APPENDIX 2
Growth parameters of selected Indo-Pacific fish stocks

The following two pages list the growth parameters L_∞ and K of 71 stocks of Indo- Pacific fishes, distributed in 64 different species. The stocks are grouped by species and genera, then by families, the latter being ordered alphabetically for easier access.

The data are selected from an earlier, more comprehensive compilation of growth parameters (Pauly, 1978a) in which data for 1 500 stocks, distributed in more than 500 species were given. What is reproduced here, however, includes most of the tropical Indo-Pacific stocks given in the earlier compilation.

I have made no attempt to document here the sources of the growth parameters, or of the data from which parameter values were calculated (but see Pauly, 1978a).

As a rule, the growth parameters given here should be used only for comparative purposes and to get a “feel” for the growth of some tropical Indo-Pacific fishes. Should, however, any of these data be used for stock assessment purposes, then an attempt should be made to make sure that the pair of growth parameters used is compatible with the stock in question. This involves the following criteria and techniques:

(1) The value of L_∞ used should be slightly larger than the largest fish observed from the stock from which the assessment is to be made.

(2) When parameter values for a given species are not available, parameter values pertaining to another closely related species (e.g., same genus) may be used, granted the rule in (1) applies.

(3) In fishes, L_∞ is inversely correlated with K, and this may be described by the relationship

log₁₀ K = a - 2/3 log₁₀ L_∞ ³

This relationship may be used in conjunction with a given set of L_∞ and K values to estimate the value of a for a given species then obtain values of K for another set of values of L_∞.

(4) In general, a low value of L_∞ and a high value of K are correlated with a high environmental temperature, while high L_∞ and low K indicate relatively lower temperature. This rule should be considered when making the adjustments in (3) and (2).

¹ Total length, in cm, except for the Thunnidae in which fork length in cm is used

² Annual basis