AGE COMPOSITION, GROWTH, AND MORTALITY OF EUROPEAN HAKE MERLUCCIUS MERLUCCIUS (ACTINOPTERYGII: GADIFORMES: MERLUCCIIDAE) FROM THE NORTHERN AEGEAN SEA, TURKEY

Abstract

Background. This study is the first attempt to acquire information about growth, age composition, and mortality of European hake, Merluccius merluccius (Linneaus, 1758), in the northern Aegean Sea. In Turkey, the hake is a very important commercial species captured with demersal trawls. Therefore the management of the hake fishery is important for the stock sustainability. The aim of this study was to determine the age composition, growth, and mortality of hake from Gokceada Island, northern Aegean Sea, Turkey.