330 
Fishery Bulletin 106(3) 
2002 maturity collection results that were supported by 
the July 2003 results. Age-based estimates of maturity 
should be less variable, and less affected by changes in 
environmental conditions, population abundance, and 
spawning biomass levels than length-based estimates. 
Those changes can affect arrowtooth flounder growth 
rates. Growth was significantly faster for Pacific cod 
( Gadus macrocephalus) in the Bering Sea than in the 
Gulf of Alaska (Stark, 2007). Together with growth, cod 
L 50 differed significantly (P<0.001) between areas; in 
contrast, cod A go differed only slightly (P=0.02). There- 
fore, age-based maturity estimates should generally be 
considered the more reliable. 
Although not as reliable, the estimated length-at- 
maturity of female arrowtooth flounder has remained 
stable in the GOA, based on the results of this study 
