First summer growth of mussel spats on the coast of Trabzon

SUMMARY First Summer Growth of Mussel Spats on the Coast of Trabzon. This study has been carried out inside and outside a small fishing harbour (Yomra) near Trabzon between May- November 1993. Monthly samples were taken from spats settled on underneath the trout cage walkways in spring 1993 and those put into lanterns from same stock and length, whole weight, height and width were measured. During the sampling some environmental parameters, namely temperature, salinity, pH, ch 1 or ophy 1 1 -a and suspended organic matter, were recorded and water samples were taken. At the end of the experimental period, which also corresponds to first summer growing period, the experimental mussels inside and outside the harbour reached 26 mm and 27 mm mean shell length, respectively. Similarly, final mean weight of the mussels inside the harbour was 3.2 g, while it was 3.3 g for those outside the harbour. Mean monthly shell length and whole weight increases were 2.32 mm and 0.34 g, respectively. Highest growth rate occurred in June-July. The length-weight relation was W - 7. 116*10_5*L3-265 inside and W - 6.123*10-5*L3-304 outside harbour. Although, growth of mussels outside the harbour was slightly better than the other stock, statistically this variation is not significant. Key Words : Meditterranean mussel, My t i 1 us gal loprovin- cialis LAM., first summer growth, raft culture, environmental parameters. T