Population dynamics of an emergent invasive fish, striped piggy, Pomadasys stridens (Actinopterygii, Perciformes, Haemulidae) in the Gulf of İskenderun, north-eastern Mediterranean

The striped piggy, Pomadasys stridens (Forsskål, 1775), is a recent invasive fish species in the eastern Mediterranean. Although its population dynamics was investigated detail natural distribution area, western Indian Ocean, an important data gap still exists This study carried out to determine growth, mortality, and length–weight length–length relations of piggy right after establishment area. Samples were collected seasonally between April 2014 December 2015 by using bottom trawl from 10 20 m depth contours off north-western coast Gulf Iskenderun. After length, weight, sex recorded, sagittal otoliths extracted examined for age determination. Then length–length, length–weight, length at relations, growth performance, mortality rates calculated both sexes pooled data. In study, total 1131 individuals investigated, which ranged 7.3 18.9 cm. mean 12.32 ± 0.11 There no significant difference relation (LWR) parameters overall LWR found be TW = 0.0113 * TL^3.096 all specimens. von Bertalanffy not significantly different males females. model L ∞ 22.01 cm, K 0.22 years –1 , t 0 –1.30 years. performance index ( Ø ′) as ′ 2.03. For combined sexes, total, fishery Z 1.14 M 0.66 F 0.48 respectively. exploitation rate stock E 0.42. determined similar ones reported Suez where closest area species. proper human consumption commercially caught native range, has yet been established Eastern Mediterranean we that there insufficient pressure on population.