| A new osseous part, the opercula bone, is used to estimate the age of 2099 round sardine Sardinella aurita, Valenciennes, 1847 captured in the Cap Bon area. The period of sampling, with a monthly rhythm, is spread out June 1994 at December 1995 and from June to September 1996. The relation between the length of fish (LF) and the ray of opercula (RT) is LF = 22,25 RT 0,994. The validation of the age estimate method is carried out directly by the monthly follow-up of average marginal lengthening and the percentage of individuals with marginal hyaline zone. This study showed that the round sardine has a double cycle of growth per year. The analysis of the key age-length shows that the females dominate in the majority of the age groups. The parameters of... |
