Growth and reproductive parameters were estimated for Scyliorhinus canicula from the south-western Portuguese coast. The sample consisted of 148 specimens with total length ranging from 187 to 580 mm (82 males and 66 females). Maximum ages assigned to males and females were 12 and 13 years, respectively. L inf and k were estimated as 63.6 cm and 0.16 year À1 for males and 63.2 and 0.15 year À1 for females. Length and age at first maturity were estimated as 42.6 cm and 6 years for males and 44.5 cm and 7 years for females.

DNA barcoding based on the cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI) gene in mitochondrial DNA has been adopted as a global biological identification system for animals due to its accuracy compared with other classical taxonomic methods. The objective of this study was to establish a reference library with generated barcodes. A total of 84 fish specimens belonging to 37 commercially important marine fish species, representing five orders, 14 families and 30 genera, were sampled along the Tunisian coast and barcoded for the first time, obtaining 637 bp sequences. The average Kimura 2-parameter (K2P) distances within species, genera and families were 0.52, 6.86 and 14.60%, respectively. The Maximum likelihood (ML) tree revealed distinct clusters in concurrence with the taxonomic status of the species. Our results confirmed the authentication of the barcode approach for the identification of the species examined and provide valuable information that would help ichthyologists to achieve better monitoring, conservation and management of fisheries in Tunisia.