Length‐weight relationship of 12 demersal fish species in the Canary Islands (Spain, CE Atlantic)

Abstract

Length-weight relationships (LWR) of twelve fish species collected by fish pots (half an inch mesh size), bottom horizontal longlines (hook size 3/0) and set gillnets (80 mm mesh size) from two Marine Protected Areas in the Canary Islands were determined using individual fish records collected at least once a year during ten scientific surveys between 2003 and 2010, excluding 2007. Fish was measured fresh for the total length (to the lower 0.1 or 0.5 cm, depending on the scientific surveys design) and weighted for the total weight (TW, to the 0.1 g). With the exception of Bathytoshia centroura with a b-value of 1.77, the LWR parameter b ranged between 2.71 (Heteropriacanthus cruentatus (Lacepède, 1801)) and 3.86 (Gymnothorax maderensis (Johnson, 1862)). All LWRs were obtained from well-adjusted linear regressions with R2 ≥0.74. In addition, six new maximum lengths were recorded for six of the sampled species. Data presented herein expand the knowledge base for these species in the Archipelago, as they have limited or no LWR data available.