Age, Growth, and Mortality of Exploited Stocks: Anchovy, Sprat, Mediterranean Horse Mackerel, Whiting, and Red Mullet in the Southeastern Black Sea

Abstract

This study aims to calculate the age, growth, and mortality rate of commercially important fish species, namely Engraulis encrasicolus, Trachurus mediterraneus, Sprattus sprattus, Merlangius merlangus, and Mullus barbatus, in the southeastern Black Sea between 2008 and 2011. These species are commercially important for Turkish and other riparian country fisheries. The samplings were carried out using bottom trawls, purse seines and various gillnets. Length-weight, age-length, the Von Bertalanffy equation, total mortality rate (Z), natural mortality rate (M), fishing mortality rate (F), and exploitation rate (E) were estimated for each species to use in further population analyses and stock assessments research. Additionally, the results of this study were evaluated considering the "Task Group 3 Report-Commercially Exploited Fish and Shellfish" in the Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD) published by the European Commission (2008/56/EC).