Hatching Time and Early Growth of Diplodus sargus sargus Inhabiting a Coastal Area of Gökçeada Island, Turkey

Abstract

Daily growth increments in sagittal otoliths were used to estimate the age and growth of young of the year (YOY) white seabream, Diplodus sargus sargus collected between June 2013 and June 2014 at 6 different locations in the shallow waters (<20 m) off Gokceada, Turkey. Estimated ages from otolith daily growth increments (DGI) were found 42–238 days old. The mean daily growth rate of YOY D. sargus sargus was estimated as 0.046 cm/day. ANCOVA indicated that there was significant difference in daily growth rates between the locations (F = 22.92, df = 5, P < 0.001). The maximum daily growth rate of 0.055 cm/day was found in the location 2, while the minimum value of 0.037 cm/day was observed in the location 4. Hatching time was determined by subtracting the daily age of the fish from the sampling date and then hatch date frequency distributions were determined to occur from January through June, and 2 main hatching peaks were observed from the different locations. Linear relationships between otolith morphology (otolith length; OL, width; OW and radius; OR) and fish length (TL) were obtained.