Upward and downward arching of the body was observed during a study on redfishes Sebastes sp. population structure in the north‐west Atlantic Ocean. The present study investigated the potential causes of this arching artefact. The results suggested that it is not related to biological factors (size or species) or to the preservation technique (freezing), but is rather due to slight posture differences between fishes during landmark capture. The consequences of the arching artefact on data analysis are discussed. An approach coupling a PCA‐based model of the arching with Burnaby’s orthogonal projection is proposed for removing the artefact from the data.

Large concentrations of beaked redfish (Sebastes mentella and Sebastes fasciatus) overwinter in the Cabot Strait and the approaches of the Gulf of St. Lawrence each year. Synoptic research vessel surveys indicate that redfish are distributed more widely in the summer than in the winter, particularly within the Gulf. Significant differences in the trace element composition of the otolith ("otolith elemental fingerprint") were observed among summer aggregations, indicating that the aggregations maintained some degree of separation while in the Gulf. Sebastes mentella and S. fasciatus were readily distinguished based on otolith elemental fingerprints. Using the elemental fingerprints of the summer samples as a natural tag, we found that S. mentella tended to move out of the Gulf in the winter. Aggregations of S. mentella found in the east during the summer were not found in our winter collections. The elemental fingerprints of S. mentella from the Saguenay Fjord were clearly distinct from redfish further east in the Gulf of St. Lawrence, indicating that this group had been separated from other redfish for much of their life. The implications of our findings extend not only to the fisheries management of redfish, but also to the extent of movement expected of deepwater fish species.Résumé : Chaque année, de grands rassemblements de sébastes (« beaked redfish », Sebastes mentella et S. fasciatus) passent l'hiver dans le détroit de Cabot et les abords du golfe du Saint-Laurent. Des inventaires synoptiques faits par des navires de recherche indiquent que les sébastes ont une répartition plus étendue en été qu'en hiver, particulièrement dans le golfe. On observe des différences significatives dans la composition en éléments en traces des otolithes (« signature des éléments dans les otolithes ») dans les regroupements d'été, ce qui indique que ces regroupements maintiennent un certain degré de séparation pendant leur séjour dans le golfe. Sebastes mentella et S. fasciatus se distinguent clairement d'après la signature des éléments en traces dans leurs otolithes. En utilisant la signature des éléments des échantillons d'été comme étiquettes naturelles, nous découvrons que S. mentella a tendance à quitter le golfe pendant l'hiver. Les regroupements de S. mentella trouvés dans l'est durant l'été ne se retrouvent pas dans nos récoltes d'hiver. Les signatures des éléments des S. mentella du fjord du Saguenay sont nettement distinctes de celles des sébastes vivant plus à l'est dans le golfe du Saint-Laurent, ce qui indique que les sébastes du Saguenay ont été séparés des autres sébastes pour une grande partie de leur vie. Les conséquences de nos observations affectent non seulement la gestion des pêches de sébastes, mais elles concernent aussi l'importance des déplacements attendus chez les espèces de poissons d'eau profonde.[Traduit par la Rédaction] Campana et al. 18

Abstract. Many past attempts to age deep-water redfish (Sebastes mentella) and Acadian redfish (S. fasciatus) in the north-west Atlantic have been stymied by inappropriate ageing methods, the absence of age validation and the failure to differentiate among species. Herein we report substantial improvements in methods for ageing Sebastes spp. by linking the established 'crack and burn' method to modern sectioning and image-enhancement protocols. Bomb radiocarbon assays of the otolith core and monitoring of year-class progression confirmed the accuracy of the resulting age determinations to an age of 46 years. The use of microsatellite DNA to confirm species identity eliminated past confusion caused by species mixtures. Age determinations of 1252 redfish from the eastern coast of Canada demonstrated the presence of significant differences in growth rate and longevity both between the two redfish species and among populations and stocks, with a maximum observed longevity of 70 years. Even within species and stocks, an individual fish with a fork length of 38 cm could be anywhere between 15 and 50 years of age, highlighting a near cessation of somatic growth after sexual maturation. In keeping with other deep-water species, sustainable management will require more attention to the low productivity expected of redfish stocks, rather than the high initial biomass that can support short-term but high catch rates.Additional keywords: age validation, annuli, break and burn, 14 C, false check.

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Significant body shape differences were observed between two commercially important redfish species Sebastes fasciatus and Sebastes mentella, in the Gulf of St Lawrence, first classified according to the variability at the MDH-A* locus, a diagnostic criterion for the two species in allopatry. The observed sexual dimorphism was probably related to the presence of gravid females in the sample. Sebastes mentella appeared to be more fusiform than S. fasciatus, a characteristic that may reflect the more pelagic behaviour of S. mentella. The body shape of their hybrids was closer to that of S. mentella. Similarities between hybrids and S. mentella were also observed for meristic characteristics and depth distribution. The implications of these similarities for introgression are discussed. Body shape variability of specimens of hybrid origin was greater than that of either parental species, with features ranging from S. mentella-like to S. fasciatus-like. The role of introgression in generating morphological variability is emphasized.