How fast hake grows? A study on the Mediterranean hake (<i>Merluccius merluccius</i>, L.) comparing whole otoliths readings and length frequency distributions data

Abstract

SUMMARY:The hake (M. merluccius) is a target species of the Mediterranean trawl fleets. In this study, its growth was compared by two means: whole otolith readings and length frequency distribution analysis. Two growth hypotheses, fast and slow, were assumed using the results of otolith readings: (1) two rings were formed every year and (2) a single ring was formed every year. The monthly length distributions covered the period from 1992 to 1998, and the otoliths were obtained from monthly samplings between 1992 and 1995. The variability observed in the results for the number of rings counted was shown especially in the range of lengths for each group of individuals that had the same number of rings. A high correlation was found between the rings counted in the otoliths and the length of the individual in cm. The sex factor did not influence the relationship, unless the sexually undifferentiated individuals were included. The best fit with the growth data according to the length frequencies occurred in the two-ring hypothesis (Hypothesis 1), meaning faster growth rates than had been accepted till now, especially in females. We suggest the consideration of the hypothesis of faster growth in future studies.

On the biology and growth of the anglerfish Lophius budegassa Spinola, 1807 in the Spanish Mediterranean: a preliminary approach

“…4) with the other studies, we see that the value of the slope for the length frequency, for similar values of L ∞ in all the studies, is approximately double that estimated by illicia. This situation is similar to that described in Mediterranean hake by García-Rodríguez and Esteban (2002), who suggested a hypothesis of "rapid growth" leading to the formation of two annual growth rings instead of one, as is usually accepted.…”

Estimation of age and growth of juvenile hakes (Merluccius merluccius Linneaus, 1758) of the Bay of Biscay and Great Sole by means of the analysis of macro and microstructure of the otoliths

“…In the international age-reading workshop held in 2004 (ICES, 2004), the participants concluded that ageing hakes older than 3 years old was not possible with an acceptable level of precision and therefore ages estimated previously using the internationally agreed criteria were overestimated (de Pontual et al, 2006;Piñeiro et al, 2008Piñeiro et al, , 2009. Hence there is a need to make these criteria more uniform (García-Rodríguez and Esteban, 2002). In this sense, the results of recent tagging studies of European hake in the Bay of Biscay (de Pontual et al, 2003;Piñeiro et al, 2007) have questioned the accepted growth rate of this species.…”

Twenty-five-year longevity of European hake (Merluccius merluccius) from novel use of bomb radiocarbon dating in the Mediterranean Sea

“…In particular, the VBGF obtained by Mellon-Duval et al (2010) and García-Rodríguez and Esteban (2002) were considered to be the best representation of the FGH. Those produced by Aldebert and Carries (1989) and Levi et al (1994) were chosen as the best representation of the SGH.…”

“…Ragonese et al 2012), two opposing hypotheses are under consideration in the present study: (1) a fast-growing hypothesis (FGH), with a maximum age near 15 years (e.g. García-Rodríguez and Esteban 2002;Mellon-Duval et al 2010); and (2) a slow-growing hypothesis (SGH), with a maximum age near 30 years (e.g. Aldebert and Carries 1989;Levi et al 1994).…”

“…Uncertainties on the validity of current age estimation methods, which vary considerably in age reading protocol, are widely reported and controversial (e.g. Orsi-Relini et al 1992;Morales-Nin et al 1998;García-Rodríguez and Esteban 2002;de Pontual et al 2006;Mellon-Duval et al 2010).…”