Length-weight relationships for 24 fish species collected from the western Black Sea (Turkey)

Abstract

The aim of this study was to derive length-weight relations (LWRs) for a wide range of fish species collected from the narrow continental shelf of the western Black Sea, Turkey which is exploited by the bottom trawl fisheries. Therefore, the present study describes the length-weight relationships for 24 fish species. A total of 31,553 individuals comprising 20 families and 24 species were collected by bottom trawler from 2011 to 2014 during spring and autumn. Significant LWRs were detected for all species (P < 0.001). In addition, this is the first report of LWR estimations for five of the species in the Black Sea. LWR parameters are essential for understanding the biology of fishes in the Black Sea, as well as better management Black Sea fisheries.