Distribution and growth of 0-group European hake in the Bay of Biscay and Celtic Sea: a spatial and inter-annual analyses

The spatial and bathymetric distribution of Merluccius merluccius was studied in 2001 and 2002 in the Bay of Biscay and Celtic Sea. Growth rates of young-of-the-year (<24 cm) and their spatial and inter-annual variations were estimated from an analysis of otolith daily growth increments. The north of the Bay of Biscay (the Grande Vasière) and the north-western Celtic Sea areas are the main nursery grounds of hake. 0-Group hake showed a marked bathymetric distribution, with the majority of the individuals caught at depths from ca. 70 to 200 m with a peak of highest density at a depth of 100 m. There was no evidence of difference in growth between 0-group hake from the Bay of Biscay and the Celtic Sea. However, there was inter annual growth difference. According to the growth curves, juvenile hake reach total length (LT) of 23.8 cm in ca. 1 year, with daily growth rates ranging from 0.71 and 0.74 mm day−1, respectively, in 2001 and 2002. These results suggest that juvenile hake growth rates are faster than previously thought for this species.