Evidence of a relationship between weight and total length of marine fish in the North-eastern Atlantic Ocean: physiological, spatial and temporal variations

Type Article
Date 2018-05
Language English
Author(s) Mahe KeligORCID1, Bellamy Elise2, Delpech Jean-Paul1, Lazard Coline1, Salaun Michele3, Verin Yves1, Coppin Franck1, Travers-Trolet MorganeORCID1
Affiliation(s) 1 : IFREMER, Fisheries Lab, 150 Quai Gambetta,BP 699, F-62321 Boulogne Sur Mer, France.
2 : IFREMER, Lab Environm Ressources Languedoc Roussillon, Ave Jean Monnet,CS 30171, F-34203 Sete, France.
3 : IFREMER, Fisheries Lab, 8 Rue Francois Toullec, F-56100 Lorient, France.
Source Journal Of The Marine Biological Association Of The United Kingdom (0025-3154) (Cambridge Univ Press), 2018-05 , Vol. 98 , N. 3 , P. 617-625
DOI 10.1017/S0025315416001752
WOS© Times Cited 9
Keyword(s) weight-length relationship, condition factor, Bay of Biscay, Celtic Sea, English Channel, North Sea, sexual dimorphism, seasonality
Abstract Weight–Body Length relationships (WLR) of 45 fish species (37 Actinopterygii and eight Elasmobranchii) were investigated. A total of 31,167 individuals were caught and their biological parameters measured during the four quarters from 2013 to 2015, on five scientific surveys sampling the North-eastern Atlantic Ocean from the North Sea to the Bay of Biscay (ICES Divisions IVb, IVc, VIId, VIIe, VIIg, VIIh, VIIj, VIIIa and VIIIb). Among 45 tested species, all showed a significant correlation between total length (L) and total weight (W). The influence of sex on WLR was estimated for 39 species and presented a significant sexual dimorphism for 18 species. Condition factor (K) of females was always higher than for males. Moreover, a spatial effect on the WLR according to five ecoregions (the Bay of Biscay, the Celtic Sea, the Western English Channel, the Eastern English Channel and the North Sea), was significant for 18 species among 38 tested species. The temporal effect was tested according to components (year and quarter/season). The seasonality effect on WLR is more frequently significant than the year especially for the Elasmobranchii species, and can be related to the spawning season. Finally, depressiform species (skates, sharks and flatfish) are characterized by positive allometric growth, whereas there is no such clear pattern regarding roundfishes growth, whatever their body shape is.
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Mahe Kelig, Bellamy Elise, Delpech Jean-Paul, Lazard Coline, Salaun Michele, Verin Yves, Coppin Franck, Travers-Trolet Morgane (2018). Evidence of a relationship between weight and total length of marine fish in the North-eastern Atlantic Ocean: physiological, spatial and temporal variations. Journal Of The Marine Biological Association Of The United Kingdom, 98(3), 617-625. Publisher's official version : https://doi.org/10.1017/S0025315416001752 , Open Access version : https://archimer.ifremer.fr/doc/00363/47418/