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45th Annual Larval Fish Conference & 13th International Larval Biology Symposium San Diego, California 29 August – 1 September, 2022
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Age and Growth of Atlantic Blue Marlin (Makaira nigricans) Larvae from the Coastal Waters of Cuba
Atlantic blue marlin (Makaira nigricans) are the largest species among the Istiophorids in the Atlantic Ocean with primary spawning grounds in the northern Caribbean and Bahamas. We examined the early life history dynamics of blue marlin relating to growth, distribution, and habitat conditions. Although larval growth has been described from adjacent areas in the Atlantic, this study sourced larvae from Cuba, one of the hotspots of the distribution of the species. Blue marlin larvae were collected in 2015 and 2016, were genetically identified, and 157 sagittal otoliths were aged. Larval growth rates (mm day-1) are reported for the first two weeks by examining the number of daily increments and relating these to the standard larval length (mm). Although linear and exponential models were used to estimate the rate of growth between years (2015 & 2016) and regions (north and south), the exponential growth model was a better fit. The instantaneous growth rates for samples collected in Cuba were very similar (North 2015: 0.099; South 2015: 0.124; North 2016: 0.116). However, larvae collected in the North of Cuba were larger at age than the South, yet their instantaneous growth rates were very similar, and no statistical differences in growth rates were detected between these two regions. When examining environmental conditions between regions (North & South) chlorophyll differed and between years (2015 & 2016) salinity differed. Understanding larval distribution and larval growth variability can influence blue marlin recruitment and may be related to environmental conditions in the Atlantic Basin