Migration of kichiji rockfish [Sebastolobus macrochir] in southern Okhotsk sea estimated from tagging experiments

Tag and recapture experiments of kichiji rockfish Sebastolobus macrochir were carried out in the southern Okhotsk Sea to investigate its migration pattern and stock structure. A total of 3, 025 fish were tagged and released in the waters east of the Kitami Yamato Bank, and 481 (16%) were recaptured in the first four years after release. Most of the recaptures occurred along the southern part of the bank and around Shiretoko Peninsula. Recapture sites moved with time from the bank area to the peninsula across Abashiri Bay. Few were recovered north of the release area. Only one was recorded from the Pacific Ocean off Nemuro. These results together with the previous reports on their geographic distribution and length frequency by areas suggest that kichiji rockfish constitutes a single stock in the southern Okhotsk sea, migrating south-and eastward with growth along the depth zone of 300 1, 200m.