Age, growth and mortality of the European Barracuda Sphyraena sphyraena (Linnaeus, 1758) from Eastern Algeria

Abstract This study provides the first results on the population dynamics of Sphyraena sphyraena (Linnaeus, 1758) in the western Mediterranean. Otoliths and scales reading were used for its age and growth investigation in Eastern coast of Algeria. The monthly evolution in marginal increment data of scales and otoliths revealed that only one annulus is formed per year in February. Fish length and radii of the scales or otoliths were closely correlated. Both methods showed four age groups. ANOVA test ( P < 0.05) revealed insignificant differences between both estimates of length at age results. Growth parameters estimated using length-at-age data from both methods confirming the age determination results. The total mortality ( Z ), natural mortality ( M ), and fishing mortality ( F ) were estimated at 1.19 year −1 , 0.826 year −1 , and 0.363 year −1 , respectively. The growth performance index ( Ø ) was 2.57. The estimated exploitation ratio ( E ) was 0.305. The length–weight relationship is EW = 0.0104 TL 2.702 , showed that the growth rates were negative allometric. The results revealed the compatibility of otoliths and scales reading for assessment studies of Sphyraena sphyraena .