ages for ECSI and Chatham Rise fish of 35 and 59 years, the respective natural mortality rates are estimated to be 0.12 and 0.07 year−1, but the most plausible value for the species is likely to be at the lower end of this range. Some stock differentiation between the two areas is indicated, based primarily on differences in length-frequency distributions implying different patterns of year class strengths, but also on apparent differences in growth rates between areas. This supports the present management regime of separate commercial catch quotas.