Fluctuation of strontium concentration in the otolith of red sea bream Pagrus major in the Tsushima Warm Current area

Elemental analyses, using wave-length dispersive X-ray spectrometers, on th e otolith of 1-year-old red sea bream, Pagrus major, from five areas in the Tsushima Warm Current showed the two fluctuation patterns of strontium L a lpha X-ray counts. The strontium X-ray counts in the otolith sections from the area off Nagasaki Prefecture were approximately constant while some sli ght fluctuations on the edge were found in a few otoliths. However, the cou nts in the otoliths from the area off Akita Prefecture distinctively increa sed with otolith growth and decreased after peaks were shown. Coefficients of variation of strontium X-ray counts of individuals were 5.84 similar to 8.53% for fish from the area off Nagasaki Prefecture and 6.44 similar to 13 .40% for fish from the area off Akita Prefecture.