Otolith based age and growth studies on the indian oil sardine, sardinella longiceps (valenciennes, 1847) from Muscat, Sultanate of Oman

Abstract

The Indian oil sardine Sardinella longiceps is a commercially important small pelagic resource in the Indo-Pacific region. Although, this species forms a considerable proportion in the fish catches of Oman, no detailed studies on the biological characteristics of this fish have been attempted. Hence, a study was carried out to investigate growth parameters using analysis of otolith dimension and length frequency, population parameters using analysis of otolith dimension and length frequency, age at 1st maturity using analysis of otolith dimension and gonad maturation and spawning season analysis of otolith dimension and gonad maturation.