Effect of age, growth rate, and ontogeny on the otolith size - fish size relationship in bluefish, Pomatomus saltatrix, and the implications for back-calculation of size in fish early life history stages

Age-independent variability was found between otolith size and fish size that differed between ontogenetic stages. Stage-specific growth rate effects were also identified. Finally, the otolith size - fish size relationship changed at certain ontogenetic stage transitions. These effects, are discussed with regard to the assumption of constant proportionality between otolith growth and fish growth. In light of this discussion, the overall validity of constant proportionality becomes suspect when applied to the early life history stages of fishes. A relative size approach is presented that is appropriate in situations that require only relative measures of fish size. -from Authors