Validating Age Estimates from Pectoral Fin Spines and Length-Frequency Analysis of Known-Age Shortnose Sturgeon
The pectoral fin spine is the most accepted hard structure used for estimating ages of sturgeons. However, sturgeon age validation studies indicate that age estimation using fin spines typically underestimate sturgeon ages, particularly of older fish. Underestimating the ages of these long-lived species can result in inaccurate findings in population dynamics studies, such as overestimation of growth and mortality parameters. The shortnose sturgeon (Acipenser brevirostrum) is a long-lived, critically endangered fish for which population declines are attributed to anthropogenic...