Age, growth, reproduction and mortality of Red Mullet (Mullus barbatus ponticus Essipov, 1927) from the Turkish coasts of the Black Sea

Abstract

A total of 989 red mullets, Mullus barbatus ponticus, from the Black Sea were monthly collected from commercial gill/trammel net and bottom trawl fisheries, especially landed at Sinop Fishing Port, between December 2015 and December 2016. Total lengths and weights of red mullet specimens were ranged from 9.2 cm to 19.2 cm (average: 13.3 +/- 1.3 cm) and from 8.2 g to 68.6 g (average: 25.7 +/- 8.0 g), respectively. The samples were grouped densely between 13 and 15 cm. Minimum landing size (MLS) is 13 cm for Mullus barbatus according to Turkish Fisheries Regulation Circular. Thus, 39% of all samples in this study are under legal size. The LWR equation calculated was W = 0.0137 x TL2.902 (r(2)= 0.92). Age groups of red mullets in the Black Sea were ranged from I to IV. The mean lengths according to age groups (I, II, III, and IV) were 11.43 +/- 0.04 cm, 13.22 +/- 0.04 cm, 15.24 +/- 0.06 cm, and 18.44 +/- 0.29 cm, respectively. According to GSI values, reproduction of red mullets is between May and July with the peaks of June-July. The estimated von Bertalanffy growth parameters with standard errors were L-infinity = 17.64 +/- 1.43 cm, k = 0.43 +/- 0.13, and t(0) = -1.33 +/- 0.37. The mortality rates (M, F, and Z), and exploitation rate (E) of M. barbatus ponticus were 0.91 year(-1), 0.52 year(-1), 1.43 year(-1), and 0.36, respectively.