RECENT-EVIDENCE FOR THE FORMATION OF ANNUAL GROWTH INCREMENTS IN THE OTOLITHS OF YOUNG PACIFIC SARDINES (SARDINOPS-SAGAX)

Periodicity of annuli in the sagittal otoliths of sardines (Sardinops sagax) was determined using two methods: for juvenile fish by demonstr ating a relationship between the formation of the first annulus acid t he back-calculated hatch date; and for age 2 fish by examination of se asonal changes in the condition of the otolith edge. The potential exi sts for systematic aging errors associated with variability in the tim ing of the spawning peak, but this source of error was thought to be m inor in recent years. Annual monitoring of the timing of the spawning peak was suggested as a way to identify changes in the magnitude of th e error.