AGE AND GROWTH DETERMINARON OF SERIOLELLA CAERULEA GUICHENOT, 1848 FROM SOUTHERN CHILE

Abstract

A monthly survey of age and growth on 1257 individuáis of the species Seriolella caerulea, using the otolith annual ring readings was carried out. The otoliths showed a clear altemation of hyaline and opaque rings with the hyaline ring appearing during winter (July). A high correlation was observed between the fork length (FL) increase of the fish and the radius of the otolith. The determination of age was estimated using the retrocalculation method. The Von Bertalanffy's method was applied to calculate growth. The best parameters that fit growth in fork length and total weigth, for females and males was obtained through the non linear method