Growth of the green mussel, Perna viridis L., in a sea water circulating system

Abstract

Growth of the green mussel, P. viridis L., was studied in a sea water circulating system for 12 months. The maximum growth rate was recorded during March - May, coinciding with the maximum abundance of phytoplankton. The other hydrological parameters did not show any marked correlation with growth rate, which was chiefly influenced by the availability of food. A significant relationship was noted between the shell length and total weight of the mussel, i.e. W = 3.7522 L sup(1.3007). The maximum growth rate (91.62%) was recorded at an early stage and was followed by a sharp decline to 5.78%. The growth pattern of the mussel fitted well with the von Bertalanffy growth equation