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Recent News, Publications and Hot Topics


		New Publication - 11/2012: Fitzhugh, G.R., K.W. Shertzer,G.T. Kellison,, and D.M. Wyanski. 2012. Review of size- and age-dependence in batch spawning: implications for stock assessment of fish species exhibiting indeterminate fecundity. Fishery Bulletin 110(4): 413-425.(Open Access). "This study underscores the need to better understand the relationship between (1) size and age and (2) spawning frequency for species that spawn multiple times each year. Results lead us to recommend that the typical assumption, when evidence is lacking, of constant spawning frequency across size and age ranges be replaced with an assumption of increasing spawning frequency with size or age."

		New Publication - 11/2012: Nathan M. Bacheler, Jeffrey A. Buckel, and Lee M. Paramore. 2012. Density-dependent habitat use and growth of an estuarine fish. Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences 69(11):1734 -1747.(abstract) "Estuarine fish are thought to be primarily influenced by density-independent factors such as fluctuating salinities, but this paper shows that juveniles of one important estuarine species, red drum, are influenced by density-dependent factors as well. When juvenile density was high, red drum tended to expand their range northward while also exhibiting decreased individual growth rates."

		New Publication - 11/2012: Burton, M.L., J. C. Potts, and D. R. Carr . 2012. Age, growth and natural mortality of rock hind, Epinephelus adscensionis, from the Gulf of Mexico. Bull. Mar. Sci. 88(4):903-917.

		Hot Topic - 10/2012: "The 27th annual fall-winter sampling season of the Beaufort Bridgenet Ichthyoplankton Survey Program (BBISP) began the week of Oct. 15th. The BBISP, jointly coordinated by NOAA NOS and NOAA NMFS, is the longest consecutive ichthyoplankton ingress sampling program along the U.S. east coast. Sampling occurs once weekly, typically from November � May, from the NOAA / Pivers Island bridge during night-time (i.e., between ~ 7pm and 5am) flood tides. The BBISP enables development of indices of abundance for multiple species (predominantly state-managed) for use in stock assessments, and enables investigation of multi-species trends and climate effects. The BBISP is generally volunteer-supported, including personnel from NOAA (NMFS and NOS), Duke University Marine Laboratory, UNC�s Institute of Marine Sciences, NCSU�s Center for Marine Science and Technology, NC Division of Marine Fisheries, and Carteret Community College. For more information, contact Todd Kellison (todd.kellison@noaa.gov) or Chris Taylor (chris.taylor@noaa.gov)."

		New Publication: Larisa Avens, Lisa R. Goshe, Craig A. Harms, Eric T. Anderson, April G. Hall, Wendy M. Cluse, Matthew H. Godfrey, Joanne Braun-McNeill, Brian Stacy, Rhonda Bailey, and Margaret M. Lamont. 2012. Population characteristics, age structure, and growth dynamics of neritic juvenile green turtles in the northeastern Gulf of Mexico. Marine Ecology Progress Series 458:213-229 (Open Access). "Sampling sea turtle populations in the water is usually very difficult, but mass cold stun events like the one involving ~5,000 turtles that took place in Florida during January of 2010 can offer unique opportunities for doing so. We integrated findings from full necropsies and skeletal growth mark analyses for a subset of green sea turtles that did not survive the 2010 cold stun to learn about population sex ratio, health status, and age structure. The skeletal growth marks also allowed us to look back in time to describe growth patterns and factors influencing growth over the past decade." For more information on these types of studies, visit the SEFSC National Sea Turtle Aging Laboratory�s webpage.

		New Publication: Muñoz, R.C., Zgliczynski, B.Z., Laughlin, J.L., and B.Z. Teer. 2012. Extraordinary Aggressive Behavior From the Giant Coral Reef Fish, Bolbometopon muricatum, in a Remote Marine Reserve. PLoS ONE 7(6): e38120. "What does the world's largest parrotfish have in common with hoofed mammals? We discovered that apparently to intimidate rival males and establish dominance prior to mating, male bumphead parrotfish use their enlarged forehead in violent male-male aggressive contests (headbutting). Such behavior has never been reported in marine fishes." For the full publication, click on the parrotfish image.

		New Publication: Natalina A. Dellabianca, Aleta A. Hohn, R. Natalie P. Goodall. 2012. Age estimation and growth layer patterns in teeth of Commerson's dolphins(Cephalorhynchus c. commersonii) in subarctic waters. Marine Mammal Science 28:378-388. "Can we accurately and precisely estimate the age one of the world's smallest cetaceans? Doing so would help us better understand population dynamics, including effects of animals caught accidentally in gillnets, and assist with evaluating effects of climate change. This article addresses that question and determines that we can." For the full publication, click on the dolphin image and see (figure 2)

		New Publication: Roberta Petitet, Eduardo R. Secchi, Larisa Avens, Paul G. Kinas. 2012. Age and growth of loggerhead sea turtles in southern Brazil. Marine Ecology Progress Series 456:255-268. Click on turtle image for abstract. "Which grow faster--juvenile and subadult loggerhead sea turtles from Brazil or from the southeast US? In the first study of its kind, we obtained age and growth estimates from South Atlantic sea turtles by analyzing growth marks in their bones. With these results, we can definitely answer the question with "it depends". For more information on these types of studies, click on the link SEFSC National Sea Turtle Aging Laboratory's webpage.

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