age, growth and mortality parameters of mullus barbatus linnaeus, 1758 (perciformes: mullidae) in iskenderun bay, northeastern mediterranean

the objectives of this study were to determine the age, growth, mortality and exploitation of a commercially important fish of northeastern mediterranean sea, mullus barbatus from the karatas coast of iskenderun bay during september 2002 and april 2003. a total of 212 specimens of red mullet were collected by monthly sampling using traditional bottom trawl net by commercial vessel (coskun reis, 22m length and 285hp) from 3 stations in three depth contours in ≤20m, 20-50m and 50-100m, respectively. the age of m. barbatus specimens was estimated by examining sagittal otoliths and it found that the age composition varied from i to v age classes. the mean total length and total weight values was calculated as 10.07±1.83cm and 12.04±8.22g, respectively and the calculated length-weight relationship was w=0.0072*l 3.1618 . the von bertalanffy growth parameters were l ¥ = 21.98cm, k = 0.194 year-1 and t o = -1.168 year. the instantaneous rate of total mortality ( z ) was 1.39, the natural mortality ( m ) was 0.45 and the fishing mortality ( f ) was estimated to be 0.93. the exploitation rate ( e ) was calculated as 0.67 using value of m and f . as a result of the analysis, the population of m. barbatus from the karatas coast of iskenderun bay was exploited over the optimum level because of overfishing pressure.