A comparison of traditional and novel ways of estimating growth rates from scales of natural populations of young bass (Dicentrarchus labrax)

Abstract

Traditional scale reading methods have been compared with [C]glycine uptake data to study scale growth in bass.Both methods are capable of being used to age young fish and determine their rate of growth. The glycine incorporation rate is, however, of more value in studying shortterm changes in fish growth. When applied in this way, it indicates that the apparent isometric relationship between scale and body length is actually the sum of a number of allometric interactions. Some of the errors that can occur in scale reading are demonstrated by the application of these methods.