A preliminary study on otolith-total length relationship of the common hake (Merluccius merluccius L., 1758) in İzmir Bay, Aegean Sea

This study presents the relationships of length-weight, age and otolith length-total length in Merluccius merluccius. The length and age of the 316 wild-caught specimens were compared with the length and age calculated theoretically, together with the results from the back-calculated lengths-at-age. Lengths of the specimens captured by bottom trawls ranged from 136 to 435 mm and their ages were estimated between one and seven. Six different groups of total length were designated and otolith lengths were compared with each of them. Similarly, the same parameters were utilized to determine sexual differences. As a result, it was observed that age and length groups of wild-caught specimens coincide with the age and length groups calculated theoretically. Evidently, each otolith length group conforming to total length groups were distributed homogeneously, whereas, the differences between them were significant statistically. © 2006 Asian Network for Scientific Information