Growth and Reproductive Characteristics of the Roughear Scad Decapterus tabl in the East China Sea

Abstract

The species of the genus Decapterus are important for fisheries in western Japan, but few in number and reports on their biological characteristics remain limited. This is the first report on the growth and maturation of the roughear scad Decapterus tabl in the East China Sea. The growth model of the roughear scad was estimated as follows: FLt = 390{1 – exp [–0.56(t + 0.36]} (1 < t < 8) using otolith annual rings that were formed once a year. The spawning period was from May to July, while the 50% maturation gonad somatic index GSI50 was calculated as 3.80 for female using logistic regression. The minimum length over the GSI50 was 274 mm, meaning a first spawning age of 2 years old in the East China Sea.