Summary:The growth and mortality of the brown meagre, Sciaena umbra from the Gulf of Tunis, were investigated using a sample of 276 specimens, ranging from 15.3 to 49.2 cm total length and from 43 to 1565 g total weight. Specimens were collected from artisanal fisheries between October 2008 and September 2011. Otoliths were extracted, thin cross-sections were realized and radii were measured. The log-linear morphometric relationships between total length-total weight and total length-otolith radius were significant (p<0.05), showed positive allometry (b=3.15) and isometry (b=0.90), respectively. The marginal analysis suggested that only one growth increment was deposited per year. The maximum age of the brown meagre was 22 years for males and 31 years for females. The fit of the von Bertalanffy growth function was significantly different between sexes (p<0.05): TL ∞ =43.8 cm, k=0.145 y -1 , t 0 =-4.88 y for males and TL ∞ =50.1 cm, k=0.105 y -1 , t 0 =-5.71 y for females. The instantaneous total (Z) and natural (M) mortalities were estimated for each sex, resulting in an exploitation ratio (E=F/Z) of 0.43 for males and 0.46 for females.Keywords: brown meagre; thin otoliths; growth; mortality; Gulf of Tunis; Mediterranean Sea. Edad, crecimiento y mortalidad de Sciaena umbra (Sciaenidae) en el Golfo de TúnezResumen: Se investigó el crecimiento y la mortalidad de Sciaena umbra del golfo de Túnez, utilizando una muestra de doscientos setenta y seis especímenes que miden de 15.3 cm a 49.2 cm de longitud total y pesan de 43 g a 1565 g. Las muestras se recogieron de pesquerías artesanales entre octubre de 2008 y septiembre de 2011. Se extrajeron los otolitos, se realizaron secciones transversales delgadas y se midieron los radios. Las relaciones morfométricas logarítmicas entre la longitud total y el peso total de una parte y la longitud total y el radio de otolito de otra parte resultaron significativas (p<0.05) y mostraron respectivamente alometría positiva (b=3.15) e isometría (b=0.90). El análisis marginal sugirió que se depositaba un solo anillo de crecimiento por año. La edad máxima de la corvina negra es de 22 años para los machos y de 31 años para las hembras. El ajuste de la función de crecimiento de von Bertalanffy resultó significativamente diferente entre los sexos (p<0.05): TL ∞ =43.8 cm, k=0.145 y -1 , t 0 =-4.88 y para los machos y TL ∞ =50.1 cm, k=0.105 y -1 , t 0 =-5.71 y para las hembras. La mortalidad instantánea total (Z) y natural (M) se estimó para cada sexo, dando como resultado una tasa de explotación (E=F/Z) de 0.43 para los machos y de 0.46 para las hembras.Palabras clave: corvina negra; otolitos finos; crecimiento; mortalidad; golfo de Túnez; mar Mediterráneo. Citation/Como citar este artículo: Chater I., Romdhani-Dhahri A., Dufour J.-L., Mahé K., Chakroun-Marzouk N. 2018. Age, growth and mortality of Sciaena umbra (Sciaenidae) in the Gulf of Tunis. Sci. Mar. 82(1): 000-000. doi: https://doi.

In June 2015, an individual of Diretmichthys parini (Post and Quero, 1981) was trawled at 530m depth, in the North Sea off Norway and donated to research. This capture, the first for this species in the North Sea was the northernmost recorded so far, and provided an opportunity to document some aspects of the biology and ecology of this data-poor species. This individual was a female, 331mm total length of 33years old, with low mercury content in muscle and liver (~0.2μgg wet mass). Stable isotope ratios (C and N) in muscle and liver were consistent with the planktonic diet expected for this species. The capture of this fish at the northern latitude known so far would be consistent with the extension of the home range and the latitudinal shift hypothesized for this species in the 1990's.

We describe sclerochronological analyses of tadpole codling (Salilota australis) vertebrae as a proxy for the seasonal timing of fishing activities at one Middle Holocene (6500 BP) and three Late-Middle Holocene (3500-2500 years BP) archaeological sites located in Seno Otway and in the central zone of the Strait of Magellan, Chile. These data were also used to provide an approximation of the population characteristics of the species in the past, by estimating the relationship between size and age of the archaeological fish and comparing their growth rate to those of modern specimens, captured monthly over one year. The results showed that the size at age was significantly larger in archaeological samples than in the modern reference collection. Our results indicate that fishing activities took place throughout the year at the Late Holocene sites, with a special emphasis on the cold season, while the Middle Holocene site showed a tendency to catch tadpole codling during the warm season.

This is the first record of the black scorpionfish Scorpaena porcus being found in the eastern English Channel. A specimen was caught on 15 October 2012 off the port of Courseulles-sur-mer. It measured 31.6 cm and weighted 800 g. From a study of its sagittal otolith, this specimen appeared to be 9 years old.