Our laboratory seeks to provide regional stock assessment scientists and managers with training and information on demographic analysis of resource species. Much of this involves preparation of hard parts for interpretation of daily and annual increments.

Otolith Manual: Over ten years ago, John Dean, Betsy Laban, and I published a manual on how to prepare otoliths for microstructural analysis. To our surprise the manual remains in some demand, particularly among graduate students and international scientists (it has been out of print for many years).

Sectioned otolith of juvenile bluefish showing daily rings (L. Takata)

We have also found it useful as a starting point for preparation of other hard parts for age determination of adults. To facilitate its distribution, I obtained copywrite permission from the original publishers (Belle W. Baruch Insititute, USC Press, and EPRI), and have made it available on a chapter-by-chapter basis in Adobe *.pdf format. Please note that we've made several recent improvements, including a shift to geological slides and a Minimet thin section slide holder to facilitate polishing. These items, and an updated list of source materials and vendors (compiled in 2001 by Scott McGuire) can be viewed as an addendum to the 'List of Supplies / Suppliers' originally compiled in 1990.