Interpopulation comparison of growth patterns of 14 fish species on Faroe Bank: Are all fishes on the bank fast-growing?

Individual growth and sexual maturity of 14 common fish species on Faroe Bank have been investigated and compared with published data from 36 geographical areas. To examine the importance of the Faroe Bank environment on fish growth, a discrimination between resident and migratory species was made. The present study shows that individuals of the resident species on Faroe Bank have higher growth performance and are, on average, 36% larger when they reach sexual maturity than individuals of the same age in other populations. For the migratory species, the difference is only 6%. Abundance of food and high temperatures are probably the main reasons for the high individual growth. © 2007 The Author.