THE INTERACTION OF TEMPERATURE AND FISH SIZE ON GROWTH OF JUVENILE TURBOT

Growth rate of tagged juvenile turbot was significantly influenced by the interaction of temperature and fish size. The results suggest the optimum temperature for growth of juvenile turbot in the size rang 25- 75 g is between 16 and 19 degrees C. Optimal temperature for growth de creased rapidly with increasing size, and is between 13 and 16 degrees C for 100 g turbot. Although individual growth rates varied highly at ail times within the temperature treatments, significant size rank co rrelations were maintained during the experimental period. The study c onfirms that turbot exhibit ontogenetic variation in temperature optim um, which might partly explain different spatial distribution of juven ile and adult turbot in ocean waters. (C) 1996 The Fisheries Society o f the British Isles