Comparison of length-weight relationships for whiting, Merlangius merlangus (Linnaeus, 1758) caught from three different areas of the south-eastern Black Sea

The purpose of this study was to compare Length-Weight Relationships (LWRs) of whiting, Merlangius merlangus (Linnaeus, 1758) caught from three different areas (Medreseonu and Persembe coastal waters of Ordu province and Piraziz coastal waters of Giresun province, Turkey) of the south-eastern Black Sea. During a year in 2010, whiting specimens were collected monthly by similar mesh-sized experimental gillnets from each sampling areas. Total length (TL) and weight (W) of each fish specimens were measured. LWRs were calculated using length and weight values for males, females and combined sexes. Then, the calculated b values of the whiting caught from the sampling areas were compared. The parameter b values of the LWRs were calculated as 2.7429, 2.9097 and 2.8600 for Medreseonu, Persembe and Piraziz coastal waters, respectively. These b values of the LWRs showed that whiting grows negative allometric in all of the sampling areas. According to the sex groups, only the female individuals captured from of Persembe coast showed isometric growth, while both the male and female individuals captured from the Medreseonu and Piraziz coastal waters and the male individuals caught from Persembe coast showed negative allometric growth.