AGE, GROWTH AND MORTALITY OF THE GOLDEN GREY MULLET LIZA-AURATA (RISSO, 1810) IN THE EASTERN ADRIATIC

Aspects concerning age, growth, length-weight relationships and mortal ity were analysed in the golden grey mullet collected in Mirna Bay (ea stern Adriatic). Mean length and age data, derived using scale reading s were used to estimate the growth parameters of the von Berta-lanffy equation. The theoretical maximum length was estimated to be L(infinit y) = 398 mm. The growth coefficient was K = 0.21. Length-weight relati onships indicated positive allometric growth in winter with a b-value of 3.16. Total (Z) and natural (M) mortality were found to be 1.12 . y (-1) and 0.44 . y(-1) respectively. The exploitation ratio (E = 0.61) indicates that the fishing pressure on the golden grey mullet was high in the region investigated.