Length-based population dynamics of Lesser African Threadfin (Galeoides decadactylus, Bloch, 1795) from the coastal waters of Ghana

The study evaluated some population parameters of Galeoides decadactylus in coastal waters of Ghana. A total of 567 samples were collected from some selected coastal communities along the Greater Accra region of Ghana from August 2018 to August 2019. The total length of individual fish samples was measured and analyzed using TropFish R statistical package. Von Bertalanffy parameters were estimated at asymptotic length (L∞) = 39.6 cm, growth rate (K) = 0.19 per year, and growth performance index (Φ′) = 2.484 with an Rn value of 0.37. The length at first capture and maturity was 17.2 cm and 22.7 cm, respectively. Mortality parameters were calculated as total mortality rate (Z) = 1.49 per year, natural mortality rate (M) = 0.36 per year and fishing mortality rate (F) = 1.13 per year. The exploitation rate (E) was 0.76, indicating that G. decadactylus fishery in Ghana is overexploited. Monitoring of fishing efforts and the use of legal mesh size are some of the recommended management measures to sustain the G. decadactylus fishery in Ghana.