Estimation of Growth and Mortality Parameters of Croaker Atrobucca alcocki in Pakistani Waters

Five demersal trawl surveys were conducted in the Pakistani waters in October, November 2009 and August, October, November 2010. A total of 819 lengthweight and 7,240 lengthfrequency data of Atrobucca alcocki were collected, the length ranged from 10 cm to 45 cm with the dominant length group from 19 to 29 cm. The total weight ranged from 14 to 928 g. The lengthweight relationship can be expressed as W= 0.012*L^2.925 (R^2= 0.972). Using the ELEFAN program in FiSAT computer package, the calculated von Bertalanffy growth function parameters were L∞= 47.25cm, K= 0.180 yr^-1. Total mortality (Z) was computed using the lengthconverted catch curve analysis at Z= 1.07 yr^-1. Natural mortality was computed as M= 0.494 yr^-1 at an annual average sea surface temperature of 26°C, hence, the fishing mortality was computed as F=ZM= 0.576 yr^-1. The Exploitation ratios (E) were computed as Emax = 0.421, E10 =0.355, E50 =0.278. Yield per recruit analysis revealed that when tc was assumed to be 2, Fmax was calculated at 0.75 and F0.1 at 0.6. When tc was assumed to be 1, Fmax was calculated at 0.55 and F1.0 at 0.45. Current age at first capture was about 1 year and Fcurrent was 0.576, therefore, Fcurrent was larger than F0.1 and Fmax. When biological reference point was Fopt equal to M (0.494), current fishing mortality rate of 0.576 was larger than the target biological reference point.