Age and growth rate determination of southern bluefin tuna, Thunnus maccoyii, using otolith banding

Otoliths of southern bluefin, Thunnus maccoyii , of between 42 cm and 167 cm f.l. , taken from waters off New South Wales, South Australia, and Western Australia were prepared to reveal annual banding. Methods of preparation and examination are detailed.
Otolith growth was demonstrated to be directly proportional to fish growth over the size range studied. Sampling over 13 months provided validation of the annual nature of bands for fish in their 3rd, 4th and 5th year of growth. Band formation of fish in their 2nd, 6th, 7th, 8th and 9th years of growth also appeared to be annular, though samples were available from an insufficient number of months for confident validation.
Von Bertalanffy growth parameters derived from determined age-at-length are L_L, 261.3cm; k , 0.108, t ₀, –0.157.