Report by Correspondence of the Baltic Herring Age Reading Study Group

According to resolutions adopted at 1996 Annual Science Conference, 84th Statutory Meeting (C.Res. 1996/2:45), a Baltic Herring Age Reading Study Group (BHARSG) will be established (Chairman: Mr G. Kornilovs, Latvia) and will work by correspondence in 1997 to: 

1. establish a Baltic herring otolith exchange programme on a regular basis between laboratories involved;

2. establish a reference collection of otoliths from different sub-divisions, seasons and length groups of Baltic herring to reach a common interpretation of otolith structure;

3.establish a protocol for the age determination of otoliths using diagrams and photographs to illustrate age-­reading criteria