The goals of the workshop were to exchange samples processed and read from state agencies and research groups to provide information on ageing precision, bias between labs or in-lab for those with multiple readers, compare sectioned and whole otolith samples, and to improve standardization of ageing practices between states.
Ageing Research
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Atlantic croaker, Atlantic menhaden, bluefish, summer flounder, tautog, and winter flounder were identified as species of interest for the 2017 workshop which took place from April 5-6th at the Florida Fish and Wildlife Research Institute (FL FWRI) in St. Petersburg, FL.
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The species of interest for an ageing workshop were Atlantic croaker, black sea bass , bluefish , river herring (alewife and blueback), striped bass, and tautog. Each of these species previously had their own ageing workshop and the group felt that these would be most productive to include in the QA/QC exercise.
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The objectives of the reference set exchange were to (1) provide a general idea of inter‐lab precision of age determinations for Atlantic menhaden scales, (2) identify any systematic bias between labs ageing Atlantic menhaden, and (3) identify ageing uncertainty issues to focus on during the workshop. The objectives of the workshop were to (1) utilize and share the experience, knowledge, and techniques of the NOAA‐Beaufort Lab personnel, (2) assess precision and interchangeability of inter‐lab age determinations, (3) evaluate reference set samples as a group to identify similarities and differences in age determination methods, and (4) make recommendations to improve and…
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Following review of the exchange results and evaluation of samples during the workshop, the group emphasized the need for standardized ageing protocols between labs. The labs agreed to adopt the MA DMF protocol to serve as a model for collecting, preparing, and ageing river herring
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The workshop was convened to address the concerns with age data identified during the stock assessment peer review.
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At the request of the Tautog Management Board, the Commission organized a hard part exchange and ageing workshop for tautog. The objectives were to assess the precision of age readings between states and come to a consensus on best ageing practices for tautog to ensure consistency in age assignment going forward.
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The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission’s Winter Flounder Technical Committee conducted a winter flounder otolith aging comparison study in 1998, to measure interpretative consistency among four readers (Appendix I). Bias measured by this study related to systematic differences detected among comparisons between readers, but did not address accuracy relative to true age.
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At the behest of the ASMFC Bluefish Board, the Bluefish Technical Committee organized an ageing workshop to establish consistency and a common protocol of best ageing practices across state and university labs that process and read bluefish hard parts. Workshop participants also agreed to discuss the design of a coastwide sampling program intended to expand the geographical range of bluefish age samples and fill the gaps in the age-length key.
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