Daily otolith increments and growth rate of juvenile anchovy, Engraulis encrasicolus (Linnaeus, 1758), in the south-eastern Adriatic Sea

Abstract

Daily growth rate of juvenile anchovy, Engraulis encrasicolus (Linnaeus, 1758), was estimated in the south-eastern Adriatic Sea. Samples were taken by a commercial beach seine net and the size range of 100 sampled individuals was 5.0-6.8 cm total length. Age was estimated by counting growth increments of sagittal otoliths, which are formed with daily periodicity. Estimated ages were 41- 90 days and hatch date for each age class was back-calculated from the date of capture. The calculated instantaneous growth rate was 0.41 mm day-1. Fish size at metamorphosis from late larva to juvenile was estimated to 3.2 cm total length. Parameters of the von Bertalanffy's growth function were L∞ = 10.41 and K = 3.36.