Maturity and batch fecundity of the European hake (Merluccius merluccius, Linnaeus, 1758) in the eastern central Atlantic

Authors

  • Hammou El Habouz Institut National de Recherche Halieutique (INRH)
  • Laura Recasens Institut de Ciències del Mar de Barcelona (ICM-CSIC)
  • Souad Kifani Institut National de Recherche Halieutique (INRH)
  • Abdellatif Moukrim Université Ibn Zohr, Faculté des Sciences, Département de Biologie, Laboratoire Eaux et Environnement
  • Abdellah Bouhaimi Université Ibn Zohr, Faculté des Sciences, Département de Biologie, Laboratoire Eaux et Environnement
  • Salaheddine El Ayoubi Institut National de Recherche Halieutique (INRH)

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.3989/scimar.2011.75n3447

Keywords:

Merluccius merluccius, sex ratio, reproductive cycle, length at first maturity, fecundity

Abstract


The reproductive biology of the European hake (Merluccius merluccius, Linnaeus, 1758) was studied on the eastern central Atlantic Moroccan coast from November 2001 to December 2003. The sex ratio was close to 1:1 for the specimens with a total length of less than 45 cm. European hake spawned all year round, though two spawning peaks were recorded with a certain interannual variability: the first and main peak in winter and a secondary intermittent peak in summer. Length at first maturity was estimated as 28.6 cm and 33.8 cm total length for males and females, respectively. These values are closer to Mediterranean than Atlantic hake values. The mean batch fecundity was 299872 eggs ind–1. The relative batch fecundity was estimated as 228 eggs per gram of gutted weight. Batch fecundity increased proportionally with fish length and weight. The batch fecundity of European hake in the Moroccan Atlantic area is higher than that in northern Atlantic and northwestern Mediterranean areas.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

References

Benchoucha, S., H. El Habouz, A. Kalmouni, M. Naji and M. Yousra.- 2006. Principaux résultats de la campagne de prospection par chalutage de fond de la zone atlantique nord í  bord du N/R «CHARIF AL IDRISSI», du 31mars au 18 juin 2007. Rapp. interne de l´I.N.R.H. Casablanca, Maroc.

Billard, R. - 1979. La gamétogení¨se, le cycle sexuel et le contrôle de la reproduction chez les poissons téleosteens. Bull. Fr. Pisci. N° 273.

Bouaziz, A., R. Sermoud, F. DjabaliI and C. Maurin. - 1998. Reproduction du merlu Merluccius merluccius (linnaeus, 1758) dans la région de Bou-Ismaí®l. CIHEAM Cah. Opt. Méd., 35: 109-117.

Bouhlal, M. - 1973. Le merlu des côtes nord de la Tunisie: Etude économique et biologique. Bull. Inst. Océanogr. Pêche Salambo, 2(4): 579-603.

Cerna, J.F. and C. Oyarzún. - 1998. Talla de primera madurez sexual y fecundidad parcial de la merluza común (Merluccius gayi, Guichenot 1848) del área de la pesquería industrial de la zona de Talcahuano, Chile Invest. Mar., Valparaíso, 26: 31-40.

Cervantes, A. and R. Goñi. - 1986. Contribucií³n al conocimiento sexual, época de puesta y sex ratio de la merluza europea (Merluccius merluccius Linnaeus, 1758) de ífrica occidental. FAO, COPACE/PACE. Ser. 86/33: 266-276.

De Pontual, H., A.L. Groison, C. Piñeiro and M. Bertignac. - 2006. Evidence of underestimation of European hake growth in the Bay of Biscay, and its relationship with bias in the agreed method of age estimation. ICES J. Mar. Sci., 63: 1674-1681. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.icesjms.2006.07.007

Domínguez-Petit, R., A. Alonso-Fernández and F. Saborido-Rey. - 2008a. Reproductive strategy and oocyte recruitment process of European hake (Merluccius merluccius) in Galician shelf waters. Cybium, 32(2) suppl.: 317-318.

Domínguez-Petit, R., M. Korta, F. Saborido-Rey, H. Murua, M. Sainza and C. Piñeiro. - 2008b. Changes in size at maturity of European hake Atlantic populations in relation with stock structure and environmental regimes. J. Mar. Syst., 71: 260-278. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jmarsys.2007.04.004

El Habouz, H. - 1995. Etude de la biologie et la dynamique des populations du merlu blanc (Merluccius merluccius, Linnaeus 1758) débarqué par les chalutiers cí’tiers au port d´Agadir. Thí¨se de troisií¨me cycle. Option Océanographie biologique. Univ. Ibn Zohr. Agadir. Maroc. N° d18/95: 1-108.

El Habouz, H., S. Belkaid, B. Tarchiq, A. Kalmouni and A. Chaghif. - 2007. Principaux résultats de la campagne de prospection par chalutage de fond de la zone atlantique nord í  bord du N/R «CHARIF AL IDRISSI», du 05 au 18 juin 2007. Rapport interne de l´I.N.R.H Casablanca, Maroc.

El Habouz, H., L. Bhar, J. Rafik and M. Yousra. - 2009. Etude de l´activité de pêche des chalutiers côtiers dans la zone Atlantique Centre Marocain: Exploitation et Cycles biologiques des principales espí¨ces ciblées. Centre Régional de l´INRH í  Agadir. Rapport interne.

FAO. - 1986. Rapport du premier Groupe de travail spécial sur les pêcheries de merlus et de crevettes profondes dans la zone nord du COPACE. COPACE/PACE SERIES 86/33. Rome, Italie.

FAO. - 2006. Rapport du Groupe de travail FAO/COPACE sur l´évaluation des ressources démérsales - sous groupe Nord. Saly, Sénégal, 14-23 septembre 2004. COPACE/PACE SERIES 06 68

FAO. - 2010. Rapport du Groupe de travail FAO/COPACE sur l´évaluation des ressources démérsales - sous groupe Nord. Banjul, Gambie, 6-14 novembre 2007. Goñi, R. - 1983. Growth studies of European hake (Merluccius merluccius L.) from the northwest African shelf. ICES. C.M. 1983/G: 10. Demersal Fish Committee.

Holden, M.J. and D.F.S. Raitt. - 1974. Manuel des sciences halieutiques. Deuxií¨me partie. Méthodes et recherches sur les ressources et leur application. Doc. Tech. FAO. Pêches Rev., 115(1): 223 p.

Hunter, J.R. and B.J. Macewicz. - 1985. Measurement of spawning frequency in multiple spawning fishes. In: R. Lasker (ed.), An Egg Production Method for Estimating Spawning Biomass of Pelagic Fish: Application to the Northern Anchovy, Engraulis mordax, pp. 79-94. Washington, D.C., U.S. Department of Commerce.

Hunter, J.R., B.J. Macewicz, N.C.H. Lo and C.A. Kimbrell. - 1992. Fecundity, spawning and maturity of female Dover sole, Microstomus pacificus, with an evaluation of assumptions and precision. Fish. Bull., 90: 101-128.

INRH. - 2002. Ressources halieutiques: situation et niveau d´exploitation. Rapp. Inst. Nat. Rech. Hal.

Lahaye, J. - 1972. Cycles sexuels de quelques poissons plats des côtes de bretonnes. Rev. Trav. Inst. Pêches Marit., 36: 191-207.

Lahrizi, H. - 1996. Etude de la biologie de croissance et de reproduction du merlu blanc Merluccius merluccius (L. 1758) débarqué par les chalutiers au port de Casablanca. Thí¨se de troisií¨me cycle. Univ. Mohamed V, Rabat, Maroc.

Macchi, G.J., M. Pájaro and M. Ehrlich. - 2004. Seasonal egg production pattern of the Patagonian stock of Argentine hake (Merluccius hubbsi). Fish. Res., 67: 25-38 http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.fishres.2003.08.006

Maurin, C. - 1954. Les merlus du Maroc et leur pêche. Bull. Inst. Pêche Mar. Maroc. Casablanca, 2: 7-65.

Mellon-Duval, C., H. De Pontual, L. Métral and L. Quemener. - 2010. Growth of European hake (Merluccius merluccius) in the Gulf of Lions based on conventional tagging. ICES J. Mar. Sci., 67: 62-70. http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/icesjms/fsp215

Murua, H. and L. Motos. - 2006. Reproductive strategy and spawning activity of the European hake, Merluccius merluccius (L.), in the Bay of Biscay. J. Fish. Biol., 69: 1288-1303. http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1095-8649.2006.01169.x

Murua, H. and F. Saborido-Rey. - 2003. Female reproductive strategies of marine fish species of the North Atlantic. J. Northw. Atl. Fish. Sci., 33: 23-31. http://dx.doi.org/10.2960/J.v33.a2

Murua, H., L. Motos and P. Lucio. - 1998. Reproductive modality and batch fecundity of the european hake (Merluccius merluccius L.) in the bay of Biscay. CalCOFI Rep., 39: 196-203.

Murua, H., P. Lucio, M. Santurtún and L. Motos. - 2006. Seasonal variation in egg production and batch fecundity of European hake Merluccius merluccius (L.) in the Bay of Biscay. J. Fish. Biol., 69: 1304-1316. http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1095-8649.2006.01209.x

Murua, H., G. Kraus, F. Saborido-Rey, P.R. Witthames, A. Thorsen and S. Junquera. - 2003. Procedures to estimate fecundity of marine fish species in relation to their reproductive strategy. J. Northw. Atl. Fish. Sci., 33: 33-54. http://dx.doi.org/10.2960/J.v33.a3

Pérez, N. and F.J. Pereiro. - 1981. First data on sexual maturation and sex-ratio of hake VIII C. And IX a. ICES C.M. 1981/G, 37.

Pérez, N. and F.J. Pereiro. - 1985. Aspectos de la reproduccií³n de la merluza (Merluccius merluccius L.) de la plataforma gallega y cantábrica. Bol. Inst. Esp. Oceanogr., 2(3): 39-47.

Piñeiro, C. and M. Sainza. - 2003. Age estimation, growth and maturity of the European hake (Merluccius merluccius (Linnaeus, 1758) from Iberian Atlantic waters. ICES J. Mar. Sci., 60: 1086-1102.

Ramos, A., A. Cervantes and I. Sobrino. - 1990. Estudios biolí³gicos sobre la merluza europea (Merluccius merluccius L. 1758) del área de CECAF. FAO. COPACE/PACE. Ser., 90/51, 155-177.

Ramos, A., I. Sobrino and Y.L. Fernández. - 1991. Biología de la merluza europea (Merluccius merluccius, L. 1758) de las costas de África nor-occidental. Act. Icong. Oceanogr. Y Rec. Mar. Atl. Oc. Las Palmas, 28-30 Nov. 1990

Recasens, L., A. Lombarte, B. Morales-Nin and G.J. Torres. - 1998. Spatiotemporal variation in the population structure of the European hake in the NW Mediterranean. J. Fish Biol., 53: 387-401. http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1095-8649.1998.tb00988.x

Recasens, L., V. Chiericoni and P. Belcari. - 2008. Spawning pattern and batch fecundity of the European hake (Merluccius merluccius, Linnaeus, 1758) in the western Mediterranean. Sci. Mar., 72: 721-732. http://dx.doi.org/10.3989/scimar.2008.72n4721

Yeates, J. - 1974. An introduction to quantitative analysis in human geography. J. Yates and J.R. Belser (eds.), Mc Graw-Hill series in geography.

Downloads

Published

2011-09-30

How to Cite

1.
El Habouz H, Recasens L, Kifani S, Moukrim A, Bouhaimi A, El Ayoubi S. Maturity and batch fecundity of the European hake (Merluccius merluccius, Linnaeus, 1758) in the eastern central Atlantic. Sci. mar. [Internet]. 2011Sep.30 [cited 2024Mar.29];75(3):447-54. Available from: https://scientiamarina.revistas.csic.es/index.php/scientiamarina/article/view/1268

Issue

Section

Articles