Determination of Some Population Parameters and Reproduction Period of Whiting (Merlangius merlangus euxinus Nordmann, 1840) on the Trabzon-Yomra Coast in the Eastern Black Sea

Authors: ERHAN ÇİLOĞLU, CEMALETTİN ŞAHİN, MUSTAFA ZENGİN, YAŞAR GENÇ

Abstract: In this study, the growth, age composition, sex ratio, condition factor and spawning period of whiting (Merlangius merlangus euxinus Nordmann, 1840) on the eastern part of the Trabzon-Yomra coast were investigated. During the study, a total of 1730 fish (1122 females and 608 males) ranging in age from group I to IX were examined. The chi squared test was used to calculate ratios between female and male specimens and no significant difference was found (P>0.05), and the relative growth length and the relative growth weight differences between females and males were not found to be statistically significant (P>0.05). The calculated length-weight relationships for females and males are as follows, respectively: W=0.0037L^{3.259}, W=0.0042L^{3.206}. Von Bertalanffy growth constants were estimated to be L_{\infity}=52.500 cm, K=0.092, t_0=-1.759 for females and L_{\infity}=37.190 cm, K=0.114, t_0=-2.390 for males. The results of this investigation show that reproduction takes place throughout the year with a peak from January to August and fish reach sexual maturity at age I.

Keywords: Trabzon-Yomra coasts, Whiting (Merlangius merlangus euxinus), Growth, Condition Factor, Spawning.

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