Growth and age estimation of greater fork-beard (Phycis blennoides Brünnich, 1768) in the North and Northwest of the Iberian Peninsula (ICES Division VIIIc and IXa)

• Published in: Fisheries Research
• Main Authors: Casas-Sánchez, J.M. (José Miguel), Piñeiro-Álvarez, C.G. (Carmen Gloria)
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: unknown
• Published: Centro Oceanográfico de Vigo 2000
• Subjects: North Atlantic; Northeast Atlantic
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/10508/6951; https://doi.org/10.1016/S0165-7836(00)00108-9

In 1996 and 1997, a wide size range of greater fork-beard (Phycis blennoides Brünnich, 1768) was sampled from experimental and research surveys, trawlers and commercial landings from ICES Divisions VIIIc and IXa. Otoliths were collected and aged. Sectioned otoliths displayed numerous weakly marked rings that make ageing difficult. In the central part of the otolith, close to the nucleus, a strongly marked check ring is formed, apparently in association with a change in diet/environment from a pelagic to a demersal habit. The growth parameters by sexes separate and combined were estimated from age readings. The females grew faster; reaching 81 cm at 14 years, while the maximum age reached by males was 6 years from a specimen of 44 cm. The following length frequency distributions of the sampling catches showed a modal progression in the juvenile phase in agreement with the lengths estimated by the von Bertalanffy growth model for the ages group 1 and 2. 2