The reproduction and growth of the sardine sardina pilchardus in West Mediterranean, Morocco

Abstract

The sardine, Sardina pilchardus (Walbaum, 1792), is the most abundant fish species in the eastern part of the Moroccan Mediterranean Sea. The biological indicators of reproduction (sex-ratio, gonado-somatic index “GSI”, length at first sexual maturity “L50”) and growth (parameters of growth of Von Bertalanffy) were calculated from the treatment of the 529 individuals under-sampled during the period of study from January to December 2019. The size classes’ frequencies distribution of the commercial samples is understood between 7.5 and 20 cm of the total length (TL). Sex-ratio (males: females) total is lightly in favor of the females. According to the present results of seasonal variations in maturity stages and gonado-somatic index (GSI), the reproductive season of S. pilchardus collected, is extended from January to April for both sexes and the fish length at first sexual maturity (L50) is 13.29 cm (TL). Growth results indicated a major allometry growth for which the weight increases proportionately faster than the length.