Blue whiting Micromesistius poutassou mean total length at age in the north-east Atlantic Ocean was found to vary by around ±6% during the period 2004-2011 and mean mass at age by ±22% during the years 1981-2013. Linear modelling provided strong evidence that these phenotypic growth variations can be explained by trophic conditions, mainly negative density dependence and also food availability, and a negative long-term temperature effect on asymptotic size.
Keywords: environmental effect; food availability; trophic conditions; von Bertalanffy.
© 2015 The Fisheries Society of the British Isles.