New perspectives on the growth and longevity of the European lobster (Homarus gammarus)

The natural rate of lipofuscin accumulation in an eyestalk ganglion was determined from microtagged European lobsters, Homarus gammarus, of known age, recaptured from the Yorkshire fishery (United Kingdom). This calibration, in combination with supporting data from shorter-lived astacideans (freshwater crayfish), was used to age wild lobsters from the fishery. A unique perspective of age-at-size in a clawed-lobster population was obtained, which circumvented some difficulties associated with conventional methods for estimating generalized growth and natural mortality. The exceptional ages attained by some of the largest lobsters (males: average 31 years, maximum 42 +/- 5 years; females: average 54 years, maximum 72 +/- 9 years) are explained by ageing theory, indicate natural mortality rates, M, of 0.15 and 0.08 for males and females, respectively, and point to the existence of an offshore refuge. Age-at-size is highly variable: at least seven year-classes enter the fishery at 85 mm carapace length. This limits resolution of annual cohorts in size compositions, complicates development of recruitment indices, and may explain past size composition stability. The new age-length data suggest potential selective fishing impacts and past early recruitment variations. The study highlights the need for age data in order to obtain accurate crustacean stock assessments.