Growth and Mortality of the Brown Trout (Salmo trutta L.) Population from Upper Aksu Stream, Northeastern Anatolia, Turkey

Authors: MURAT ARSLAN, AYHAN YILDIRIM, SERDAR BEKTAŞ, ALİ ATASEVER

Abstract: Age, sex, mortality, and growth characteristics of brown trout (Salmo trutta) from the upper Aksu Stream were investigated. Females and males comprised 52.13% and 47.87% of the population, respectively. Age ranged from 1 to 8. The fork length (L) and total weight (W) were 5.7-22.8 cm and 2.9-142.6 g, respectively. Length-weight relationships were W = 0.015 x L^{2.939}, W = 0.015 x L^{2.928}, and W = 0.015 x L^{2.932} for females, males, and overall, respectively. The estimated von Bertalanffy growth parameters were L_{infinity} = 33.27 cm, K = 0.107 y^{-1}, and t_0 = -1.046 y for females; L_{infinity} = 29.50 cm, K = 0.143 y^{-1}, and t_0 = -0.562 y for males; and L_{infinity} = 32.13 cm, K = 0.124 y^{-1}, and t_0 = -0.724 y for overall. Phi prime (F`) was 2.09 for females, males, and overall. Instantaneous total mortality rate (Z) was 0.58 y^{-1}.

Keywords: Salmo trutta, northeastern Anatolia, Çoruh River, age, growth, mortality

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