Age, Growth, and Validation of Otolith Morphometrics as Predictors of Age in the Blackspot Seabream, Pagellus bogaraveo, (Brunnich, 1768) from the Eastern Adriatic Sea

The age and growth of the blackspot seabream, Pagellus bogaraveo, were determined by examining sagittal otoliths from fish sampled in eastern Adriatic Sea. A total 674 specimens (181 males, 90 hermaphrodites, 108 females, 295 immatures) ranging 8.80 to 47.27 cm (21.93 ± 9.00 cm) length analyzed. maximum observed for whole sample was 13 years. dominated 1-year-old as a consequence an abundance juvenile collected beach seines. Growth described von Bertalanffy curve (L∞ = 52.3 cm, K 0.15 year−1, t0 0.49 year, R2 0.97), performance index (Φ’) 2.61. length, width, thickness, mass compared with P. bogaraveo Adriatic. analysis showed that measures adequate predictors age. These results can be value more effective management aimed at conservation this species.