Length-weight parameters and condition factor of Bonga, Ethmalosa fimbriata in the Cross River Estuary, Nigeria: importance of large volume of data

Abstract

No abstract available Length-weight parameters for bonga, Ethmalosa fimbriata in Cross River Estuary were estimated. Weight growth in Ethmalosa fimbriata was found to be isometric, with exponent b= 3.0 and a = 0.00967. This indicates that growth is proportional in all directions. The value of (a) was the same as that of the condition factor, providing a biological interpretation to the parameters of the length-weight relationship. The importance of using large volume of data in the estimation of the parameters of length-weight relationship in any fish species as well as the implication of these findings with regards to the possibility of applying conventional fish population dynamics models to the analysis of bonga population are demonstrated. Key Words: Length-weight parameters; condition factor; bonga; Cross River Estuary; large data Global Jnl Pure and Applied Sciences Vol.10(3) 2004: 379-383