Free Standard AU & NZ Shipping For All Book Orders Over $80!
Register      Login
Marine and Freshwater Research Marine and Freshwater Research Society
Advances in the aquatic sciences
Shopping Cart: ( empty )
You are here: Home > Journals > MF > MF07188 > Fulltext
RESEARCH ARTICLE
Contents Vol 59(8)

Using traditional age and growth techniques in endangered species management: eastern freshwater cod, Maccullochella ikei

Gavin L. Butler A B and Stuart J. Rowland A
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations

A NSW Department of Primary Industries, Grafton Aquaculture Centre, PMB 2, Grafton, NSW 2460, Australia.

B Corresponding author. Email: Gavin.Butler@dpi.nsw.gov.au

Marine and Freshwater Research 59(8) 684-693 https://doi.org/10.1071/MF07188
Submitted: 15 October 2007  Accepted: 2 June 2008   Published: 22 August 2008

Abstract

Age and growth estimates can be difficult to obtain for endangered fishes owing to their relative low abundance and the ethics associated with sampling threatened populations. The eastern freshwater cod, Maccullochella ikei Rowland 1985, is an endangered freshwater fish endemic to the Clarence and Richmond Rivers of New South Wales, Australia. Bony parts were gathered from archival collections and hatcheries, as well as opportunistically from the wild, to determine age and growth. Examination of opercular bones and dorsal spine sections revealed no consistent annuli. Sectioned otoliths exhibited consistent bipartite rings throughout the structures and 106 otoliths were used to estimate the age of cod from 0+ to 15+ years. Edge increment analysis and known-age cod were used to validate the age estimates. The von Bertalanffy growth equation for M. ikei is Lt = 704.9 (1–exp (–0.20 (t + 0.14))). A length–weight relationship of W = 2.80 × 10–6 × L3.2467 was established from 372 cod collected using non-destructive techniques. Significant differences were found in the relative condition of cod in summer (Kn = 0.999) and winter (Kn = 1.026). The information presented in this paper will assist in the conservation of M. ikei and will provide a guide for future age and growth studies of threatened species.

Additional keywords: condition factor, length-at-age, length–weight relationship, validation.


Acknowledgements

This study is from PhD research undertaken by G. Butler and was supported by Southern Cross University, NSW Department of Primary Industries, the Australian Research Council and Rous Water. All sampling was undertaken in accordance with the Australian Code of Practice for the Care and Use of Animals for Scientific Purposes (Permit No: 04/12). We would particularly like to thank Kevin Clark, Ron Cockbain, Col Graham, Max Graham, Jack Rowland, Ian Wooden, Mike Gilbert, James Knight, Robert Predo, Peter Boyd and Andy Moore for their tireless assistance with fieldwork. We would also like to acknowledge Professor Peter Baverstock for providing support and guidance. Thanks also to Dr Danny Bucher, Dr Kevin Rowling, Dr John Stewart, Dr Dean Gilligan and the anonymous referees for their comments on drafts of this paper.


References

Anderson, J. R. , Morison, A. K. , and Ray, D. J. (1992a). Age and growth of Murray Cod, Maccullochella peelii (Perciformes: Percichthyidae), in the Lower Murray-Darling Basin, Australia, from thin-sectioned otoliths. Australian Journal of Marine and Freshwater Research 43, 983–1013.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | Anon  (2004). ‘Eastern Freshwater Cod (Maccullochella ikei) Recovery Plan.’ (New South Wales Fisheries: Nelson Bay.)

Beamish, R. J. , and McFarlane, G. A. (1983). The forgotten requirement for age validation in fisheries biology. Transactions of the American Fisheries Society 112, 735–743.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | Busacker G. P., Adelman I. R., and Goolish E. M. (1990). Growth. In ‘Methods for Fish Biology’. (Eds C. B. Schreck and P. B. Moyle.) pp. 363–388. (American Fisheries Society: Bethesda.)

Campana, S. E. (2001). Accuracy, precision and quality control in age determination, including a review of the use and abuse of age validation methods. Journal of Fish Biology 59, 197–242.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | Campbell N. A., Mitchell L. G., and Reece J. B. (1997). ‘Biology: Concepts and Connections. 2nd edn.’ (Benjamin Cummings Publishing Company: Menlo Park, CA, USA.)

Clapp, D. F. , Clark, R. D. , and Diana, J. S. (1990). Range, activity and habitat of large, free-ranging brown trout in a Michigan stream. Transactions of the American Fisheries Society 119, 1022–1034.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | Dakin W. J., and Kesteven G. L. (1938). The Murray cod ((Maccullochella macquariensis) (Cuv. et Val.)). New South Wales State Fisheries Research Bulletin, No.1. (New South Wales Fisheries: Sydney.)

Davies, P. E. , and Sloane, R. D. (1986). Validation of ageing and length back-calculation in rainbow trout, Salmo gairdneri Rich., from Dee Lagoon, Tasmania. Australian Journal of Marine and Freshwater Research 37, 289–295.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | Foley M., and Steenbeeke G. (1997). Clarence Catchment River Flows. Clarence Catchment Management Committee. Available at http://www.nor.com.au/environment/clarencecatchment/discharge.htm [Verified 15 June 2006].

Froese, R. (2004). Keep it simple: three indicators to deal with overfishing. Fish and Fisheries 5, 86–91.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | Hallerman E. M. (2003). Quantitative genetics. In ‘Population Genetics: Principles and Applications for Fisheries Scientists’. (Ed. E. M. Hallerman.) pp. 261–290. (American Fisheries Society: Bethesda.)

Harris, J. H. (1985). Age of Australian Bass, Macquaria novemaculeata (Perciformes: Percichthyidae), in the Sydney Basin. Australian Journal of Marine and Freshwater Research 36, 235–246.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | Harris J. H., and Rowland S. J. (1996). Australian Cods and Basses. In ‘Freshwater Fishes of South-Eastern Australia’. (Ed. R. McDowall.) pp. 150–63. (Reed Books: Sydney.)

Harrison, E. J. , and Hadley, W. F. (1979). A comparison of the use of cleithra to the use of scales for age and growth studies. Transactions of the American Fisheries Society 108, 452–456.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | Hawkes G. P. (1991). A limnological study of the Nymboida River, NSW, with some reference to the fishes. Honours Thesis, University of New England, Lismore.

Kiffney P. M., Bilby R. E., and Sanderson B. L. (2005). Monitoring the effects of nutrient enrichment on freshwater ecosystems. In ‘Monitoring Stream and Watershed Restoration’. (Ed. P. Roni.) pp. 237–266. (American Fisheries Society: Bethesda.)

King M. (1995). ‘Fisheries Biology, Assessment and Management.’ (Fishing News Books: Oxford.)

Kirwin M. L. (2000). Age and growth of estuary perch Macquaria colonorum (Perciformes: Percichthyidae) in the Beem River, eastern Victoria. Marine and Freshwater Resources Internal Report No. 16. (Marine and Freshwater Resources Institute: Queenscliff.)

Kohler, A. C. (1964). Variations in the growth of Atlantic Cod (Gadus morhua L.). Journal of the Fisheries Research Board of Canada 21, 57–100.
Lintermans M., Rowland S., Koehn J., Butler G., Simpson R., and Wooden I. (2004). The status, threats, and management of freshwater cod species Maccullochella spp. in Australia. In ‘Management of Murray Cod in the Murray-Darling Basin: Statement Recommendations and Supporting Papers’. (Eds M. Lintermans and B. Phillips.) pp. 15–29. (Murray-Darling Basin Commission: Canberra.)

Luckie K. (1998). Clarence River Catchment Water Quality Review. Report No. NC/13/97. ISBN 0731303687. (Department of Land and Water Conservation: Grafton.)

Maceina, M. J. , Boxrucker, J. , Buckmeier, D. L. , Gangl, S. , Lucchesi, D. O. , Iserman, D. A. , Jackson, J. R. , and Martinez, P. J. (2007). Current status and review of freshwater fish aging procedures used by state and provincial fisheries agencies with recommendations for future directions. Fisheries 32, 329–340.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | Odum E. P. (1997). ‘Ecology: A Bridge Between Science and Society.’ (Sinauer Associates Incorporated: Sunderland.)

Panfili, J. , and Tomas, J. (2001). Validation of age estimation and back-calculation of fish length based on otolith microstructures in tilapias (Pisces, Cichlidae). Fishery Bulletin 99, 139–150.
Pollard D. A., and Wooden I. (2002). Interim results of surveys in the Clarence and Richmond River systems. Supplement to ‘Eastern Freshwater Cod (Maccullochella ikei) Recovery Plan’. (New South Wales Fisheries: Nelson Bay.)

Reimers, N. (1979). A history of a stunted brook trout population in an alpine lake: a lifespan of 24 years. California Fish and Game 64, 196–215.
Rowland S. J. (1985). Aspects of the biology and artificial breeding of the Murray cod, Maccullochella peeli, and the eastern freshwater cod, M. ikei sp.nov. (Pisces: Percichthyidae). Ph.D. Thesis, Macquarie University, Sydney.

Rowland S. J. (1989). Fisheries research: conservation of the eastern freshwater cod. In ‘Biennial Research Report July 1987–June 1989, Agricultural Research and Advisory Station, Grafton’. (Eds P. T. Mears, D. W. Hennessy and S. J. Rowland.) p. 8. (NSW Department of Agriculture and Fisheries: Grafton.)

Rowland, S. J. (1993). Maccullochella ikei, an endangered species of freshwater cod (Pisces: Percichthyidae) from the Clarence River system, NSW and M. peelii mariensis, a new subspecies from the Mary River system, Qld. Records of the Australian Museum 45, 121–145.
Schiller C. B., and Harris J. H. (2001). Native and alien fish. In ‘Rivers as Ecological Systems: The Murray-Darling Basin’. (Ed. W. J. Young.) pp. 229–258. (Murray Darling Basin Commission: Canberra.)

Schlosser, I. J. (1995). Critical landscape attributes that influence fish population dynamics in headwater streams. Hydrobiologia 303, 71–81.
Secor D. H., Dean J. M., and Laban E. H. (1992). Otolith removal and preparation for microstructural examination. In ‘Otolith Microstructure Examination and Analysis’. (Eds D. K. Stevenson and S. E. Campana.) pp. 19–57. (Canadian Special Publications of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences, Number 117.) (Department of Fisheries and Oceans: Ottawa.)

Werner, E. E. , Gilliam, J. F. , Hall, D. J. , and Mittlebach, G. G. (1983). Experimental tests of optimal habitat use in fish: the role of relative habitat profitability. Ecology 64, 1525–1539.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | Wright P. J., Panfili J., Morales-Nin B., and Geffen A. J. (2002). Types of calcified structures: otoliths. In ‘Manual of Fish Sclerochronology’. (Eds J. Panfili, H. D. Pontual, H. Troadec and P. J. Wright.) pp. 31–57. (Ifremer-IRD: Brest.)

Xiao, Y. (2000). Use of original von Bertalanffy growth model to describe the growth of barramundi, Lates calcifer (Bloch). Fishery Bulletin 98, 835–841.