Age, Spawning Time, and Fecundity of Australian Herring (Arripis georgianus C. & V.) (Pisces : Arripidae) from the Waters around Rottnest Island, Western Australia

Abstract

Scales and ovarian material were examined from Australian herring taken from the amateur line fishery in waters off Rottnest Island, W.A., over the period 28 March to 23 June 1973.

The age-length distributions of a number of samples of both males and females are presented. Those fish sampled were predominantly 3+ years old.

Resting or undeveloped ova were translucent and less than 0.1 mm in diameter. Developing ova were opaque and greater than 0.1 mm in diameter. Mature or ripe ova were translucent, slightly elliptical, unpigmented with a central oil globule, and were between 0.6 and 1.1 mm in diameter.

Spawning was deduced to have occurred during early June. Most fish taken during the 1973 amateur fishery were in an immediate prespawning condition.

Only one of the 516 females examined had ovaries containing ripe ova. The equation F = 298 L^1.924 describes the relationship between estimated fecundity (F) and fish length (L).