Age-length key for Champsocephalus gunnari from Subarea 48.3, Dr Eduardo Holmberg survey, February/March 1994

An age-length key was prepared for Champsocephalus gunnari from the Subarea 48.3, based on the readings of otoliths randomly collected during the R/V Holmberg survey in Feb/Mar 1994. Small and medium sized fish (total length 12-33 cm) constituted the bulk of the samples (93%), while larger specimens (>33 cm) were scarce. At South Georgia, fish of age groups 1-4 were truly represented; at Shag Rocks, a large concentration of fish belonging to age groups 2 (90%) and 3 (10%) was found. The length weighted distribution of all the fish sampled in the Subarea 48.3 showed good correspondence between modes and, the mean lengths of age groups 1-2. Such correspondence was also obtained for age group 3 when the data from South Georgia were analyzed separately. Mean length at age presented here fall in the range of available results from previous surveys in the South Georgia region.