Growth, Condition, and Age Structure of Pagellus erythrinus (Linnaeus, 1758) in the Elafiti Archipelago Area (Southern Adriatic): A Winter Baseline

Biological parameters of Pagellus erythrinus (Linnaeus, 1758) (common pandora) were determined from 252 specimens collected in the southern Adriatic Sea during November–December 2025 using a research vessel equipped with a bottom trawl. Total length ranged from 11.0 to 26.0 cm (mean ± SD: 18.63 ± 3.15 cm) and total weight from 20.5 to 208.0 g (mean ± SD: 84.67 ± 39.66 g). The length–weight relationship was described by TW = 0.029283 × TL2.7007 (R2 = 0.949), with the allometric exponent b = 2.7007 (95% CI: 2.6228–2.7787) significantly below 3 (t = −7.565, p < 0.001), indicating negative allometric growth. Mean Fulton’s condition factor was K = 1.235 ± 0.155 and mean relative condition factor Kn = 1.006 ± 0.110. Body height and body width both scaled linearly with total length (R2 = 0.884 and R2 = 0.732, respectively). Six age classes were identified from sagittal otolith readings (ages 1–6 years), with age class 3 being dominant (46.4%). With L∞ fixed at 30.0 cm, von Bertalanffy growth parameters were estimated as K = 0.2296 year−1 and t0 = −1.566 years (95% CI: −2.209–−0.922; R2 = 0.979), with growth performance index φ’ = 2.315 and an estimated maximum lifespan of 11.5 years. The results are comparable to eastern Mediterranean P. erythrinus stocks and provide a preliminary winter biological baseline for this species from the southern Adriatic. These parameters can serve as inputs for future regional stock assessments and long-term monitoring, and allow for comparison with published Mediterranean and Adriatic populations within the context of the well-documented west-to-east productivity gradient. All results reflect winter sampling conditions and should be interpreted accordingly.