Age and growth of albacore (Thunnus alalunga Bonnaterre, 1788) from the eastern Mediterranean

This study was designed to characterize the growth parameters of the albacore, Thunnus alalunga, in the eastern Mediterranean. A total of 819 albacore specimens were collected from gillnet boats operating in Antalya Bay (in the Levantine Sea) between May and July from 2006 to 2008. Individuals were all between 55 and 101 cm in fork length (FL). The fork length was directly proportional to weight, with a relationship of W = 0.00042FL2.246 for females, W = 0.00022FL2.396 for males, and W = 0.00016FL2.467 for males and females combined. Negatively allometric growth was observed in all individuals. Age and growth were estimated by assessing seasonal bands formed on the first dorsal spines of 744 specimens. Albacore samples were estimated to be between 1 and 9 years old. Von Bertalanffy growth parameters were estimated for all individuals and for males and females independently. There were signifi cant differences between growth patterns in males and females. The von Bertalanffy growth parameters for both sexes and all years combined were L∞ = 93.198 cm, W∞ = 11.552, k = 0.295 year^–1 and to = –1.213 years.