Growth and mortality of Serranus cabrilla (Linnaeus, 1758) (Actinopterygii: Perciformes: Serranidae) from Bou Ismail Bay, off Algeria, south-western Mediterranean

This study was conducted to determine the growth and mortality parameters of the comber Serranus cabrilla (Linnaeus, 1758) in the central region of the Algerian coast. A total of 1568 specimens were collected from January 2016 to April 2018. Total length (TL) varied between 9.3 and 26.2 cm. The maximum total length recorded in the Mediterranean Sea for the species is 26.2 cm (TLmax). The von Bertalanffy growth parameters were estimated using ELEFAN I routine in FiSAT II program (L-infinity = 32.80 cm; K = 0.41 yr(-1); t(0) = - 0.39 yr(-1)) and those related to the length-weight relationship are as follows: W-infinity = 372.15 g; a = 0.012 and b = 2.96 (r(2) = 0.93). Total mortality (Z) and natural mortality (M) coefficients stood at 2.63 yr(-1) and 0.43 yr(-1), respectively. The calculated exploitation rate, E = 0.84, indicated that S. cabrilla population is overexploited.