Estimation of Age, Growth and Reproduction of Boarfish, Capros aper, in the South Aegean Sea

Abstract

The present study investigated the age, growth, reproduction of boarfish (Capros aper L., 1758) collected from the South Aegean Sea between December 2009 and November 2010. The length-weight relationship was W= 0.019*L-2 93 (n=790; r(2)= 0.95). Age data based on otoliths were comprised from 0(+) to 4(+). The parameters of the fitted von Bertalanffy growth equation were L-infinity,= 11.05 cm, k = 0.447 year(-1), t(0) = -0.480. Macroscopic gonad examination and analysis of the monthly values of the GSI, indicated that reproduction occurs between April and August. Individuals become sexually mature at around 6.69 cm total length (TL) (a size that can be reached on 1.84 years) for both sexes. Sex ratio (female:male) was found as 1.00:0.74.