A commercial fishing boat has caught what may have been one of
the oldest creatures in Alaska - a giant rock-fish thought to be
about 100 years old.
The 44in (1.1m), 60lb (27kg) female shortraker rock-fish was hauled
in by a Seattle-based vessel, trawling for pollack in the Bering
Sea last month.
Scientists estimate the fish was between 90 and 115 years
old.
The fish was brought up from a depth of 2,100ft (640m), south of
the Pribilof Islands, AP news agency reported.
Reproductive potential
The discovery was made by the crew of the Kodiak Enterprise, owned
by Trident Seafoods, when they pulled up an estimated 75 tons of
pollack and 10 rock-fish in March.
The huge specimen was handed over to scientists at the Alaska
Fisheries Science Center in Seattle where it was measured,
photographed and documented.
The age of the fish was determined by removing an ear bone, known
as the otolith, which contains growth rings similar to those in
tree trunks.
The estimated age was between 90 and 115 years old - which is
towards the upper end of the known age limit for the species, said
scientist Paul Spencer.
The contents of the rock-fish's stomach were also examined and
tissue samples were taken to measure its reproductive
potential.
"The belly was large. The ovaries were full of developing embryos,"
Mr Spencer said.
However, scientists said the specimen was not the biggest - a 47in
(1.19m) shortraker rock-fish has been recorded.
An ear bone containing growth rings helped determine age
location where it is found
