Age Determination of the Azov Anchovy Engraulis encrasicolus maeoticus (Engraulidae) Based on the Otolith Image Analysis

Abstract

To specify the age determination of the Azov anchovy Engraulis encrasicolus maeoticus, the length of otoliths of the age 0+ fish and the radii of annual rings in the otoliths of individuals of different age groups have been analysed. The otoliths of 380 fish caught in the Sea of Azov in October–November 2018 and off the northwestern coast of the Caucasus in February 2019 have been analyzed. The ImageJ software has been used for measuring the maximum otolith length and plotting the reflected light intensity profiles along the length of the otolith transect. In the fingerlings (0+) with an average total length of 70.9 ± 6.7 mm, in October–November, the otolith radius averaged 0.95 ± 0.08 mm, while in February, with an average 66.6 ± 10.6 mm, it was 0.86 ± 0.15 mm. In the smallest fish (48–55 mm), the distance from the core of the otolith to the edge of the white opaque zone varied from 0.54 to 0.72 mm (on average, 0.63 ± 0.04 mm). According to the averaged data, the radii to the center of the dark hyaline zone of otoliths for different age groups of anchovy are: R1, 0.94 ± 0.09; R2, 1.23 ± 0.08; and R3, 1.40 ± 0.07 mm. The present study is aimed at developing automatic methods for determining the age of fish from light intensity profile peaks on otolith images.