Population characteristics of Helicolenus dactylopertus in the Azores

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Bluemouth rockfish (Helicolenus dactylopterus) is a valued commercial species in the Azores. Captures of this species have been steadily declining over time. Knowing specific information about the population structure and separation of populations is essential in managing this resource. Here we explore age and growth of bluemouth (n = 290), with lengths ranging from 15 to 52.5 cm, using whole and sectioned otoliths. We compare the performance of various models (von Bertalanffy, Gompertz, and others) for explaining growth patterns. We also use otolith elemental composition derived through solution‐based inductively coupled plasma mass spectroscopy (SBICPMS) as a tool to distinguish fish from different regions of the archipelago, under the influence of the North Atlantic Current, Azores Current, and, to some extent, the Mediterranean Water Plume.