Growth of sardine in several areas of Spanish Mediterranean shelf was estimated by means of otoliths reading. Hotelling T² tests were used to compare growth parameters among areas. Significant differences were found in all cases, but areas could be grouped in two broad regions: Alboran Sea and Golfo de Vera, with L_∞ higher than 20 cm, and areas from Cabo de Gata northwards, with values around 18 cm.