Fisheries management relies on the proper understanding the fish population dynamic.
It includes determining the biological parameters, including size at maturity, duration of
spawning season, mortality estimates, age and growth. Accurate information on age of
fish is an important pre-requisite for extracting precise information on growth, mortality,
recruitment and other fundamental population parameters of fishes for stock assessment.
The outcome of conventional age estimates using length frequency data depends upon the
sample quality, selectivity of the fishing gear etc. The stock assessment results may therefore
be affected and sometimes give results which is having no bearing on reality. The hard parts
of the fishes also grow with the fish and the growth process may left some inscription on
such parts and if that can be interpreted properly, will get precise idea on growth. These
inscriptions may result from either changes in the environment which the fish inhabits, or
food availability, or physiological states of the fish. However, free swimming fishes always
lives in ideal conditions and do not leave any environment related markings in their skeletal
structures. So interpretation of hard part inscriptions need utmost care
