Chilton: Maturity and growth of Sebastes variabilis in the central Gulf of Alaska 
77 
Age (years) 
* 
”1 
50 
I 
60 
Figure 5 
Growth curves for (A) female dusky rockfish ( Sebastes variabilis) determined 
from 1996-2003 National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) Gulf of Alaska 
groundfish survey (GOAS) samples (gray circles) and the 2000-2001 central 
Gulf of Alaska maturity samples (asterisks) (n = 940); and (B) NMFS GOAS 
male (gray diamonds) and female (asterisks) dusky rockfish (n = 1450). Solid 
line (NMFS GOAS females) and dashed line (maturity sample females) in 
(A) illustrate the predicted relationship as do the solid (males) and dashed 
(females) lines in (B). Overlapping symbols in (A) and (B) represent two data 
points with the same value. 
for the maturity estimate were collected throughout 
the year. 
Future studies focusing on the reproductive maturity 
of rockfish would benefit from the collection of samples 
throughout the year. In this study, the seasonal tim- 
ing of ovary collections for the maturity estimate was 
crucial for the histological evaluation of the most ad- 
vanced oocytes within developing ovaries, as well as for 
highlighting the possibility of delayed development of 
small mature females within a year. In previous stud- 
ies, where a histological method has been used to evalu- 
ate rockfish reproduction, the need for seasonal sam- 
pling has been emphasized (Nichol and Pikitch, 1994; 
Shaw, 1999; Chilton, 2006). The differences in growth 
