Growth, maturity and fecundity of wolffish Anarhichas lupus L. in Icelandic waters

• Published in: Journal of Fish Biology
• Main Authors: Gunnarsson, Á., Hjörleifsson, E., Thórarinsson, K., Marteinsdóttir, G.
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Wiley 2006
• Subjects: Iceland
• Online Access: http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.0022-1112.2006.00990.x; https://api.wiley.com/onlinelibrary/tdm/v1/articles/10.1111%2Fj.0022-1112.2006.00990.x; https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1111/j.0022-1112.2006.00990.x

Fecundity, maturity and the relationship between growth and maturity of common wolffish Anarhichas lupus were studied in Icelandic waters. A total of 788 female common wolffish were sampled in two areas: one in the relatively warm sea west of Iceland and the other in the colder sea east of Iceland. No difference was detected in fecundity of common wolffish between areas. The time from the onset of the cortical alveolus stage until spawning, was on average, 10 years in the east and 8 years in the west area. Common wolffish in the east area reached cortical alveolus stage, on average, at a greater age but similar size compared to common wolffish in the west area. Similarly, common wolffish started spawning, on average, at greater age and larger size in the east than in the west area. Common wolffish grew faster in the west than in the east area. Spawning common wolffish grew faster than common wolffish at the cortical alveolus stage in both areas. The relationship between growth and maturity for common wolffish in Icelandic waters appeared to be related to temperature, characterized by fast growth and early maturation in the west and slower growth and delayed maturation in the east.