Method of age determination for Antarctic toothfish (Dissostichus mawsoni)

This work is based on material from Antarctic toothfish, collected in the Ross Sea from December 2004 to March 2005 on the longliner “Volna”.  Age was determined for 364 individuals. Currently widely applicable "the break and burn method" was used in the present work (Chilton, Beamish, 1982; Penttilla, Dery, 1988). According to the method, otolith is broken into two parts across the core.  All in all 6009 specimens of toothfish were aged using the same above described method. Otoliths were collected by Russian observers aboard longline vessels at the Ross Sea during 2002-2007 seasons. We consider the used method is appropriate for mass age determination for toothfish.