Research progresses of resource biology of important marine pelagic food fishes in China

A large number of marine pelagic fishes inhabit China's seawaters. In the past few years,their total capture production accounted for 40% of total marine catches in the country. Marine pelagic fishes of Scomber japonicas,Decapterus maruadsi and Engraulis japonicas belong to r-selection of life history pattern,and their resources usually recover faster than those of the demersal or near demersal fish species. Therefore,the resources of marine pelagic fishes can be used more sustainably. Development of important marine pelagic fisheries in China is review ed in this paper,particularly with regard to the five top production species,i. e. Scomber japonicus,Decapterus maruadsi,Scomberomorus niphonius,Pampus punctatissimus and Engraulis japonicus. Research status of resource biology of population identification and classification, migration and distribution,w intering ground,spaw ning ground and period,age and grow th,feeding habits, fecundity and stock structure of the five species,together with the assessment of their biomass and total allow able catches is illustrated. Future study on their resource biology is also discussed.