engleski

POPULATION STRUCTURE AND MORPHOMETRIC RELATIONSHIPS OF THE EUROPEAN LOBSTER (Homarus gammarus) IN THE EASTERN ADRIATIC SEA

The morphometric relationships, carapace length vs total length (CL vs TL), carapace length vs weight (CL vs W), total length versus weight (TL vs W) and carapace length versus width of second segment of abdomen (CL vs AW) were estimated for the European lobster (Homarus gammarus) from the eastern Adriatic Sea. A total of 1273 lobsters were sampled of which 52.2 % were males and 47.8 % were females. The power function y = axbwas applied in all the relationships. The CL vs TL relationship showed negativeallometry, b < 1 in both sexes. Also, CL vs TL relationship showed negative allometry, b <3 in both sexes. The relationship TL vs W showed positive allometry with b value more than3 in males (b = 3.273) and females (b = 3.138). The higher slope value in males indicate faster growth rate of W in males especially at larger sizes, while faster growth rate of AW in females than males and can be evidence of physiological maturity. A total of 55.5 % of sampled lobsters were below minimum landing size (MLS). These findings indicate high fishing pressure targeting adult individuals.

Homarus gammarus, fishery, morphometric relationships

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