Otoliths are often collected by researchers and managers for stock assessments, studies of individual movement and population connectivity and analysis of life history patterns (mainly age and growth).  Research in the field, however, is hampered by lack of ready information as to who might have previously collected samples for species of interest, limiting researchers’ opportunities for comparative studies or large scale integration. Commonly, otolith collections have been archived by individual researchers or agencies, with knowledge of or information about these samples fragmentary and, too often, lost over time, as research staff retire or agency priorities shift. This online archive of otolith sample information arose from a collective appreciation that otoliths are expensive to collect and can often have considerable scientific value outside their primary collection purpose, and hence the need to ensure that the existence and extent of the collections were readily known to others.

New users are required to register and provide contact and organisation affiliation information. You will then be provided with a site login and password. The database can be easily searched by fields such as habitat, region, species and time. Access to some sample information will be restricted to approved viewers to protect researcher’s intellectual property and the integrity of ongoing projects. Information of sample custodians will be provided and you can contact them to discuss your desired use and negotiate potential access to the actual otoliths.

The value of this online resource will continue to increase with the addition of more sample information and contributors. We encourage you and your organisation to become part of ‘Otolith Collections’. Your contribution has many benefits including:

·   a safe repository for sample information now and into the future

·   potential to formulate collaborations with other researchers and organisations

·   meeting of mandatory requirements for project reporting and data sharing

·   valuable contribution to the advancement of fisheries science and management and fish ecology

·   variable security settings to determine level of user access to your sample information

·   it is easy!

Please contact John Morrongiello, Postdoctoral Fellow from CSIRO Marine and Atmospheric Research Hobart, for more details on how you can be involved with ‘Otolith Collections’.Email me here