Fluctuation in the indian oil sardine fishery—an explanation

Fluctuation in annual catch of the Indian oil sardine are related to the fluctuations in the strength of the new year-class recruited in the fishery. The strength of the recruit class does not seem to depend only on the strength of the spawning stock, but on the total stock. Thus an exceptionally strong recruit class may vitally affect the strength of the recruit class of subsequent years. An analysis of year-class composition of the commercial catch and a knowledge of the strength of the recruit class may help to predict the fishing success for subsequent one or two years. Intensive fishing of an unusually strong year-class rather than general restriction in fishery seems to be a solution for stabilizing the widely fluctuating fishery