Dive into project updates, methods & techniques (including instructional videos), and reference collection highlights to learn how our team and collaborators are expanding this one-stop resource for fish ageing.
We want to hear from you! Help shape the future of FishAge.org by completing our Website User and Needs Survey. Your feedback will guide future improvements, reference collection expansions, and the development of new educational resources for the fisheries community.
FishAge made a splash at AFS 2026 in Columbus! From a busy exhibitor booth to packed presentations and plenty of great conversations, we heard firsthand how the fisheries community is using FishAge and what they want to see next. See what we learned and where FishAge is headed.
FishAge is growing! We’re working on a new training page with interactive quizzes, adding more instructional videos like Fish Ageing Basics, and preparing to exhibit at the AFS Annual Meeting in Columbus, Ohio. We’re excited to connect with the fisheries community, share what’s new, and continue expanding our collection of fish ageing structures.
Fish age estimation relies on clearly identifying growth increments in structures such as otoliths, fin rays, and spines. One of the most important factors affecting increment visibility is microscope lighting. The way a specimen is illuminated can dramatically change how opaque and translucent zones appear, making proper lighting techniques essential for accurate and consistent age readings.
FishAge has released the second video in its Ruddy Bowfin instructional series, demonstrating our standardized method for embedding otoliths in epoxy resin. This critical preparation step supports precise thin sectioning and improves consistency and accuracy in fish age estimation.
FishAge attended the 2026 Georgia Chapter of the American Fisheries Society meeting to share project updates, connect with collaborators, and highlight FishAge as a national resource for fish age estimation training.
Chinook Salmon from Idaho have been added to the FishAge website, featuring known-age (3–5) samples from dorsal fin rays collected at Sawtooth, Rapid River, and Clearwater hatcheries. This addition expands our salmonid reference library and supports accurate age determination and training efforts.
FishAge has released a new instructional video demonstrating otolith extraction for Ruddy Bowfin (Amia calva). This video marks the start of an expanding instructional series focused on otolith extraction, processing, and ageing techniques, supporting training and consistency across fisheries age and growth labs.
FishAge.org has just added a new Lake Trout otolith collection from Lake Ontario—a complete set of sectioned, high-resolution images from known-age fish. Sourced from a study by Osborne et al. (2022), this validated dataset offers an important reference for improving age interpretation accuracy and consistency across labs. Explore the collection, review study findings on precision and bias in Lake Trout aging, and see how accessible, known-age material supports better training and quality control in fisheries research.
Have known-age fish structures or a validation study to share? Contact us to feature your work!
We want to hear from you! Help shape the future of FishAge.org by completing our Website User and Needs Survey. Your feedback will guide future improvements, reference collection expansions, and the development of new educational resources for the fisheries community.
FishAge made a splash at AFS 2026 in Columbus! From a busy exhibitor booth to packed presentations and plenty of great conversations, we heard firsthand how the fisheries community is using FishAge and what they want to see next. See what we learned and where FishAge is headed.
FishAge is growing! We’re working on a new training page with interactive quizzes, adding more instructional videos like Fish Ageing Basics, and preparing to exhibit at the AFS Annual Meeting in Columbus, Ohio. We’re excited to connect with the fisheries community, share what’s new, and continue expanding our collection of fish ageing structures.
Fish age estimation relies on clearly identifying growth increments in structures such as otoliths, fin rays, and spines. One of the most important factors affecting increment visibility is microscope lighting. The way a specimen is illuminated can dramatically change how opaque and translucent zones appear, making proper lighting techniques essential for accurate and consistent age readings.
FishAge has released the second video in its Ruddy Bowfin instructional series, demonstrating our standardized method for embedding otoliths in epoxy resin. This critical preparation step supports precise thin sectioning and improves consistency and accuracy in fish age estimation.
FishAge attended the 2026 Georgia Chapter of the American Fisheries Society meeting to share project updates, connect with collaborators, and highlight FishAge as a national resource for fish age estimation training.
Chinook Salmon from Idaho have been added to the FishAge website, featuring known-age (3–5) samples from dorsal fin rays collected at Sawtooth, Rapid River, and Clearwater hatcheries. This addition expands our salmonid reference library and supports accurate age determination and training efforts.
FishAge has released a new instructional video demonstrating otolith extraction for Ruddy Bowfin (Amia calva). This video marks the start of an expanding instructional series focused on otolith extraction, processing, and ageing techniques, supporting training and consistency across fisheries age and growth labs.
FishAge.org has just added a new Lake Trout otolith collection from Lake Ontario—a complete set of sectioned, high-resolution images from known-age fish. Sourced from a study by Osborne et al. (2022), this validated dataset offers an important reference for improving age interpretation accuracy and consistency across labs. Explore the collection, review study findings on precision and bias in Lake Trout aging, and see how accessible, known-age material supports better training and quality control in fisheries research.
Have known-age fish structures or a validation study to share? Contact us to feature your work!
