Analysis of reproductive patterns of Sardinella longiceps (Valenciennes, 1847) from the Mumbai Sea, Maharashtra, India

In developing countries, management of fisheries resources is directly or indirectly dependent on fish reproductive biology & conservation of the breeding grounds. Indian Oil Sardine fishery is a commercially important pelagic fishery along the coast of Mumbai. A Ganado-somatic index value of females was maximum (8.20) in September and minimum (0.38) in January. For males, the maximum Gonado-somatic index was 8.36 in September and the minimum 0.29 in February. Based on sex ratios month-wise, females were slightly more dominant in all months. There is a significant difference in the length-wise distribution of sexes, with a large number of females in higher length groups. Females attain the length at first maturity at 166.5 mm, and matured ovaries were seen in September and October, with a maximum percentage in September. It is estimated that the absolute fecundity ranged between 28,860 and 52,646, and the relative fecundity ranged between 450 and 684 number eggs per gram of fish weight