Length–weight relationships of 13 fish species from the western Black Sea (Zonguldak-Amasra), Turkey

Abstract

In this study, length-weight relationship (LWR) parameters are reported for 13 fish species collected from the western Black Sea and a total of 3132 fish individuals were sampled. The b values varied from 2.84 for Scorpaena maderensis to 3.49 for Trachurus mediterraneus, with a mean of 3.13 (±0.074). The LWRS and regressions for all species were highly significant (P<0.05), whereas they were isometric for six species (Merlangius merlangus, Sprattus sprattus, Trachinus draco, Pomatomus saltatrix, Trachurus trachurus and Chelidonichthys lucernus). Two species (Scorpaena porcus, Scorpaena maderensis) showed negative allometry and five species (Mullus barbatus, Merluccius merluccius, Engraulis encrasicolus, Trachurus mediterraneus, Uranoscopus scaber) indicated positive allometry. In this study, LWR for S. maderensis in the Black Sea was investigated for the first time.