562 



Fishery Bulletin 92(3), 1994 





B 



Figure 6 



The scale impression (A) and sectioned otolith (B), as seen in transmitted 

 light, from a male, 10-year-old weakfish, Cynoscion regalis, TL=845 mm, 

 collected in mid-May. Arrows indicate marks counted as annuli. 



May, to remove seasonal effects. Although linear re- 

 gressions were significant for scales (/•-=(). 95, 

 P=0.0001) and otoliths (r 2 =0.92, P=0.0001), a qua- 

 dratic term improved the model fit and was signifi- 

 cant (P=0.0003 scales, P=0.0001 otoliths) (Fig. 10). 

 Equations were 



For scales: 



TL = -151.6 + 160.2 SR - 5.4 SR 2 (r 2 =0.96, n=88, P=0.0001); 



For otoliths: 



TL = -220.9 + 543.1 OR- 66.9 OR 2 (r=0.94, n=88, P=0.0001). 



The pattern of mean annual growth increments 

 differed between scales and otoliths. Both scales and 

 otoliths showed their largest growth increment from 

 the focus to the first annulus (Fig. 11 ). However, once 

 fish had reached age 1, the largest otolith annual 

 growth increment occurred between the first and 



