Comparison of Growth Parametres Between Sardine Sardina Pilchardus (Walbaum, 1792) and Anchovy Engraulis Encrasicolus (Linnaeus, 1758) from the Eastern Adriatic Sea

Sardine Sardina pilchardus (Walbaum, 1792) and anchovy Engraulis encrasicolus (Linnaeus, 1758), besides being ecologically very important pelagic resources, are also the most numerous fish species in Croatian fisheries landings. Hence, the aim of this study was to compare sardine and anchovy growth parameters: length, length-weight relationship, condition and age population structure. All samples (N=3313) were collected from purse seine catches of eastern Adriatic Sea, during period June 2015 – August 2016. Total lengths of sardine and anchovy ranged from 10.5 to 17.5 cm (average ± SD: 13.94 cm ± 1.07) and from 10.0 to 17.5 cm (average ± SD: 14.09 cm ± 0.88), respectively. Both sardine and anchovy length-weight relationship indicated positive allometry, although allometric coefficient was higher in anchovy (b=3.201) than in sardine (b=3.069). In general, condition of both species grew with fish length. Sardine and anchovy age composition varied from one to five years, while most of the analysed samples belonged to the 3 year class. Growth parameters were for anchovy: L∞=18.36cm; K=0.317; t0= -1.89 and for sardine L∞=19.71 cm; K=0.286; t0= -1.82.