Age and growth of Ray's bream (Brama brama) from the south of Portugal Carina Lobo, Karim Erzini * Centro de Cie Ãncias do Mar (CCMAR), Universidade do Algarve, 8000 Faro, Portugal Abstract Age and growth of 234 Brama brama Bonnaterre (1788) (Pisces: Bramidae) caught by semi-pelagic longline off the south coast of Portugal (Algarve) was studied using otoliths for age determination. Samples consisted of ®sh varying in total length from 32 to 56 cm and in weight from 332 to 2032 g. Age classes from III to XII were represented in the catches. The von Bertalanffy growth curve was ®tted and the length/weight relationship was calculated. # 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved. Keywords: Atlantic promfret; Ray's bream; Brama brama; Age and growth; Portugal 1. Introduction Ray's bream or Atlantic pomfret (Brama brama) is a cosmopolitan species which is particularly abundant in the eastern Atlantic, ranging from the Faroes and the North Sea to South Africa (Rodrõ Âguez, 1980; Santos, 1982; Last and Baron, 1994). It is generally found on the continental slope, undertaking daily vertical migrations and seasonal migrations to and from more temperate waters (Mead, 1972; Haedrich, 1986; Bauchot, 1987). In the North Atlantic, Ray's bream is a seasonally important ®sheries resource, with a directed ®shery in Galicia, northwestern Spain (Rodrõ Âguez, 1980). It is also ®shed in Portugal and off northwest Africa (Mead and Headrich, 1965; Mead, 1972; Santos, 1982; Erzini et al., 2001). B. brama is caught mainly by hook and line gear; with pelagic and semi-pelagic longline as well as electric reels and handlines. Off the south coast of Portugal, it is the second most abundant commercial species in the hake (Merluccius merluccius) semi- pelagic longline ®shery (Erzini et al., 2001). Information on the biology, ecology and population dynamics of B. brama is scarce (Mead, 1972; Rodrõ Âguez, 1980; Santos, 1982). Only Rodrõ Âguez (1980) studied the age and growth with little success. Existing data mainly concerns feeding habits, repro- duction, parasitism, migrations, commercial impor- tance and ¯uctuation in abundance. In this study, age and growth of Ray's bream caught off the south coast of Portugal was studied using the sagittal otoliths. 2. Materials and methods A total of 234 individuals were obtained as a by- catch in the seasonal (between April and October 1997) hake longline ®shery off southern Portugal (Algarve) at depths from 200 to 600 m. In the labora- tory, total length (TL), standard length (SL), and fork Fisheries Research 51 (2001) 343±347 * Corresponding author. Tel.: 351-289-800-100; fax: 351-289-818-353. E-mail address: kerzini@ualg.pt (K. Erzini). 0165-7836/01/$ ± see front matter # 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved. PII:S0165-7836(01)00258-2