Growth of 0-age Japanese Sardine Sardinops melanostictus in the Waters off the Western Coast of Kyushu

抄録

Growth of the 1992 and the 1993 year-class of 0-age Japanese sardine were estimated from daily otolith increments. Most of the specimens could be counted precisely until about 150 days old, and a few individuals were counted over 150 days old. The relationship between daily age (t) and body length (BL: mm) was as follows:
BL=154.7(1-e^{-0.0094(t-16.78)}).
The daily growth rate was calculated from otolith increment width and the relationship between otolith radius and body length. Growth rates ranged from 0.04 to 1.10mm/day until 60 days old in the 1993 year-class. Hatching dates were calculated from sampling dates and daily age, and ranged from the last ten days of February to the middle ten days of March in both year-classes.