Age determination and growth estimates of the white-spotted conger eel, Conger myriaster (Brevoort, 1856) in marine waters of South Korea

The age and growth of conger eel, Conger myriaster, were investigated by measuring transversely sectioned sagittal otoliths samples from 635 individuals. Sample ages ranged from 1 to 13 years in the female data. Parameters of the von Bertalanffy growth function were estimated using nonlinear regression from back-calculation, mean length of samples at age relationships, and otolith weight-at-age relationships. Best-fitting value of the three methods was the otolith weight-at-age relationship (r2 = .87). Parameters of otolith weight-at-age were estimated as L∞ = 143.76 cm, K = 0.081, and t0 = −1.285. Maximum oocyte diameter (MOD) ranged from 50 to 430 μm. Reproductive traits of ovaries showed a positive relationship between GSI and MOD (r2 = .8515). It is suggested that oogenesis begins to develop from 4 years of age and at lengths of about 45 cm TL. In conclusion, these data provide reliable fundamental data for the fish stock management of Conger myriaster in South Korea