Abstract

The seasonal growth pattern of the garfish, Belone belone, L., 1761 was studied in the southeastern Black Sea between October 2009 and March 2011. The seasonal von Bertalanffy growth (VBG) parameters which were computed from monthly length frequency distributions, were estimated as L_∞ = 41.16 cm total length (TL), K = 0.728 yr^-1, t_o = -0.51 year for female and as L_∞ = 37.48 cm TL, K = 0.752 year^-1, t_o = -0.61 year for male. The seasonal oscillation in growth rate for male (C = 0.991) were bigger than for female (C = 0.902). The slowest period of growth corresponded to February in male and October in female. Growth performance index (Φ') calculated from seasonal VBG parameters were relatively similar in female (Φ' = 3.09) and in male (Φ' = 3.02).

Key words: Garfish, Belone belone, seasonal growth, Black Sea, electronic length frequency analysis (ELEFAN).

Abbreviation

VBG, Von Bertalanffy growth; TL, total length; Φ', growth performance index.