Some Population Aspects of Whiting (Merlangius merlangus euxinus Nordmann, 1840) in the Eastern Black Sea Coast of Turkey

Authors: Temel ŞAHİN, Bilal AKBULUT

Abstract: The present study aims to determine some biological features such as sex distribution, growth in length and weight, growth rates, condition factor, and spawning period of whitings (Merlangius merlangus euxinus) on the Eastern Black sea coast of Turkey. Turing the study, 1349 females and 864 males, comprising a total of 2213 whiting ranging between age groups I and VII, were examined. The length and weight differences between females and males in all age groups were statistically significant (P<0.01). The calculated length-weight relationships for females and males are as follows, respectively: W=4.856*10-3*L3.1510, W=5.450*10-3*L3.1108 Von Bertalanffy growth constants were estimated as L{infinite}=45.356 cm, K=0.10065, t_0= -1.8063 for females, and L{infinite}=35.925 cm, K=0.1243, t_0= -1.8067 for males. The condition factor differences between females and males were statistically significant in age groups IV (P<0.01) and V (P<0.05). The results of this investigation show that reproduction takes place the whole year round with a peak in December-May, and the fish reach sexual maturity at the age of one year.

Keywords: Eastern Black Sea, Whiting (Merlangius merlangus euxsinus), Growth, Condition Factor, Spawning.