Abstract

Young-of-the-year European hake (Merluccius merluccius) were sampled during four seasonal cruises between November 1998 and September 1999. The greatest numbers and biomass were found in spring 1999. Some 73% of juvenile fish in terms of number, and 81% in terms of biomass, were caught at depths between 60 and 160 m on the outer western Mediterranean shelf, where the water temperature ranged between 13.5 and 14°C. The length composition of samples showed there to be small hake all year around, with modes between 7 and 11 cm total length depending on the season. Otolith analysis was used to establish age at settlement (62.7 days) and to determine seasonal growth. The monthly growth rates ranged from 1.2 cm month-1 for juvenile hake captured on February 1999 to 2.5 cm month-1 for ones captured in June. The growth rates are related to survival, as was shown by the calculated hatch dates and relative abundances of recruits. This work provides information on the first year of life, recruitment and growth processes in an important species of the Mediterranean demersal ecosystem which is heavily exploited by a recruitment fishery.

Highlights

  • Hake Merluccius merluccius L. is a major demersal finfish in the marine ecosystem of the Atlantic and Mediterranean

  • The monthly growth rates ranged from 1.2 cm month-1 for juvenile hake captured on February 1999 to 2.5 cm month-1 for ones captured in June

  • For the analysis of ROG we considered the last two months of life, which were measured in 30.72% (47 observations) of otoliths

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Summary

Introduction

Hake Merluccius merluccius L. is a major demersal finfish in the marine ecosystem of the Atlantic and Mediterranean. Its economic value in Europe is relatively high, especially in northern Mediterranean mixed fisheries (Pitcher and Alheit, 1995). This species was the most frequent component of trawl surveys performed in the Gulf of Lions over a period of 14 years and was dominant in terms of biosm68n3399. Information from egg and larval stages is scarce. Hake eggs and larvae appear mainly in late spring, summer and autumn, with a peak abundance in late November over the continental shelf, with peak abundances between the 100 m isobath and the edge of the shelf (Olivar et al, 2003)

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