Growth and age estimation of greater fork-beard (Phycis blennoides Brunnich, 1768) in the north and northwest of the Iberian Peninsula (ICES DivisionVIIIc and IXa)

In 1996 and 1997, a wide size range of greater fork-beard (Phycis blennoide s Brunnich, 1768) was sampled from experimental and research surveys, trawl ers and commercial landings from ICES Divisions VIIIc and IXa. Otoliths wer e collected and aged. Sectioned otoliths displayed numerous weakly marked r ings that make ageing difficult. In the central part of the otolith, close to the nucleus, a strongly marked check ring is formed, apparently in assoc iation with a change in diet/environment from a pelagic to a demersal habit . The growth parameters by sexes separate and combined were estimated from age readings. The females grew faster; reaching 81 cm at 13 years, while th e maximum age reached by males was 6 years from a specimen of 44 cm. The fo llowing length frequency distributions of the sampling catches showed a mod al progression in the juvenile phase in agreement with the lengths estimate d by the von Bertalanffy growth model for the ages group 1 and 2. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.