Age and growth of the forkbeard Phycis phycis (Gadidae) from the Azorean archipelago, North Atlantic

The forkbeard Phycis phycisis one of the main target species of the demersal fishery in the Azores, north-eastern Atlantic. Age and growth of the forkbeard were studied using 477 otolithsfrom individuals caught between April 2000 and August 2004. Otolithswere burned and sectioned, a preparation method that improved the easiness of readings. Individuals ranged from 21 to 71 cm in total length, and their estimated ages between 2 and 18 years old. Forkbeard is a relatively slow growing, long lived species, that does not show sexual dimorphismin growth. The von Bertalanffy growth parameters estimated for the Azorean forkbeard were L ∞ = 79.64 cm, k = 0.09 yr ―1 and t o = ―1.88 years.