Growth characteristics of the European hake, Merluccius merluccius (Linnaeus, 1758), inhabiting northeastern Mediterranean

Abstract

         In this study, the age and some growth characteristics of the European hake, Merluccius merluccius, from the northeastern Mediterranean were examined during 2015-2016 fishing season. A total of 661 European hake ranging from 9.8 to 51.6 cm in total length was captured by commercial trawler. Female/male ratio was 1/1.15. Age determination was conducted using the sagittal otoliths. Ages of examined individuals ranged from 1 to 7 years. The von Bertalanffy growth parameters fitted to the average measured total lengths-at-age for each sex separately and estimated as L_∞= 93.98 cm, k= 0.114 year^-1, t₀= -0.597 year for females, as L_∞= 77.65 cm , k= 0.153 year^-1, t₀= -0.343 year for males and as L_∞= 84.44 cm, k= 0.135 year^-1, t₀= -0.469 year for combined sexes. The growth performance value (Φ) of the European hake population was computed as 2.98 for combined sexes. Mean condition factor value for population was 0.654±0.021; the highest condition factor was found as 1.01 in fish at age 7.