Growth parameters and population structure of Aristeus antennatus (Decapoda, Penaeidae) in the south Tyrrhenian Sea (southern coast of Italy).

The blue and red shrimp Aristeus antennatus (Risso, 1816) is one of the most important fishery resources in the Mediterranean Sea. Monthly samplings of blue and red shrimp from June 2006 to May 2007 were landed by the trawl fleet in two northwest Sicilian fishing harbours (San Vito Lo Capo and Terrasini). The carapace length (CL) frequency distribution of females ranged between 15.00 and 59.00 mm, whereas male CLs ranged between 17.00 and 34.00 mm. The estimated parameters of the Von Bertalanffy growth function (VBGF) for San Vito lo Capo females and males were: CL? = 65 mm, K = 0.58 y-1 and CL? = 41 mm, K = 0.71 y-1, respectively; while for Terrasini females and males these were: CL? = 69 mm, K = 0.65 y-1 and CL? = 37 mm, K = 0.8 y-1, respectively. In this study, we update the information on stock structure and growth parameters of the blue and red shrimp in two northwest Sicilian fishing grounds and compare these results with other data recorded in the Mediterranean Basin.