Reproductive biology of the Atlantic mackerel Scomber scombrus Linnaeus, 1758 in Mediterranean coast of Sinai, Egypt. | ||||
| Egyptian Journal of Aquatic Biology and Fisheries | ||||
| Article 13, Volume 24, Issue 1, January 2020, Page 189-201 PDF (838.61 K) | ||||
| Document Type: Original Article | ||||
| DOI: 10.21608/ejabf.2020.70038 | ||||
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| Authors | ||||
| Attia A. O. El- Aiatt; Kariman A. Sh. Shalloof | ||||
| Abstract | ||||
| This work aims to investigate reproductive biology of the Atlantic mackerel (Scomber scombrus L. 1758) to provide biological base for management of its fisheries in the Mediterranean coast of Sinai, Egypt. Monthly samples of S. scombrus were collected from the commercial catch in different landing sites of the Mediterranean coast of Sinai during 2019. The length-weight relation was found as W= 0.0116 L2.9556, W= 0.0077 L3.091 and W= 0.0094 L3.022715 for males, females and combined sexes respectively. Overall sex ratio (males: females) was 1: 1.4 during the period of study. Gonado- Somatic Index (GSI) of females showed that S. scombrus spawn during March, April and May, since GSI peaked in these months (6.5, 7.2 and 5.2 % respectively). The lowest value of GSI of females was recorded in October (0.05%). Lengths at first sexual maturity (Lm) were determined as 23.2 and 23.4 cm for males and females respectively. The absolute fecundity (F) was increasing with the fish length and described by a power equation: F = 0.0014 L5.6414. The relative fecundity gradually increased from 2481.8 to 7599.3 eggs per cm (average 4748.9 eggs / cm). To protect and maintain the stock of Atlantic mackerel in the Mediterranean coast of Sinai, it is recommended to ban using fishing nets of illegal mesh sizes and other destructive fishing methods which catch small fish sizes. Length at first capture should be larger than length at first sexual maturity (> 23.4 cm) and ban fishing nets targeting S. scombrus during its spawning season (from March to May). | ||||
| Keywords | ||||
| Reproductive biology; Sinai; Mediterranean coast; Scomber scombrus; Atlantic mackerel | ||||
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