Understanding population dynamics of fishes is critical to assessment of stocks and development of fisheries management plans

Age-structured integrated stock assessment models rely on accurate estimates of age composition. Otolith analysis, the traditional ageing technique, is labor-intensive and can only be performed on dead fish, limiting the amount of age data that can be collected and the types of samples that can be included in analyses or stock assessments. Levels of DNA methylation in specific parts of the genome are strongly correlated with age and can be used to develop age prediction models (epigenetic clocks). Because levels of methylation can be measured using small tissue samples and genetic techniques, epigenetic ageing offers a relatively non-invasive, nonlethal alternative to otolith-based aging. Furthermore, by using well-established techniques, epigenetic ageing would allow data to be collected for tens of thousands of fish in a timely and economically efficient manner, drastically improving the ability to generate precise, accurate age composition estimates necessary for robust stock assessment. This project will create epigenetic clocks for three reef fish species, golden tilefish (lopholatilus chamaeleonticeps), vermilion snapper (rhomboplites aurorubens), and yellowedge grouper (hyporthodus flavolimbatus), that support important commercial and recreational fisheries in the U.S. Atlantic, gulf of america (gulf), or puerto rico, but are difficult to age using otoliths.