Preliminary observation on the sustainability of white sardine, Escualosa thoracata (Valenciennes, 1847), exploited from the central west coast of India

Background The present study assessed the growth and mortality parameters of the white sardine, Escualosa thoracata which is having high local demand. The white sardine gained importance due to its taste, and high demand in domestic markets as compared to the oil sardine necessitated a study on this resource to know the present status of exploitation level along the central west coast of India. Results A total of 3026 individuals of different size groups of E. thoracata were randomly collected from the Burondi fish landing center of the Ratnagiri district of Maharashtra. The asymptotic length ( L ∞ ) and growth coefficient ( K ) were estimated to be 115 mm and 1.9 year −1 , respectively, by ELEFAN-I and 135 mm and 1.2 year −1 by the scattergram. The value of t 0 by von Bertalanffy plot was estimated to be −0.000012 year. The fish attained a length of 65 mm, 94 mm, and 114 mm at the end of 0.5, 1, and 1.5 years of its life, respectively. The instantaneous rate of total mortality ( Z ), natural mortality ( M ), and fishing mortality ( F ) were estimated to be 8.07 year −1 , 2.55 year −1 , and 5.52 year −1 , respectively. The exploitation rate ( U ) was calculated as 0.65, and the exploitation ratio ( E ) was 0.68. Conclusion The growth, mortality, and other population parameters observed in the present study will help to understand the current stock status, which is pointing toward the over-fishing condition ( E ˃ 0.50) of the white sardine in the study area. Therefore, the present investigation suggests reducing the fishing pressure on E. thoracata along the central west coast of India for the sustainability of the resource.