Age, Growth and Reproductive Period of White Bream, Blicca bjoerkna (L., 1758) in Lake Ladik, Turkey

The white bream, Blicca bjoerkna (L., 1758) specimens (n=434) were collected from Lake Ladik between November 2009 and October 2010 in order to determine the age, growth, and reproductive season. Fork lengths and weights of these samples varied between 11.5-24.3 cm and 22.80-259.00 g, respectively. Age estimates obtained from scales and vertebrae were compared to determine the most reliable bony structure for ageing. The precision analyses indicated that scales were the most appropriate hard structures for determining the age of white bream. Ages of all the specimens ranged from I to VI years and age group III was dominant. The parameters of the von Bertalanffy growth equations were calculated as L∞ = 32.85 cm, W∞ = 707.76 g, k = 0.11 year-1 and t0 = -2.64 year, and the growth performance index (Φ') value was computed as 2.074 for combined sexes. Fork length-weight relationship was found to be W = 0.0066 FL3.317. The mean condition factor was the highest in August and the lowest in October. The gonadosomatic index values showed that the reproduction occurred between May and June.