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This study determines the length distribution, length– weight relationship, age, growth parameters, mortality rate, sex ratios, length at first maturity and reproduction of saddled seabream (<italic>Oblada melanura</italic>) collected monthly by fishermen around the Northern Aegean Sea between November 2017 and October 2018. The length–weight relationship was calculated as <italic>W</italic>=0.0091×<italic>L</italic>3.11 (<italic>R</italic>2=0.95) and positive allometric growth was found. The condition factor and GSI varied between 0.81–1.58 and 0.01–9.61, respectively. The spawning season extended from May to July and peaked in June. Total lengths at 50% maturity were 18.97 cm for males and 18.83 cm for females. Parameters of the von Bertalanffy growth equation were: <italic>L</italic>∞ =29.91 cm, <italic>K</italic> =0.27 per year, <italic>t</italic>0 =−0.82 year and age varied between 1 and 8. The instantaneous rates of total mortality (<italic>Z</italic>) and natural mortality (<italic>M</italic>) were 1.36 and 0.58 per year, respectively. Rates for fishing mortality <italic>F</italic> and exploitation <italic>E</italic> were 0.78 and 0.57 per year, respectively. The mean absolute fecundity (<italic>F</italic>) was 117 075±23 243 oocytes, ranging from 19130 to 470 132.</abstract>

This study determines the length distribution, length– weight relationship, age, growth parameters, mortality rate, sex ratios, length at first maturity and reproduction of saddled seabream (Oblada melanura) collected monthly by fishermen around the Northern Aegean Sea between November 2017 and October 2018. The length–weight relationship was calculated as W=0.0091×L3.11 (R2=0.95) and positive allometric growth was found. The condition factor and GSI varied between 0.81–1.58 and 0.01–9.61, respectively. The spawning season extended from May to July and peaked in June. Total lengths at 50% maturity were 18.97 cm for males and 18.83 cm for females. Parameters of the von Bertalanffy growth equation were: L∞ =29.91 cm, K =0.27 per year, t0 =−0.82 year and age varied between 1 and 8. The instantaneous rates of total mortality (Z) and natural mortality (M) were 1.36 and 0.58 per year, respectively. Rates for fishing mortality F and exploitation E were 0.78 and 0.57 per year, respectively. The mean absolute fecundity (F) was 117 075±23 243 oocytes, ranging from 19130 to 470 132.

Age, growth and reproductive biology of the saddled seabream (<italic>Oblada melanura</italic>) in the North Aegean Sea, Eastern Mediterranean

Oceanological and Hydrobiological Studies

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

Age, growth and reproductive biology of the saddled seabream () in the North Aegean Sea, Eastern Mediterranean

This study determines the length distribution, length– weight relationship, age, growth parameters, mortality rate, sex ratios, length at first maturity and...

Age, growth and reproductive biology of the saddled seabream (Oblada melanura) in the North Aegean Sea, Eastern Mediterranean

Article Category: Research Article

Published Online: Mar 06, 2020

Page range: 13 - 22

Received: Jun 19, 2019

Accepted: Sep 09, 2019

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1515/ohs-2020-0002

© 2020 Faculty of Oceanography and Geography, University of Gdańsk, Poland

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.