Nazmi POLAT
In this study, the most reliable bony structure for age determination of garfish (Belone belone L., 1761) inhabiting the Black Sea was investigated and age-length and length-weigth relationships were determined. Bony structures such as vertebra, otolith, opercle, subopercle and cleithrum for age analysis were removed from 278 indivudials sampled from October 2003 to December 2004. The mean age (Xort), percent agreement (PA), average percent error (APE) and coefficient of variation (CV) were used to compare the reliability of bony structures. Similar results were obtained in age readings of vertebra and otolith. Otolith was prefered to vertebra due to the fact that removing from fish and preparing for age determination of otolith were easier. The relationships between otolith dimensions-age and otolith dimensions-fish length were investigated. The growth equation was calculated as Lt= 79.05 [1-e-0.198 (t+1.42) ] by otolith ages. The length-weight relationship of population was computed as W=0.0005L3.245.
