The objective of this study was to determine the basic population-specific parameters necessary for fish stock assessment in the Gulf of Annaba and to compare these with data from other Mediterranean regions. Black sea bream Spondyliosoma cantharus (Linnaeus, 1758) (N = 501) were collected monthly from January to December 2008 along the Algerian eastern coasts. More than 22 fish were collected each month and ranged in size from 13.4 to 40 cm total length, weighing from 36 to 1080 g eviscerated weight. Biological sampling included weighing and measuring the fish, gonad weighing, sex and maturity stage determination, and age estimation through otolith readings. Validity of the otolith readings for estimating age and growth was supported using the backcalculation method. Estimated parameters of the von Bertalanffy model are: L ∞ = 33.54 cm, W ∞ = 633.46 g, k = 0.52 year À1 and t o = À0.04 year. The growth performance index (φ) is: 2.76. The length-weight relationship is: EW = 4.4.10 À6

No abstract

This study is part of the development of the eastern coast of Algeria. Its main objective is to increase the knowledge of the biology of the fish assemblages living in the shallow sea bodies with a major interest in species that inhabit remarkable ecosystems, such as the Posidonia oceanica seagrass beds. We introduce a synthesis of data on the length-weight relationships and sexual cycle of three coastal sparidae of economic interest, Diplodus cervinus cervinus, Boops boops, and Spondyliosoma cantharus.