JIN Yue1, FANG Zhou1,YE Xu-chang1,2,3, LI Feng-ying1
1.College of Marine Sciences, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai 201306, China; 2.National Engineering Research Center for Oceanic Fisheries, Shanghai 201306, China; 3.Key Laboratory of Sustainable Exploitation of Oceanic Fisheries Resources, Ministry of Education, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai 201306, China
Abstract: The biological characteristics of sardineSardinapilcharduswere evaluated by the samples collected from the Chinese resource agent capture fishing boat working in the Morocco coastal waters(21°00′-26°00′N, 15°30′-20°00′W)from June to August in 2011. The results showed that the sex ratio (female versus male) was found 0.93∶1 in the samples; larger sex ratio in the individuals with fork length less than 170 mm (2.67∶1) and more than 230 mm (3.3∶1), others were 0.66∶1 to 1.12∶1, than the others. The female sardine had fork length from 150 mm to 270 mm, the dominant size between 190 mm and 230 mm, accounting for 81.51%, and the male sardine showed fork length from 150 mm to 250 mm, the dominant size between 190 mm to 230 mm, accounting for 84.47%; the body weight of the female sardine was ranged from 60 g to 210 g, the dominant body weight between 90 g to 150 g, accounting for 85.46%, the body weight of male sardine ranged from 60 g to 210 g, the dominant between 90 g to 150 g, representing for 93.44%. The length-weight relationship of the sardine was expressed asW=7×10-6L3.1076(R2=0.8483，P<0.001) (female)andW=9×10-6L3.0653(R2=0.8140，P<0.001) (male). There were 76.47% of immature individuals, 19.64% mature individuals, and 3.89% recovery individuals in the female samples, while 69.04% of immature individuals, 30.08% mature individuals, and 0.88% recovery individuals were observed in the male samples. The female sardines were found to have fork length of 228.14 mm and the male ones 219.78 mm when 50% of the sardines were first mature. The food item analysis revealed that most of the individuals showed 0 and 1 stomach fullness, no 4 stomach fullness.
2014, Vol. 29 
