AGE, GROWTH, AND MORTALITY OF BONEFISH, ALBULA VULPES, FROM THE WAFERS OF THE FLORIDA KEYS

We examined 528 bonefish ranging from 21 to 702 mm FL collected in Sou th Florida waters from 1989 to 1995. Ages of 451 bonefish ranging from 228 to 702 mm FL were estimated from thin-sectioned otoliths (sagitta e). Examination of OTC-marked otoliths from five fish held in a pond i n the Florida Keys for periods ranging from 14 to 29 months suggested that a single annulus was formed each year. Marginal-increment analysi s also showed that a single annulus was formed each year during March- June. Bonefish reach a maximum age of at least 19 years. Growth of the bonefish in our study was rapid until an age of about six years and t hen slowed considerably. The von Bertalanffy growth equation for femal es was FL=680.9(1-e((-0.279(Age+0.934)))) and for males was FL=670.7(1 -e((-0.242(Age+1.318)))). The over-all growth models for males and fem ales were significantly different, but estimates of individual growth parameters L(infinity), K, and t(0) were not. Predicted lengths of fem ales were greater than those of males for all ages greater than 1 year . Catch-curve estimates of instantaneous rates of total mortality (2) were 0.21 (95% confidence interval 0.167-0.303) for females and 0.25 ( 95% confidence interval 0.098-0.406) for males. Empirically derived es timates of natural mortality were similar to total mortality estimates , suggesting that fishing mortality is low.