AGE AND GROWTH OF THE SQUID LOLIGO-FORBESI (CEPHALOPODA, LOLIGINIDAE)IN IRISH WATERS

Samples of the squid Loligo forbesi Steenstrup 1856 were obtained from commercial catches and research cruises in the Irish and Celtic Seas from August 1991 until October 1993. Age and growth of L. forbesi were estimated from putative daily statolith growth increment counts and f rom length-frequency data. Indirect evidence of the daily deposition o f growth increments was obtained by counting increments on statoliths from immature female squid from successive monthly modes, during a fou r-month period when length-frequency growth estimates were high. Femal e growth estimates from length-frequency analysis (15-30 mm per month) were slightly lower than statolith-based estimates (30 mm per month). Statolith data indicated that both sexes had a life-span of approxima tely one year and that males grew faster and attained a larger size th an females. In both sexes growth was found to be logarithmic over the size range sampled (28-505 mm mantle length). Mean estimated age of ma ture males and females was 317 and 312 days respectively, with the min imum age at maturity found to be 236 and 241 days. Back-calculations o f hatching dates showed an extended spawning season from November to M ay. Squid hatched in the spring grew faster than those hatched in the autumn and winter. In post-recruit L. forbesi, growth of head, mantle and viscera were approximately isometric with body mass. The digestive gland showed slight positive allometry, whilst reproductive organs sh owed strong positive allometry.