Application of Otoliths in Fish Ecology and Fisheries
A special issue of Fishes (ISSN 2410-3888). This special issue belongs to the section "Biology and Ecology".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 10 March 2026 | Viewed by 17
Special Issue Editors
2. Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas Abel Salazar (ICBAS), Universidade do Porto (UP), Rua de Jorge Viterbo Ferreira 228, 4050-313 Porto, Portugal
3. Escola de Ciências da Vida e do Ambiente (ECVA), Universidade de Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro (UTAD), Quinta de Prados, 5001-801 Vila Real, Portugal
Interests: fish ecology and ecotoxicology; structure, shape and chemistry of fish otoliths; body geometric morphometrics; age, growth and reproduction
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Interests: fish otolith; climate change; fisheries oceanography; eel biology and ecology
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Interests: fisheries; biodiversity; geochemisty; chemical biology and environmental pollution
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
Otoliths have become indispensable tools in modern fish ecology and fisheries science. Their growth patterns, structural patterns, morphological traits, and chemical composition, provide insights that extend far beyond traditional age estimation. By decoding their structural, morphological and chemical signatures, researchers can reconstruct individual life histories, migration pathways, habitat use, stock structure, connectivity patterns, and even responses to environmental change. This Special Issue, Application of Otoliths in Fish Ecology and Fisheries, highlights recent advances in methodologies, case studies, and conceptual frameworks that demonstrate the versatility of otoliths as natural tracers. Contributions explore diverse applications—from understanding population connectivity and stock structure to assessing the impacts of climate variability and anthropogenic pressures on aquatic ecosystems. Holistic and complementary approaches are also welcome, particularly those integrating otolith research with ecological, genetic, and modeling perspectives. The aim of this issue is to showcase the central role of otolith science in supporting sustainable fisheries management and conservation strategies. Ultimately, this collection underscores how otolith-based studies enhance our understanding of fish biology and ecology, offering critical insights for preserving biodiversity and ensuring the long-term resilience of fisheries worldwide.
Dr. Alberto Teodorico Correia
Prof. Dr. Wann-Nian Tzeng
Dr. Esteban Avigliano
Guest Editors
Manuscript Submission Information
Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.
Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Fishes is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.
Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.
Keywords
- fish otoliths
- fish biology and ecology
- fisheries science
- stock structure
- population connectivity
- migration pathways
- aquatic pollution
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