GROWTH OF JUVENILE SNAPPER, PAGRUS-AURATUS

Growth rates were estimated for juvenile (0+, 1+, and 2+ age classes) New Zealand snapper using length-frequency data, and length-at-age dat a based on otolith daily increment counts. Growth rates were also esti mated for early juvenile snapper reared in Australia. Published estima tes of snapper growth rates were reviewed, and the growth history of s napper up to 3 years old discussed. Growth rates were highest during s pring-autumn, and lowest during winter. This seasonal cycle was correl ated with changes in water temperature. Wild and reared juvenile snapp er grew linearly after metamorphosis at rates ranging from 0.35 to 1.5 3 mm day-1 (typically 0.5-0.9 mm day-1). Growth of wild juveniles slow ed dramatically during the first winter, and virtually ceased in subse quent winters. Growth rates during the second and third spring-summer growth periods were typically 0.2-0.4 mm day-1. Within a year class, l arge snapper were large because they were older, rather than because t hey were faster growers, than small snapper. Bimodal length-frequency distributions were common, and probably resulted from variability in s pawning and recruitment success. Growth rates did not differ among sna pper samples collected over an 8-12 km spatial scale.