ANNUAL VARIATION OF GROWTH INCREMENT OF RED-SEA BREAM PAGRUS MAJAR

In order to examine the relationship between sea water temperature and annual growth of red sea bream caught in the waters around the Oosaki kamishima Island in the middle of Seto Inland Sea, the body length was estimated when each annual ring was formed on a scale, then the calcu lated body length of each age group from 1980 to 1986 was compared. Th e calculated body length was obtained from the expression FLi=(FL-b) x ri/R+b. The total deviation of the water temperature was calculated u sing the average daily water temperature during the growing season fro m May to November. The annulus formation time was from May to July and differed with water temperature during winter. The annulus formation indicates the time when growth begins after winter. The equations esti mated by the least squares method for annual growth at age I (years), say Delta 1(I) (mm), and the total deviation of the water temperature (T: degrees C), were Delta 1(0)=118.8+0.6.T, Delta 1(1)=64.7+0.3.T, De lta 1(2)=46.2+0.3.T, and Delta 1(3)=36.5+0.2.T, which were statistical ly significant (p<0.01). The values of the regression coefficient decr eased with age. Furthermore, a significant correlation was detected be tween temperature and the lengths at the annulus formation for ages 1 to 3 years old.