Categories
vol-1lENGtH-WEIGHT RELATIONSHIP AND COEFFicffiNT OF CONDITION
FOR SARDINELLA MADERENSIS LOWE AND SARDINELLA
AURITA CUV. & VAL. FROM THE MEDITERRANEAN SEA AT
ALEXANDRIA (U.A.R.)
By
LA.M. SOLIMAN
Institute of Oceanography and Fisheries, Alexandria.
and
G.A. BOTRos A.M. EL-MAGH:RABY
Oceanography Dept., Alexandria University
INTRODUCTION
The importance of the Sardine fisll ~J the Egyptian fisherieR was attributed
to the relatively large catche~dand:d annually during the autumn months. Numerous big, shoals of this fish used to aggregate during tlHlt period in the coastal
Wl\ters off the Nile Delta to feed actively on tbe rich phytoplankton organisms.
The autumn blooming of phytoplankton in this area was a regular annual
phenomenon, before the construction of the Aswan High Dam. It occured as
a result of the fertilizing effect of the Nile flaod water flowing out to the sea.
The standing crop of phytoplankton in the surface waters used to increase
for instance from a few thousand cells per litre in early AuguElt, just before the
flood, to 2.S much as about 10 million cells per litre in September and October.
The sardine fish during that period stored in its tissues a high fat reserve which
consequently increased its dietetic value.
As a matter of fact the variation in the concentration of plankton food in
the waters infront of the delta in the different seasons of the year clearly affects
the well-being of these fishes. The weight variations noticed within the same
length group in the different seasons can be attributed to cyclic changes in the
quantity of fat stored in the fish associated with or following feeding and breeding
activities (EI-Saby, 1937; EI-Magbraby, 1960 and 1969).
The present work is a study of the length-weigbt relationship and tlle
variation in the coefficient of condition of Sardinella maderensis and Sardinella
aurita in the period from September 1964 to October 1965.
