Length-based estimates of growth parameters and mortality rates of fish populations of the Caribbean Sea

Growth parameters (K, L) and mortality rates (M, Z) were estimated for 20 fish populations (L was estimated for six further species) of the Caribbean Sea. Samples were collected during 15 scientific cruises carried out between December 1995 and March 1998 in the Gulf of Salamanca, Colombia. Observed length frequency data were fitted to both standard and modified von Bertalanffy growth models to consider seasonal growth. For those species for which growth parameter sets were available in FishBase (http://www.fishbase.org) as of November 2003, comparisons in terms of the growth performance index (0') were conducted. Growth performances of most stocks of the Gulf of Salamanca do differ significantly from those of other stocks. Seasonal growth does not appear to be an adequate description of growth of the Gulf of Salamanca fish stocks, in spite of the presence of a seasonal upwelling phenomenon in the area.