IS That Fish Older than You?
December 2022
Is it possible that the fish you just caught is older than you? Well, it is unlikely unless you are under 10 years old or the fish you caught is a Bigmouth Buffalo or Greenland Shark . The oldest freshwater fish is a Bigmouth Buffalo, a species of sucker. This fish was caught in 2019 in Minnesota and was over 112 years old! The oldest saltwater fish is a Greenland Shark. This fish was over 400 years old!
While those outliers are certainly extreme, it is also quite interesting to know the age of the fish you catch and target. For example, a keeper (28”) Striped Bass is 7.5 years old and a keeper Tautog (16”) is 6.5 years old.
How Do We Measure Fish Age?
To estimate the age of a fish, scientists use either scale samples or measuring the otolith or ear bones. As fish age scales and the bones show annual growth rings, like the annual rings you see in a tree trunk. The age measurement is an estimate and scientists use aggregate data from multiple fish to make conservation and management decisions.
Gamefish Fish Ages
Ages and sizes of common saltwater gamefish
Source: https://portal.ct.gov/DEEP/Fishing/General-Information/How-Old-Is-Your-Fish
Ages and sizes of common freshwater gamefish
Source: https://www.canr.msu.edu/resources/determining_the_age_of_fish_e1774
Additional Fish Age Links
There is a lot of information online about fish age and length studies. Here are some of the ones I referenced in this article.
SUMMARY
Fisheries management departments use fish age and length studies to decide fish stock health and set yearly fishing regulations. A huge amount of effort is invested to collect and analyze this data. The Northeast Fisheries Science Center reviews the ages of about 76,000 fish and shellfish and targets over 20 distinct species.
Tight lines … Captain P.