AGE, GROWTH AND REPRODUCTION OF THE OCEANIC WHITETIP SHARK FROM THE PACIFIC-OCEAN

We studied age, growth, and maturity of the oceanic whitetip shark Car charhinus longimanus in the North Pacific, and the reproduction in the North and South Pacific, captured with tuna longline from Nov. 1967 t o Oct. 1995. Vertebral rings were examined from 111 males (precaudal l ength: 54-172 cm) and 114 females (precaudal length: 50-195 cm). Minim um and maximum numbers of translucent rings were 0 and 11. Marginal in crement analysis suggested annualus deposition occurs during spring. A growth difference between sexes was not found. A von Bertalanffy grow th equation combining both sexes was as follows; L-t=244.58 x {1-e(-0. 103x(t+2.698))} L-t was expressed as precaudal length in cm at age t. The reproductive condition was examined from 136 males and 85 females, Maturation was determined to be when precaudal length was between 125 and 135 cm for both sexes (4-5 years). The parturition period is exte nded over a long duration. The birth size was 45-55 cm and litter size varied from 114 with a mean of approximately six in the North Pacific .