Report from the Atlantic surfclam (Spisula solidissima) Aging Workshop Northeast Fisheries Science Center, Woods Hole, MA, 7-9 November 2005

"A workshop was held at the Northeast Fisheries Science Center (NEFSC) in Woods Hole, Massachusetts during November 7-9, 2005, to facilitate communication among scientists involved in aging Atlantic surfclam (Spisula solidissima) and to lay the groundwork for future collaboration. The workshop included (a) scientists from the NEFSC, the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC), the Virginia Institute of Marine Science (VIMS), and Rutgers University, and (b) industry representatives. This workshop was important and timely because age data from state and federal surfclam surveys are expected to be used more extensively in future surfclam stock assessments. Age data are important in fishery stock assessment analyses for surfclam and other species because age data contain information about growth, recruitment, and mortality. The fishing industry is interested in age data because information about the geographic location and timing of recruitment events is important in making business plans and managing the stock"--Introduction. by Larry Jacobson, Sandra Sutherland, Jay Burnett, Maureen Davidson, Juliana Harding, Jeff Normant, Adriana Picariello, and Eric Powell "July 2006." Includes bibliographical references (pages 11-12).