Somatic growth and age of selected commercial fish species of the cullera coastiberian peninsula, south-east Spain

Abstract

This work provides data on the somatic growth and age of selected commercial fish species of the Cullera Coast, Spain. The biological information available that permits responsible fishery management of these species is relatively scarce. This study was conducted in the Bay of Cullera, Spain (39º 12’ to 38º 59’ N; 0º 09’ to 0º 15’ W) and selected benthic fish species were analysed that are frequently fished by trammel nets (mesh size 28-76 mm) at a maximum depth of 30 m. Maturity, age and growth of 63 torpedoes (Torpedo torpedo); 115 red scorpionfish (Scorpaena scrofa); 280 red mullets (Mullus surmuletus); 139 stargazers (Uranoscopus scaber) and 476 Portuguese soles (Dagetichthys lusitanicus) were analysed. The data obtained in this study revealed that 50% of individuals of all species reached sexual maturity at TL (total length) of 20.0-36.5 cm and at an age of 2-6 years. The von Bertalanffy growth equation derived were: TL=37.0 [1 - e(-0.2(t + 0.33))]; TL =31.5 [1 - e(-0.38(t + 0.54))]; TL =35.5 [1 - e(-0.2(t + 2.08))] and TL =34.3[1 - e(-0.14(t + 2.16))] for S. scrofa, M. surmuletus; U. scaber and D. lusitanicus respectively.