Age and growth of bluenose,Hyperoglyphe antarctica (Pisces: Stromateoidei) from the lower east coast,North Island,New Zealand

Growth of the bluenose, Hyperoglyphe antarctica (Carmichael, 1818) from the lower east coast, North Island, was determined by counting growth check rings in otoliths. One growth check ring appeared to be laid down each year, so this technique is probably valid for aging bluenose. Female fish had a significantly higher growth rate than males. Comparisons of samples from three sites indicated no significant regional differences in growth. The von Bertalanffy parameters L8,K, and t0 fitted to back‐calculated fish lengths were, respectively, 81.1 cm, 0.308, ‐0.627 for males, and 86.1 cm, 0.308, ‐0.384 for females.     

Comparison of the population structure and life-history parameters of Diplodus capensis (Sparidae) in exploited and unexploited areas of southern Angola

Blacktail seabream Diplodus capensis were sampled from proximate (10 km apart) exploited and unexploited areas in southern Angola to compare their population structures and life-history parameters. Females dominated the larger size and older age classes in the unexploited area. In the exploited area the length and age frequency distributions were more equitable, but there was a lack of large and old individuals in this area due to the selective nature of fishing gear. Growth zone deposition rate was validated as being annual using mark-recapture of chemically injected (oxytetracycline) fish. In the unexploited area, females attained larger sizes and greater ages than males; however, growth and longevity were more equitable between the sexes in the exploited area. Length- and age-at-50% maturity were similar between the sexes in both areas. The sex ratio was heavily female-skewed (1:4.7) in the unexploited area but less so in the exploited area (1:2.2). Although the growth curves were significantly different for fish between areas, this was likely due to a reduction in longevity rather than a physiological change in growth. The length- and age-at-50% maturity was also similar between areas, indicating that this species either does not have the ability to respond to exploitation through physiological change in these life-history characteristics, or that the current level of exploitation is not high enough to elicit such a response. However, the female dominance in the smallest size class in the exploited area (compared to the unexploited area) indicated that a threshold may have been reached, and that this species responds to exploitation by increasing the relative number of fish that mature as females.     

东海陆架盆地南部生长断层活动特征

生长断层是在伸展和走滑盆地中一种重要且广泛存在的构造样式。通过地震资料定性识别出东海陆架盆地南部地区18条生长断层; 根据断裂对研究区各级构造单元控制作用和纵向切穿地层情况, 将其划分为一级控盆断裂、二级控凹断裂、三级控带断裂和盖层断裂; 通过断裂平面分布特征研究认为研究区的断裂以NE、NNE延伸为主, 少数为NEE方向; 利用地震剖面在研究区识别出阶梯状组合断层带、“Y”字型组合断层、多米诺式断层带、地堑、地垒等多种断裂组合样式; 又结合生长指数和断层落差两种方法对研究区生长断层的运动学特征进行了定量统计分析, 发现研究区生长断层在古近纪时期活动强度具有自西向东逐渐递减趋势, 区内断层活动期次自西向东逐渐变新, 整个研究区内生长断层在古近纪盆地裂陷—断陷期活动强度最大, 中新世后断裂活动趋于稳定。认为晚中生代以来太平洋板块西缘俯冲后撤和印度板块向亚欧板块俯冲碰撞在东海陆架盆地形成的远程蠕散效应, 使东海陆架盆地形成了拉张伸展应力场环境, 是研究区发育大量生长断层的首要原因。同时, 加强对研究区生长断层伴生构造如滚动背斜和缓坡带阶梯状断裂组合封堵形成的岩性圈闭研究, 有利于推动东海陆架中新生代盆地资源勘探可持续发展。     

Data-moderate assessments of Cape monkfish Lophius vomerinus and west coast sole Austroglossus microlepis in Namibian waters

There is global interest in providing scientific advice on optimal harvesting of all commercially exploited fish stocks. Nevertheless, many commercially important stocks lack analytical assessments. Therefore, we evaluate a data-moderate stock assessment method: the stochastic surplus production model in continuous time (SPiCT). The method was applied to two Namibian stocks: (i) the data-rich Cape monkfish Lophius vomerinus, where results are compared to a new data-rich assessment using a state–space assessment model (SAM); and (ii) the data-moderate west coast sole Austroglossus microlepis, which is an important bycatch species in the Cape monkfish fishery, but currently unassessed. The information available to the data-moderate assessment is total commercial catch, commercial catch per unit effort (CPUE), and survey CPUE. SPiCT and SAM gave largely consistent estimates of relative fishing mortality (F/F_MSY) and relative exploitable biomass (B/B_MSY) for the Cape monkfish stock, although with some discrepancies. Differences in the biomass estimates between the two assessments suggest that further investigation is required to understand the cause, and that some caution is necessary when considering the biomass of the stock. SPiCT shows that the west coast sole may be overexploited, although the confidence bounds were too wide for a firm conclusion. Similarity in the estimates of F/F_MSY for Cape monkfish in recent years, using SPiCT relative to SAM, likewise indicates the suitability of SPiCT for managing west coast sole.