Age and Growth of Spotted Sea Bass Dicentrarchus punctatus (Bloch, 1792) in the Bitter Lakes, Suez Canal, Egypt

Document Type : Original Article

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Abstract

A total of 397 fish specimens of the Spotted Sea Bass Dicentrarchus punctatus (Bloch, 1792) were random sampled monthly during the period from September 2019 to August 2020. They were obtained from fish landing site at Bitter Lakes, which is located along the Suez Canal for studying Length-weight relationships and condition factors. Also, in 2020 455 fish specimens of the Spotted Sea Bass from different fishing sites for studying age and growth. The calculated slope "b" value for length weight relationship reveled isometric growth (b= 3.1331). The maximum life span was four years for length range of 13.1-36.1 cm TL. The parameters of the von Bertalanffy growth function were: For growth in length: Lt = 37.48 (1-exp– 0.58) t + 0.23)); For growth in weight:  Wt = 478.30 (1-exp– 0.58) t – 0.23)). Mean lengths at age were back-calculated for D. punctatus as 20.12; 27.36; 31.68 and 34.05 cm at the 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th year of life respectively

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