Validation of Otoliths for Determining Age of Golden Perch, a Long-Lived Freshwater Fish of Australia

Abstract

Sectioned sagittal otoliths have been validated for age determinations of golden perch Macquaria ambigua to age 9. However, previous studies have estimated ages up to 26 years. I used two known-age fish of ages 20 and 22 years to confirm that sectioned otoliths are valid for estimating the true age of old golden perch. The present study has validated the periodicity and stability of annulus formation over a long period of time as well as the accuracy of the age estimates. Accurate age assessments and confirmation of the consistency of annulus formation over time (>20 years) are important for increasing confidence for managers of the remaining golden perch populations.