STUDY ON THE FECWDIN OF THE INW-PACTFIC MACKEREL, RASTRELLIGER SPP. IN THE GULF OF MAX LAND

This paper presents the estimation of t h e fe-cundity of R m t r s Z Z ~ e r species in the Gulf of Thai-land. Considerat ions on the frequency dis t r ibu t ions of t h e diameter of t h e ova i n the ovaries of the f i s h and the number of ova released in each batch f rom a spawner are also presented. No d e f i n i t e con-clusion could be made as to the frequency of spawn-ing of t h e f i s h during t h e i r spawning season, which lasts from January to August annually. The Department of F i she r i e s has i n i t i a t e d the mackerel project since 1955. Menasveta (1965) presented the causes which have l e d to t he formulation of the project and outlined programs of study leading to t h e rational u t i l i z a t i o n of t h e mackerel resources in the Gulf of Thailand. h e of the programs being carried out is the study of t he ear ly life history of the species, including t h e survey of the abundance of pelagic eggs and larvae of these species in the Gulf during t h e i r spawning season which las ts from January to August annually