Population structure of Indian mackerel, Rastrelliger kanagurta (Cuvier, 1816), from the Suez Bay, Gulf of Suez, Egypt

An investigation on Age, growth, and stock assessment of the Indian mackerel, Rastrelliger kanagurta (Cuvier, 1816) was studied “between” September 2012 to May 2013 from the Suez Bay. The length of the fish in samples ranged from 15.5cm to 32.5cm of TL. The common equation of length-weight relationship estimated for combined sexes was W=0.0053*L 3.2135 . Von Bertalanffy growth parameters were estimated as L∞ = 33.79 cm, K = 0.428 year- 1 and t0 = -0.868 year. The growth performance index was estimated as 2.672. The annual total mortality (Z), natural mortality (M)were calculated as 1.917/year and 0.72/year respectively while Fishing mortality (1.197/year) was higher than the biological reference points (Fopt =0.60 and Flimt. =0.80), additionally the exploitation rate (0.62) was higher than the exploitation rate (E0.5 = 0.39) which maintain 50% of the stock biomass as spawning stock this results indicate that population of Rastrelliger kanagurta is overexploited in the Suez Bay ecosystem.