Use of Known-Age Red Drums to Validate Scale and Otolith Ages and to Estimate Growth in Fresh Water

Abstract

Known-age red drums Sciaenops ocellatus from a 1984 stocking in a freshwater heated reservoir were used to validate aging techniques and to directly estimate growth. Annuli on scale impressions and otolith sections were easily identified for age estimations; however, estimates from the two structures differed after age 0. Among the 18 4-year-old red drums assayed, scales indicated age 2 for 13 fish and age 1 or 3 for 5 fish. Otoliths that were available from eight of these fish all indicated age 3. Red drums grew to approximately 404, 597, and 682 mm total length by 12, 24, and 36 months, respectively, according to the fitted von Bertalanffy growth parameters of L∞ = 749 mm, K = 0.82, and t0 = 0.05 years.